Scour Critical Bridges
23,522 bridges across the US at risk from water erosion around foundations.
Scour Critical Bridges
Scour is the erosion of soil and rock around a bridge's foundation caused by moving water. When foundations are exposed or undermined, a bridge can collapse even if its deck and superstructure are in good condition. Scour is the leading cause of bridge failures in the US. These 23,522 bridges have been identified as vulnerable to scour damage.
| Bridge | State | Scour Status | Condition | Year Built | ADT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GUADIANA RIVER | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1958 | 18,600 |
| TONQUISH CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1946 | 18,579 |
| Pompton River | New Jersey | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1887 | 18,571 |
| BRAYS BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1962 | 18,564 |
| PLUM CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1962 | 18,535 |
| BRANCH | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1965 | 18,528 |
| MILL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1929 | 18,527 |
| ROGUE RIVER | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1931 | 18,505 |
| MESCAL DITCH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1963 | 18,500 |
| CLARK MOUNTAIN DITCH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1963 | 18,500 |
| MOHAWK DITCH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1963 | 18,500 |
| STILL RIVER | Connecticut | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1949 | 18,500 |
| MICRO DITCH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1962 | 18,500 |
| CLARK MOUNTAIN DITCH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1963 | 18,500 |
| WHEATON WASH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1963 | 18,500 |
| Sweetwater Branch | Florida | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1962 | 18,500 |
| GUANABANA CREEK | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1924 | 18,500 |
| MESCAL DITCH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1963 | 18,500 |
| SPARKILL CREEK | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1932 | 18,465 |
| GUAYANILLA RIVER L ROAD | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1970 | 18,450 |
| LAKE SWAMP | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1966 | 18,450 |
| GUAYANILLA RIVER L ROAD | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1970 | 18,450 |
| LAKE SWAMP | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1966 | 18,450 |
| S BR FLINT RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1948 | 18,440 |
| PLUM CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1962 | 18,431 |
| San Antonio River | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1965 | 18,420 |
| ACHIOTE CREEK | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1967 | 18,400 |
| HUMBOLDT RVR | Nevada | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1979 | 18,400 |
| NYBERG CREEK | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1980 | 18,383 |
| COOPER RIVER | New Jersey | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1939 | 18,376 |
| HURON RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1912 | 18,300 |
| VERMILION RIVER | Louisiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1954 | 18,293 |
| MONTGOMERY CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1965 | 18,260 |
| ROCKAWAY INLET | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1936 | 18,260 |
| LYLE CREEK | North Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1957 | 18,250 |
| WATER MERRIMACK RIVER | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1937 | 18,230 |
| COBBS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1924 | 18,222 |
| COBBS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1924 | 18,222 |
| S BR ROCKAWAY RIVER | New Jersey | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1945 | 18,219 |
| GRANDE DE LOIZA RIVER | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1973 | 18,200 |
| SOUTH EDISTO RIVER | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1970 | 18,200 |
| SOUTH EDISTO RIVER | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1970 | 18,200 |
| BELL CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1925 | 18,173 |
| EAST BR. BRANDYWINE CK. | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1921 | 18,163 |
| CSX TRANS/AMTRAK HUDSON | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1935 | 18,162 |
| REYNOLDS CHANNEL ROADWA | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1952 | 18,147 |
| BEAR CREEK | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1928 | 18,146 |
| WEST BRANCH BIG ELK CR. | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1968 | 18,144 |
| N BR TEN MILE CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1959 | 18,124 |
| N BR TEN MILE CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1959 | 18,124 |
Scour Critical Bridges by State
States ranked by number of scour critical bridges.
| State | Scour Critical | Unaddressed | Countermeasures | Ineffective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 3,912 | 75 | 516 | 3,321 |
| Pennsylvania | 2,233 | 45 | 2,187 | 1 |
| Louisiana | 1,302 | 13 | 1,288 | 1 |
| South Carolina | 1,263 | 0 | 1,217 | 46 |
| Oregon | 1,231 | 4 | 1,221 | 6 |
| Michigan | 1,081 | 14 | 1,062 | 5 |
| Nebraska | 962 | 224 | 732 | 6 |
| New York | 864 | 9 | 780 | 75 |
| Indiana | 756 | 7 | 749 | 0 |
| Wisconsin | 751 | 0 | 748 | 3 |
| Kansas | 638 | 9 | 626 | 3 |
| California | 623 | 27 | 562 | 34 |
| Tennessee | 581 | 12 | 569 | 0 |
| Washington | 516 | 14 | 487 | 15 |
| Puerto Rico | 496 | 9 | 487 | 0 |
| Alabama | 450 | 1 | 423 | 26 |
| Iowa | 392 | 3 | 385 | 4 |
| New Jersey | 362 | 2 | 360 | 0 |
| Florida | 357 | 4 | 339 | 14 |
| Oklahoma | 317 | 33 | 283 | 1 |
| Missouri | 312 | 4 | 307 | 1 |
| Mississippi | 301 | 6 | 286 | 9 |
| Connecticut | 279 | 0 | 276 | 3 |
| Minnesota | 257 | 38 | 202 | 17 |
| Vermont | 242 | 0 | 240 | 2 |
| Colorado | 241 | 3 | 238 | 0 |
| Idaho | 215 | 18 | 186 | 11 |
| South Dakota | 207 | 3 | 203 | 1 |
| Arkansas | 187 | 3 | 129 | 55 |
| Massachusetts | 166 | 15 | 106 | 45 |
| Montana | 166 | 13 | 140 | 13 |
| Arizona | 164 | 2 | 160 | 2 |
| West Virginia | 160 | 2 | 98 | 60 |
| Alaska | 159 | 1 | 146 | 12 |
| Maine | 140 | 13 | 126 | 1 |
| North Carolina | 130 | 9 | 105 | 16 |
| New Mexico | 127 | 4 | 114 | 9 |
| North Dakota | 102 | 14 | 87 | 1 |
| Utah | 100 | 6 | 82 | 12 |
| Georgia | 99 | 1 | 81 | 17 |
| Illinois | 99 | 3 | 85 | 11 |
| Nevada | 94 | 0 | 85 | 9 |
| Rhode Island | 94 | 0 | 93 | 1 |
| New Hampshire | 86 | 2 | 78 | 6 |
| Hawaii | 83 | 0 | 82 | 1 |
| Kentucky | 56 | 16 | 39 | 1 |
| Maryland | 54 | 1 | 51 | 2 |
| Wyoming | 51 | 1 | 48 | 2 |
| Delaware | 39 | 0 | 39 | 0 |
| Ohio | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Virginia | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| District of Columbia | 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
Scour Critical Rating Codes
| Code 2 — Unaddressed | Bridge is scour critical with no countermeasures installed. The foundation is vulnerable and no protective action has been taken. |
| Code 3 — Countermeasures Installed | Protective measures (riprap, sheet piling, etc.) have been installed to reduce scour risk, but the bridge remains classified as scour critical. |
| Code 6 — Countermeasures Ineffective | Protective measures were installed but have been assessed as ineffective. The bridge requires re-evaluation and additional action. |
About Scour Critical Bridges
Scour critical bridges have been identified through underwater inspection or analysis as having foundations that are unstable or could become unstable during flood conditions. FHWA requires action plans for all scour critical bridges. Famous scour failures include the 1987 Schoharie Creek Bridge collapse in New York.