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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEDAR BROOK | New Jersey | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1922 | 4,959 |
| MISTEQUAY CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1932 | 4,958 |
| TRIB OF MIDDLE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1930 | 4,947 |
| NOOSENECK RIVER | Rhode Island | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1924 | 4,944 |
| COON BRANCH | Louisiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1992 | 4,942 |
| WEST SANDY CREEK | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1963 | 4,939 |
| CHOCOLAY RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1954 | 4,934 |
| TEN MILE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1989 | 4,930 |
| SANTIAGO RIVER | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1918 | 4,923 |
| TRIB NO BR MAHANTANGO CR | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1930 | 4,922 |
| GRAND RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1937 | 4,916 |
| TRINITY RIVER RELIEF | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1952 | 4,916 |
| SPRING CK | South Dakota | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1963 | 4,913 |
| SPRING CK | South Dakota | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1963 | 4,913 |
| MARMATON RIVER | Kansas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1967 | 4,910 |
| MIDDLE BR ESCANABA RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1967 | 4,907 |
| E BR ESCANABA RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1940 | 4,907 |
| MISS RVR RR STREETS | Minnesota | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1941 | 4,905 |
| HORSE BAYOU | Louisiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1971 | 4,905 |
| MINISTER CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1933 | 4,902 |
| GURABO RIVER | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1984 | 4,900 |
| QUINNIPIAC RIVER | Connecticut | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1963 | 4,900 |
| MAUNABO RIVER | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1930 | 4,900 |
| TURNER CREEK | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1989 | 4,900 |
| EL CABRO CREEK | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1950 | 4,900 |
| HOODS CREEK | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1930 | 4,900 |
| BR OF BIG ALLISON CR | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1960 | 4,900 |
| DUCK CREEK | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1920 | 4,900 |
| TURKEY CREEK | Colorado | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1977 | 4,900 |
| ARENAS CREEK | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1929 | 4,900 |
| SUWANNEE RIVER RELIEF | Florida | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1947 | 4,900 |
| GRAND RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1955 | 4,900 |
| MACKS BAYOU | Louisiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1970 | 4,896 |
| DOE RUN | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1932 | 4,881 |
| WABASH RIVER | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1975 | 4,878 |
| JOHNSONS POND | Rhode Island | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1934 | 4,870 |
| PINEY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1923 | 4,865 |
| SUGAR CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1932 | 4,852 |
| Bogue Creek | Alabama | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1928 | 4,850 |
| SHAKER RUN | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1953 | 4,850 |
| HEEIA STRM | Hawaii | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1921 | 4,850 |
| LAS TRAMPAS CREEK | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1978 | 4,840 |
| PIPE CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1935 | 4,839 |
| POWELL BUTTE CANAL | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1954 | 4,833 |
| SPARKILL CREEK | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1931 | 4,830 |
| KEUKA LAKE OUTLET PEDES | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1880 | 4,826 |
| W FK NOOKACHAMPS CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1952 | 4,825 |
| W.BR.COXES CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1963 | 4,824 |
| BROKEN ARROW CREEK | Alabama | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1948 | 4,820 |
| MOORS CREEK | Nebraska | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1931 | 4,815 |
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.