FHWA NBI 2024 Inspection record Public-domain dataset

Ball Town Rd

Carrying Ball Town Rd over ARD CREEK

.7 MI. S OF HWY. 438, Washington, Louisiana

Data updated May 2026

FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.

Poor
6 t Inventory load rating

Bridge Snapshot: Ball Town Rd

The Ball Town Rd bridge in Washington, Louisiana carries Ball Town Rd over ARD CREEK. It was built in 1960, making it 66 years old today. The structure is built primarily of wood or timber and spans 2 sections, stretching 10.7 meters (35 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 1,680 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Louisiana bridges. It is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.

The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure at 4/9, substructure at 5/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. A component scored 4 or below, placing this bridge in the federal Poor condition category rather than declaring it unsafe or closed. Its NBI inventory load rating is 6.4 metric tons.

Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.

How Ball Town Rd compares

▼ 25.9
Load rating vs Louisiana average (32.3 t)
Bottom 1%
Lower load rating than 99% of Louisiana bridges
285
Bridges in Washington · 33 in Poor condition
Ball Town Rd 6.4 t
Louisiana average 32.3 t

Live comparison across Louisiana.

Historical Sufficiency Rating

PlainBridge-computed
21.5 / 100 - historical 20–49.9 band
Structural adequacy /55
0.0
Serviceability /30
8.8
Essentiality /15
12.7
Special reductions
0

FHWA discontinued this calculated item; it does not determine current condition, funding eligibility, posting, or closure. How the historical reference is calculated.

Condition Ratings

Deck
5/9
Fair (5–6)
Superstructure
4/9
Poor (1–4)
Substructure
5/9
Fair (5–6)
Inventory Load Rating
6.4 t
NBI inventory level (metric tons)
Overall Condition
Poor

Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.

Structural Details

Year Built
1960
Material
Wood or Timber
Number of Spans
2
Structure Length
10.7 m (35 ft)
Deck Width
5.5 m (18 ft)
Owner
County Highway Agency
Avg Daily Traffic
1,680 vehicles/day
Structure Number
625930582894541

Condition Analysis

  • The deck (driving surface) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
  • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in poor condition (4/9), showing advanced deterioration that may require priority repair.
  • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.

How to read this record

Ball Town Rd is in the federal Poor condition category. That is a component-based result, not a closure order.

  • NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
  • Understand what Poor condition does and does not mean before drawing conclusions. Poor condition explained
  • Compare Ball Town Rd against other structures in Washington and across Louisiana. Louisiana bridges
  • Noticed visible damage or a safety concern? Report it to the agency that owns the bridge, or call 911 in an emergency. How to report a bridge

Condition codes come straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory and are not a real-time safety judgment. Only the owning agency, a state DOT, county, or other owner, can post, restrict, or close a bridge.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do the condition ratings mean for Ball Town Rd?

Ball Town Rd in Washington, Louisiana has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 4/9, and substructure rating of 5/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.

How often is Ball Town Rd inspected?

Ball Town Rd's responsible agency sets its routine interval under FHWA's risk-based inspection rules; this page does not expose the scheduled interval. It carries about 1,680 vehicles per day.

What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?

FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. Ball Town Rd is currently shown as Poor condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.

What is the inventory load rating for Ball Town Rd?

Ball Town Rd has an NBI inventory load rating of 6.4 metric tons.

Who is responsible for maintaining Ball Town Rd?

Ball Town Rd is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.

How old is Ball Town Rd and does age affect safety?

Ball Town Rd was built in 1960, making it 66 years old.

Disclaimer: Bridge condition data is from the FHWA NBI and reflects the last reported inspection. A Poor condition rating is not a live declaration that a bridge is closed or unsafe for travel. For current closure, posting, or safety information, contact the responsible transportation agency.

Data sourced from the Federal Highway Administration National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges

Every figure on PlainBridge is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.