ARKANSAS HWY 178
Carrying ARKANSAS HWY 178 over BULL SHOALS DAM SPILLWAY
10 MI. W OF MTN HOME, Marion, Arkansas
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: ARKANSAS HWY 178
The ARKANSAS HWY 178 bridge in Marion, Arkansas carries ARKANSAS HWY 178 over BULL SHOALS DAM SPILLWAY. It was built in 1951, making it 75 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 17 sections, stretching 248.6 meters (816 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 3,200 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Arkansas bridges. It is owned and maintained by Army Corps of Engineers.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure at 6/9, substructure at 6/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. None of this bridge's reported major components fall into the Poor condition range. Its NBI inventory load rating is 30.1 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How ARKANSAS HWY 178 compares
Live comparison across Arkansas.
Historical Sufficiency Rating
PlainBridge-computedFHWA discontinued this calculated item; it does not determine current condition, funding eligibility, posting, or closure. How the historical reference is calculated.
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1951
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 17
- Structure Length
- 248.6 m (816 ft)
- Deck Width
- 10.3 m (34 ft)
- Owner
- Army Corps of Engineers
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 3,200 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- AHTD000000M3657
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • At 6/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates fair at 6/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether ARKANSAS HWY 178 is safe to cross today. Here is how to use it.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Learn how the 0–9 condition scale and Good/Fair/Poor categories are defined. How condition ratings work
- Compare ARKANSAS HWY 178 against other structures in Marion and across Arkansas. Arkansas 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 ARKANSAS HWY 178?
ARKANSAS HWY 178 in Marion, Arkansas has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 6/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is ARKANSAS HWY 178 inspected?
ARKANSAS HWY 178'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 3,200 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. ARKANSAS HWY 178 is currently shown as Fair condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for ARKANSAS HWY 178?
ARKANSAS HWY 178 has an NBI inventory load rating of 30.1 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining ARKANSAS HWY 178?
ARKANSAS HWY 178 is owned and maintained by Army Corps of Engineers.
How old is ARKANSAS HWY 178 and does age affect safety?
ARKANSAS HWY 178 was built in 1951, making it 75 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.
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.