US278 S-8LM17.9WB
Carrying US278 S-8LM17.9WB over US 79/79B MN LNS
JCT US 278 OVER US 79/79B, Ouachita, Arkansas
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
US278 S-8LM17.9WB in Ouachita, Arkansas sits above 63% of rated Arkansas bridges on inventory load rating (33 t), while its 1994 build year is earlier than 15% of Ouachita's recorded-year cohort (162 bridges).
US278 S-8LM17.9WB in Ouachita, Arkansas is rated Good in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1994, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 7. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Good result describes the weakest reported component rather than the structure as a whole. No NBI category is a closure decision or a live crossing-safety verdict.
NBI record plate
Structure AR:0000000000A6500
LATE-CENTURY · STEEL · MULTI-SPAN · DECK-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-GOOD
- LATE-CENTURY 1980–1999
- STEEL Steel
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- DECK-LED Deck-led
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard load
- CAT-GOOD Good
Inspection-sheet codes from this record’s year, material family, spans, controlling component, ADT, inventory load, and NBI category, not a live closure verdict.
Bridge Snapshot: US278 S-8LM17.9WB
The US278 S-8LM17.9WB bridge in Ouachita, Arkansas carries US278 S-8LM17.9WB over US 79/79B MN LNS. It was built in 1994, making it 32 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel continuous and spans 3 sections, stretching 63.7 meters (209 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 5,000 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Arkansas bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure at 8/9, substructure at 8/9. The weakest component sits in good condition. All reported major components score above the Poor range.
How US278 S-8LM17.9WB compares
Age against the county: built in 1994, earlier than 24 of Ouachita's 162 bridges with a recorded construction year (15%), against a county median build year of 1975. This is one of the newer structures in its county.
Live comparison across Arkansas bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (12,914 of 12,974 rated).
US278 S-8LM17.9WB vs every rated Arkansas bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
33 Top 37% higher than 63% of 12,914 bridges
rated Arkansas bridges, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more bridges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · August 2026
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Reported 0–9 component ratings from the FHWA NBI. The highlighted component is the lowest reported input to this record’s current condition category; it is not a closure or live crossing-safety decision.
Ouachita inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 162 bridges in this county. Orthogonal to this structure's component profile above: a county catalog share, not a live crossing-safety verdict.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1994
- Material
- Steel Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 63.7 m (209 ft)
- Deck Width
- 15.5 m (51 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 5,000 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 0000000000A6500
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good condition (8/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates good at 8/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether US278 S-8LM17.9WB 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 US278 S-8LM17.9WB against other structures in Ouachita 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 US278 S-8LM17.9WB?
US278 S-8LM17.9WB in Ouachita, Arkansas has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 8/9, and substructure rating of 8/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is US278 S-8LM17.9WB inspected?
US278 S-8LM17.9WB'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 5,000 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. US278 S-8LM17.9WB is currently shown as Good condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for US278 S-8LM17.9WB?
US278 S-8LM17.9WB has an NBI inventory load rating of 32.7 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining US278 S-8LM17.9WB?
US278 S-8LM17.9WB is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is US278 S-8LM17.9WB and does age affect safety?
US278 S-8LM17.9WB was built in 1994, making it 32 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.
Share this inspection record
Send this source-bounded record or download its data card. An NBI condition category is not a closure or live crossing-safety verdict.
Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Component ratings, ADT, and condition category on this page are copied from the NBI record for this structure; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.