SMITH CO. 538-B
Carrying SMITH CO. 538-B over BCH OF DAVIS CREEK
SEC 11 T 4N R 6E B, Smith, Mississippi
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: SMITH CO. 538-B
The SMITH CO. 538-B bridge in Smith, Mississippi carries SMITH CO. 538-B over BCH OF DAVIS CREEK. It was built in 1972, making it 54 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete and spans 3 sections, stretching 13.8 meters (45 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 120 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Mississippi bridges. It is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 4/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. Because at least one major component scores 4 or lower, this bridge falls in FHWA's Poor condition category. That category is not a closure order. Its NBI inventory load rating is 5.3 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How SMITH CO. 538-B compares
Live comparison across Mississippi.
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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1972
- Material
- Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 13.8 m (45 ft)
- Deck Width
- 7.5 m (25 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 120 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- SA6500000000086
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • At 6/9, the deck (driving surface) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • At 5/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in poor condition (4/9), showing advanced deterioration that may require priority repair.
How to read this record
SMITH CO. 538-B 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 SMITH CO. 538-B against other structures in Smith and across Mississippi. Mississippi 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 SMITH CO. 538-B?
SMITH CO. 538-B in Smith, Mississippi has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 4/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is SMITH CO. 538-B inspected?
SMITH CO. 538-B'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 120 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. SMITH CO. 538-B 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 SMITH CO. 538-B?
SMITH CO. 538-B has an NBI inventory load rating of 5.3 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining SMITH CO. 538-B?
SMITH CO. 538-B is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is SMITH CO. 538-B and does age affect safety?
SMITH CO. 538-B was built in 1972, making it 54 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.