County profile · official public datasets

Washington County, AR

449 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 22.3% rated Good, 70.8% Fair, 6.9% Poor.

449
Public bridges
22.3%
Good condition
6.9%
Poor condition

The verdict

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.

Washington County posts a higher-than-median Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state across mid-size county bridge inventory.

51st
of 75 on Poor share
6.9%
Poor-condition share
449
public highway bridges
1982
avg year built

Poor is an FHWA condition category from the lowest applicable component rating (4 or below), not a live crossing-safety or closure decision. Rankings cover counties with at least five public highway bridges.

Washington County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Washington County ranks #51 of 75 Arkansas counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 6.9%). Washington County, Arkansas contains 449 public highway bridges. Roughly 22.3% are rated “Good,” 70.8% “Fair,” and 6.9% “Poor.” Poor means the lowest applicable deck, superstructure, substructure, or culvert rating is 4 or below on the 0–9 NBI scale. It is a condition category, not a live safety or closure decision.

Responsible agencies inspect covered bridges on risk-based intervals under current NBIS rules and submit inventory data to FHWA annually. The list below shows every NBI-tracked bridge in the county. Use the “Sort by” controls to change the ordering, and click any row for its reported inspection date, traffic count, and condition fields.

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See methodology for full definitions.

Total bridges

449

Public highway bridges in Washington County

Good condition

22.3%

100 of 449 rated 7-9

Fair condition

70.8%

318 of 449 rated 5-6

Poor condition

6.9%

31 of 449 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#51 of 75

Among Arkansas counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better

Condition distribution

Share of 449 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
22.3% (100)
Fair
70.8% (318)
Poor
6.9% (31)

Washington County's Poor-condition bridges carry 44,785 vehicle crossings a day

That is 1.7% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 6.9% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 1,445 crossings a day against 7,949 for a Good-condition one. A Poor rating is a condition category, not a closure or a live safety judgement; it means the lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below.

Computed over the 449 of 449 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

29.4% of Washington County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

132 of the 449 bridges with a recorded construction year were built in 1974 or earlier. Age alone is not a defect: a well-maintained older bridge can rate Good, and 22.3% of this county's inventory does. Even so, this older cohort is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn, which is why the age profile below matters alongside the condition split above.

Cutoff derives from the 2024 release year minus a 50-year design life. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

One structure carries 29% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

East Huntsville Rd over Spout Spring Br. - Fay., built 1940, carries 13,000 vehicles a day, the most of any Poor-rated structure here. The county's Poor-condition exposure is concentrated rather than evenly spread, so the 31-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 44,785 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Washington County's bridges were built

449 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1990s, when 95 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 21.2% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 25 to 34 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1982) matches the Arkansas average (1980).

Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory (year built) As of 2024 NBI release

How Washington County compares with Arkansas's closest counties by inventory size

The 5 Arkansas counties nearest Washington County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 6.9% Poor share is the 6th-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1982 against a peer-group mean of 1986 is in line with the group.

Showing the 5 closest of 74 Arkansas counties eligible for comparison.

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Washington County and the 5 Arkansas counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Washington County (this page) 449 6.9%
Craighead County 442 3.2%
Benton County 410 3.9%
Jefferson County 336 5.1%
Sebastian County 331 5.7%
White County 322 5.3%

Each share is of that county's own total tracked bridges; peers are the counties with 5 or more bridges whose inventory size is closest to Washington County's. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

Nationwide counties with similar inventory size or average build year

Two NBI-derived peer sets for Washington County, both outside Arkansas so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside AR (449 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside AR (1982 here).

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.

All bridges (449)

US 71 B NB LNS

Fair

Over: Clear Creek-Washington

5.47 MI SO BENTON CO LINE, Washington, AR

Built 1972 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 18,500

US 71-SEC 17B NB

Fair

Over: Gregg Ave. A&M RR.

5.21 NO JCT US 62 & 71, Washington, AR

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 41,000

US 71-Wash Co.

Fair

Over: ST L - SF RAILROAD

0.4 MI N 71-71B INTER, Washington, AR

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 13,000

I-49 Northbound

Fair

Over: Clear Creek - Wash. Co.

2.2 MI N INT I-49&71B, Washington, AR

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 13,500

I-49 Northbound

Fair

Over: Ravine-Washington Co.

11.4 N. OF WASH CO LINE, Washington, AR

Built 1998 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,399

I-49 Northnound

Fair

Over: Farm Road - Wash. Co.

0.76 MI N OF EXIT 53, Washington, AR

Built 1994 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 11,500

I 49 NB LANES

Fair

Over: W. Wilson Street - Wash.

JCT I 49 & CO RD 26, Washington, AR

Built 1994 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 13,000

Interstate 49 NB

Fair

Over: State Highway 265

JCT I 49& SH 265, Washington, AR

Built 1994 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 16,056

I 49 NB LNS

Fair

Over: BLACKBURN CREEK

.5 MI N OF HOPPER TUNNEL, Washington, AR

Built 1997 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,500

I 49 NB LNS

Fair

Over: HESS CREEK

1.7 MI.N of Hopper Tunnel, Washington, AR

Built 1998 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,500

I 49 NB LANES

Fair

Over: Riley Creek - Wash. Co.

2.32 MI. S SH 170, Washington, AR

Built 1997 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,300

I 49 NB LNS-Wash

Fair

Over: Winn Creek / CoRd 228

5.2 MI. S. SH 170, Washington, AR

Built 1997 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,300

I49 NB Lanes-Wash

Fair

Over: Boyd Hollow Access Road

3.95 MI S. SH 170, Washington, AR

Built 1997 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 19,500

US 412-East Bound

Fair

Over: Beaver Lake

7.1 Mi E. Jct Hwy US 71B, Washington, AR

Built 1999 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 7,513

SH 180 SEC 0

Fair

Over: Stream-Washington Co.

0.3 MI EAST OF SH 112, Washington, AR

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 27,375

US 71-Washington

Fair

Over: Cato Springs Branch

0.1 MI S JCT SH 265 & 16, Washington, AR

Built 1971 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 13,000

State Highway 156

Fair

Over: Debra Creek-Washington

2 MI W OF WEST FORK, Washington, AR

Built 1972 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,200

State Highway 244

Fair

Over: Creek - Washington Co.

3.71 Mi E Jct Hwy 59, Washington, AR

Built 1978 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 350

Ivey Lane

Good

Over: Creek - Springdale

0.3 MI EAST SH 265, Washington, AR

Built 1991 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 487

State Highway 303

Good

Over: Creek-Washington Co.

0.3 Mi N. Jct Hwy 45, Washington, AR

Built 1986 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 650

State Highway 303

Good

Over: Creek - Washington Co.

0.7 Mi N. Jct Hwy 45, Washington, AR

Built 1986 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 650

West North St.

Good

Over: Skull Creek-Wash. Co.

0.50 MI W OF US 71-B, Washington, AR

Built 1983 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 20,000

Broyles Street

Good

Over: Farmington Branch Trib

0.1 Mi N Hwy 62, Washington, AR

Built 2008 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 5,900

U.S. 62-Wash. Co.

Good

Over: Moore Creek

0.6 Mi E. of Lincoln, Washington, AR

Built 2006 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 6,800

SH 265-Wash Co.

Good

Over: Mud Creek Tributary

3.76 Mi N JCT 265 & 16, Washington, AR

Built 2013 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 24,449

Jefferson Street

Good

Over: Spring Creek-Springdale

0.26 MI N HUNTSVILLE AVE, Washington, AR

Built 1996 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 696

Old Wire Road

Good

Over: Mud Creek - Fayetteville

0.01 Mi. East SH 265 Jct., Washington, AR

Built 2012 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,800

State Highway 59

Good

Over: Ballard Creek - Wash. Co

1.2 Mi S Jct Hwy 62, Washington, AR

Built 2011 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 840

Clear Creek Dr.

Good

Over: Hog Wild Branch

0.2MI E OF SH 265, Washington, AR

Built 1978 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 302

Stadium Drive

Good

Over: Town Creek - Wash Co.

0.01 Mi. S. Jct Hwy 180, Washington, AR

Built 2014 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 4,000

Elmore Street-Wash

Good

Over: Clear Creek Tributary

Jct of Johnson Rd&Elmore, Washington, AR

Built 2014 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 4,200

State Highway 62

Good

Over: Budd Kidd Creek-Wash

1.0 Mi E Jct Hwy 45, Washington, AR

Built 2006 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 7,600

SH 265-Wash Co.

Good

Over: Mud Creek Tributary

4.44 Mi N JCT 265 & 16, Washington, AR

Built 2013 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 24,449

N Old Wire Road

Good

Over: Mud Creek-Washington Co.

4.21 MI S US 412, Washington, AR

Built 1964 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 5,700

US 412 SEC 2

Good

Over: Nathan Creek

JCT CO RD 85&412-2, Washington, AR

Built 1993 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 20,000

State Highway 265

Good

Over: Town Branch-Washington

0.1 MI N OF SH 16, Washington, AR

Built 2002 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 20,000

S 48TH STREET

Good

Over: Creek - Springdale

1.27 MI SOUTH OF US 412, Washington, AR

Built 1997 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 3,946

I-49 SB ON RAMP

Good

Over: Creek - Washington Co.

300 Ft South of Porter Rd, Washington, AR

Built 1981 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 3,009

Appleby Road

Good

Over: Skull Creek - Wash. Co.

0.1 E Gregg Ave., Washington, AR

Built 1984 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 8,100

W. 54TH Street

Good

Over: Owl Creek-Washington Co.

0.2 S. SH 16, Washington, AR

Built 1993 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 584

State Highway 45

Good

Over: Jordan Creek - Wash. Co.

7.8 MI NE JCT SH 59 & 45, Washington, AR

Built 1950 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 1,900

North Rupple Road

Good

Over: Hamestring Creek

0.91 Mi N Jct Hwy 16, Washington, AR

Built 2019 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 7,578

Black Oak Road

Good

Over: W.F. White River-Wash

2.5 MI S E SH 156, Washington, AR

Built 1989 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,400

Bridgeport Drive

Good

Over: Hamestring Cr. - Fay.

0.06MI S OF MT COMFORT RD, Washington, AR

Built 1997 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 320

Old Wire Road

Good

Over: Mud Creek

200 WEST SH 265, Washington, AR

Built 1986 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 7,542

East Black Oak Rd.

Good

Over: Mason Creek-Washington

6.57 M SE JCT SH 16, Washington, AR

Built 1967 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 1,400

Low Gap Road

Good

Over: Creek - Wash. Co.

0.160 MI E CO RD 30, Washington, AR

Built 1988 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 1,347

Goshen Tuttle Road

Good

Over: Richland Creek-Wash Co.

4.9 MI SO OF GOSHEN, Washington, AR

Built 1986 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 1,447

CO RD 845 ZONE K

Good

Over: Clear Creek-Washington

0.4 MI N SH 16, Washington, AR

Built 1992 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 470

S STIRMAN ST

Good

Over: Town Creek-Washington Co

0.1 Mi S of BOONE ST., Washington, AR

Built 1975 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 77
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges

Every figure on PlainBridges 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. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.