County profile · official public datasets

Caldwell County, LA

124 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 57.3% rated Good, 34.7% Fair, 8.1% Poor.

124
Public bridges
57.3%
Good condition
8.1%
Poor condition

The verdict

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

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

Top 34%
lowest Poor share in state
8.1%
Poor-condition share
124
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.

Caldwell County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Caldwell County ranks #22 of 64 Louisiana counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 8.1%). Caldwell County, Louisiana contains 124 public highway bridges. Roughly 57.3% are rated “Good,” 34.7% “Fair,” and 8.1% “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

124

Public highway bridges in Caldwell County

Good condition

57.3%

71 of 124 rated 7-9

Fair condition

34.7%

43 of 124 rated 5-6

Poor condition

8.1%

10 of 124 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#22 of 64

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

Condition distribution

Share of 124 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
57.3% (71)
Fair
34.7% (43)
Poor
8.1% (10)

Caldwell County's Poor-condition bridges carry 3,798 vehicle crossings a day

That is 1.8% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 7.3% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 422 crossings a day against 1,596 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 123 of 124 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

29.8% of Caldwell County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

37 of the 124 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 57.3% 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 28.8% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

LA0126 over BRIDGE CREEK, built 1953, carries 1,092 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 10-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 3,798 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Caldwell County's bridges were built

124 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1980s, when 36 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 29% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 35 to 44 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1982) matches the Louisiana average (1982).

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

How Caldwell County compares with Louisiana's closest counties by inventory size

The 5 Louisiana counties nearest Caldwell County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 8.1% Poor share is the 3rd-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1982 against a peer-group mean of 1980 is in line with the group.

Showing the 5 closest of 63 Louisiana counties eligible for comparison.

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Caldwell County and the 5 Louisiana counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Franklin County 131 3.1%
Lafourche County 130 16.2%
St. Mary County 124 6.5%
Caldwell County (this page) 124 8.1%
Union County 121 11.6%
St. Martin County 116 8.6%

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 Caldwell 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 Caldwell County, both outside Louisiana so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside LA (124 bridges here).

Similar average build year

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

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

All bridges (124)

Hooterville Rd

Good

Over: BANISTER CREEK

0.1 M W of LA 506, Caldwell, LA

Built 1998 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 70

Sweetwater Road

Good

Over: SWEETWATER CREEK

0.4M NE of LA557, Caldwell, LA

Built 1996 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 90

LA0127

Good

Over: FLAT CREEK BRANCH

8.4 MI NW OF LA 125, Caldwell, LA

Built 1962 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 314

LA0506

Good

Over: CREEK

1.3 MI WEST OF US 165, Caldwell, LA

Built 1984 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 306

LA0547

Good

Over: CREEK

2.43 MI W OF LA 126, Caldwell, LA

Built 1982 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 606

LA0846

Good

Over: CREEK

6.2 MI N OF LA 4, Caldwell, LA

Built 1982 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 650

Wiles Rd

Good

Over: RICHLAND CREEK

0.6M N of LA126, Caldwell, LA

Built 1996 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 70

US0165

Good

Over: BLACK BAYOU

0.5 MI S OF LA 506, Caldwell, LA

Built 1945 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 12,669

US0165

Good

Over: LITTLE BLACK BAY

1.9 MI SOUTH OF LA 844, Caldwell, LA

Built 1945 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 6,071

LA0849

Good

Over: CREEK

1.95 MI E OF LA 850, Caldwell, LA

Built 1979 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 71

LA0126

Good

Over: CREEK

8.2 MI W of LA 3239, Caldwell, LA

Built 1992 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 611

LA0126

Good

Over: CREEK

1.3 MI SOUTH OF LA 849, Caldwell, LA

Built 2004 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 1,092

Mcknight Rd

Good

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

0.5 M E of LA 547, Caldwell, LA

Built 2013 Load: 32.1 t ADT: 15

LA0557

Good

Over: LITTLE CYPRESS CREEK

3.6 MILES NORTH OF HWY 4, Caldwell, LA

Built 2015 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,073

Childress Rd

Good

Over: BEAUCOUP CREEK

2.2M E of LA 506, Caldwell, LA

Built 2010 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 100

LA0126

Good

Over: CREEK

.25 MI WEST OF US 165, Caldwell, LA

Built 1971 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,092

LA0557

Good

Over: CREEK

1.16 MI NORTH OF LA 4, Caldwell, LA

Built 1930 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 296

LA0849

Good

Over: CREEK

0.30 M E of LA 126, Caldwell, LA

Built 1984 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 739

LA0843

Good

Over: CREEK

0.75 M E of US 165, Caldwell, LA

Built 1984 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 254

LA0843

Good

Over: CREEK

0.02 M E of US 165, Caldwell, LA

Built 1984 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 254

Jairl Rd

Good

Over: CREEK

1M E of La 843, Caldwell, LA

Built 1988 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 60

Etheridge Rd

Good

Over: CREEK

0.2M SE of LA 506, Caldwell, LA

Built 1996 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 30

Hooterville Rd

Good

Over: CREEK

.2 M West of LA 506, Caldwell, LA

Built 1998 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 70

Big Ridge Rd

Good

Over: SAWYER POND BAYOU

0.05 mi E of Dannehl Rd, Caldwell, LA

Built 1996 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 40

Berry Rd

Good

Over: Creek

0.8M N of La126, Caldwell, LA

Built 1988 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 50

Hebron Rd

Good

Over: HART CREEK

2.19M NW of LA 506, Caldwell, LA

Built 1999 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 100

Wiles Rd

Good

Over: RICHLAND CREEK

0.3M N of LA 126, Caldwell, LA

Built 1988 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 70

7 Runs Road

Good

Over: WHITE OAK CREEK

0.5 M N of Chester Rd, Caldwell, LA

Built 2001 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 50

Countrywood Rd

Good

Over: CREEK

LOG MI 0.12 FR 293 TO 294, Caldwell, LA

Built 1997 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 70

Richmond Comm Rd

Good

Over: WINN BRANCH CREEK

0.5M W of LA 846, Caldwell, LA

Built 1996 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 110

South Blankston Rd

Good

Over: Ballard Bayou

4.1 MI SW of HWY 165, Caldwell, LA

Built 1996 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 99

US0165-N

Good

Over: BALLARD BAYOU

0.9 Mi S of LA1182, Caldwell, LA

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 12,669

Childress Rd

Good

Over: BEAUCOUP CREEK

2M E of LA 506, Caldwell, LA

Built 2011 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

LA0126

Good

Over: CREEK

.1 MI N OF LA 851, Caldwell, LA

Built 1999 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,092

Rushing St

Good

Over: CANAL

0.1M E of LA165, Caldwell, LA

Built 1988 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 250

Fisher Rd

Good

Over: CREEK

0.2 MI NW OF REED RD, Caldwell, LA

Built 1988 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 220

LA0506

Good

Over: CREEK

2.1 MI SE OF LA 849, Caldwell, LA

Built 2001 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 300

LA0506

Good

Over: LITTLE BLACK BAYOU

0.03 M E of US 165, Caldwell, LA

Built 2004 Load: 36.6 t ADT: 411

US0165

Good

Over: BLACK BAYOU RELIEF

0.3 MI. NORTH OF LA 483, Caldwell, LA

Built 2004 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 13,633

US0165

Good

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

4.4 MI N of LA 506, Caldwell, LA

Built 2004 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 13,633

US0165

Good

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

0.26 M S of LA 844, Caldwell, LA

Built 2004 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 12,669

LA0126

Good

Over: CREEK

2.2 MI N OF LA 851, Caldwell, LA

Built 1982 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 1,092

LA0004

Good

Over: BILLS CREEK RELIEF

3.5 MI W OF LA 846, Caldwell, LA

Built 1976 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 311

LA0506

Good

Over: KINNERSON CREEK

0.79 M W of LA 843, Caldwell, LA

Built 1984 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 306

LA0846

Good

Over: CREEK

5.7 MI N OF LA 4, Caldwell, LA

Built 1982 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 650

LA0849

Good

Over: BRIDGE CREEK

0.74 M E of LA 126, Caldwell, LA

Built 1983 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 739

Childress Rd

Good

Over: BEAUCOUP CREEK

2M E of La 506, Caldwell, LA

Built 2010 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 100

Childress Rd

Good

Over: BEAUCOUP CREEK

2M E of LA506, Caldwell, LA

Built 2010 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 100

LA0506

Good

Over: CREEK

3.3 MI WEST OF US 165, Caldwell, LA

Built 1984 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 306

LA0846

Good

Over: CASTOR CREEK

2.35 MI NORTH OF LA 4, Caldwell, LA

Built 1985 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 205
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.