Total bridges
337
Public highway bridges in Ouachita County
County profile · official public datasets
Ouachita County, LA
337 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 27.9% rated Good, 59.3% Fair, 12.8% Poor.
- 337
- Public bridges
- 27.9%
- Good condition
- 12.8%
- Poor condition
The verdict
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.
Ouachita County posts a higher-than-median Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state across mid-size county bridge inventory.
- 40th
- of 64 on Poor share
- 12.8%
- Poor-condition share
- 337
- public highway bridges
- 1981
- 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.
Ouachita County Bridge Snapshot
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Ouachita County ranks #40 of 64 Louisiana counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 12.8%). Ouachita County, Louisiana contains 337 public highway bridges. Roughly 27.9% are rated “Good,” 59.3% “Fair,” and 12.8% “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.
Good condition
27.9%
94 of 337 rated 7-9
Fair condition
59.3%
200 of 337 rated 5-6
Poor condition
12.8%
43 of 337 rated 4 or below
In-state Poor-share rank
#40 of 64
Among Louisiana counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better
Condition distribution
Share of 337 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.
Good 27.9% (94)
Fair 59.3% (200)
Poor 12.8% (43)
Ouachita County's Poor-condition bridges carry 186,531 vehicle crossings a day
That is 5.8% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 12.6% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 4,441 crossings a day against 3,906 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 333 of 337 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
44.5% of Ouachita County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark
150 of the 337 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 27.9% 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 21.6% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic
ORANGE ST over I-20, built 1965, carries 40,300 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 43-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.
Share is of the 186,531 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
When Ouachita County's bridges were built
337 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade
- 1920s 2
1920–1929
2 bridges
- 1930s 3
1930–1939
3 bridges
- 1940s 1
1940–1949
1 bridges
- 1950s 23
1950–1959
23 bridges
- 1960s
1960–1969
105 bridges
- 1970s
1970–1979
45 bridges
- 1980s
1980–1989
42 bridges
- 1990s 40
1990–1999
40 bridges
- 2000s 23
2000–2009
23 bridges
- 2010s
2010–2019
47 bridges
- 2020s 6
2020–2029
6 bridges
What this shows Construction peaked in the 1960s, when 105 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 31.2% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 55 to 64 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1981) matches the Louisiana average (1982).
How Ouachita County compares with Louisiana's closest counties by inventory size
The 5 Louisiana counties nearest Ouachita County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 12.8% Poor share is the 5th-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1981 against a peer-group mean of 1983 is in line with the group.
Showing the 5 closest of 63 Louisiana counties eligible for comparison.
| County | Bridges | Good | Fair | Poor | Avg. built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Tammany County | 360 | 33.3% | 60.6% | 6.1% | 1976 |
| Vernon County | 341 | 57.8% | 34.6% | 7.6% | 1989 |
| Ouachita County (this page) | 337 | 27.9% | 59.3% | 12.8% | 1981 |
| Lafayette County | 322 | 44.7% | 47.5% | 7.8% | 1986 |
| St. Landry County | 317 | 43.2% | 49.2% | 7.6% | 1980 |
| Natchitoches County | 313 | 46% | 38.7% | 15.3% | 1983 |
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 Ouachita 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 Ouachita County, both outside Louisiana so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.
Similar inventory size
Nearest county inventories outside LA (337 bridges here).
- Placer County, CA · 337 bridges
- Tama County, IA · 337 bridges
- Cowley County, KS · 337 bridges
- Windham County, VT · 337 bridges
Similar average build year
Nearest mean year-built outside LA (1981 here).
- Franklin County, OH · avg 1981 · 922 bridges
- Greenville County, SC · avg 1981 · 635 bridges
- Montgomery County, OH · avg 1981 · 632 bridges
- McLean County, IL · avg 1981 · 624 bridges
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.
All bridges (337)
MINERAL SPRINGS RD
PoorOver: CLARK CREEK
3 MI N CADEVILLE, Ouachita, LA
Built 1960 Load: 3.6 t ADT: 271
SHANANDOAH DR
PoorOver: CANEY CREEK
.4 MI. E. HWY. 139, Ouachita, LA
Built 1976 Load: 4.5 t ADT: 50
HADLEY ST
PoorOver: Airport Canal
HADLEY ST EAST BRIDG, Ouachita, LA
Built 1965 Load: 5.4 t ADT: 400
LAURELI RD
PoorOver: BRANCH OF CYPRESS CREEK
4 MILES SW LUNA, Ouachita, LA
Built 1980 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 16
AVERY RD
PoorOver: CYPRESS CREEK
3 MI W LUNA, Ouachita, LA
Built 1965 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 32
HARRISON/COLLIER
PoorOver: CONCRETE CANAL
W1 BLOCK FROM POWELL AVE., Ouachita, LA
Built 1961 Load: 11.3 t
LA0134
PoorOver: MILL BAYOU
2.0 MI EAST OF LA 136, Ouachita, LA
Built 1957 Load: 11.7 t ADT: 3,462
RIVER RD
PoorOver: PRAIRION BAYOU
6.22 MI SE of LA 557, Ouachita, LA
Built 1968 Load: 11.8 t ADT: 75
HULL GEORGE RD
PoorOver: ROGERS CREEK
2 MI SE OKALOOSA, Ouachita, LA
Built 1960 Load: 11.8 t ADT: 56
RUFFIN DR
PoorOver: PINE BAYOU
0.4 Mi. EAST of US 165, Ouachita, LA
Built 1972 Load: 14.8 t ADT: 300
LA0838
PoorOver: STEEP BAYOU
6.4 MI EAST OF LA 546, Ouachita, LA
Built 1955 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 8,105
JOSEPH THOMAS RD
PoorOver: PATRICK CREEK
1 MI S HWY 80, Ouachita, LA
Built 1960 Load: 17.0 t ADT: 104
LA0594
PoorOver: CANEY CREEK
4.02 MI NORTH OF US 80, Ouachita, LA
Built 1954 Load: 17.1 t ADT: 2,642
LA0134
PoorOver: CREEK
2.8 MI EAST OF LA 136, Ouachita, LA
Built 1957 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 3,462
VANCIL RD
PoorOver: I-20
1.0 MI EAST OF LA 546, Ouachita, LA
Built 1963 Load: 17.5 t ADT: 5,890
DOWNING PINES RD
PoorOver: I0020 & CONSTITUTION DR
4.2 MI EAST OF LA 546, Ouachita, LA
Built 1963 Load: 17.5 t ADT: 6,220
LA3033
PoorOver: CHENIERE SPILLWAY
3.84 MI NORTH OF LA 34, Ouachita, LA
Built 1947 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 5,669
LA0134
PoorOver: BAYOU DESAIRD
1.2 MI EAST OF US 165, Ouachita, LA
Built 1979 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 3,462
LOVELADY RD
PoorOver: LONGS CREEK
3 MI NW LUNA FIRETOW, Ouachita, LA
Built 1965 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 23
LA0143
PoorOver: DARBONNE BAYOU
2.8 MI NORTH OF LA 616, Ouachita, LA
Built 1962 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 3,674
C. RAWLS RD
PoorOver: PRAIRION BAYOU
0.92 MI NE INT. 42 O, Ouachita, LA
Built 1960 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 37
LA0151
PoorOver: CURRYS CREEK
2 MI NORTH OF I-20, Ouachita, LA
Built 1950 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 2,862
CRAWFORD RD
PoorOver: PETTICOAT BAYOU
3 MI S PINE GROVE, Ouachita, LA
Built 1978 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 300
PLUM HILL RD
PoorOver: DRAIN TO GUYTON CREEK
1.4 MI. N. INT. 178, Ouachita, LA
Built 1976 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 30
RAY RD
PoorOver: BOOKER BRANCH
1 MI NW CADEVILLE, Ouachita, LA
Built 1965 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 35
EVANS RD
PoorOver: LONG BRIDGE CREEK
.1 MI. H. W. MORGAN, Ouachita, LA
Built 1965 Load: 21.6 t ADT: 4
LA0034
PoorOver: CHENIERE CREEK
2.35 MI EAST OF LA 546, Ouachita, LA
Built 1970 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 8,694
US0165
PoorOver: YOUNGS BAYOU
.7 MI NORTH OF LA 15, Ouachita, LA
Built 1966 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 29,759
LA0151
PoorOver: NORTH CHENIERE CR
5.21 MI NORTH OF LA 546, Ouachita, LA
Built 1958 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 2,828
ORANGE ST
PoorOver: I-20
.4 MI EAST OF LA 594, Ouachita, LA
Built 1965 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 40,300
LA0594
PoorOver: LA 594 OVER I-20
0.68 MI NE OF LA 15, Ouachita, LA
Built 1965 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 12,786
LA0151
PoorOver: LA 151 OVER I-20
LA 151 OVER I-20, Ouachita, LA
Built 1960 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,862
AVERY RD
PoorOver: BRANCH OF CYPRESS CREEK
3 MI SW LUNA, Ouachita, LA
Built 1965 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 32
RUSSELL SAGE RD
PoorOver: I-20
5.5 MI EAST OF US 165, Ouachita, LA
Built 1968 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 3,950
LA0015
PoorOver: BAYOU LAFOUCHE
5.4 MI EAST OF LA 841, Ouachita, LA
Built 1953 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 2,382
LA0151
PoorOver: CREEK
2.12 M. W. OF S. JCT. LA, Ouachita, LA
Built 1967 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 2,862
LA0617
PoorOver: LA 617 OVER I-20
LA 617 OVER I-20, Ouachita, LA
Built 1986 Load: 51.7 t ADT: 31,200
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
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.