County profile · official public datasets

St. Mary County, LA

124 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 31.5% rated Good, 62.1% Fair, 6.5% Poor.

124
Public bridges
31.5%
Good condition
6.5%
Poor condition

The verdict

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

St. Mary County pairs a top-quartile lowest Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state with an older average build year than the state inventory.

Top 19%
lowest Poor share in state
6.5%
Poor-condition share
124
public highway bridges
1975
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.

St. Mary County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, St. Mary County ranks #12 of 64 Louisiana counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 6.5%). St. Mary County, Louisiana contains 124 public highway bridges. Roughly 31.5% are rated “Good,” 62.1% “Fair,” and 6.5% “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 St. Mary County

Good condition

31.5%

39 of 124 rated 7-9

Fair condition

62.1%

77 of 124 rated 5-6

Poor condition

6.5%

8 of 124 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#12 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
31.5% (39)
Fair
62.1% (77)
Poor
6.5% (8)

St. Mary County's Poor-condition bridges carry 55,494 vehicle crossings a day

That is 7.1% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 6.5% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry more traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 6,937 crossings a day against 9,175 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 124 of 124 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

38.7% of St. Mary County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

48 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 31.5% 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 23% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

LA0182 over ATCHAF.R/BERWICK BAY, built 1933, carries 12,788 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 8-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 55,494 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When St. Mary County's bridges were built

124 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1970s, when 43 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 34.7% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 45 to 54 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year is 1975, 7 years older than the Louisiana average of 1982.

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

How St. Mary County compares with Louisiana's closest counties by inventory size

The 5 Louisiana counties nearest St. Mary County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 6.5% Poor share is the 2nd-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1975 against a peer-group mean of 1982 is 7 years older.

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

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for St. Mary 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%
Caldwell County 124 8.1%
St. Mary County (this page) 124 6.5%
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 St. Mary 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 St. Mary 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 (1975 here).

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

All bridges (124)

LA0319

Fair

Over: CYPREMORT POINT

7.6 MI SOUTH OF LA 83, St. Mary, LA

Built 1969 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 914

Katy Bridge App Rd

Fair

Over: TECHE BAYOU

0.2 Mi. N of La 182, St. Mary, LA

Built 1959 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 1,050

LA0322

Fair

Over: BAYOU TECHE

0.09 MI WEST OF LA 87, St. Mary, LA

Built 1971 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 1,004

Cotten Rd.

Fair

Over: POSSUM POINT BAYOU

2.1 M S of US 90, St. Mary, LA

Built 1965 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 50

Verdunville Rd.

Fair

Over: Verdunville Canal

2.2 Mi. E of LA 87, St. Mary, LA

Built 1967 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 200

Penn Rd

Fair

Over: COULEE

0.6 Mi S of La 182, St. Mary, LA

Built 1967 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 50

Alice C. Rd.

Fair

Over: Yellow Bayou Canal

0.8 Mi. W. of LA 317, St. Mary, LA

Built 1968 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 1,220

Chatsworth Rd

Fair

Over: Yokely Bayou

0.3 Mi S of LA 3211, St. Mary, LA

Built 1967 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 1,770

LA0182

Fair

Over: HANSON CANAL

2.07 MI SOUTH OF LA 87, St. Mary, LA

Built 1930 Load: 17.5 t ADT: 6,242

LA0319

Fair

Over: INTRACOASTAL CANAL

1.6 MI SOUTH OF LA 83, St. Mary, LA

Built 2005 Load: 17.5 t ADT: 914

Pepper Rd

Fair

Over: COULEE

0.8 Mi S of US 90, St. Mary, LA

Built 1967 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 330

Pepper Rd.

Fair

Over: COULEE

0.2 Mi S of US 90, St. Mary, LA

Built 1967 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 230

Cypremort Rd.

Fair

Over: KELLY CANAL

1.5 Mi SE of LA 318, St. Mary, LA

Built 1958 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 210

LA0670

Fair

Over: BAYOU TECHE

0.017 M E OF LA 182, St. Mary, LA

Built 1990 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 661

LA3069

Fair

Over: B TECHE FRANKLIN

0.25 Mi SW of LA 87, St. Mary, LA

Built 1963 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 1,210

LA0083

Fair

Over: BELLIVUE CANAL

4.5 MI NORTH OF LA 319, St. Mary, LA

Built 1955 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 3,078

Chatsworth Rd.

Fair

Over: FRANKLIN CANAL

1.2 Mi S of LA 3211, St. Mary, LA

Built 1985 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 1,950

Bridge Rd

Fair

Over: LOWER ATCHAFALAYA RIVER

0.2 Mi. E. of LA 182, St. Mary, LA

Built 1990 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 610

Zenor Bridge Rd

Fair

Over: TECHE BAYOU

0.05 Mi NW of LA 182, St. Mary, LA

Built 1969 Load: 21.7 t ADT: 200

Centerville Br Rd.

Fair

Over: TECHE BAYOU

0.1 Mi N of La 182, St. Mary, LA

Built 1972 Load: 21.7 t ADT: 575

Sorrel Bridge Rd

Fair

Over: TECHE BAYOU

0.2 Mi N of LA 182, St. Mary, LA

Built 1972 Load: 21.7 t ADT: 250

Barrow St.

Fair

Over: CANAL

0.3 Mi S of LA 3211, St. Mary, LA

Built 1979 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 500

US0090

Fair

Over: VACHERIE CANAL

3.24 Mi W of LA 83, St. Mary, LA

Built 1978 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 229

US0090

Fair

Over: VACHERIE CANAL

1.4 MI EAST OF LA 318, St. Mary, LA

Built 1978 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 8,073

US0090

Fair

Over: VACHERIE CANAL

3.24 Mi W of LA 83, St. Mary, LA

Built 1978 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 10,080

LA0317

Fair

Over: YELLOW BAYOU

0.5 Mi. North of US 90, St. Mary, LA

Built 1950 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 2,330

Veterans Blvd.

Fair

Over: CANAL

0.2 Mi NW of LA 70, St. Mary, LA

Built 1978 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 300

US0090/FRONTAGE RD

Fair

Over: DRAIN

2.7 Miles East of LA 668, St. Mary, LA

Built 1973 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 1,260

FLAMINGO BLVD

Fair

Over: CREEK

0.02 SE of LA 70, St. Mary, LA

Built 1981 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 700

MLK Jr. St.

Fair

Over: CHOUPIQUE BAYOU

0.2 Mi SE of La 83, St. Mary, LA

Built 1965 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 210

Cypremort Rd.

Fair

Over: VACHERE CANAL

0.05 Mi N. LA 83, St. Mary, LA

Built 1958 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 470

Veterans Blvd.

Fair

Over: CANAL

0.2 Mi S of Hickory St., St. Mary, LA

Built 1978 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 330

LA0083

Fair

Over: IVANHOE CANAL

2.8 Mi EAST OF LA 319, St. Mary, LA

Built 1959 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 3,078

FLAMINGO BLVD

Fair

Over: CREEK

0.02 SE of LA 70, St. Mary, LA

Built 1981 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 700

US0090

Fair

Over: US 90 OVER LA 3211

US 90 WB over LA 3211, St. Mary, LA

Built 2001 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 10,063

Landfill Ln.

Fair

Over: SIMMONS BAYOU

0.1 Mi W of Berwick Rd. S, St. Mary, LA

Built 1977 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 450

Dumesnil Rd

Fair

Over: VACHERIE CANAL

0.52 Mi N of La 83, St. Mary, LA

Built 1972 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 50

US0090

Fair

Over: La 182/LA70/LOC/DRAINAGE

0.7 MI E OF LA182, St. Mary, LA

Built 1977 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 7,885

LA0182

Fair

Over: CREEK

1.1 MI NW OF LA 83, St. Mary, LA

Built 1931 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 6,242

LA0182

Fair

Over: BAYOU CHOUPIQUE

0.9 MI NORTH OF LA 83, St. Mary, LA

Built 1931 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 6,242

US0090

Fair

Over: DRAIN

1.3 MI EAST OF LA 671, St. Mary, LA

Built 1973 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 18,127

US0090

Fair

Over: DRAIN

2.99MI EAST OF LA 671, St. Mary, LA

Built 1973 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 8,073

US0090

Fair

Over: BARROW CANAL

0.7 MI EAST OF LA 182, St. Mary, LA

Built 1964 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 17,736

US0090

Fair

Over: CREEK

9.3 MI West of LA 182, St. Mary, LA

Built 1964 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 10,035

LA0317

Fair

Over: ICWW @ BAYOU SALE

6.2 MI S OF US 90(LA0317), St. Mary, LA

Built 1982 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,700

US0090

Fair

Over: CHOUPIQUE BAYOU

0.2 Mi. NW of LA 83, St. Mary, LA

Built 1978 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,070

US0090/Ramp

Fair

Over: CHOUPIQUE BAYOU

0.6 Mi N of LA 83, St. Mary, LA

Built 1978 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 12,192

US0090

Fair

Over: LITTLE BAYOU BLACK

8.3 MI EAST OF LA 182, St. Mary, LA

Built 1964 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 7,885

US0090

Fair

Over: LITTLE BAYOUBLACK

2.0 MI W of LA 182/LA70, St. Mary, LA

Built 1964 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,035

US0090

Fair

Over: CHOUPIQUE BAYOU

4.4 Mi SE of LA 318, St. Mary, LA

Built 1978 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 16,253
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.