County profile · official public datasets

Clay County, MS

154 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 73.4% rated Good, 24.7% Fair, 1.9% Poor.

154
Public bridges
73.4%
Good condition
1.9%
Poor condition

The verdict

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

Clay County posts a top-quartile lowest Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state across mid-size county bridge inventory.

Top 17%
lowest Poor share in state
1.9%
Poor-condition share
154
public highway bridges
1988
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.

Clay County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Clay County ranks #14 of 82 Mississippi counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 1.9%). Clay County, Mississippi contains 154 public highway bridges. Roughly 73.4% are rated “Good,” 24.7% “Fair,” and 1.9% “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

154

Public highway bridges in Clay County

Good condition

73.4%

113 of 154 rated 7-9

Fair condition

24.7%

38 of 154 rated 5-6

Poor condition

1.9%

3 of 154 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#14 of 82

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

Condition distribution

Share of 154 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
73.4% (113)
Fair
24.7% (38)
Poor
1.9% (3)

Clay County's Poor-condition bridges carry 4,760 vehicle crossings a day

That is 2% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 1.9% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry more traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 1,587 crossings a day against 1,340 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 154 of 154 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

22.1% of Clay County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

34 of the 154 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 73.4% 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 88.2% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

SR 50 over CHUQUATONCHEE RELIEF, built 1940, carries 4,200 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 3-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 4,760 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Clay County's bridges were built

154 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1980s, when 34 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 22.1% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 35 to 44 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1988) matches the Mississippi average (1986).

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

How Clay County compares with Mississippi's closest counties by inventory size

The 5 Mississippi counties nearest Clay County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 1.9% Poor share is the 3rd-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1988 against a peer-group mean of 1985 is in line with the group.

Showing the 5 closest of 81 Mississippi counties eligible for comparison.

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Clay County and the 5 Mississippi counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Yalobusha County 158 6.3%
Franklin County 157 10.2%
Tallahatchie County 155 20%
Walthall County 154 1.3%
Clay County (this page) 154 1.9%
Lamar County 150 0%

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

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside MS (154 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside MS (1988 here).

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

All 154 Good 113 Fair 38 Poor 3

Good-condition bridges (113)

WAL MART ROAD

Good

Over: TOWN CREEK

SEC 10 T17S R 6E, Clay, MS

Built 1975 Load: 11.8 t ADT: 2,500

SR 50

Good

Over: STREAM

1.8 MI E US 45A, Clay, MS

Built 1986 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 5,300

NATCHEZ TRACE PARK

Good

Over: MS ROUTE 46

6.8 MILES SOUTH OF MS ROU, Clay, MS

Built 1960 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 920

SR 46

Good

Over: LINE CREEK TRIBUTARY

8.3 MI N SR 50, Clay, MS

Built 1991 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 730

SR 50

Good

Over: LINE CREEK

11.9 MI E WEBSTER CL, Clay, MS

Built 1983 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 1,400

SR 50

Good

Over: TENN TOM WATERWAY

CLAY/LOWNDES CL, Clay, MS

Built 1981 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 4,400

US 45A

Good

Over: TOWN CREEK

0.6 MI S SR 50, Clay, MS

Built 1973 Load: 25.8 t ADT: 23,000

US 45A

Good

Over: CREEK

0.2 MI N LOWNDES CL, Clay, MS

Built 1992 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 8,000

NATCHEZ TRACE PARK

Good

Over: PRAIRIE CREEK

1.2 MILES SOUTH OF MS ROU, Clay, MS

Built 1960 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 1,030

AIRPORT ROAD

Good

Over: TOWN CREEK

SEC 22 T17S R 6E, Clay, MS

Built 2002 Load: 26.5 t ADT: 50

BAKER ROAD

Good

Over: BAKER CREEK

SEC 21 T15S R 5E, Clay, MS

Built 1996 Load: 26.8 t ADT: 50

SR 46

Good

Over: LITTLE CANE CREEK

5.4 MI E WEBSTER CL, Clay, MS

Built 1958 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 960

SR 50

Good

Over: MCGEE CREEK

2.8 MI E US 45A, Clay, MS

Built 1986 Load: 27.3 t ADT: 4,400

SILOAM UNA RD

Good

Over: HOULKA CREEK

SEC 27 T15S R 5E B, Clay, MS

Built 1974 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 250

OLD HWY #10

Good

Over: LONG CREEK TRIBUTARY

SEC 11 T17S R 5E, Clay, MS

Built 2009 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 50

PHEBA-COLONY RD

Good

Over: JOHNSON CREEK

SEC 5 T20N R13E B, Clay, MS

Built 1975 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 220

WAVERLY RD

Good

Over: MCGEE CREEK

SEC 20 T17S R 7E B, Clay, MS

Built 1972 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 870

MILLER BRO RD

Good

Over: TIBBEE CREEK

SEC 2 T18S R 6E B, Clay, MS

Built 2001 Load: 27.8 t ADT: 50

US 45A

Good

Over: CREEK

2.2 MI N SR 50, Clay, MS

Built 1999 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 15,000

JOE STEVENS ROAD

Good

Over: STANDING CREEK

SEC 25 T15S R 3E, Clay, MS

Built 1965 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 100

DECKER ROAD

Good

Over: DECKER CREEK

SEC 25 T17S R 7E, Clay, MS

Built 2000 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 50

ERWIN WHITE ROAD

Good

Over: JOHNSON CREEK

SEC 30 T16S R 3E, Clay, MS

Built 2004 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 50

BRAND-UNA RD

Good

Over: CHUQUATONCHEE CREEK

SEC 1 T15S R 5E B, Clay, MS

Built 1989 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 800

OLD VINTON ROAD

Good

Over: TOWN CREEK

SEC 20 T16S R 7E, Clay, MS

Built 2003 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 340

WAVERLY RD

Good

Over: SPRING CREEK

SEC 21 T17S R 7E B, Clay, MS

Built 1973 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 790

SILOAM UNA RD

Good

Over: DEATH CREEK

SEC 11 T16S R 5E B, Clay, MS

Built 1997 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 250

MYERS-GRIFFITH RD

Good

Over: UNDERWOOD CREEK

SEC 25 T16S R 4E, Clay, MS

Built 2004 Load: 30.4 t ADT: 50

OLD VINTON ROAD

Good

Over: KETTLE CREEK

SEC 27 T16S R 7E, Clay, MS

Built 2001 Load: 30.6 t ADT: 340

DEANS ROAD

Good

Over: SAND CREEK

SEC 9 T16S R 4E B, Clay, MS

Built 2003 Load: 30.7 t ADT: 50

HOUSTON STARKVILLE

Good

Over: CANE CREEK

SEC 6 T15S R 4E B, Clay, MS

Built 2020 Load: 31.2 t ADT: 50

SR 50

Good

Over: STREAM

1.6 MI W US 45A, Clay, MS

Built 1986 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 5,700

SR 46

Good

Over: CREEK

4.6 MI N SR 50, Clay, MS

Built 1955 Load: 31.9 t ADT: 730

DOUGLAS LAKE ROAD

Good

Over: DRY CREEK

SEC 26 T16S R 7E B, Clay, MS

Built 1978 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 340

HALF MILE STREET

Good

Over: TOWN CREEK

SEC 2 T17S R 6E B, Clay, MS

Built 1977 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,000

OLD VINTON ROAD

Good

Over: VINTON BRANCH

SEC 24 T16S R 6E B, Clay, MS

Built 2003 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 340

RAY VAIL ROAD

Good

Over: REED CREEK

SEC 36 T15S R 3E, Clay, MS

Built 2001 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50

RUTH CLIETT ROAD

Good

Over: RUTH CREEK

SEC 31 T15S R 4E, Clay, MS

Built 2010 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50

DAVIS ROAD

Good

Over: JOHNSON CREEK

SEC 32 T16S R 3E, Clay, MS

Built 2001 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50

TOM VALENTINE ROAD

Good

Over: VALENTINE CREEK

SEC 14 T20N R13E B, Clay, MS

Built 2003 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 110

SR 50

Good

Over: SUN CREEK

8.2 MI E WEBSTER CL, Clay, MS

Built 1984 Load: 33.1 t ADT: 820

SILOAM UNA RD

Good

Over: HOULKA BRANCH

SEC 27 T15S R 5E B, Clay, MS

Built 2017 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 250

SR 50

Good

Over: LINE CREEK RELIEF

12.1 MI E WEBSTER CL, Clay, MS

Built 1983 Load: 33.9 t ADT: 1,400

PHEBA COLONY RD

Good

Over: JOHNSON CANAL

SEC 29 T21N R13E B, Clay, MS

Built 1993 Load: 33.9 t ADT: 220

PHEBA COLONY

Good

Over: UNNAMED CREEK

SEC 30 T21N R13E B, Clay, MS

Built 1993 Load: 33.9 t ADT: 220

BRAND UNA

Good

Over: CHUQUATONCHEE BRANCH

SEC 1 T15S R 5E B, Clay, MS

Built 1984 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 800

BRAND UNA

Good

Over: CHUQUATONCHEE BRANCH

SEC 1 T15S R 5E B, Clay, MS

Built 1990 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 610

JAMESON ROAD

Good

Over: TRIB OF CHUQUATONCHE CR

SEC 20 T16S R 6E, Clay, MS

Built 2003 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 25

SECTION ROAD

Good

Over: SECTION CREEK

SEC 25 T17S R 6E, Clay, MS

Built 1999 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 50

OLD VINTON ROAD

Good

Over: FULLER CREEK

SEC 21 T16S R 7E, Clay, MS

Built 2009 Load: 34.2 t ADT: 340

PHEBA-COLONY RD

Good

Over: SUN CREEK

SEC 28 T20N R13E B, Clay, MS

Built 1984 Load: 34.2 t ADT: 710

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Related

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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.