County profile · official public datasets

Simpson County, MS

200 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 63.5% rated Good, 30% Fair, 6.5% Poor.

200
Public bridges
63.5%
Good condition
6.5%
Poor condition

The verdict

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

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

55th
of 82 on Poor share
6.5%
Poor-condition share
200
public highway bridges
1984
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.

Simpson County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Simpson County ranks #55 of 82 Mississippi counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 6.5%). Simpson County, Mississippi contains 200 public highway bridges. Roughly 63.5% are rated “Good,” 30% “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

200

Public highway bridges in Simpson County

Good condition

63.5%

127 of 200 rated 7-9

Fair condition

30%

60 of 200 rated 5-6

Poor condition

6.5%

13 of 200 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#55 of 82

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

Condition distribution

Share of 200 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
63.5% (127)
Fair
30% (60)
Poor
6.5% (13)

Simpson County's Poor-condition bridges carry 7,755 vehicle crossings a day

That is 2.3% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 6.5% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 597 crossings a day against 1,331 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 200 of 200 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

30% of Simpson County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

60 of the 200 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 63.5% 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 37.4% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

SR 149 over SELLERS CREEK, built 1935, carries 2,900 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 13-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 7,755 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Simpson County's bridges were built

200 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1980s, when 41 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 20.5% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 35 to 44 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1984) matches the Mississippi average (1986).

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

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

The 5 Mississippi counties nearest Simpson County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 6.5% Poor share is the 6th-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1984 against a peer-group mean of 1987 is in line with the group.

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

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Simpson County and the 5 Mississippi counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Marion County 201 5%
Noxubee County 201 4%
Simpson County (this page) 200 6.5%
Leake County 199 1%
Neshoba County 199 3.5%
Scott County 199 1.5%

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

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside MS (200 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside MS (1984 here).

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

Good-condition bridges (127)

SR 13

Good

Over: CNIC RR

6.0 MI N SR 28, Simpson, MS

Built 1941 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 4,800

SR 545

Good

Over: GOODWATER CREEK

1.4 MI N SR 28, Simpson, MS

Built 1984 Load: 23.2 t ADT: 1,100

SR 28

Good

Over: TANYARD CREEK

0.4 MI E SR 43 SOUTH, Simpson, MS

Built 1953 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,200

SR 149

Good

Over: BRANCH OF SELLERS CREEK

1.7 MI S SR 13, Simpson, MS

Built 1992 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,700

JUPITER ROAD

Good

Over: BRANCH INTO STRONG RIVER

SEC 29 T 2N R 4E, Simpson, MS

Built 1964 Load: 25.0 t ADT: 2,000

SR 13

Good

Over: MAYS BRANCH

3.5 MI N US 49, Simpson, MS

Built 1955 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 3,300

SR 13

Good

Over: SLOUGH

4.1 MI N US 49, Simpson, MS

Built 1955 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 3,300

SR 13

Good

Over: WILDCAT CREEK

6.3 MI N US 49, Simpson, MS

Built 1956 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 2,500

SR 13

Good

Over: STRONG RIVER

4.2 MI N US 49, Simpson, MS

Built 1955 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 3,300

COOPER ROAD

Good

Over: OKATOMA CREEK

SEC 18 T 1N R 6E B, Simpson, MS

Built 1981 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 320

JOHN OWENS ROAD

Good

Over: BIG CREEK

SEC 13 T 2N R 2E B, Simpson, MS

Built 1983 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 120

MOODY WALLACE ROAD

Good

Over: CAMPBELLS CREEK

SEC 15 T 2N R 4E B, Simpson, MS

Built 1975 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 160

COOPER ROAD

Good

Over: RUSSELL BRANCH

SEC 18 T 1N R 6E B, Simpson, MS

Built 1989 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 320

LAWRENCE WIGGTON

Good

Over: BOWIE CREEK

SEC 34 T10N R18W B, Simpson, MS

Built 1986 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 60

LAWRENCE WIGGINGTO

Good

Over: RELIEF TO BOWIE CREEK

SEC 34 T10N R18W B, Simpson, MS

Built 1986 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 60

US 49 FRONTAGE RD

Good

Over: USPAHA CREEK

1.1 MI N COVINGTON CL, Simpson, MS

Built 1935 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 600

BUCKLEY ROAD

Good

Over: LIMESTONE CREEK

SEC 17 T 1N R 2E, Simpson, MS

Built 1998 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 40

BALDWIN ROAD

Good

Over: BRANCH OF OKATOMA CREEK

SEC 10 T10N R17W B, Simpson, MS

Built 1983 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 200

BERRY LOTT ROAD

Good

Over: USPOHA CREEK

SEC 20 T10N R17W B, Simpson, MS

Built 1983 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 200

HIGHWAY 472

Good

Over: SILLERS CREEK

SEC 2 T10N R20W, Simpson, MS

Built 1975 Load: 30.4 t ADT: 110

SARATOGA-SHARON RD

Good

Over: USPOHA CREEK

SEC 35 T10N R17W B, Simpson, MS

Built 1973 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 660

US 49

Good

Over: DABBS CREEK

4.3 MI N SR 13, Simpson, MS

Built 1962 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 9,500

SR 43

Good

Over: RIALS CREEK

2.7 MI S SR 13, Simpson, MS

Built 1984 Load: 32.1 t ADT: 1,900

SR 540

Good

Over: SANDERS CREEK

3.2 MI W SR 149, Simpson, MS

Built 2006 Load: 32.2 t ADT: 2,200

GATESVILLE ROAD

Good

Over: RELIEF TO PEARL RIVER

SEC 21 T 2N R 1E B, Simpson, MS

Built 1993 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 160

GATESVILLE ROAD

Good

Over: RELIEF TO PEARL RIVER

SEC 21 T 2N R 1E B, Simpson, MS

Built 1993 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 160

HARRISVLLE-BRAXTON

Good

Over: BIG CREEK

SEC 24 T 2N R 2E B, Simpson, MS

Built 1980 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 510

SHORTER MAY RD

Good

Over: LITTLE CREEK

SEC 30 T 2N R 3E, Simpson, MS

Built 2023 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 60

SOFA ROAD

Good

Over: BR MID PRONG SILVER CRK

SEC 27 T10N R19W, Simpson, MS

Built 2022 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 50

SR 469

Good

Over: UNNAMED STREAM

3.8 MI S RANKIN CL, Simpson, MS

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,200

AIRPORT ROAD

Good

Over: BRANCH OF RILES CREEK

SEC 1 T10N R19W B, Simpson, MS

Built 1982 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

SARATOGA-SHARON RD

Good

Over: BRANCH OF OKATOMA CREEK

SEC 24 T10N R17W B, Simpson, MS

Built 2006 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 560

SR 541

Good

Over: UNNAMED STREAM

3.6 MI N US 49, Simpson, MS

Built 1976 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 1,400

CHESS WARREN ROAD

Good

Over: TRIB OF OKATOMA

SEC 11 T 1N R 5E, Simpson, MS

Built 2007 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 50

DRY CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: HATCHAPALOG CREEK

SEC 34 T 2N R 6E B, Simpson, MS

Built 2005 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 280

ROCKPORT-NEWHEBRON

Good

Over: VAUGHNS CREEK

SEC 2 T 9N R21W B, Simpson, MS

Built 1957 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 340

BARNES RD

Good

Over: BCH OF BOWIE CK

SEC 3 T10N R18W, Simpson, MS

Built 2004 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 50

US 49

Good

Over: BEAR CREEK

1.0 MI S SR 540, Simpson, MS

Built 1965 Load: 33.2 t ADT: 24,000

HARRISVLLE-BRAXTON

Good

Over: BRANCH OF BIG CREEK

SEC 24 T 2N R 2E B, Simpson, MS

Built 1996 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 390

E.SHOWS ROAD

Good

Over: BRANCH OF STRONG RIVER

SEC 16 T 2N R 5E, Simpson, MS

Built 2012 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 50

JUPITER ROAD

Good

Over: SANDERS CREEK

SEC 1 T 1N R 3E B, Simpson, MS

Built 2013 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 670

SR 28

Good

Over: OKATOMA CREEK

1.6 MI E US 49, Simpson, MS

Built 1972 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 4,400

LAYTON&JONES ROAD

Good

Over: BRANCH OF STRONG RIVER

SEC 22 T 2N R 5E, Simpson, MS

Built 1999 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 50

US 49

Good

Over: USPAHA CREEK

1.1 MI N COVINGTON CL, Simpson, MS

Built 1999 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 10,000

US 49

Good

Over: SR 149 & CNIC RR

2.0 MI N SR 28, Simpson, MS

Built 1965 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 10,500

US 49

Good

Over: SR 149 & CNIC RR

2.0 MI N SR 28, Simpson, MS

Built 1965 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 10,500

SR 28

Good

Over: UNNAMED STREAM

4.0 MI E COPIAH CL, Simpson, MS

Built 1951 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 2,200

EUGIE PALMER ROAD

Good

Over: PERRAPIA CREEK

SEC 36 T 2N R 4E, Simpson, MS

Built 2003 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 80

HIGHWAY 472

Good

Over: WILLIAM CREEK

SEC 4 T10N R20W, Simpson, MS

Built 1975 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 110

SOUTH MAIN ROAD

Good

Over: RILES CREEK

SEC 22 T 1N R 4E B, Simpson, MS

Built 2001 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 100
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.