County profile · official public datasets

Buchanan County, MO

246 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 34.1% rated Good, 58.1% Fair, 7.7% Poor.

246
Public bridges
34.1%
Good condition
7.7%
Poor condition

The verdict

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

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

Top 42%
lowest Poor share in state
7.7%
Poor-condition share
246
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.

Buchanan County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Buchanan County ranks #48 of 115 Missouri counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 7.7%). Buchanan County, Missouri contains 246 public highway bridges. Roughly 34.1% are rated “Good,” 58.1% “Fair,” and 7.7% “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

246

Public highway bridges in Buchanan County

Good condition

34.1%

84 of 246 rated 7-9

Fair condition

58.1%

143 of 246 rated 5-6

Poor condition

7.7%

19 of 246 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#48 of 115

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

Condition distribution

Share of 246 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
34.1% (84)
Fair
58.1% (143)
Poor
7.7% (19)

Buchanan County's Poor-condition bridges carry 64,751 vehicle crossings a day

That is 6.7% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 7.7% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 3,408 crossings a day against 1,931 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 246 of 246 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

31.7% of Buchanan County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

78 of the 246 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 34.1% 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 26.5% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

US 36 E over IS 229 CST 6TH ST IS, built 1951, carries 17,137 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 19-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 64,751 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Buchanan County's bridges were built

246 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1990s, when 47 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 19.1% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 25 to 34 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1981) matches the Missouri average (1979).

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

How Buchanan County compares with Missouri's closest counties by inventory size

The 5 Missouri counties nearest Buchanan County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 7.7% Poor share is the 2nd-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 114 Missouri counties eligible for comparison.

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Buchanan County and the 5 Missouri counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Gentry County 246 14.6%
Buchanan County (this page) 246 7.7%
Pettis County 243 11.1%
St. Louis city County 240 10%
Lafayette County 238 2.5%
DeKalb County 237 8.4%

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

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside MO (246 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside MO (1981 here).

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

All bridges (246)

IS 229 N

Fair

Over: CST 22ND ST

S 28 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1979 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,497

SE SAXTON RD

Fair

Over: OLD CHNL PLATTE RV

S 27 T 57 N R 34 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1989 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 150

SE SAXTON RD

Fair

Over: OLD CHNL PLATTE RV

S 34 T 57 N R 34 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1989 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 150

SE KEMMER RD

Fair

Over: THIRD FK PLATTE RV

S 25 T 57 N R 34 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1989 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 25

HURLINGEN RD

Fair

Over: BR OF PLATTE RVR

S 4 T 57 N R 34 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1992 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 40

S.E. 123TH

Fair

Over: THIRD FK PLATTE RV

S 7 T 57 N R 33 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1990 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 15

SW LEWIS SCHOOL RD

Fair

Over: BR OF COVERDALE DT

S 33 T 56 N R 36 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1989 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 25

SE BENNER LAKE

Fair

Over: PLUMMER CR

S 28 T 55 N R 34 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1994 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 20

ROCK CREEK SE

Fair

Over: ROCK CR

S 32 T 56 N R 34 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1990 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 15

SE 115TH RD

Fair

Over: MALDEN CR

S 13 T 55 N R 34 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1991 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 20

LOVERS LN

Fair

Over: NORTHWEST PKWY

S 33 T 58 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1929 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,500

10TH ST

Fair

Over: MAPLE LEAF PKWY

S 5 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1989 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,500

6TH ST-US 59

Fair

Over: BNSF RR

S 20 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1983 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 23,450

SE RIVERSIDE TERR

Fair

Over: SMALL CR

S 30 T 57 N R 34 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1997 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 100

MO 371 S

Fair

Over: BEE CR

S 10 T 55 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1983 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,178

SE HILLYARD RD

Fair

Over: RILEY BR

S 2 T 56 N R 34 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 2017 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 20

MO 6 E

Fair

Over: 3RD FK PLATTE RVR

S 8 T 57 N R 33 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1987 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,003

22ND ST N

Fair

Over: US 36

S 21 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1961 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 8,401

RT U E

Fair

Over: CONTRARY CR

S 4 T 56 N R 36 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1967 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 2,036

IS 229 S

Fair

Over: US 59

S 8 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1979 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 4,060

RP MO759N TO IS229

Fair

Over: CST MONTEREY ST BNSF RR

S 17 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1979 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 3,123

US 36 W

Fair

Over: MO 759 BNSF RR

S 20 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1985 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 8,499

RP IS229N TO MO759

Fair

Over: MO 759

S 17 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1983 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 3,490

US 36 E

Fair

Over: CST SOUTHWEST PKWY

S 22 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1961 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 11,343

US 36 W

Fair

Over: CST SOUTHWEST PKWY

S 22 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1961 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 11,952

US 169 S

Fair

Over: IS 29

S 26 T 58 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1962 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 6,230

IS 229 S

Fair

Over: CST HICKORY ST

S 20 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1979 Load: 34.2 t ADT: 9,862

IS 229 N

Fair

Over: CST HICKORY ST

S 20 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1979 Load: 34.2 t ADT: 9,086

US 59 N

Fair

Over: CST 6TH ST

S 17 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1979 Load: 34.2 t ADT: 5,210

RP IS229S TO US36W

Fair

Over: FILL

S 17 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1983 Load: 34.2 t ADT: 2,220

AGENCY RD S

Fair

Over: US 36

S 21 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1961 Load: 34.2 t ADT: 1,518

IS 29 S

Fair

Over: BEE CR

S 14 T 55 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1958 Load: 34.2 t ADT: 18,234

IS 29 N

Fair

Over: BEE CR

S 14 T 55 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1958 Load: 34.2 t ADT: 18,824

MO 6 E

Fair

Over: IS 29

S 2 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1958 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 15,423

RP IS229N TO MO759

Fair

Over: RP TO US 36

S 20 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1979 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 3,959

RP IS229S TO IS29N

Fair

Over: IS 29

S 35 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1965 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 3,759

SW BLUFF RD

Fair

Over: BR OF OLD MUDDY LK

S 28 T 56 N R 36 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1994 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 25

MO 6 E

Fair

Over: PLATTE RVR

S 4 T 57 N R 34 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1986 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 2,540

US 36 E

Fair

Over: MISSOURI RVR

S 19 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1983 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 7,009

US 36 W

Fair

Over: MISSOURI RVR

S 19 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1983 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 8,227

MO 116 E

Fair

Over: LIT BEE CR

S 24 T 55 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 2012 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 899

RT M S

Fair

Over: SUGAR CR

S 25 T 55 N R 37 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 2012 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 68

IS 229 S

Fair

Over: CST HIGHLAND AVE

S 8 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1979 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 2,105

IS 229 N

Fair

Over: CST HIGHLAND AVE

S 8 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1979 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 4,469

MO 752 E

Fair

Over: MO 371

S 33 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1977 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 11,356

MO 6 E

Fair

Over: E OVRFL OF THIRD F

S 8 T 57 N R 33 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1987 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 1,003

US 169 S

Fair

Over: PLATTE RVR

S 10 T 56 N R 34 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1988 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 5,953

RT H E

Fair

Over: JENKINS BR

S 4 T 55 N R 33 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1948 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 421

RP IS229S TO IS29N

Fair

Over: IS 229

S 35 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1965 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 3,759

IS 229 N

Fair

Over: CST AJAX RD WHITEHEAD C

S 34 T 57 N R 35 W, Buchanan, MO

Built 1965 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 10,814
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.