County profile · official public datasets

Howard County, MO

133 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 42.1% rated Good, 49.6% Fair, 8.3% Poor.

133
Public bridges
42.1%
Good condition
8.3%
Poor condition

The verdict

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

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

Top 44%
lowest Poor share in state
8.3%
Poor-condition share
133
public highway bridges
1980
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.

Howard County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Howard County ranks #51 of 115 Missouri counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 8.3%). Howard County, Missouri contains 133 public highway bridges. Roughly 42.1% are rated “Good,” 49.6% “Fair,” and 8.3% “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

133

Public highway bridges in Howard County

Good condition

42.1%

56 of 133 rated 7-9

Fair condition

49.6%

66 of 133 rated 5-6

Poor condition

8.3%

11 of 133 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#51 of 115

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

Condition distribution

Share of 133 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
42.1% (56)
Fair
49.6% (66)
Poor
8.3% (11)

Howard County's Poor-condition bridges carry 5,056 vehicle crossings a day

That is 8.2% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 8.3% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 460 crossings a day against 383 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 133 of 133 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

39.1% of Howard County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

52 of the 133 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 42.1% 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 32.9% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

MO 3 S over KSC RR, built 1941, carries 1,661 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 11-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 5,056 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Howard County's bridges were built

133 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1990s, when 31 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 23.3% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 25 to 34 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1980) matches the Missouri average (1979).

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

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

The 5 Missouri counties nearest Howard County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 8.3% Poor share is the 2nd-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1980 against a peer-group mean of 1970 is 10 years newer.

Showing the 5 closest of 114 Missouri counties eligible for comparison.

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Howard County and the 5 Missouri counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
St. Clair County 139 19.4%
Ralls County 138 7.2%
Mercer County 137 19%
Benton County 135 20.7%
Howard County (this page) 133 8.3%
Wright County 131 11.5%

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

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside MO (133 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside MO (1980 here).

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

All 133 Good 56 Fair 66 Poor 11

Good-condition bridges (56)

COUNTY RD 237

Good

Over: DOXIES CR

S 6 T 51 N R 16 W, Howard, MO

Built 1978 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 35

COUNTY RD 241

Good

Over: BRANCH OF DOXIE CR

S 5 T 51 N R 16 W, Howard, MO

Built 1993 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 100

COUNTY RD 224

Good

Over: BONNE FEMME CR

S 6 T 51 N R 15 W, Howard, MO

Built 1996 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 50

RT EE E

Good

Over: PRAIRIE CR

S 7 T 49 N R 14 W, Howard, MO

Built 1966 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 432

RT W E

Good

Over: MONITEAU CR

S 34 T 50 N R 15 W, Howard, MO

Built 1960 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 615

COUNTY RD 102

Good

Over: HUNGRY MOTHER CR

S 36 T 51 N R 15 W, Howard, MO

Built 1995 Load: 23.4 t ADT: 25

COUNTY RD 328

Good

Over: SALT CR

S 12 T 49 N R 18 W, Howard, MO

Built 1995 Load: 23.4 t ADT: 60

COUNTY RD 269

Good

Over: BATTS CR

S 23 T 52 N R 17 W, Howard, MO

Built 1992 Load: 25.2 t ADT: 50

COUNTY RD 336

Good

Over: SULPHUR CR

S 19 T 49 N R 16 W, Howard, MO

Built 2006 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 50

RT V E

Good

Over: DOXIES CR

S 2463 T 52 N R 17 W, Howard, MO

Built 2018 Load: 30.6 t ADT: 208

COUNTY RD 128

Good

Over: MONITEAU CR

S 16 T 51 N R 14 W, Howard, MO

Built 1988 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 50

COUNTY RD 406

Good

Over: MONITEAU CR

S 14 T 50 N R 15 W, Howard, MO

Built 1992 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 40

COUNTY RD 324

Good

Over: E FK SULPHUR CR

S 1 T 49 N R 17 W, Howard, MO

Built 1992 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 50

COUNTY RD 342

Good

Over: SULPHUR CR

S 36 T 49 N R 17 W, Howard, MO

Built 1991 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 70

COUNTY RD 201

Good

Over: BONNE FEMME CR

S 36 T 51 N R 16 W, Howard, MO

Built 1991 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 100

COUNTY RD 431

Good

Over: BR OF PRAIRIE FK

S 13 T 49 N R 15 W, Howard, MO

Built 2011 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 25

COUNTY RD 431

Good

Over: BR OF PRAIRIE FK

S 19 T 49 N R 14 W, Howard, MO

Built 2011 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 25

COUNTY RD 431

Good

Over: BR OF PRAIRIE FK

S 19 T 49 N R 14 W, Howard, MO

Built 2011 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 25

COUNTY RD 105

Good

Over: LICK FORK CR

S 2 T 50 N R 15 W, Howard, MO

Built 2012 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 25

COUNTY RD 204

Good

Over: BONNE FEMME CR

S 19 T 51 N R 15 W, Howard, MO

Built 2013 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 50

COUNTY RD 222

Good

Over: BONNE FEMME CR

S 18 T 51 N R 15 W, Howard, MO

Built 1993 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 50

COUNTY RD 228

Good

Over: BONNE FEMME CR

S 33 T 52 N R 15 W, Howard, MO

Built 2008 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 20

COUNTY RD 467

Good

Over: SALT CR

S 25 T 49 N R 16 W, Howard, MO

Built 2014 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 50

COUNTY RD 136

Good

Over: MONITEAU CR

S 3 T 51 N R 14 W, Howard, MO

Built 2001 Load: 34.2 t ADT: 40

COUNTY RD 110

Good

Over: MONITEAU CR

S 28 T 51 N R 14 W, Howard, MO

Built 2003 Load: 34.2 t ADT: 50

COUNTY RD 409

Good

Over: MONITEAU CR

S 7 T 50 N R 14 W, Howard, MO

Built 2005 Load: 34.2 t ADT: 40

COUNTY RD 431

Good

Over: PRAIRIE FORK CR

S 13 T 49 N R 15 W, Howard, MO

Built 2007 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 100

MO 5 S

Good

Over: ADAMS FK CR

S 14 T 50 N R 16 W, Howard, MO

Built 2001 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 4,479

COUNTY RD 401

Good

Over: BONNE FEMME CR

S 24 T 50 N R 16 W, Howard, MO

Built 1995 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 40

COUNTY RD 343

Good

Over: BARTLETT CR

S 35 T 49 N R 17 W, Howard, MO

Built 1997 Load: 38.7 t ADT: 70

COUNTY RD 455

Good

Over: SALT CR

S 24 T 49 N R 16 W, Howard, MO

Built 1992 Load: 38.7 t ADT: 50

MO 240 E

Good

Over: BONNE FEMME CR OVR

S 13 T 50 N R 16 W, Howard, MO

Built 2011 Load: 39.6 t ADT: 4,882

COUNTY RD 319

Good

Over: COOPERS CR

S 26 T 50 N R 18 W, Howard, MO

Built 2014 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 50

US 40 E

Good

Over: KATY TRAIL SALT CR

S 33 T 49 N R 15 W, Howard, MO

Built 2023 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 2,129

SP 240 E

Good

Over: MONITEAU CRK

S 1 T 48 N R 15 W, Howard, MO

Built 2023 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 373

COUNTY RD 312

Good

Over: SULPHUR CR

S 26 T 50 N R 17 W, Howard, MO

Built 2015 Load: 41.4 t ADT: 40

COUNTY RD 425

Good

Over: DEER CR

S 33 T 50 N R 16 W, Howard, MO

Built 2004 Load: 42.3 t ADT: 10

COUNTY RD 423

Good

Over: DEER CR

S 33 T 50 N R 16 W, Howard, MO

Built 2004 Load: 42.3 t ADT: 10

MO 240 E

Good

Over: BONNE FEMME CR

S 13 T 50 N R 16 W, Howard, MO

Built 2011 Load: 42.3 t ADT: 4,882

MO 124 E

Good

Over: MONITEAU CR

S 5 T 50 N R 14 W, Howard, MO

Built 2011 Load: 42.3 t ADT: 1,083

COUNTY RD 409

Good

Over: HUNTERS CR

S 18 T 50 N R 14 W, Howard, MO

Built 1999 Load: 43.2 t ADT: 30

COUNTY RD 345

Good

Over: SULPHUR CR

S 32 T 49 N R 16 W, Howard, MO

Built 1994 Load: 45.9 t ADT: 40

RT Z E

Good

Over: BARTLETT CR

S 27 T 49 N R 17 W, Howard, MO

Built 2019 Load: 46.8 t ADT: 231

COUNTY RD 134

Good

Over: SALT FORK CR

S 10 T 51 N R 15 W, Howard, MO

Built 2009 Load: 48.6 t ADT: 25

COUNTY RD 320

Good

Over: E FK SULPHUR CR

S 6 T 49 N R 16 W, Howard, MO

Built 2019 Load: 48.6 t ADT: 45

COUNTY RD 415

Good

Over: BR OF MONITEAU CR

S 36 T 50 N R 15 W, Howard, MO

Built 1999 Load: 49.5 t ADT: 50

COUNTY RD 436

Good

Over: MONITEAU CR

S 23 T 49 N R 15 W, Howard, MO

Built 1998 Load: 51.3 t ADT: 70

RT E E

Good

Over: ADAMS FORK

S 10 T 50 N R 16 W, Howard, MO

Built 2015 Load: 55.8 t ADT: 157

COUNTY RD 247

Good

Over: SUGAR TREE BR

S 5 T 51 N R 15 W, Howard, MO

Built 2006 Load: 59.4 t ADT: 40

COUNTY RD 327

Good

Over: BR OF SULPHUR CR

S 24 T 49 N R 14 W, Howard, MO

Built 2002 Load: 60.3 t ADT: 40

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

Related

Browse all → | Rankings →
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.