Total bridges
660
Public highway bridges in Bell County
County profile · official public datasets
Bell County, TX
660 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 54.7% rated Good, 45% Fair, 0.3% Poor.
- 660
- Public bridges
- 54.7%
- Good condition
- 0.3%
- Poor condition
The verdict
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.
Bell County posts a better-than-median Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state across large county bridge inventory.
- Top 37%
- lowest Poor share in state
- 0.3%
- Poor-condition share
- 660
- 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.
Bell County Bridge Snapshot
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Bell County ranks #92 of 247 Texas counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 0.3%). Bell County, Texas contains 660 public highway bridges. Roughly 54.7% are rated “Good,” 45% “Fair,” and 0.3% “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.
Good condition
54.7%
361 of 660 rated 7-9
Fair condition
45%
297 of 660 rated 5-6
Poor condition
0.3%
2 of 660 rated 4 or below
In-state Poor-share rank
#92 of 247
Among Texas counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better
Condition distribution
Share of 660 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.
Good 54.7% (361)
Fair 45% (297)
Poor 0.3% (2)
Bell County's Poor-condition bridges carry 6,071 vehicle crossings a day
That is 0.1% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 0.3% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 3,036 crossings a day against 14,031 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 660 of 660 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
34.4% of Bell County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark
227 of the 660 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 54.7% 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 94.4% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic
SH 95 over DARRS CREEK, built 1922, carries 5,733 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 2-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.
Share is of the 6,071 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
When Bell County's bridges were built
660 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade
- 1920s 7
1920–1929
7 bridges
- 1930s 23
1930–1939
23 bridges
- 1940s 18
1940–1949
18 bridges
- 1950s
1950–1959
51 bridges
- 1960s
1960–1969
90 bridges
- 1970s
1970–1979
127 bridges
- 1980s
1980–1989
59 bridges
- 1990s
1990–1999
86 bridges
- 2000s
2000–2009
63 bridges
- 2010s
2010–2019
125 bridges
- 2020s 11
2020–2029
11 bridges
What this shows Construction peaked in the 1970s, when 127 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 19.2% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 45 to 54 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1984) matches the Texas average (1980).
How Bell County compares with Texas's closest counties by inventory size
The 5 Texas counties nearest Bell County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 0.3% Poor share is the 1st-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1984 against a peer-group mean of 1988 is in line with the group.
Showing the 5 closest of 246 Texas counties eligible for comparison.
| County | Bridges | Good | Fair | Poor | Avg. built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Paso County | 783 | 54.4% | 44.8% | 0.8% | 1986 |
| McLennan County | 714 | 51.8% | 46.2% | 2% | 1980 |
| Montgomery County | 710 | 69.2% | 30.1% | 0.7% | 1998 |
| Ellis County | 691 | 53.3% | 45.2% | 1.6% | 1987 |
| Bell County (this page) | 660 | 54.7% | 45% | 0.3% | 1984 |
| Brazoria County | 618 | 62.8% | 34.8% | 2.4% | 1990 |
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 Bell 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 Bell County, both outside Texas so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.
Similar inventory size
Nearest county inventories outside TX (660 bridges here).
- Lancaster County, NE · 661 bridges
- Sumner County, KS · 659 bridges
- Salt Lake County, UT · 659 bridges
- Jefferson County, KY · 662 bridges
Similar average build year
Nearest mean year-built outside TX (1984 here).
- Hennepin County, MN · avg 1984 · 936 bridges
- Duval County, FL · avg 1984 · 831 bridges
- El Paso County, CO · avg 1984 · 686 bridges
- Steuben County, NY · avg 1984 · 627 bridges
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.
Fair-condition bridges (297)
SH 95
FairOver: RUNNELLS CREEK
3.60 MI N OF FM 2268, Bell, TX
Built 1950 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 4,494
IH 35 SBML
FairOver: BIG ELM CREEK
1.45 MI NORTH OF FM 935, Bell, TX
Built 2018 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 68,800
IH 35 SBML
FairOver: BIG ELM ROAD
2.29 MI. NORTH OF FM 935, Bell, TX
Built 2018 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 68,800
IH 35 ML
FairOver: LAMPASAS RIVER
2.25 MI SW OF LP 121, Bell, TX
Built 2016 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 61,254
IH 35 NBML
FairOver: HILL RD
4.90 MI SW OF FM 2268, Bell, TX
Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 40,439
IH 35
FairOver: ALEXANDER BRANCH
0.15 MI N OF FM 2484, Bell, TX
Built 2016 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 61,940
IH 35
FairOver: PRAIRIE DELL CREEK
4.65 MI SW OF FM 2268, Bell, TX
Built 2009 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 62,317
AMITY RD
FairOver: IH 35
1.45 MI N OF FM 2484, Bell, TX
Built 2012 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 200
IH 35 ML
FairOver: SALADO CREEK
0.7 MI N of FM 2268, Bell, TX
Built 2015 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 60,833
THOMAS ARNOLD RD
FairOver: IH 35
0.92 MI N OF FM 2268, Bell, TX
Built 2015 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,800
IH 35 SBML
FairOver: FM 817 (MIDWAY DR)
2.55 MI NE OF FM 93, Bell, TX
Built 1977 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 52,330
LP 363 EBFR
FairOver: IH 35
LP 363 EBFR at IH 35, Bell, TX
Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 51,500
LP 363 WBML
FairOver: IH 35 ML & FR
LP 363 @ IH 35, Bell, TX
Built 2009 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 51,500
SH 36
FairOver: SH 317
2.01 MI SE OF FM 2409, Bell, TX
Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 13,351
SH 36
FairOver: LAKE BELTON (LEON RIVER)
5.30 MI NW OF SH 317, Bell, TX
Built 2004 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 7,356
FM 2305
FairOver: SH 36 (LP 363)
0.67 MI S OF SH 53, Bell, TX
Built 1976 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 25,760
5TH ST
FairOver: US 190
0.9 MI E OF FM 1741, Bell, TX
Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,618
US 190
FairOver: KNOB CREEK BRANCH
3.55 MI SE OF SH 95, Bell, TX
Built 2010 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 11,663
US 190 EB ON-RAMP
FairOver: MARGIE LOU BRANCH
3.25 MI SE OF SH 95, Bell, TX
Built 2010 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 501
US 190 WB OFF-RAMP
FairOver: MARGIE LOU BRANCH
3.25 MI SE OF SH 95, Bell, TX
Built 2010 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 501
FM 2410
FairOver: US 190
1.9 MI E OF FM 3470, Bell, TX
Built 1973 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 15,892
NOLA RUTH RD
FairOver: US 190
1.04 MI E OF FM 3423, Bell, TX
Built 1976 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 588
FM 1670
FairOver: US 190
2.43 MI W OF IH 35, Bell, TX
Built 1978 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,080
SH 53
FairOver: NORTH ELM CREEK
0.10 MI SW OF FALLS C/L, Bell, TX
Built 1939 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,530
SH 53
FairOver: BIG ELM CREEK RELIEF
1.10 MI E OF FM 3117, Bell, TX
Built 1961 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,848
US 190
FairOver: SH 95
2.40 MI NW OF FM 93, Bell, TX
Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 21,103
SH 95
FairOver: LITTLE RIVER
4.1 MILE S OF FM 93, Bell, TX
Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,249
LP 363
FairOver: BNSF RR
0.40 MI NE OF US 190, Bell, TX
Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 9,453
LP 363
FairOver: BNSF RR & OLD TROY RD
0.60 MI SE OF IH 35, Bell, TX
Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 14,612
SH 317 SBML
FairOver: LEON RIVER
0.90 MI. NORTH OF FM 437, Bell, TX
Built 2019 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 16,100
SH 195
FairOver: WILSON BRANCH TRIBUTARY
5.5 MI S OF FM 2670, Bell, TX
Built 2005 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,600
FM 93
FairOver: LEON RIVER
1.35 MI SE OF IH 35, Bell, TX
Built 1993 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 17,019
LP 121
FairOver: BNSF RR & CRUSADER WAY
0.60 MI S OF FM 439, Bell, TX
Built 1988 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 14,535
FM 3470
FairOver: BNSF RR
0.02 MI N OF US 190, Bell, TX
Built 1971 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 19,536
DICE GROVE ROAD
FairOver: LAMPASAS RIVER
1.15 MI S OF FM 436, Bell, TX
Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 310
NORTH FORK ROAD
FairOver: INDIAN CREEK
0.70 MI N OF HAROLD CLRK, Bell, TX
Built 1987 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100
THEO LOOP
FairOver: POND CREEK TRIBUTARY
0.20 MI SE OF FM 438, Bell, TX
Built 2005 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100
ROUND HALL RD
FairOver: FLAG BRANCH #25
0.10 MI S OF FM 2268, Bell, TX
Built 2013 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 25
SOUTH 24TH STREET
FairOver: BNSF RR
1.15 MI S OF SH 53, Bell, TX
Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,753
WS YOUNG DRIVE
FairOver: NOLAN CREEK TRIB
0.15 MI S OF ELMS RD, Bell, TX
Built 2002 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,040
EAST AVE C
FairOver: NOLAN CREEK TRIB
0.05 MI E OF SH 317, Bell, TX
Built 1993 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 578
S/O TANK DESTROYER
FairOver: PAVED CHANNEL
BLDG 3830, Bell, TX
Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50
S 62ND ST
FairOver: PAVED CHANNEL
S/O TANK DESTROYER BLVD, Bell, TX
Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 500
S/O TANK DESTROYER
FairOver: PAVED CHANNEL
PARK LOT-W/O BLDG 3537, Bell, TX
Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50
WRATTEN DRIVE
FairOver: PAVED CHANNEL
S/O TANK DESTROYER BLVD, Bell, TX
Built 1960 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50
TANK DESTROYER BLV
FairOver: PAVED CHANNEL
SADOWSKI FIELD, Bell, TX
Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50
BLDG 3537 PARKING
FairOver: PAVED CHANNEL
NEAR BLDG 3537, Bell, TX
Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50
SUPPORT AVE
FairOver: PAVED CHANNEL
BLDG 2242, Bell, TX
Built 1960 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50
SADOWSKI RD
FairOver: PAVED CHANNEL
B/W SMITH RD & 37TH ST, Bell, TX
Built 1960 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 25
31ST ST
FairOver: PAVED CHANNEL
B/W TANK DESTRY & 761ST, Bell, TX
Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 500
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
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.