County profile · official public datasets

Caldwell County, TX

206 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 62.1% rated Good, 36.4% Fair, 1.5% Poor.

206
Public bridges
62.1%
Good condition
1.5%
Poor condition

The verdict

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

Caldwell County pairs a higher-than-median Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state with a newer average build year than the state inventory.

158th
of 247 on Poor share
1.5%
Poor-condition share
206
public highway bridges
1986
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.

Caldwell County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Caldwell County ranks #158 of 247 Texas counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 1.5%). Caldwell County, Texas contains 206 public highway bridges. Roughly 62.1% are rated “Good,” 36.4% “Fair,” and 1.5% “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

206

Public highway bridges in Caldwell County

Good condition

62.1%

128 of 206 rated 7-9

Fair condition

36.4%

75 of 206 rated 5-6

Poor condition

1.5%

3 of 206 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#158 of 247

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

Condition distribution

Share of 206 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
62.1% (128)
Fair
36.4% (75)
Poor
1.5% (3)

Caldwell County's Poor-condition bridges carry 498 vehicle crossings a day

That is 0% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 1.5% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 166 crossings a day against 6,413 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 206 of 206 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

32.5% of Caldwell County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

67 of the 206 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 62.1% 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 53.4% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

N BLANCO SREET over TOWN CREEK, built 1942, carries 266 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 498 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Caldwell County's bridges were built

206 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 2010s, when 72 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 35% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 5 to 14 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year is 1986, 6 years newer than the Texas average of 1980.

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

How Caldwell County compares with Texas's closest counties by inventory size

The 5 Texas counties nearest Caldwell County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 1.5% Poor share is the 2nd-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1986 against a peer-group mean of 1977 is 9 years newer.

Showing the 5 closest of 246 Texas counties eligible for comparison.

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Caldwell County and the 5 Texas counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Austin County 214 2.8%
Reeves County 213 1.9%
Comanche County 212 1.9%
Polk County 210 5.7%
Caldwell County (this page) 206 1.5%
Coryell County 204 0.5%

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

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside TX (206 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside TX (1986 here).

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

Fair-condition bridges (75)

CR 262(JOHNSON ST)

Fair

Over: SAN MARCOS RIVER

0.10 MI SW OF MAIN ST, Caldwell, TX

Built 1936 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 100

FM 671

Fair

Over: DRAW

6.7 MI SW US 183, Caldwell, TX

Built 1952 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 321

FM 671

Fair

Over: DRAW

7.1 MI SW OF US 183, Caldwell, TX

Built 1952 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 321

CR213OLD LULING RD

Fair

Over: CLEAR FORK PLUM CREEK

0.50 MI NE OF US 183, Caldwell, TX

Built 1918 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 100

US 90

Fair

Over: SAN MARCOS RIVER RELIEF

3.2 MI W OF US 183, Caldwell, TX

Built 1935 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 1,667

US 90/US 183

Fair

Over: DRAW

2.6 MI SE OF SH 80, Caldwell, TX

Built 1931 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 7,242

FM 20

Fair

Over: HAW BRANCH

1.4 MI SW OF FM 1854, Caldwell, TX

Built 1956 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 4,159

FM 20

Fair

Over: DRAW

0.6 MI SW OF FM 1854, Caldwell, TX

Built 1956 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 4,159

SH 80

Fair

Over: MORRISON CREEK

0.55 MI SE OF FM 1979, Caldwell, TX

Built 1930 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 5,124

FM 672

Fair

Over: DRAW

4.2 MI NE OF US 183, Caldwell, TX

Built 1950 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 1,478

FM 672

Fair

Over: DRAW

5.1 MI NE OF US 183, Caldwell, TX

Built 1950 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 1,478

FM 672

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK RELIEF

2.2 MI E OF US 183, Caldwell, TX

Built 1995 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 1,478

IH 10 SFR

Fair

Over: WOLF CREEK

0.4 MI E OF US 183, Caldwell, TX

Built 1972 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 301

FM 86

Fair

Over: WATTS BRANCH

4.4 MI S OF BASTROP C/L, Caldwell, TX

Built 1986 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 1,648

FM 86

Fair

Over: LITTLE BEE CREEK

1.4 MI S OF BASTROP C/L, Caldwell, TX

Built 1986 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 1,127

FM 86

Fair

Over: BIG BEE CREEK

1.2 MI S OF BASTROP C/L, Caldwell, TX

Built 1986 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 1,127

FM 713

Fair

Over: DANIELS CREEK

1.3 MI W OF FM 86, Caldwell, TX

Built 1953 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 1,658

FM 1386

Fair

Over: MCNEIL CREEK

0.1 MI E OF FM 1322, Caldwell, TX

Built 1960 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 253

FM 672

Fair

Over: WALNUT CREEK

7.6 MI E OF US 183, Caldwell, TX

Built 1968 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 517

CR 207 (BURDETTE)

Fair

Over: BRUSHY BRANCH

1.05 MI SW OF FM 1322, Caldwell, TX

Built 1992 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 64

CLEAR FORK ST

Fair

Over: TRIB TO CLR FK PLUM CRK

0.35 Mi SW of San Jacinto, Caldwell, TX

Built 2002 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 1,720

FM 20

Fair

Over: WEST FORK PLUM CREEK

5.3 MI SW OF US 183, Caldwell, TX

Built 1955 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,453

SH 80

Fair

Over: SNAKE CREEK

0.7 MI W OF FM 1984, Caldwell, TX

Built 1930 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 17,440

SH 80

Fair

Over: DRAW

0.8 MI SE OF FM 1979, Caldwell, TX

Built 1930 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 5,124

SH 80

Fair

Over: DRAW

2.4 MI S OF FM 20, Caldwell, TX

Built 1930 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 5,051

FM 1854

Fair

Over: WALNUT CREEK

0.75 MI N OF FM 672, Caldwell, TX

Built 1953 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,151

FM 1854

Fair

Over: CEDAR CREEK

0.05 MI SE OF SH 21, Caldwell, TX

Built 1956 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 5,798

FM 86

Fair

Over: SALT BRANCH

0.8 MI NE OF US 183, Caldwell, TX

Built 1935 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,293

FM 671

Fair

Over: DRAW

1.5 MI S OF US 183, Caldwell, TX

Built 1922 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 527

ROLLING RIDGE RD

Fair

Over: ELM CREEK BRANCH

2.50 MI NW OF US 183, Caldwell, TX

Built 1924 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 30

OLD LYTTON SPRINGS

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

1.00 MI SW OF FM 1185, Caldwell, TX

Built 1934 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 120

CR 182 (DRY CR RD)

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

1.35 MI N OF FM 672, Caldwell, TX

Built 1900 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 90

CR 133 (IVY SWTCH)

Fair

Over: MCNEIL CREEK

0.40 MI SE OF FM 1322, Caldwell, TX

Built 1921 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 204

CR 115 (WASHBURN)

Fair

Over: SEALS CREEK

0.80 MI SE OF FM 671, Caldwell, TX

Built 1921 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 241

CR 122 (AUSTIN RD)

Fair

Over: SEALS CREEK

1.70 MI W OF SH 80, Caldwell, TX

Built 1938 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 120

CR 240(SCULL XING)

Fair

Over: SAN MARCOS RIVER

0.05 MI SW OF MAIN ST, Caldwell, TX

Built 2009 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 760

N COMMERCE ST

Fair

Over: TOWN BRANCH

0.45 MI N OF SH 142, Caldwell, TX

Built 1909 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 690

CR 128(SPRUCE AVE)

Fair

Over: SALT BRANCH

0.37 MI NW OF MYRTLE AVE, Caldwell, TX

Built 1990 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 600

FM 2001

Fair

Over: PLUM CREEK

4.2 MI E OF SH 21, Caldwell, TX

Built 1958 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 951

SH 80

Fair

Over: HEMPHILL CREEK

0.4 MI S OF SH 142, Caldwell, TX

Built 1930 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 5,124

IH 10 WB

Fair

Over: SAN MARCOS RIVER

2.6 MI W OF US 183, Caldwell, TX

Built 1969 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 18,426

IH 10 EB

Fair

Over: SAN MARCOS RIVER

2.6 MI W OF US 183, Caldwell, TX

Built 1969 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 18,426

IH 10 WB

Fair

Over: PLUM CREEK

0.7 MI W OF US 183, Caldwell, TX

Built 1969 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 18,128

RIVER PARK ROAD

Fair

Over: SAN MARCOS RIVER REL

3.2 MI W OF US 183, Caldwell, TX

Built 1920 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 50

FM 20

Fair

Over: PLUM CREEK

2.7 MI N OF US 183, Caldwell, TX

Built 1947 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 8,503

SH 80

Fair

Over: CALLAHAN CREEK

8.6 MI S OF SH 142, Caldwell, TX

Built 1935 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 5,213

SH 80

Fair

Over: SEAL CREEK

2.7 MI NW OF US 183, Caldwell, TX

Built 1935 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 5,052

FM 1322

Fair

Over: PLUM CREEK

1.3 MI S OF FM 86, Caldwell, TX

Built 1965 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 331

FM 20

Fair

Over: SAN MARCOS RIVER

0.6 MI SW OF SH 80, Caldwell, TX

Built 1957 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 775

SH 80

Fair

Over: DICKERSON CREEK

3.8 MI S OF SH 142, Caldwell, TX

Built 1930 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 5,563
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.