Total bridges
991
Public highway bridges in Denton County
County profile · official public datasets
Denton County, TX
991 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 57.8% rated Good, 41.3% Fair, 0.9% Poor.
- 991
- Public bridges
- 57.8%
- Good condition
- 0.9%
- Poor condition
The verdict
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.
Denton 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.
- 129th
- of 247 on Poor share
- 0.9%
- Poor-condition share
- 991
- public highway bridges
- 1994
- 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.
Denton County Bridge Snapshot
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Denton County ranks #129 of 247 Texas counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 0.9%). Denton County, Texas contains 991 public highway bridges. Roughly 57.8% are rated “Good,” 41.3% “Fair,” and 0.9% “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
57.8%
573 of 991 rated 7-9
Fair condition
41.3%
409 of 991 rated 5-6
Poor condition
0.9%
9 of 991 rated 4 or below
In-state Poor-share rank
#129 of 247
Among Texas counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better
Condition distribution
Share of 991 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.
Good 57.8% (573)
Fair 41.3% (409)
Poor 0.9% (9)
Denton County's Poor-condition bridges carry 127,256 vehicle crossings a day
That is 1% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 0.9% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry more traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 14,140 crossings a day against 13,125 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 989 of 991 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
22.3% of Denton County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark
221 of the 991 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 57.8% 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 26.1% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic
IH 35 NBML over CLEAR CREEK, built 1958, carries 33,174 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 9-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.
Share is of the 127,256 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
When Denton County's bridges were built
991 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade
- 1920s 3
1920–1929
3 bridges
- 1930s 10
1930–1939
10 bridges
- 1940s 17
1940–1949
17 bridges
- 1950s 83
1950–1959
83 bridges
- 1960s 70
1960–1969
70 bridges
- 1970s 54
1970–1979
54 bridges
- 1980s
1980–1989
105 bridges
- 1990s
1990–1999
158 bridges
- 2000s
2000–2009
231 bridges
- 2010s
2010–2019
229 bridges
- 2020s 31
2020–2029
31 bridges
What this shows Construction peaked in the 2000s, when 231 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 15 to 24 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year is 1994, 14 years newer than the Texas average of 1980.
How Denton County compares with Texas's closest counties by inventory size
The 5 Texas counties nearest Denton County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 0.9% Poor share is the 4th-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1994 against a peer-group mean of 1991 is in line with the group.
Showing the 5 closest of 246 Texas counties eligible for comparison.
| County | Bridges | Good | Fair | Poor | Avg. built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williamson County | 1,170 | 67.4% | 32.2% | 0.3% | 1995 |
| Collin County | 1,127 | 67% | 32.9% | 0.1% | 1998 |
| Denton County (this page) | 991 | 57.8% | 41.3% | 0.9% | 1994 |
| Fort Bend County | 795 | 72.8% | 24.7% | 2.5% | 1998 |
| El Paso County | 783 | 54.4% | 44.8% | 0.8% | 1986 |
| McLennan County | 714 | 51.8% | 46.2% | 2% | 1980 |
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 Denton 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 Denton County, both outside Texas so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.
Similar inventory size
Nearest county inventories outside TX (991 bridges here).
- Lane County, OR · 1,010 bridges
- Worcester County, MA · 1,014 bridges
- Santa Clara County, CA · 964 bridges
- Marion County, IN · 958 bridges
Similar average build year
Nearest mean year-built outside TX (1994 here).
- St. Charles County, MO · avg 1994 · 417 bridges
- Rock County, WI · avg 1994 · 304 bridges
- Pitt County, NC · avg 1994 · 228 bridges
- Columbus County, NC · avg 1994 · 226 bridges
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.
Fair-condition bridges (409)
RECTOR RD
FairOver: CLEAR CREEK TRIBUTARY
2.85 MI S OF WILLOW ST, Denton, TX
Built 1938 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 52
E. HARPOLE RD
FairOver: Fincher Branch
0.7 MI N of FM 407, Denton, TX
Built 1980 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 150
OLD STONEY ROAD
FairOver: WOLF BRANCH
2.00 MI W OF FM 156, Denton, TX
Built 1960 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 103
BURNETT RD
FairOver: MORRIS BRANCH
0.80 MI S OF FM 2449, Denton, TX
Built 1968 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 72
WAIDE RD
FairOver: MILL BRANCH
3.60 MI W OF CHISUM RD, Denton, TX
Built 1960 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 52
FM 2449
FairOver: IH 35W
2.90 MI S OF IH 35E, Denton, TX
Built 1969 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 4,850
OLD JUSTIN ROAD
FairOver: IH 35W
1.20 MI N OF FM 407, Denton, TX
Built 1969 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 150
E SYCAMORE ST
FairOver: PECAN CREEK
0.70 MI E OF US 77, Denton, TX
Built 1982 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 1,340
FM 1515
FairOver: DRY FORK OF HICKORY CRK
1.40 MI W OF IH 35W, Denton, TX
Built 1954 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,058
US 377
FairOver: TRIB OF GRAVEYARD BRANCH
3.60 MI N OF FM 407, Denton, TX
Built 1942 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 6,879
FM 428
FairOver: CLEAR CREEK RELIEF NO 3
2.70 MI NE OF LP 288, Denton, TX
Built 1992 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 1,560
FM 428
FairOver: DRAW
3.55 MI NE OF LP 288, Denton, TX
Built 1992 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 1,560
FM 428
FairOver: DRAIN
5.30 MI NE OF LP 288, Denton, TX
Built 1992 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 5,969
FM 428
FairOver: AUBREY BRANCH
7.50 MI NE OF LP 288, Denton, TX
Built 1999 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 5,969
US 377
FairOver: ALYNE BRANCH
2.40 MI S OF FM 428, Denton, TX
Built 1962 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 14,313
IH35W ML FR SH114
FairOver: PETERSONS DRAW
0.10 MI N OF SH 114, Denton, TX
Built 1966 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 44,342
IH 35W
FairOver: GOBLIN HOLLER
2.75 MI S OF FM 2449, Denton, TX
Built 1969 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 48,555
IH 35W
FairOver: N GRAVEYARD BR
3.10 MI S OF FM 2449, Denton, TX
Built 1969 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 48,555
IH 35W
FairOver: S FK W GRAHAM BR
0.70 MI N OF FM 407, Denton, TX
Built 1969 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 48,555
IH 35W / FM 407
FairOver: GRAHAM BRANCH
AT FM 407, Denton, TX
Built 1969 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 51,735
IH 35E & IH 35W
FairOver: DRAIN
1.8 MI NW OF US 377, Denton, TX
Built 1970 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 91,450
US 380
FairOver: NORTH PECAN CREEK
2.00 MI E OF IH 35, Denton, TX
Built 1937 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 30,647
US 377/380
FairOver: COOPER CREEK
0.05 MI E OF LP 288, Denton, TX
Built 1999 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 33,649
IH 35 NBFR
FairOver: DRAINAGE DITCH
2.45 MI N OF US 380, Denton, TX
Built 1956 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 380
IH 35 ML
FairOver: DRAINAGE DITCH
2.45 MI N OF US 380, Denton, TX
Built 1956 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 74,206
IH 35 SBFR
FairOver: DRAINAGE DITCH
2.45 MI N OF US 380, Denton, TX
Built 1956 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 320
IH 35 SBFR
FairOver: MOORES BRANCH
5.65 MI N OF US 380, Denton, TX
Built 1958 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 150
IH 35
FairOver: TRIETSCH BRANCH
5.00 MI N OF US 380, Denton, TX
Built 1958 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 63,123
IH 35
FairOver: MILAM CREEK
3.45 MI N OF US 380, Denton, TX
Built 1958 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 74,206
IH 35 SBFR
FairOver: POND CREEK
3.55 MI N OF FM 455, Denton, TX
Built 1958 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 100
IH 35 SBFR
FairOver: CRAGER CREEK
1.55 MI N OF FM 455, Denton, TX
Built 1958 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 400
IH 35 ML
FairOver: CRAGER CREEK
1.55 MI N OF FM 455, Denton, TX
Built 1958 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 52,605
IH 35 EFR
FairOver: POND CREEK
3.55 MI N OF FM 455, Denton, TX
Built 1958 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 110
IH 35 ML
FairOver: POND CREEK
3.55 MI N OF FM 455, Denton, TX
Built 1958 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 46,319
IH 35E
FairOver: DRAIN
1.60 MI NW OF US 377, Denton, TX
Built 1956 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 77,741
SH 114
FairOver: DRAW
2.50 MI E OF US 377, Denton, TX
Built 1994 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 79,602
FM 156
FairOver: POTEET BRANCH
2.85 MI S OF US 380, Denton, TX
Built 1956 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 4,575
FM 156
FairOver: DRAIN
2.30 MI S OF US 380, Denton, TX
Built 1959 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 4,575
FM 156
FairOver: DRAINAGE DITCH
0.40 MI N OF FM 407, Denton, TX
Built 1959 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 7,165
FM 455
FairOver: MUSTANG CREEK RELIEF
4.20 MI E OF US 377, Denton, TX
Built 1948 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 2,000
FM 1173
FairOver: DRY FORK HICKORY CREEK
1.10 MI E OF FM 156, Denton, TX
Built 1957 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 9,620
FM 1385
FairOver: Little Elm Ck Tributary6
1.20 MI S OF FM 428W, Denton, TX
Built 1955 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 18,405
FM 1515
FairOver: CORBIN BRANCH
0.90 MI W OF IH 35W, Denton, TX
Built 1954 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 13,811
GRIBBLE SPRINGS RD
FairOver: MADDOX BRANCH
0.05 MI E OF FM 2164, Denton, TX
Built 1960 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 4,475
FM 2153
FairOver: DRAW
2.60 MI N OF FM 426, Denton, TX
Built 1957 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 2,071
FM 2449
FairOver: DENTON CREEK RELIEF
3.75 MI W OF FM 156, Denton, TX
Built 1969 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 128
FM 2499
FairOver: DRAIN
1.15 MI S OF FM 1171, Denton, TX
Built 1996 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 6,000
FM 2931
FairOver: DRAW
1.30 MI N OF FM 428, Denton, TX
Built 1966 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 1,589
FM 2931
FairOver: DRAW
3.95 MI NE OF US 380, Denton, TX
Built 1970 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 5,680
FM 3163
FairOver: DRAW
1.30 MI E OF IH 35, Denton, TX
Built 1971 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 1,444
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.