Total bridges
272
Public highway bridges in Hays County
County profile · official public datasets
Hays County, TX
272 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 79% rated Good, 20.6% Fair, 0.4% Poor.
- 272
- Public bridges
- 79%
- Good condition
- 0.4%
- Poor condition
The verdict
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.
Hays County pairs a better-than-median Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state with a newer average build year than the state inventory.
- Top 39%
- lowest Poor share in state
- 0.4%
- Poor-condition share
- 272
- public highway bridges
- 1996
- 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.
Hays County Bridge Snapshot
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Hays County ranks #96 of 247 Texas counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 0.4%). Hays County, Texas contains 272 public highway bridges. Roughly 79% are rated “Good,” 20.6% “Fair,” and 0.4% “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
79%
215 of 272 rated 7-9
Fair condition
20.6%
56 of 272 rated 5-6
Poor condition
0.4%
1 of 272 rated 4 or below
In-state Poor-share rank
#96 of 247
Among Texas counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better
Condition distribution
Share of 272 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.
Good 79% (215)
Fair 20.6% (56)
Poor 0.4% (1)
Hays County's Poor-condition bridges carry 12,520 vehicle crossings a day
That is 0.3% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 0.4% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 12,520 crossings a day against 12,906 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 272 of 272 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
21.7% of Hays County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark
59 of the 272 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 79% 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 100% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic
SH 123 over BIG COTTONWOOD CREEK, built 1929, carries 12,520 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 1-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.
Share is of the 12,520 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
When Hays County's bridges were built
272 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade
- 1910s 1
1910–1919
1 bridges
- 1920s 3
1920–1929
3 bridges
- 1930s 12
1930–1939
12 bridges
- 1940s 5
1940–1949
5 bridges
- 1950s 10
1950–1959
10 bridges
- 1960s 27
1960–1969
27 bridges
- 1970s 8
1970–1979
8 bridges
- 1980s 4
1980–1989
4 bridges
- 1990s 23
1990–1999
23 bridges
- 2000s
2000–2009
58 bridges
- 2010s
2010–2019
80 bridges
- 2020s
2020–2029
41 bridges
What this shows Construction peaked in the 2010s, when 80 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 29.4% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 5 to 14 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year is 1996, 16 years newer than the Texas average of 1980.
How Hays County compares with Texas's closest counties by inventory size
The 5 Texas counties nearest Hays County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 0.4% Poor share is the 2nd-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1996 against a peer-group mean of 1975 is 21 years newer.
Showing the 5 closest of 246 Texas counties eligible for comparison.
| County | Bridges | Good | Fair | Poor | Avg. built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Limestone County | 280 | 32.1% | 63.9% | 3.9% | 1975 |
| Rusk County | 280 | 24.6% | 75% | 0.4% | 1975 |
| Hays County (this page) | 272 | 79% | 20.6% | 0.4% | 1996 |
| Harrison County | 269 | 41.6% | 55.8% | 2.6% | 1972 |
| Wise County | 264 | 61.4% | 37.5% | 1.1% | 1989 |
| DeWitt County | 263 | 49.8% | 49% | 1.1% | 1962 |
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 Hays 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 Hays County, both outside Texas so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.
Similar inventory size
Nearest county inventories outside TX (272 bridges here).
- Rock Island County, IL · 272 bridges
- Berrien County, MI · 272 bridges
- Bolivar County, MS · 272 bridges
- Morton County, ND · 272 bridges
Similar average build year
Nearest mean year-built outside TX (1996 here).
- Clark County, NV · avg 1996 · 1,141 bridges
- Hamilton County, IN · avg 1996 · 454 bridges
- Jackson County, MS · avg 1996 · 268 bridges
- Douglas County, CO · avg 1996 · 263 bridges
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.
Fair-condition bridges (56)
IH 35
FairOver: DRAW
0.2 MI NORTH OF RM 150, Hays, TX
Built 1961 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 95,410
IH 35 NB FR & RAMP
FairOver: DRAW
4.8 MI S OF RM 150, Hays, TX
Built 1962 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 12,930
RM 1826
FairOver: BEAR CREEK
2.4 MI S OF TRAVIS C/L, Hays, TX
Built 1990 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 6,091
RM 967
FairOver: LEBANSKI BRANCH
1.7 MI E OF FM 1626, Hays, TX
Built 1956 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 23,292
IH 35 NB FR
FairOver: DRAW
1.0 MI N OF LOOP 4, Hays, TX
Built 1935 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 12,260
IH 35
FairOver: DRAW
0.5 MI S OF RM 150, Hays, TX
Built 1935 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 121,046
IH 35 ML & SB FR
FairOver: YARRINGTON BRANCH
4.2 MI S OF RM 150, Hays, TX
Built 1935 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 98,020
IH 35 NB FR
FairOver: DRAW
0.2 MI N OF LOOP 4, Hays, TX
Built 1935 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 12,260
IH 35 NB FR
FairOver: DRAW
3.6 MI S OF RM 150, Hays, TX
Built 1962 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 12,930
IH 35
FairOver: DRAW
0.2 MI N OF FM 3407, Hays, TX
Built 1958 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 131,260
IH 35
FairOver: DRAW
2.6 MI S OF FM 3407, Hays, TX
Built 1958 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 117,230
RM 12
FairOver: LEATH BRANCH
16.5 MI S OF US 290, Hays, TX
Built 1922 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 7,639
SH 21
FairOver: SNAKE CREEK
1.5 MI N OF SH 80, Hays, TX
Built 1940 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 8,732
SH 21
FairOver: DRAW
4.7 MI NE OF SH 80, Hays, TX
Built 1944 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 10,412
RM 12
FairOver: SOUTH GATLIN CREEK
6.7 MI S OF US 290, Hays, TX
Built 1966 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 4,927
FM 621ROW(CAPE RD)
FairOver: DRAW
0.24 MI S OF IH 35, Hays, TX
Built 1938 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 3,670
FM 2001
FairOver: DRAW
6.8 MI E OF IH 35, Hays, TX
Built 1954 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 4,511
OLD STAGE COACH RD
FairOver: BLANCO RIVER DRAW
0.10 MI NW OF CR 140, Hays, TX
Built 1963 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,303
CENTERPOINT RD
FairOver: COTTONWOOD CREEK
0.18 MI NW OF IH 35, Hays, TX
Built 1993 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 6,460
Francis Harris Ln
FairOver: Draw
0.2 Mi S Old Bastrop Hwy, Hays, TX
Built 1990 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 811
ASPEN DR
FairOver: TRIB OF BEAR CREEK
0.03 MI E OF BELTERRA DR, Hays, TX
Built 2002 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 283
ASPEN DR
FairOver: TRIB OF BEAR CREEK
0.13 MI E OF BELTERRA DR, Hays, TX
Built 2003 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 275
WINTERS MILL PKWY
FairOver: TRIB OF CYPRESS CREEK
0.40 MI E OF RM 12, Hays, TX
Built 2006 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,000
CM ALLEN PKWY
FairOver: PURGATORY CREEK
0.45 MI NW OF IH 35, Hays, TX
Built 1978 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 10,143
CHEATHAM STREET
FairOver: SAN MARCOS RIVER
0.72 MI SW OF FM 12, Hays, TX
Built 1978 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 5,400
S LBJ DR
FairOver: WILLOW SPRINGS CREEK
0.10 MI N OF IH 35, Hays, TX
Built 1977 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,080
CR 157 ACCESS RD
FairOver: TRIB OF PLUM CREEK
0.20 MI N OF RM 150, Hays, TX
Built 2005 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 200
CR 210; KYLE XING
FairOver: BUNTON BRANCH
0.12 MI NW OF OLD BRG TRL, Hays, TX
Built 1915 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 110
BRANDI CIRCLE
FairOver: Drainage Ditch
0.15 Mi SW of Goforth Rd, Hays, TX
Built 2000 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 573
GINA DRIVE
FairOver: DRAINAGE DITCH
0.15 Mi NE of Waterleaf, Hays, TX
Built 2010 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 500
SANDERS
FairOver: PLUM CREEK
0.2 Mi N of Fairway, Hays, TX
Built 2013 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 500
KOHLERS XING EB
FairOver: BUNTON BRANCH
0.8 MI E OF FM 1626, Hays, TX
Built 2008 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 300
SPORTSPLEX DR
FairOver: DRAW
0.1 MI N of US 290, Hays, TX
Built 1975 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 3,000
FM 150
FairOver: ONION CREEK
3.1 MI S OF RM 12, Hays, TX
Built 1964 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 3,469
LP 82
FairOver: SAN MARCOS RIVER
1.4 MI S OF IH 35, Hays, TX
Built 1930 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 18,225
IH 35 SB FR
FairOver: PLUM CREEK
1.1 MI N OF RM 150, Hays, TX
Built 1935 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 18,990
RM 1826
FairOver: ONION CREEK
1.0 MI N OF FM 150, Hays, TX
Built 1956 Load: 32.2 t ADT: 4,633
IH 35 ML
FairOver: BLANCO RIVER
1.6 MI N OF LP 82, Hays, TX
Built 1935 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 107,121
IH 35 SBFR
FairOver: BLANCO RIVER
5.3 MI S OF RM 150, Hays, TX
Built 2004 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,870
IH35 N T/A @CR 132
FairOver: IH 35 ML
1.53 MI S OF FM 2001, Hays, TX
Built 2015 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,860
IH 35 NB ML
FairOver: SH 80
1.4 MI N OF SH 123, Hays, TX
Built 1963 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 51,766
SH 21
FairOver: BRANCH OF ELM CREEK
1.3 MI S OF FM 2001, Hays, TX
Built 2010 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,327
RM 12
FairOver: CYPRESS CREEK
1.6 MI N OF RM 3237, Hays, TX
Built 1961 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,126
FM 1626
FairOver: MUSTANG CREEK
3.0 MI S OF FM 967, Hays, TX
Built 1991 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 15,717
Windy Hill Rd
FairOver: Richmond Branch
1.2 mi E of IH 35, Hays, TX
Built 2000 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,000
HEIDENREICH LN
FairOver: BUNTON BRANCH
0.01 MI SW OF BUNTON LN, Hays, TX
Built 2005 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 300
CRYSTAL HILLS DR
FairOver: SPRING HOLLOW CREEK
0.01 MI S OF RM 1826, Hays, TX
Built 2013 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,195
CLOVIS BARKER RD
FairOver: TRIB OF COTTONWOOD CR
0.20 MI SE OF IH 35 EFR, Hays, TX
Built 2005 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,200
CLOVIS BARKER RD
FairOver: COTTONWOOD CREEK
1.20 MI SE OF IH 35 EFR, Hays, TX
Built 2005 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,200
IH 35 ML & SB FR
FairOver: DRAW
0.2 MI N OF LOOP 4, Hays, TX
Built 1961 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 111,000
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.