State profile · Above median Poor share

Louisiana bridge safety

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, condition ratings, load ratings, and Poor-condition shares for every public highway bridge in Louisiana.

12,698
Public bridges
38.7%
Good condition
11.5%
Poor condition

Louisiana holds 12,698 public highway bridges (#24 of 52 by inventory) with a 11.48% Poor share (#8 of 52 by Poor share).

That is 11.5% of the state's inventory, against an average of 7.5% across the 54 states and territories with Poor-rated bridges on file, which places it 45 of 54 ordered from the lowest Poor share upward. A bridge is rated Poor when its weakest applicable component scores 4 or below on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, so the category is a maintenance and funding signal rather than a closure order or a live crossing-safety verdict.

Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026

Total Bridges

12,698

Public highway bridges in Louisiana

Good Condition

38.7%

4,919 bridges rated 7-9

-11.3pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

11.5%

1,458 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

4.0pp vs national avg 7.5%

Louisiana vs national bridge condition

Louisiana - Good condition share 38.7%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

Louisiana - Poor-condition share 38.3%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.5%.

Louisiana in the national condition pattern

Each point is a state or territory in the FHWA NBI; the highlighted point is this profile.

Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Louisiana has 12,698 bridges and a 11.5% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #45 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold. Scatter plot of 54 data points. 0%10%20%30%40% 0k20k40k60k Public bridges in inventory (thousands) Poor-condition share (%) LA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 12.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.48%AL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.35%AK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.89%AZ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.15%AR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.43%CA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 25.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.91%CO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.82%CT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.72%DE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.26%DC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.95%FL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.79%GA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.59%GU, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.77%HI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.53%ID, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.9%IL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.35%IN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.22%IA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 19.16%KS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.26%KY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.37%ME, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.41%MD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.56%MA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.88%MI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 11.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.27%MN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.44%MS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.03%MO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.95%MT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.81%NE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.9%NV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.14%NH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.51%NJ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 6.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.01%NM, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.51%NY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 17.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.43%NC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.76%ND, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 10.98%OH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.74%OK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 22.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.7%OR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.61%PA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.58%PR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 13.92%RI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.2%SC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.17%SD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 16.36%TN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 20.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.41%TX, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 56.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.23%UT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.91%VT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.9%VI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 29.17%VA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.39%WA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.45%WV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 7.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 18.64%WI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.52%WY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.51%
Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Louisiana has 12,698 bridges and a 11.5% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #45 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold.

Louisiana vs all states by public bridge inventory

Where this state's FHWA NBI public-highway bridge count sits among every state and territory on PlainBridges

12,698 24th of 54 higher than 30 of 54 states

States and territories, banded by public bridge inventory size

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · 2024

Read the rank neighborhood for Louisiana

The highlighted point is Louisiana: 12,698 bridges and 11.48% in Poor condition, rank #45 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below Louisiana on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • North Dakota: 4,255 bridges · 10.98% Poor
  • Michigan: 11,371 bridges · 11.27% Poor
  • Louisiana: 12,698 bridges · 11.48% Poor
  • Pennsylvania: 23,299 bridges · 12.58% Poor
  • Guam: 47 bridges · 12.77% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in Louisiana

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 12,698 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains Louisiana’s inventory

State agency holds 61.0% of the 12,698 public highway bridges filed under Louisiana in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When Louisiana’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 4.2% of the 12,698 bridges with a recorded original year in Louisiana. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

Louisiana38.7%49.8%11.5%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - Louisiana (FHWA NBI)

Louisiana vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states by Poor-condition share (lower share = better)

States are ranked by the share of bridges whose lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below. This describes recorded condition; it does not measure funding effectiveness or live crossing safety. States here sit immediately above and below Louisiana on the same metric.

ND

North Dakota

10.98% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$4,255

MI

Michigan

11.27% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$11,371
Selected

LA

Louisiana

11.48% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$12,698

PA

Pennsylvania

12.58% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$23,299

GU

Guam

12.77% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$47

Bridges Needing Most Attention in Louisiana

Six lowest-condition bridges in Louisiana, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

All Bridges in Louisiana

I0020

Fair

Over: DORCHEAT BAYOU

0.84 MI. E. OF LA 7, Webster, LA

Built 1992 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 32,869

I0020

Fair

Over: DORCHEAT BAYOU

0.84M EAST OF LA 7, Webster, LA

Built 1960 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 38,625

I0020

Fair

Over: DORCHEAT BAYOU REL

1.17M EAST OF LA 7, Webster, LA

Built 1992 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 32,869

I0020

Fair

Over: DORCHEAT BAYOU REL

1.17M EAST OF LA 7, Webster, LA

Built 1960 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 38,625

LA0146

Fair

Over: EDWARDS BRANCH

7.5 MI SOUTH OF LA 155, Jackson, LA

Built 1973 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 882

LA0148

Fair

Over: EDMISTON CREEK

3.46 MI WEST OF LA 146, Jackson, LA

Built 1976 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 532

LA0151

Fair

Over: DARBONNE BAYOU RELIEF

1.6 MI EAST OF LA 563, Lincoln, LA

Built 1975 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 2,216

LA0151

Fair

Over: DARBONNE BAYOU RELIEF

2.1 MI EAST OF LA 563, Lincoln, LA

Built 1975 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 2,216

LA0602-1

Fair

Over: LA 602 OVER I-20

LA 602 OVER I-20, Madison, LA

Built 1975 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 885

I0020

Fair

Over: TENSAS-RIVER

3.5 MI EAST OF LA 577, Madison, LA

Built 1975 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 31,481

I0020

Fair

Over: TENSAS-RIVER

3.5 MI EAST OF LA 577, Madison, LA

Built 1975 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 31,481

I0020

Fair

Over: TENSAS-RIVER

6.3 MI EAST OF LA 577, Madison, LA

Built 1975 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 31,481

I0020

Fair

Over: TENSAS-RIVER

6.3 MI EAST OF LA 577, Madison, LA

Built 1975 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 31,481

I0020

Fair

Over: BAYOU DESPAIR

6.0 MI WEST OF US 65, Madison, LA

Built 1975 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 155

LA0134

Fair

Over: LITTLE B BOUEUF

1.1 MI EAST OF LA 139, Morehouse, LA

Built 1951 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 1,183

LA0593

Fair

Over: CREEK

2.1 MI NORTH OF LA 3079, Morehouse, LA

Built 1971 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 1,790

LA0594

Fair

Over: PATRICK BAYOU

1.59 MI NORTH OF US 80, Ouachita, LA

Built 1981 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 2,642

I0020

Fair

Over: OVERPASS OFF RAMP

21.41 MI E LINCOLN PAR LN, Ouachita, LA

Built 1985 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 15,642

BURGESS RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE CREEK

0.9 MI W of LA 622, Richland, LA

Built 2005 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 200

LA0827

Fair

Over: GLAZE CREEK

4.07 MI E of LA 143, Union, LA

Built 1979 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 94

LA0878

Fair

Over: COLEWA BAYOU

1.6 MI WEST OF LA 2, West Carroll, LA

Built 1980 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 565

LA0582

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE CANAL

1.3 MI SOUTH OF LA 2, West Carroll, LA

Built 1975 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 324

LA0577

Fair

Over: POVERTY POINT BRIDGE

5.48 MI EAST OF LA 17, West Carroll, LA

Built 1975 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 588

LA0394

Fair

Over: ANT BRANCH

2.88 MI. EAST OF US 171, Beauregard, LA

Built 1999 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 490

LA0394

Fair

Over: BEEMOUTH BRANCH

4.4 MI E of US 171, Beauregard, LA

Built 1997 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 490

LA0110

Fair

Over: CLEAR CREEK

0.7 MI. S OF US190, Beauregard, LA

Built 1974 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 1,947

LA0385

Fair

Over: BLACK BAYOU

2.3 MI NORTH OF LA 401, Calcasieu, LA

Built 1974 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 3,197

LA3059

Fair

Over: LEBLEU DITCH

6.7 MI EAST OF US 171, Calcasieu, LA

Built 1976 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 2,383

I0010

Fair

Over: US 90B (ENTERPRISE BLVD)

1.0 MI E of LA 385, Calcasieu, LA

Built 1961 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 73,488

I0010

Fair

Over: US 90B (ENTERPRISE BLVD)

1.9 MI W of US 171, Calcasieu, LA

Built 1961 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 11,437

LA3256

Fair

Over: CANAL

2.1 MI. E OF LA 397, Calcasieu, LA

Built 1969 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 1,111

LA3256

Fair

Over: BAYOU

1.0 MI. E OF LA 383, Calcasieu, LA

Built 1969 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 1,878

LA0102

Fair

Over: GRAND MARAIS BAYOU

.64 MI EAST OF LA 395, Jefferson Davis, LA

Built 1990 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 3,728

LA3258

Fair

Over: BAYOU

0.8 MI EAST OF US 165, Jefferson Davis, LA

Built 1969 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 1,878

LA0471

Fair

Over: DARTIGO CREEK

0.97 MI. NORTH OF LA 122, Grant, LA

Built 1982 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 673

LA0009

Fair

Over: BRICKYARD BRANCH

1.79 MI. NORTH OF LA 126, Natchitoches, LA

Built 1977 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 1,131

LA0479

Fair

Over: RAGAN CREEK

2.4 MI. E OF INT LA9, Natchitoches, LA

Built 1985 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 719

LA0479

Fair

Over: RAGAN CREEK RELIEF

2.9 MI. E OF INT LA9, Natchitoches, LA

Built 1985 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 719

LA0479

Fair

Over: LUSTER CREEK

4.6 MI. E OF INT LA9, Natchitoches, LA

Built 1985 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 719

I0049

Fair

Over: B.JULIAN/LONGLOIS HILL

1.13 MI. NORTH OF LA 120, Natchitoches, LA

Built 1988 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 18,305

I0049

Fair

Over: St. Julian/Longlois Hill

1.13 MI. NORTH OF LA 120, Natchitoches, LA

Built 1988 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 28,142

US0071

Fair

Over: LA 1208-3

US 71/LA 1208-3 INTG., Rapides, LA

Built 1972 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 40,347

LA0457

Fair

Over: BAYOU LATANIER

2.79 MI. SOUTH OF LA 3170, Rapides, LA

Built 1981 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 806

LA0112

Fair

Over: COW BAYOU

1.4 MI. SOUTH OF LA 462, Rapides, LA

Built 1982 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 1,197

LA0112

Fair

Over: CHERRY WINCHE CREEK

1.95 MI. NORTH OF LA 462, Rapides, LA

Built 1982 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 1,197

I0049

Fair

Over: PARKWOOD DR PHILLIP B.

NORTH I-49 / US 71 INTG., Rapides, LA

Built 1995 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 1,770

LA3144

Fair

Over: US 167

US 167 / LA 3144 INTG, Rapides, LA

Built 1969 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 10,569

LA0191

Fair

Over: BAYOU SCIE BRANCH

0.26 MI. NORTH OF LA 475, Sabine, LA

Built 1982 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 1,210

LA0465

Fair

Over: SHINGLE MILL BRANCH

2.75 MI EAST OF LA 8, Vernon, LA

Built 1981 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 500

LA0465

Fair

Over: SHINGLE MILL CREEK

2.86 MI EAST OF LA 8, Vernon, LA

Built 1981 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 500

Showing 4,651-4,700 of 12,698 bridges

Data sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI), latest released cycle. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Poor condition is an inspection-record category, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult the bridge owner for current status.

What to do with this

Use Louisiana's inventory picture to drill to a county or a specific span.

  • Browse counties in Louisiana and open the highest-Poor shares first. County list
  • See where this state sits among peers on Poor-condition share. State rankings
  • Compare this state with another jurisdiction on the same measures. State compare

NBI condition ratings are inventory snapshots, not live crossing-safety verdicts.

Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Louisiana Good/Fair/Poor shares and county rollups on this page are computed from the same NBI extract as the national boards; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.