State profile · Below median Poor share

Texas 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 Texas.

56,729
Public bridges
51.4%
Good condition
1.2%
Poor condition

Texas holds 56,729 public highway bridges (#1 of 52 by inventory) with a 1.23% Poor share (#50 of 52 by Poor share).

That is 1.2% 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 3 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

56,729

Public highway bridges in Texas

Good Condition

51.4%

29,129 bridges rated 7-9

1.4pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

1.2%

695 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

-6.3pp vs national avg 7.5%

Texas vs national bridge condition

Texas - Good condition share 51.4%
National avg

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

Texas - Poor-condition share 4.1%
National avg

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

Texas 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: Texas has 56,729 bridges and a 1.2% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #3 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 (%) TX, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 56.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.23%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%LA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 12.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.48%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%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: Texas has 56,729 bridges and a 1.2% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #3 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.

Texas 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

56,729 1st of 54 the highest 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 Texas

The highlighted point is Texas: 56,729 bridges and 1.23% in Poor condition, rank #3 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below Texas on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • Nevada: 2,099 bridges · 1.14% Poor
  • Arizona: 8,573 bridges · 1.15% Poor
  • Texas: 56,729 bridges · 1.23% Poor
  • Delaware: 872 bridges · 1.26% Poor
  • Georgia: 15,069 bridges · 1.59% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in Texas

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 56,729 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains Texas’s inventory

State agency holds 62.9% of the 56,729 public highway bridges filed under Texas in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When Texas’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 13.5% of the 56,729 bridges with a recorded original year in Texas. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

Texas51.3%47.4%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - Texas (FHWA NBI)

Counties (252)

Anderson 176 Andrews 2 Angelina 183 Aransas 22 Archer 125 Armstrong 11 Atascosa 176 Austin 214 Bailey 4 Bandera 67 Bastrop 282 Baylor 57 Bee 130 Bell 660 Bexar 2342 Blanco 63 Borden 52 Bosque 145 Bowie 331 Brazoria 618 Brazos 370 Brewster 114 Briscoe 18 Brooks 52 Brown 223 Burleson 122 Burnet 108 Caldwell 206 Calhoun 101 Callahan 153 Cameron 355 Camp 40 Carson 33 Cass 145 Castro 10 Chambers 152 Cherokee 196 Childress 91 Clay 133 Cochran 1 Coke 99 Coleman 150 Collin 1127 Collingsworth 65 Colorado 252 Comal 231 Comanche 212 Concho 75 Cooke 283 Coryell 204 Cottle 80 Crane 19 Crockett 160 Crosby 15 Culberson 139 Dallam 22 Dallas 3230 Dawson 5 DeWitt 263 Deaf Smith 26 Delta 99 Denton 991 Dickens 73 Dimmit 74 Donley 68 Duval 121 Eastland 234 Ector 144 Edwards 26 El Paso 783 Ellis 691 Erath 198 Falls 308 Fannin 307 Fayette 371 Fisher 145 Floyd 10 Foard 60 Fort Bend 795 Franklin 74 Freestone 167 Frio 146 Galveston 344 Garza 51 Gillespie 134 Glasscock 28 Goliad 126 Gonzales 284 Gray 79 Grayson 513 Gregg 214 Grimes 245 Guadalupe 296 Hale 48 Hall 117 Hamilton 119 Hansford 36 Hardeman 77 Hardin 167 Harris 4029 Harrison 269 Hartley 17 Haskell 80 Hays 272 Hemphill 35 Henderson 216 Hidalgo 405 Hill 405 Hockley 3 Hood 83 Hopkins 250 Houston 196 Howard 144 Hudspeth 131 Hunt 456 Hutchinson 50 Irion 50 Jack 135 Jackson 170 Jasper 179 Jeff Davis 134 Jefferson 457 Jim Hogg 29 Jim Wells 186 Johnson 404 Jones 168 Karnes 144 Kaufman 452 Kendall 112 Kenedy 17 Kent 32 Kerr 174 Kimble 149 King 45 Kinney 38 Kleberg 60 Knox 51 La Salle 146 Lamar 307 Lamb 11 Lampasas 91 Lavaca 262 Lee 139 Leon 160 Liberty 231 Limestone 280 Lipscomb 38 Live Oak 217 Llano 84 Loving 4 Lubbock 242 Lynn 5 Madison 121 Marion 59 Martin 19 Mason 84 Matagorda 192 Maverick 122 McCulloch 118 McLennan 714 McMullen 63 Medina 214 Menard 63 Midland 135 Milam 191 Mills 68 Mitchell 140 Montague 234 Montgomery 710 Moore 26 Morris 70 Motley 51 Nacogdoches 237 Navarro 345 Newton 157 Nolan 166 Nueces 528 Ochiltree 31 Oldham 50 Orange 179 Palo Pinto 237 Panola 142 Parker 350 Parmer 26 Pecos 470 Polk 210 Potter 181 Presidio 75 Rains 53 Randall 101 Reagan 28 Real 28 Red River 163 Reeves 213 Refugio 136 Roberts 22 Robertson 137 Rockwall 107 Runnels 158 Rusk 280 Sabine 93 San Augustine 94 San Jacinto 78 San Patricio 235 San Saba 90 Schleicher 33 Scurry 138 Shackelford 78 Shelby 176 Sherman 29 Smith 427 Somervell 28 Starr 64 Stephens 115 Sterling 54 Stonewall 50 Sutton 92 Swisher 69 Tarrant 2617 Taylor 419 Terrell 53 Terry 5 Throckmorton 53 Titus 158 Tom Green 310 Travis 1544 Trinity 81 Tyler 134 Upshur 139 Upton 39 Uvalde 103 Val Verde 113 Van Zandt 249 Victoria 344 Walker 163 Waller 177 Ward 54 Washington 232 Webb 383 Wharton 372 Wheeler 104 Wichita 399 Wilbarger 151 Willacy 124 Williamson 1170 Wilson 139 Winkler 5 Wise 264 Wood 120 Young 109 Zapata 36 Zavala 72

Texas 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 Texas on the same metric.

NV

Nevada

1.14% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$2,099

AZ

Arizona

1.15% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$8,573
Selected

TX

Texas

1.23% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$56,729

DE

Delaware

1.26% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$872

GA

Georgia

1.59% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$15,069

Bridges Needing Most Attention in Texas

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

CR 1565

Poor

Over: TIMBER CREEK

0.3 MI SE OF FM 898, Fannin, TX

Built 1987 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 50

CR 4020

Poor

Over: CANEY CREEK

0.6 MI S OF US 82, Fannin, TX

Built 1970 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 70

CR 3805

Poor

Over: SPRING CREEK

1.9 MI W OF SH 11, Fannin, TX

Built 1997 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 20

Shelby Ave

Poor

Over: Farber Creek Branch

0.6 Mi E of SH 66, Hunt, TX

Built 1935 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 2,410

CR 385 (16300)

Poor

Over: Little Sandy Creek

1.1 Mi N of FM 196, Lamar, TX

Built 1994 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 100

CR 15500

Poor

Over: Big Sandy Creek

1.0 Mi E of FM 1497, Lamar, TX

Built 1996 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 100

All Bridges in Texas

US 87 NB

Fair

Over: GRAPE CREEK

2.6 MI NW OF FM 2288, Tom Green, TX

Built 1953 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 5,061

US 67

Fair

Over: DRAW

0.15 MI E OF IRION C/L, Tom Green, TX

Built 1928 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 5,285

US 180

Fair

Over: TOBACCO CREEK

1.0 MI W OF FM 1054, Borden, TX

Built 1939 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,199

US 180

Fair

Over: BUCK CANYON CREEK

0.1 MI E OF FM 1054S, Borden, TX

Built 1939 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,611

BUCK CREEK RD

Fair

Over: IH 20

1.50 MI E OF TAYLOR C/L, Callahan, TX

Built 1964 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 150

US 283

Fair

Over: Pecan Bayou

1.75 MI S OF SH 36, Callahan, TX

Built 1939 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 449

SH 70

Fair

Over: DBL MT FK BRAZOS RIV

3.59 MI S OF KENT CO LN, Fisher, TX

Built 1934 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 816

IH 20 WB

Fair

Over: FRAZIER RD

3.7 MI W OF US 87, Howard, TX

Built 1964 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 13,310

IH 20 EB

Fair

Over: FRAZIER RD

3.7 MI W OF US 87, Howard, TX

Built 1964 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 13,172

SH 176

Fair

Over: IH 20

0.9 MI W OF US 87, Howard, TX

Built 1964 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,170

FM 1226

Fair

Over: CALIFORNIA CREEK

4.18 MI S OF SH 6, Jones, TX

Built 1954 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 248

FM 2404

Fair

Over: MULBERRY CREEK

3.21 MI E OF FM 605, Jones, TX

Built 1961 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 893

Bus 20 EB

Fair

Over: IH 20

3.85 MI W of SH 70, Nolan, TX

Built 1960 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 2,520

SH 6

Fair

Over: DRAW

0.25 MI SE OF US 180, Shackelford, TX

Built 1926 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,476

IH 20 WB

Fair

Over: FM 1235

1.60 MI E OF FM 126, Taylor, TX

Built 1958 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 14,422

IH 20 EB

Fair

Over: FM 1235

1.60 MI E OF FM 126, Taylor, TX

Built 1958 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 16,408

IH 35 SBFR

Fair

Over: NOLAN CREEK

0.72 MI SW OF FM 93, Bell, TX

Built 1961 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,510

FM 436

Fair

Over: BOGGY CREEK

0.25 MI E OF SH 95, Bell, TX

Built 1953 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,643

SH 53

Fair

Over: LITTLE ELM CREEK

0.86 MI E OF LP 363, Bell, TX

Built 1961 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 5,410

SH 317 NB

Fair

Over: BNSF RR

0.65 MI N OF FM 93, Bell, TX

Built 1957 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 8,477

SH 317 SB

Fair

Over: BNSF RR

0.65 MI N OF FM 93, Bell, TX

Built 1957 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 8,031

SH 36

Fair

Over: HENSON CREEK

0.80 MI NW OF FM 1829, Coryell, TX

Built 1950 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 5,173

SH 7

Fair

Over: BIG SANDY CREEK

1.70 MI E OF SH 6, Falls, TX

Built 1950 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 2,531

FM 413

Fair

Over: HOG CREEK

0.80 MI W OF FM 2027, Falls, TX

Built 1958 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 609

CR 201

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK RELIEF

1.65 MI SW OF SH 6, Falls, TX

Built 2002 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 100

CR 202

Fair

Over: BIG CRK #57

1.60 MI SW OF SH 6, Falls, TX

Built 2003 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 100

CR 453

Fair

Over: DEER CREEK #2001

1.40 MI SW OF FM 1239, Falls, TX

Built 2002 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 55

CR 325

Fair

Over: HOG CRK REL #2064A

0.20 MI SW OF FM 2027, Falls, TX

Built 1990 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 230

CR 314

Fair

Over: BR COTTONWOOD CRK #2062

0.40 MI SW OF FM 431, Falls, TX

Built 1990 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 45

SH 171

Fair

Over: POST OAK CREEK

3.5 MI SE OF FM 308, Hill, TX

Built 1940 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 2,545

FM 66

Fair

Over: HACKBERRY CREEK

2.0 MI NE OF SH 171, Hill, TX

Built 1949 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 269

FM 67

Fair

Over: ITASCA CREEK

4.1 MI SE OF US 81, Hill, TX

Built 1954 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 447

FM 1946

Fair

Over: PECAN CREEK

4.2 MI E OF SH 171, Hill, TX

Built 1955 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 293

FM 934

Fair

Over: AQUILLA CREEK

2.7 MI SW OF SH 171, Hill, TX

Built 1955 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,310

FM 2114

Fair

Over: BROOKEEN CREEK

1.3 MI SW OF FM 339, Hill, TX

Built 1966 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 443

FM 2114

Fair

Over: BRUSHY CREEK

0.4 MI SW OF FM 339, Hill, TX

Built 1966 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 443

FM 2114

Fair

Over: BRANCH OF BRUSHY CREEK

0.3 MI NE OF FM 339, Hill, TX

Built 1966 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 223

FM 2114

Fair

Over: BRAZOS RIVER

1.2 MI W OF FM 1304, Hill, TX

Built 1961 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,349

SH 14

Fair

Over: CEDAR CREEK

3.70 MI S OF SH 164, Limestone, TX

Built 1933 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 3,644

CR 181/GREEN RD

Fair

Over: MUNGER BR TRIB #23

1.75 MI NW OF FM 73, Limestone, TX

Built 2011 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 100

Spur 484 SB

Fair

Over: US 77 BUS NB

1.5 Mi SE of IH 35, McLennan, TX

Built 1958 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 6,917

SH 6 SBFR

Fair

Over: US 84 ML

1.6 MI SW OF SPUR 396, McLennan, TX

Built 1965 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 17,937

SH 6 NBFR

Fair

Over: US 84 ML

1.6 Mi SW of SP 396, McLennan, TX

Built 1965 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 13,571

US 84 WB

Fair

Over: TEHUACANA CREEK RELIEF

0.5 MI SW OF SH 31, McLennan, TX

Built 1931 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 7,949

SH 164

Fair

Over: Big Creek

5.2 Mi E of SH 6, McLennan, TX

Built 1935 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 5,667

FM 939

Fair

Over: Amos Creek

5.15 Mi SE of US 84, McLennan, TX

Built 1952 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 760

SPEEGLEVILLE RD

Fair

Over: TENNANT BR #407

1.10 MI NW OF SPUR 412, McLennan, TX

Built 1968 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 151

LINCOLN CITY RD

Fair

Over: POST OAK CRK #295

2.50 MI NE OF IH 35, McLennan, TX

Built 2005 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 161

12TH ST NB

Fair

Over: PRIMROSE CRK #46 WAC

0.15 MI SE OF LP 491, McLennan, TX

Built 1958 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 3,148

CR 473

Fair

Over: CATFISH CREEK

1.70 MI W OF FM 860, Anderson, TX

Built 1988 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 50

Showing 13,401-13,450 of 56,729 bridges

Related

All states → | National rankings → | Understanding conditions → | Retired SD term explained →
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.

Understanding Bridge Conditions

How FHWA rates bridge condition on a 0-9 scale.

Check Your Daily Bridges

How to look up bridge condition data for bridges on your route.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What to do with this

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

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. Texas 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.