National Bridge Inventory: Louisiana



  • Of the 12,733 bridges in the state, 1,571, or 12.3 percent, are classified as structurally deficient. This means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition.
  • This is down from 1,678 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2018.
  • The deck area of structurally deficient bridges accounts for 7.6 percent of total deck area on all structures.
  • 50 of the structurally deficient bridges are on the Interstate Highway System. A total of 91.2 percent of the structurally deficient bridges are not on the National Highway System, which includes the Interstate and other key roads linking major airports, ports, rail and truck terminals.
  • 2,047 bridges are posted for load, which may restrict the size and weight of vehicles crossing the structure.
  • The state has identified needed repairs on 3,170 bridges at an estimated cost of $9.3 billion.
  • This compares to 3,347 bridges that needed work in 2018.

County Year Built Daily Crossings Type of Bridge Location
Calcasieu 1952 86,600 Urban Interstate Calcasieu River Bridge
Caddo 1965 84,672 Urban Interstate I20 over St. Louis & SW RR
Jefferson 1967 65,250 Urban Interstate I10 over Vet Mem Hwy
Jefferson 1967 65,250 Urban Interstate I10 over Vet Mem Hwy
Calcasieu 1954 62,300 Rural Interstate I10 over Sabine Relief
Jefferson 1957 54,200 Urban other principal arterial La3046 over R/R,City Streets,La 611
Caddo 1965 48,450 Urban Interstate I20 over Marshall St/La 1/RRs.
Jefferson 1987 48,300 Urban Interstate US90-B over Harvey Canal/Sts/RR
Bossier 1966 45,300 Urban Interstate I20 over STL&SW-KCS RR/Westerfiel
Bossier 1966 45,300 Urban Interstate I20 over STL&SW-KCS RR/Westerfiel
Lincoln 1963 43,700 Urban Interstate I20 over Creek
East Baton Rouge 1960 40,700 Urban other principal arterial US0190 over Creek
Calcasieu 1977 36,900 Urban Interstate I0210 over I10 WB to I210 SB
Orleans 1967 34,450 Rural Interstate I10 over Drain Canal
Orleans 1967 34,450 Rural Interstate I10 over Drain Canal
Terrebonne 1954 34,400 Urban minor arterial La0182 over Bayou Terrebonne
Orleans 1967 33,050 Rural Interstate I10 over Drain Canal
Lafayette 1958 32,900 Urban other principal arterial US0167 over Coulee Mine
Orleans 1957 32,700 Urban other principal arterial La39 over Inner Harbor Nav Canal
Caddo 1965 31,800 Urban Interstate I20 over Lk Shore Dr&Kesrr
West Baton Rouge 1969 31,450 Urban Interstate I10 over I-10 over LA 415-Westove
Orleans 1973 31,300 Urban other principal arterial La47 over Bayou Bienvenue
Lafayette 1958 29,200 Urban other principal arterial US0167 over Coulee Mine Br
Orleans 1969 28,550 Rural local road Unnamed Rd over I-10
Orleans 1969 28,550 Rural local road Unnamed Rd over I-10
Type of Bridge Number of Bridges Area of All Bridges
(sq. meters)
Daily Crossings on All Bridges Number of Structurally Deficient Bridges Area of Structurally Deficient Bridges
(sq. meters)
Daily Crossings on Structurally Deficient Bridges
Rural Interstate 573 3,001,551 9,274,431 12 86,348 290,920
Rural arterial 629 1,235,069 3,853,292 25 31,442 126,150
Rural minor arterial 1,472 1,194,261 3,847,079 115 153,758 246,511
Rural major collector 1,770 997,835 3,408,128 222 116,532 347,828
Rural minor collector 1,058 387,205 1,000,137 160 48,668 129,701
Rural local road 3,692 884,149 2,931,639 749 140,151 478,526
Urban Interstate 995 4,729,787 28,756,324 38 287,112 896,792
Urban freeway/expressway 160 821,697 2,558,922 2 67,961 24,800
Urban other principal arterial 572 2,099,088 9,803,669 47 167,501 788,620
Urban minor arterial 490 516,028 4,709,404 57 85,016 529,621
Urban collector 361 185,920 1,566,973 51 17,944 192,248
Urban local road 961 667,558 4,242,890 93 71,109 223,427
Total 12,733 16,720,148 75,952,888 1,571 1,273,540 4,275,144
Type of Work Number of Bridges Cost to Repair
(in millions)
Daily Crossings Area of Bridges
(sq. meters)
Bridge replacement 2,582 $8,961 18,114,372 3,763,684
Widening & rehabilitation 1 $53 22,000 30,552
Rehabilitation 506 $296 917,054 217,489
Deck rehabilitation/replacement 0 $0 0 0
Other structural work 81 $24 39,425 19,650
Total 3,170 $9,334 19,092,851 4,031,375

About the data:

Data and cost estimates are from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on February 1, 2023. Note that specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections.

Effective January 1, 2018, FHWA changed the definition of structurally deficient as part of the final rule on highway and bridge performance measures, published May 20, 2017 pursuant to the 2012 federal aid highway bill Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). Two measures that were previously used to classify bridges as structurally deficient are no longer used. This includes bridges where the overall structural evaluation was rated in poor or worse condition, or where the adequacy of waterway openings was insufficient.

The new definition limits the classification to bridges where one of the key structural elements—the deck, superstructure, substructure or culverts, are rated in poor or worse condition. During inspection, the conditions of a variety of bridge elements are rated on a scale of 0 (failed condition) to 9 (excellent condition). A rating of 4 is considered “poor” condition.

Cost estimates have been derived by ARTBA, based on 2021 average bridge replacement costs for structures on and off the National Highway System, published by FHWA. Bridge rehabilitation costs are estimated to be 68 percent of replacement costs. A bridge is considered to need repair if the structure has identified repairs as part of the NBI, a repair cost estimate is supplied by the bridge owner or the bridge is classified as structurally deficient. Please note that for a few states, the number of bridges needing to be repaired can vary significantly from year to year, and reflects the data entered by the state.

Bridges are classified by FHWA into types based on the functional classification of the roadway on the bridge. Interstates comprise routes officially designated by the Secretary of Transportation. Other principal arterials serve major centers of urban areas or provide mobility through rural areas. Freeways and expressways have directional lanes generally separated by a physical barrier, and access/egress points generally limited to on- and off-ramps. Minor arterials serve smaller areas and are used for trips of moderate length. Collectors funnel traffic from local roads to the arterial network; major collectors have higher speed limits and traffic volumes and are longer in length and spaced at greater intervals, while minor collectors are shorter and provide service to smaller communities. Local roads do not carry through traffic and are intended for short distance travel.

8
Compared to 6 in 2021

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridges

1. West Virginia 20.0%
7. Puerto Rico 13.0%
8. Louisiana 12.0%
9. Michigan 11.0%

7
Compared to 7 in 2021

in the nation in # of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 4,604
6. New York 1,611
7. Louisiana 1,571
8. California 1,547

13
Compared to 11 in 2021

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridge deck area

1. Rhode Island 17.0%
12. Washington 8.0%
13. Louisiana 8.0%
14. Wyoming 7.0%
Full State Ranking

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  • Source: Data is from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on February 1, 2023. Note that specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections.

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