National Bridge Inventory: Louisiana



  • The state has identified needed repairs on 2,997 bridges.
  • This compares to 3,231 bridges that needed work in 2021.
  • Over the life of the IIJA, Louisiana will receive a total of $1.1 billion in bridge formula funds, which will help make needed repairs.
  • Louisiana currently has access to $876.3 million of that total, and has committed $322.3 million towards 140 projects as of June 2025.
  • Of the 12,684 bridges in the state, 1,423, or 11.2 percent, are classified as structurally deficient. This means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition.
  • This is down from 1,631 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2021.
  • The deck area of structurally deficient bridges accounts for 6.1 percent of total deck area on all structures.

Top Most Traveled Structurally Deficient Bridges in Louisiana

County Year Built Daily Crossings Type of Bridge Location
Orleans 1960 154,311 Urban Interstate I10 over Service Rd & Upt R/R
Orleans 1985 154,311 Urban Interstate US90-B over Mississippi River
Jefferson 1967 137,542 Urban Interstate I10 over Vet Mem Hwy
Caddo 1965 98,318 Urban Interstate I20 over M.P. RR
Caddo 1965 98,318 Urban Interstate I20 over Marshall St/La 1/RRs.
Caddo 1965 98,318 Urban Interstate I20 over Lk Shore Dr&Kesrr
Caddo 1965 98,318 Urban Interstate I20 over Lk Shore Dr&Kcsrr
Caddo 1965 98,318 Urban Interstate I20 over M.P. RR
Caddo 1965 87,567 Urban Interstate I20 over Marshall St&La&Kci-20
Caddo 1980 87,567 Urban Interstate I20 over On Ramp to I-20 WBL
Caddo 1985 87,567 Urban Interstate I20 over I-20 Ramp W-N I-20 Mkt S
Calcasieu 1954 86,969 Rural Interstate I10 over Sabine Relief
Calcasieu 1952 86,600 Urban Interstate Calcasieu River Bridge
Caddo 1965 84,672 Urban Interstate I20 over St. Louis & SW RR
Calcasieu 1961 73,488 Urban Interstate I10 over LA 385
Bossier 1966 69,892 Urban Interstate I20 over STL&SW-KCS RR/Westerfiel
Lafayette 1968 56,748 Urban Interstate I10 over I49/US0167
Jefferson 1957 55,994 Urban other principal arterial La3046 over R/R,City Streets,La 611
Lincoln 1963 50,895 Urban Interstate I20 over Creek
Orleans 1963 49,634 Urban Interstate I10 over I-610 & I-10
St. Bernard 1991 47,739 Urban other principal arterial La39 over RR Canal
Orleans 1957 47,739 Urban other principal arterial La39 over Inner Harbor Nav Canal
Orleans 1960 47,738 Urban local road Palmetto St Onramp over KCS RR
Bossier 1966 45,300 Urban Interstate I20 over STL&SW-KCS RR/Westerfiel
East Baton Rouge 1960 44,391 Urban other principal arterial US0190 over Creek

Bridge Inventory: Louisiana

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 572 3,027,025 16,609,509 13 20,479 301,968
Rural arterial 628 1,201,146 4,765,567 29 46,777 197,343
Rural minor arterial 1,272 1,185,686 3,803,752 89 134,204 198,304
Rural major collector 1,763 1,014,626 3,343,217 223 116,719 360,944
Rural minor collector 1,058 402,488 1,039,872 138 43,248 105,394
Rural local road 3,669 912,216 2,828,426 637 125,508 379,444
Urban Interstate 997 4,776,037 39,873,665 27 160,283 1,886,069
Urban freeway/expressway 178 924,406 3,791,729 5 72,568 43,391
Urban other principal arterial 563 2,082,585 11,958,600 48 164,567 985,973
Urban minor arterial 533 587,012 5,183,316 56 77,732 488,253
Urban collector 438 231,821 1,874,688 64 23,798 232,233
Urban local road 1,013 633,818 4,062,037 94 50,488 210,556
Total 12,684 16,978,867 99,134,378 1,423 1,036,369 5,389,872

Proposed Bridge Work

Type of Work Number of Bridges Cost to Repair
(in millions)
Daily Crossings Area of Bridges
(sq. meters)
Bridge replacement 2,383 $11,230 22,100,626 3,712,565
Widening & rehabilitation 1 $62 87,741 30,552
Rehabilitation 536 $571 1,725,430 271,911
Deck rehabilitation/replacement 0 $0 0 0
Other structural work 77 $38 38,485 17,384
Total 2,997 $11,901 23,952,282 4,032,412

About the data:

Data and cost estimates are from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on June 24, 2025. 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 2023 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 8 in 2024

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 19.0%
7. Pennsylvania 12.0%
8. Louisiana 11.0%
9. North Dakota 11.0%

7
Compared to 8 in 2024

in the nation in # of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 4,424
6. Oklahoma 1,719
7. Louisiana 1,423
8. North Carolina 1,383

17
Compared to 20 in 2024

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridge deck area

1. West Virginia 13.0%
16. Montana 6.0%
17. Louisiana 6.0%
18. Kentucky 6.0%
Full State Ranking

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  • Source: Data is from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on June 24, 2025. Note that specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections.

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