Arkansas has 12,978 bridges on public roads, according to the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. Of those, 695 are rated in poor condition — a rate of 5.4% — below the national average of 6.7%. Another 6,513 are in fair condition, while 5,770 are in good condition.
Use the interactive Arkansas bridge map below to explore every bridge, color-coded by condition. Click any cluster to zoom in, then click an individual bridge for its route, structural ratings, year built, daily traffic, and last inspection date. Filter by condition using the checkboxes, or switch to satellite view to see bridges from above. For a national comparison, see the full US bridges interactive map.
Arkansas Bridge Conditions by the Numbers
- 12,978 total bridges on public roads in Arkansas
- 695 in poor condition (5.4%) — below the national average of 6.7%
- 6,513 in fair condition (50.2%)
- 5,770 in good condition (44.5%)
- Oldest bridge in the inventory: Goff Farm Road, built 1860
Oldest Bridges in Arkansas
The oldest bridges in Arkansas date back to the 1860s. The ten oldest Arkansas bridges still in the national inventory:
| Route / Facility | Crosses | Year Built | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goff Farm Road | Turner Tee Creek – Wash. | 1860 | Fair |
| CR 38 – Polk Co. | Mt. Fork River | 1905 | Poor |
| CR8/Duck Pond Rd | Fourche LaFave River | 1905 | Poor |
| CR 98 Benton Co. | WAR EAGLE CREEK | 1907 | Fair |
| C.R 139-H(WILDWOOD | LITTLE COSSATOT RIVER | 1908 | Fair |
| Wallace Bridge Rd | Fourche La Fave River | 1909 | Poor |
| Lucerne Rd. (city) | DITCH | 1910 | Fair |
| N.WashingtonSt.-CS | Holt Branch-Arkansas Co | 1910 | Poor |
| 2nd Street Perry | Haydon Branch | 1910 | Poor |
| N Jackson St-CS | Holt Branch | 1910 | Fair |
Most Concerning Arkansas Bridges: Poor Condition and High Traffic
The bridges of greatest concern combine a poor structural rating with high daily traffic loads. These Arkansas bridges carry the most vehicles per day while rated in poor condition:
| Route / Facility | Crosses | Daily Traffic | Year Built | Deck | Superstructure | Substructure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I-30 Log 141.70 | UNION PACIFIC RR | 119,000 vehicles/day | 1961 | Fair (5) | Poor (4) | Fair (5) |
| I-630 WB Log 2.10 | Rice Thayer RR Creek | 55,000 vehicles/day | 1969 | Fair (5) | Poor (4) | Satisfactory (6) |
| I-630 EB Log 2.10 | Rice Thayer RR Creek | 55,000 vehicles/day | 1969 | Fair (5) | Poor (4) | Satisfactory (6) |
| I-30 EB Log 136.91 | SH 367 RR CREEK | 53,500 vehicles/day | 1961 | Fair (5) | Poor (4) | Fair (5) |
| I-30 WB Log 136.90 | SH 367 RR CREEK | 53,500 vehicles/day | 1961 | Fair (5) | Poor (4) | Fair (5) |
How Arkansas Bridge Conditions Are Assessed
Bridge condition in the NBI is determined by ratings of three structural components — deck, superstructure, and substructure — on a scale of 0 (failed) to 9 (excellent). A bridge is classified as good when all three components score 7 or above. It is classified as poor when any component scores 4 or below. Ratings of 5 or 6 on any component with no component below 5 result in a fair classification. Arkansas DOT coordinates inspections across Arkansas in line with FHWA standards, with most bridges inspected on a 24-month cycle.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bridges in Arkansas are in poor condition?
695 of Arkansas’s 12,978 bridges are currently rated in poor condition by the FHWA National Bridge Inventory, a rate of 5.4%.
What is the oldest bridge in
The oldest bridge recorded in Arkansas’s NBI inventory is Goff Farm Road, built in 1860.
What does a poor bridge rating mean?
A poor rating means at least one of a bridge’s three key structural components — deck, superstructure, or substructure — has been rated 4 or below on the NBI 0-9 scale. A rating of 4 is defined as “poor condition,” and ratings of 3, 2, 1, or 0 indicate increasingly serious deterioration. Poor-rated bridges are not necessarily unsafe or closed, but they require priority attention and monitoring.
View all 624,000+ US bridges on the national interactive map
Compare with neighboring states: Louisiana bridges map | Mississippi bridges map | Missouri bridges map | Oklahoma bridges map | Tennessee bridges map | Texas bridges map
