SPI Insights

Although Texas’ bridges rated highly in structural integrity among other states in recently released federal data, an estimated $6.25 billion is needed to repair its spans.

Proposed bridge work includes replacing 2,896 bridges for an estimated $1.3 billion, widening and rehabilitating 74 bridges for $31.76 million, rehabilitating or replacing 10 bridge decks for $1.2 million, and performing other work on 8,122 spans for $4.69 billion.

Texas’ bridge inventory holds up well structurally compared to other states based on Federal Highway Administration data from 2020.

Only 1.5 percent, or 818, of the 54,682 bridges in the Lone Star state were found to be structurally deficient to place Texas second-best behind Nevada, with 1.4 percent of its spans classified as deficient. A deficient bridge has at least one key element in poor or worse condition.

Although Texas’ bridges are in better condition than most across the country, the number of its deficient bridges rose from 653 bridges found to be structurally deficient in 2016.

Nine of the 10 most traveled structurally deficient bridges in Texas were built between the late 1950s and early 1970s. However, the SH 183 bridge over Loop 12 in Dallas County was constructed in 2018. The bridges and their number of daily crossings are:

(Data is from the Federal Highway Administration’s National Bridge Inventory. Specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections. Several Irving Interchange bridges over Loop 12, SH 183, and Spur 482 are under construction.)