The National Bridge Inventory (NBI) is a federally maintained dataset compiled by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) containing structural, operational, and condition data for over 600,000 bridges across the United States. As a GIS use case, the NBI serves as a foundational geospatial dataset that enables transportation agencies, planners, and analysts to spatially visualize, query, and analyze bridge infrastructure at local, regional, and national scales.

GIS technology is applied to the NBI by geocoding bridge records using latitude/longitude coordinates, allowing integration with road network datasets, elevation models, floodplain boundaries, and demographic layers. Spatial analysis techniques — including proximity analysis, hotspot mapping, and network analysis — help identify structurally deficient bridges, prioritize maintenance and rehabilitation investments, and assess infrastructure vulnerability to natural hazards.

The practical benefits include improved asset management workflows, data-driven capital planning, and enhanced public safety decision-making. GIS-enabled NBI mapping also supports interoperability with platforms such as Esri ArcGIS and open-source tools like QGIS, making the data accessible for multi-agency collaboration, emergency response planning, and transportation equity analyses.