SMITHWICK ROAD
Carrying SMITHWICK ROAD over WHITE RIVER
.75 KM NE OF BIA RTE 41, Oglala Lakota, South Dakota
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: SMITHWICK ROAD
The SMITHWICK ROAD bridge in Oglala Lakota, South Dakota carries SMITHWICK ROAD over WHITE RIVER. It was built in 1935, making it 91 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 1 section, stretching 59.5 meters (195 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 10 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of South Dakota bridges. It is owned and maintained by Bureau of Indian Affairs.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 3/9, superstructure at 2/9, substructure at 2/9. The weakest component sits in critical condition. At least one major component here scores 4 or below, which produces a Poor condition classification under FHWA's current reporting rules.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How SMITHWICK ROAD compares
Live comparison across South Dakota.
Historical Sufficiency Rating
PlainBridge-computedFHWA discontinued this calculated item; it does not determine current condition, funding eligibility, posting, or closure. How the historical reference is calculated.
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1935
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 59.5 m (195 ft)
- Deck Width
- 5.6 m (18 ft)
- Owner
- Bureau of Indian Affairs
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 10 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 00000000000A154
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • At 3/9, the deck (driving surface) is in poor shape, with advanced wear flagged for priority repair.
- • At 2/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in critical shape, with severe wear requiring urgent action.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in critical condition (2/9), with severe deterioration requiring urgent attention.
How to read this record
SMITHWICK ROAD is in the federal Poor condition category. That is a component-based result, not a closure order.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Understand what Poor condition does and does not mean before drawing conclusions. Poor condition explained
- Compare SMITHWICK ROAD against other structures in Oglala Lakota and across South Dakota. South Dakota bridges
- Noticed visible damage or a safety concern? Report it to the agency that owns the bridge, or call 911 in an emergency. How to report a bridge
Condition codes come straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory and are not a real-time safety judgment. Only the owning agency, a state DOT, county, or other owner, can post, restrict, or close a bridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the condition ratings mean for SMITHWICK ROAD?
SMITHWICK ROAD in Oglala Lakota, South Dakota has a deck rating of 3/9, superstructure rating of 2/9, and substructure rating of 2/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is SMITHWICK ROAD inspected?
SMITHWICK ROAD's responsible agency sets its routine interval under FHWA's risk-based inspection rules; this page does not expose the scheduled interval. It carries about 10 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. SMITHWICK ROAD is currently shown as Poor condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for SMITHWICK ROAD?
An inventory load rating is not recorded for SMITHWICK ROAD.
Who is responsible for maintaining SMITHWICK ROAD?
SMITHWICK ROAD is owned and maintained by Bureau of Indian Affairs.
How old is SMITHWICK ROAD and does age affect safety?
SMITHWICK ROAD was built in 1935, making it 91 years old.
Disclaimer: Bridge condition data is from the FHWA NBI and reflects the last reported inspection. A Poor condition rating is not a live declaration that a bridge is closed or unsafe for travel. For current closure, posting, or safety information, contact the responsible transportation agency.
Every figure on PlainBridge is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.