Old Hwy 40
Carrying Old Hwy 40 over TRIB. TO SMOKY HILL RIV.
0.2E OF BLACK WOLF, Ellsworth, Kansas
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: Old Hwy 40
The Old Hwy 40 bridge in Ellsworth, Kansas carries Old Hwy 40 over TRIB. TO SMOKY HILL RIV.. It was built in 1934, making it 92 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete and spans 2 sections, stretching 6.3 meters (21 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 655 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Kansas bridges. It is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show culvert at 6/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. None of this bridge's reported major components fall into the Poor condition range. Its NBI inventory load rating is 32.7 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How Old Hwy 40 compares
Live comparison across Kansas.
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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1934
- Material
- Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 2
- Structure Length
- 6.3 m (21 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 655 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000270630
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether Old Hwy 40 is safe to cross today. Here is how to use it.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Learn how the 0–9 condition scale and Good/Fair/Poor categories are defined. How condition ratings work
- Compare Old Hwy 40 against other structures in Ellsworth and across Kansas. Kansas 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 Old Hwy 40?
Old Hwy 40 in Ellsworth, Kansas on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is Old Hwy 40 inspected?
Old Hwy 40'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 655 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. Old Hwy 40 is currently shown as Fair condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for Old Hwy 40?
Old Hwy 40 has an NBI inventory load rating of 32.7 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining Old Hwy 40?
Old Hwy 40 is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is Old Hwy 40 and does age affect safety?
Old Hwy 40 was built in 1934, making it 92 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.