OLD HWY 79
Carrying OLD HWY 79 over MOREAU RV
6.7 W .1 N HOOVER, Butte, South Dakota
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: OLD HWY 79
The OLD HWY 79 bridge in Butte, South Dakota carries OLD HWY 79 over MOREAU RV. It was built in 1930, making it 96 years old today. The structure is built primarily of wood or timber and spans 11 sections, stretching 91.1 meters (299 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 22 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of South Dakota bridges. It is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 6/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. All reported major components score above the Poor range. Its NBI inventory load rating is 10.7 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How OLD HWY 79 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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1930
- Material
- Wood or Timber
- Number of Spans
- 11
- Structure Length
- 91.1 m (299 ft)
- Deck Width
- 7.9 m (26 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 22 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000010320069
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • At 6/9, the substructure (piers and abutments) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether OLD HWY 79 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 79 against other structures in Butte 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 OLD HWY 79?
OLD HWY 79 in Butte, South Dakota has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is OLD HWY 79 inspected?
OLD HWY 79'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 22 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. OLD HWY 79 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 79?
OLD HWY 79 has an NBI inventory load rating of 10.7 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining OLD HWY 79?
OLD HWY 79 is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is OLD HWY 79 and does age affect safety?
OLD HWY 79 was built in 1930, making it 96 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.