THUNDERHEAD FALLS
Carrying THUNDERHEAD FALLS over RAPID CK
1.2E 1.4S JOHNSON SIDING, Pennington, South Dakota
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: THUNDERHEAD FALLS
The THUNDERHEAD FALLS bridge in Pennington, South Dakota carries THUNDERHEAD FALLS over RAPID CK. It was built in 1972, making it 54 years old today. The structure is built primarily of prestressed concrete and spans 1 section, stretching 12.2 meters (40 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 218 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 6/9, superstructure at 4/9, substructure at 6/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. A component scored 4 or below, placing this bridge in the federal Poor condition category rather than declaring it unsafe or closed. Its NBI inventory load rating is 38.8 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How THUNDERHEAD FALLS 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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1972
- Material
- Prestressed Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 12.2 m (40 ft)
- Deck Width
- 8.2 m (27 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 218 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000052320312
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • At 6/9, the deck (driving surface) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates poor at 4/9, advanced deterioration that should be prioritized for repair.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in fair condition (6/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
How to read this record
THUNDERHEAD FALLS 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 THUNDERHEAD FALLS against other structures in Pennington 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 THUNDERHEAD FALLS?
THUNDERHEAD FALLS in Pennington, South Dakota has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 4/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is THUNDERHEAD FALLS inspected?
THUNDERHEAD FALLS'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 218 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. THUNDERHEAD FALLS 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 THUNDERHEAD FALLS?
THUNDERHEAD FALLS has an NBI inventory load rating of 38.8 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining THUNDERHEAD FALLS?
THUNDERHEAD FALLS is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is THUNDERHEAD FALLS and does age affect safety?
THUNDERHEAD FALLS was built in 1972, making it 54 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.