PAULSEN RD
Carrying PAULSEN RD over COTTONWOOD CK
0.6W & 2.1N OF QUINN, Pennington, South Dakota
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: PAULSEN RD
The PAULSEN RD bridge in Pennington, South Dakota carries PAULSEN RD over COTTONWOOD CK. It was built in 1964, making it 62 years old today. The structure is built primarily of wood or timber and spans 1 section, stretching 10.1 meters (33 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 17 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 6/9, substructure at 4/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. Because at least one major component scores 4 or lower, this bridge falls in FHWA's Poor condition category. That category is not a closure order. Its NBI inventory load rating is 13.3 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How PAULSEN RD 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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1964
- Material
- Wood or Timber
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 10.1 m (33 ft)
- Deck Width
- 6.8 m (22 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 17 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000052952341
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates fair at 6/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • At 6/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • At 4/9, the substructure (piers and abutments) is in poor shape, with advanced wear flagged for priority repair.
How to read this record
PAULSEN RD 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 PAULSEN RD 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 PAULSEN RD?
PAULSEN RD in Pennington, South Dakota has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 6/9, and substructure rating of 4/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is PAULSEN RD inspected?
PAULSEN RD'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 17 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. PAULSEN RD 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 PAULSEN RD?
PAULSEN RD has an NBI inventory load rating of 13.3 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining PAULSEN RD?
PAULSEN RD is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is PAULSEN RD and does age affect safety?
PAULSEN RD was built in 1964, making it 62 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.