US 197
Carrying US 197 over COLUMBIA R, SP & S RY
OREGON LINE, Klickitat, Washington
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: US 197
The US 197 bridge in Klickitat, Washington carries US 197 over COLUMBIA R, SP & S RY. It was built in 1954, making it 72 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel continuous and spans 5 sections, stretching 1019.6 meters (3345 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 7,400 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Washington bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 6/9. 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 96.9 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How US 197 compares
Live comparison across Washington.
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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1954
- Material
- Steel Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 5
- Structure Length
- 1019.6 m (3345 ft)
- Deck Width
- 9.8 m (32 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 7,400 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000PC0000000
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • At 4/9, the deck (driving surface) is in poor shape, with advanced wear flagged for priority repair.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates fair at 6/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
How to read this record
US 197 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 US 197 against other structures in Klickitat and across Washington. Washington 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 US 197?
US 197 in Klickitat, Washington has a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is US 197 inspected?
US 197'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 7,400 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. US 197 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 US 197?
US 197 has an NBI inventory load rating of 96.9 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining US 197?
US 197 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is US 197 and does age affect safety?
US 197 was built in 1954, making it 72 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.