CH 3 MELVIN SIBLEY
Carrying CH 3 MELVIN SIBLEY over THE BIG FOUR
950E,1200N, Ford, Illinois
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: CH 3 MELVIN SIBLEY
The CH 3 MELVIN SIBLEY bridge in Ford, Illinois carries CH 3 MELVIN SIBLEY over THE BIG FOUR. It was built in 1981, making it 45 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete and spans 3 sections, stretching 24.4 meters (80 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 625 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Illinois bridges. It is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 8/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. All reported major components score above the Poor range. Its NBI inventory load rating is 43.7 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How CH 3 MELVIN SIBLEY compares
Live comparison across Illinois.
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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1981
- Material
- Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 24.4 m (80 ft)
- Deck Width
- 9.1 m (30 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 625 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 027333400000000
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) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • At 8/9, the substructure (piers and abutments) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether CH 3 MELVIN SIBLEY 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 CH 3 MELVIN SIBLEY against other structures in Ford and across Illinois. Illinois 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 CH 3 MELVIN SIBLEY?
CH 3 MELVIN SIBLEY in Ford, Illinois has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 8/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is CH 3 MELVIN SIBLEY inspected?
CH 3 MELVIN SIBLEY'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 625 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. CH 3 MELVIN SIBLEY 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 CH 3 MELVIN SIBLEY?
CH 3 MELVIN SIBLEY has an NBI inventory load rating of 43.7 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining CH 3 MELVIN SIBLEY?
CH 3 MELVIN SIBLEY is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is CH 3 MELVIN SIBLEY and does age affect safety?
CH 3 MELVIN SIBLEY was built in 1981, making it 45 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.