FM 521
Carrying FM 521 over TRES PALACIOS RIVER
1.40 MI W OF FM 1095, Matagorda, Texas
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: FM 521
The FM 521 bridge in Matagorda, Texas carries FM 521 over TRES PALACIOS RIVER. It was built in 1956, making it 70 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete and spans 11 sections, stretching 101.8 meters (334 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 1,313 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Texas bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 4/9. 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 35.4 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How FM 521 compares
Live comparison across Texas.
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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1956
- Material
- Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 11
- Structure Length
- 101.8 m (334 ft)
- Deck Width
- 8.5 m (28 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 1,313 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 131580084603004
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • At 5/9, the deck (driving surface) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates fair at 5/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in poor condition (4/9), showing advanced deterioration that may require priority repair.
How to read this record
FM 521 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 FM 521 against other structures in Matagorda and across Texas. Texas 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 FM 521?
FM 521 in Matagorda, Texas has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 4/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is FM 521 inspected?
FM 521'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 1,313 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. FM 521 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 FM 521?
FM 521 has an NBI inventory load rating of 35.4 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining FM 521?
FM 521 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is FM 521 and does age affect safety?
FM 521 was built in 1956, making it 70 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.