S BEAR CREEK DRIVE
Carrying S BEAR CREEK DRIVE over LE GRAND CANAL
0.2 MI E PLAINSBURG ROAD, Merced, California
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: S BEAR CREEK DRIVE
The S BEAR CREEK DRIVE bridge in Merced, California carries S BEAR CREEK DRIVE over LE GRAND CANAL. It was built in 1925, making it 101 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete continuous and spans 2 sections, stretching 10.4 meters (34 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 218 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of California bridges. It is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in good condition. None of this bridge's reported major components fall into the Poor condition range. Its NBI inventory load rating is 16.2 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How S BEAR CREEK DRIVE compares
Live comparison across California.
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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1925
- Material
- Concrete Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 2
- Structure Length
- 10.4 m (34 ft)
- Deck Width
- 6.8 m (22 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 218 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 39C0186
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether S BEAR CREEK DRIVE 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 S BEAR CREEK DRIVE against other structures in Merced and across California. California 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 S BEAR CREEK DRIVE?
S BEAR CREEK DRIVE in Merced, California has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is S BEAR CREEK DRIVE inspected?
S BEAR CREEK DRIVE'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. S BEAR CREEK DRIVE is currently shown as Good condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for S BEAR CREEK DRIVE?
S BEAR CREEK DRIVE has an NBI inventory load rating of 16.2 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining S BEAR CREEK DRIVE?
S BEAR CREEK DRIVE is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is S BEAR CREEK DRIVE and does age affect safety?
S BEAR CREEK DRIVE was built in 1925, making it 101 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.