161ST AVENUE
Carrying 161ST AVENUE over CEDAR CREEK
00.20 E. of COLFAX, Lake, Indiana
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: 161ST AVENUE
The 161ST AVENUE bridge in Lake, Indiana carries 161ST AVENUE over CEDAR CREEK. It was built in 1945, making it 81 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 2012, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 1 section, stretching 10.0 meters (33 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 762 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Indiana bridges. It is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure at 6/9, substructure at 5/9. 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 35.5 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How 161ST AVENUE compares
Live comparison across Indiana.
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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1945
- Last Reconstructed
- 2012
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 10.0 m (33 ft)
- Deck Width
- 7.4 m (24 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 762 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 4500047
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates poor at 4/9, advanced deterioration that should be prioritized for repair.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in fair condition (6/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates fair at 5/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
How to read this record
161ST AVENUE 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 161ST AVENUE against other structures in Lake and across Indiana. Indiana 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 161ST AVENUE?
161ST AVENUE in Lake, Indiana has a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure rating of 6/9, and substructure rating of 5/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is 161ST AVENUE inspected?
161ST AVENUE'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 762 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. 161ST AVENUE 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 161ST AVENUE?
161ST AVENUE has an NBI inventory load rating of 35.5 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining 161ST AVENUE?
161ST AVENUE is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is 161ST AVENUE and does age affect safety?
161ST AVENUE was built in 1945, making it 81 years old and last reconstructed in 2012.
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.