US159 HWY
Carrying US159 HWY over LITTLE STRANGER CREEK
4.07 MI N WJCT K116, Atchison, Kansas
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: US159 HWY
The US159 HWY bridge in Atchison, Kansas carries US159 HWY over LITTLE STRANGER CREEK. It was built in 1985, making it 41 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete continuous and spans 3 sections, stretching 43.4 meters (142 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 380 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Kansas bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure at 6/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. All reported major components score above the Poor range. Its NBI inventory load rating is 39.9 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How US159 HWY compares
Live comparison across Kansas.
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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1985
- Material
- Concrete Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 43.4 m (142 ft)
- Deck Width
- 9.1 m (30 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 380 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 999915900030411
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.
- • At 6/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • At 7/9, 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 US159 HWY 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 US159 HWY against other structures in Atchison and across Kansas. Kansas 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 US159 HWY?
US159 HWY in Atchison, Kansas has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 6/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is US159 HWY inspected?
US159 HWY'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 380 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. US159 HWY 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 US159 HWY?
US159 HWY has an NBI inventory load rating of 39.9 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining US159 HWY?
US159 HWY is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is US159 HWY and does age affect safety?
US159 HWY was built in 1985, making it 41 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.