K-171 HWY
Carrying K-171 HWY over COW CREEK
1.72 MI E JCT US69, Cherokee, Kansas
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: K-171 HWY
The K-171 HWY bridge in Cherokee, Kansas carries K-171 HWY over COW CREEK. It was built in 1972, making it 54 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete continuous and spans 4 sections, stretching 95.9 meters (315 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 5,580 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Kansas bridges. It is owned and maintained by State 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 27.5 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How K-171 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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1972
- Material
- Concrete Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 4
- Structure Length
- 95.9 m (315 ft)
- Deck Width
- 14.0 m (46 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 5,580 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 999917100110691
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • At 7/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether K-171 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 K-171 HWY against other structures in Cherokee 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 K-171 HWY?
K-171 HWY in Cherokee, Kansas 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 K-171 HWY inspected?
K-171 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 5,580 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. K-171 HWY 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 K-171 HWY?
K-171 HWY has an NBI inventory load rating of 27.5 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining K-171 HWY?
K-171 HWY is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is K-171 HWY and does age affect safety?
K-171 HWY was built in 1972, making it 54 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.