RUTH DAM ROAD
Carrying RUTH DAM ROAD over RUTH DAM
100 W MAD RIVER ROAD, Trinity, California
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
RUTH DAM ROAD in Trinity, California sits above 84% of rated California bridges on inventory load rating (39 t), while its 1972 build year is earlier than 50% of Trinity's recorded-year cohort (194 bridges).
RUTH DAM ROAD in Trinity, California is rated Fair in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1972, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 5. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Fair result describes the weakest reported component rather than the structure as a whole. No NBI category is a closure decision or a live crossing-safety verdict.
NBI record plate
Structure CA:05C0219
INTERSTATE-ERA · STEEL · SINGLE-SPAN · DECK-LED · TRACE-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-FAIR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- STEEL Steel
- SINGLE-SPAN Single span
- DECK-LED Deck-led
- TRACE-ADT Trace ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard load
- CAT-FAIR Fair
Inspection-sheet codes from this record’s year, material family, spans, controlling component, ADT, inventory load, and NBI category, not a live closure verdict.
Bridge Snapshot: RUTH DAM ROAD
The RUTH DAM ROAD bridge in Trinity, California carries RUTH DAM ROAD over RUTH DAM. It was built in 1972, making it 54 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 1 section, stretching 31.7 meters (104 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 30 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of California bridges. It is owned and maintained by Other Local Agencies.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. All reported major components score above the Poor range.
How RUTH DAM ROAD compares
Age against the county: built in 1972, earlier than 97 of Trinity's 194 bridges with a recorded construction year (50%), against a county median build year of 1972.
Live comparison across California bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (25,538 of 25,848 rated).
RUTH DAM ROAD vs every rated California bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
39 Top 16% higher than 84% of 25,538 bridges
rated California bridges, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more bridges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · August 2026
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Reported 0–9 component ratings from the FHWA NBI. The highlighted component is the lowest reported input to this record’s current condition category; it is not a closure or live crossing-safety decision.
Trinity inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 194 bridges in this county. Orthogonal to this structure's component profile above: a county catalog share, not a live crossing-safety verdict.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1972
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 31.7 m (104 ft)
- Deck Width
- 5.2 m (17 ft)
- Owner
- Other Local Agencies
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 30 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 05C0219
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates fair at 5/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • 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) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether RUTH DAM ROAD 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 RUTH DAM ROAD against other structures in Trinity 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 RUTH DAM ROAD?
RUTH DAM ROAD in Trinity, California has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is RUTH DAM ROAD inspected?
RUTH DAM ROAD'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 30 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. RUTH DAM ROAD 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 RUTH DAM ROAD?
RUTH DAM ROAD has an NBI inventory load rating of 38.6 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining RUTH DAM ROAD?
RUTH DAM ROAD is owned and maintained by Other Local Agencies.
How old is RUTH DAM ROAD and does age affect safety?
RUTH DAM ROAD 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.
Share this inspection record
Send this source-bounded record or download its data card. An NBI condition category is not a closure or live crossing-safety verdict.
Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Component ratings, ADT, and condition category on this page are copied from the NBI record for this structure; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.