RD 28 1/2
Carrying RD 28 1/2 over DRY CREEK
0.9 MI N AVE 21, Madera, California
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
RD 28 1/2 in Madera, California sits above 3% of rated California bridges on inventory load rating (16 t), while its 1948 build year is earlier than 89% of Madera's recorded-year cohort (247 bridges).
RD 28 1/2 in Madera, California is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1948, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 4. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Poor 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:41C0168
PRE-1950 · STEEL · SINGLE-SPAN · DECK-LED · LOCAL-ADT · LIGHT-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- PRE-1950 Pre-1950
- STEEL Steel
- SINGLE-SPAN Single span
- DECK-LED Deck-led
- LOCAL-ADT Local ADT
- LIGHT-LOAD Light load
- CAT-POOR Poor
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: RD 28 1/2
The RD 28 1/2 bridge in Madera, California carries RD 28 1/2 over DRY CREEK. It was built in 1948, making it 78 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 1 section, stretching 10.5 meters (34 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 68 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 4/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. Because at least one major component scores 4 or lower, this bridge falls in FHWA's Poor condition category. That category is not a closure order.
How RD 28 1/2 compares
Age against the county: built in 1948, earlier than 220 of Madera's 247 bridges with a recorded construction year (89%), against a county median build year of 1971. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across California bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (25,538 of 25,848 rated).
RD 28 1/2 vs every rated California bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
16 Top 97% higher than 3% 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.
Madera inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 247 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
- 1948
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 10.5 m (34 ft)
- Deck Width
- 8.5 m (28 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 68 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 41C0168
Condition Analysis
- • At 4/9, the deck (driving surface) is in poor shape, with advanced wear on file for this vintage.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates fair at 5/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • 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
RD 28 1/2 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 RD 28 1/2 against other structures in Madera 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 RD 28 1/2?
RD 28 1/2 in Madera, California has a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is RD 28 1/2 inspected?
RD 28 1/2'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 68 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. RD 28 1/2 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 RD 28 1/2?
RD 28 1/2 has an NBI inventory load rating of 15.6 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining RD 28 1/2?
RD 28 1/2 is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is RD 28 1/2 and does age affect safety?
RD 28 1/2 was built in 1948, making it 78 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.
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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.