SH 291 ML
Carrying SH 291 ML over CR 150 ARKANSAS RIVER
1.3 MI NW OF SALIDA, Chaffee, Colorado
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
SH 291 ML in Chaffee, Colorado sits above 26% of rated Colorado bridges on inventory load rating (28 t), while its 1959 build year is earlier than 63% of Chaffee's recorded-year cohort (84 bridges).
SH 291 ML in Chaffee, Colorado is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1959, 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 CO:J-12-AK
INTERSTATE-ERA · STEEL · SINGLE-SPAN · SUPER-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- STEEL Steel
- SINGLE-SPAN Single span
- SUPER-LED Superstructure-led
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard 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: SH 291 ML
The SH 291 ML bridge in Chaffee, Colorado carries SH 291 ML over CR 150 ARKANSAS RIVER. It was built in 1959, making it 67 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 1 section, stretching 81.4 meters (267 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 4,300 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Colorado bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure at 4/9, substructure at 6/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. At least one major component here scores 4 or below, which produces a Poor condition classification under FHWA's current reporting rules.
How SH 291 ML compares
Age against the county: built in 1959, earlier than 53 of Chaffee's 84 bridges with a recorded construction year (63%), against a county median build year of 1983. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across Colorado bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (8,962 of 8,965 rated).
SH 291 ML vs every rated Colorado bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
28 Top 74% higher than 26% of 8,962 bridges
rated Colorado 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.
Chaffee inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 84 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
- 1959
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 81.4 m (267 ft)
- Deck Width
- 9.5 m (31 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 4,300 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- J-12-AK
Condition Analysis
- • At 7/9, the deck (driving surface) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates poor at 4/9, with advanced deterioration recorded on the latest inspection.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in fair condition (6/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
SH 291 ML 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 SH 291 ML against other structures in Chaffee and across Colorado. Colorado 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 SH 291 ML?
SH 291 ML in Chaffee, Colorado has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 4/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is SH 291 ML inspected?
SH 291 ML'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 4,300 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. SH 291 ML 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 SH 291 ML?
SH 291 ML has an NBI inventory load rating of 27.6 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining SH 291 ML?
SH 291 ML is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is SH 291 ML and does age affect safety?
SH 291 ML was built in 1959, making it 67 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.