FM 280TH AVE
Carrying FM 280TH AVE over PICKERAL RUN
096351902, Clay, Iowa
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
FM 280TH AVE in Clay, Iowa sits above 96% of rated Iowa bridges on inventory load rating (53 t), while its 1993 build year is earlier than 39% of Clay's recorded-year cohort (151 bridges).
FM 280TH AVE in Clay, Iowa is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1993, 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 IA:000000000116511
LATE-CENTURY · CONCRETE · MULTI-SPAN · TIED-CTRL · LOCAL-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- LATE-CENTURY 1980–1999
- CONCRETE Concrete
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- TIED-CTRL Tied control
- LOCAL-ADT Local ADT
- HEAVY-LOAD Heavy 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: FM 280TH AVE
The FM 280TH AVE bridge in Clay, Iowa carries FM 280TH AVE over PICKERAL RUN. It was built in 1993, making it 33 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete continuous and spans 3 sections, stretching 39.0 meters (128 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 459 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Iowa bridges. It is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure at 4/9, substructure at 5/9. 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 FM 280TH AVE compares
Age against the county: built in 1993, earlier than 59 of Clay's 151 bridges with a recorded construction year (39%), against a county median build year of 1987. This is one of the newer structures in its county.
Live comparison across Iowa bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (23,718 of 23,719 rated).
FM 280TH AVE vs every rated Iowa bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
53 Top 4% higher than 96% of 23,718 bridges
rated Iowa 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.
Clay inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 151 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
- 1993
- Material
- Concrete Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 39.0 m (128 ft)
- Deck Width
- 10.1 m (33 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 459 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000116511
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in poor condition (4/9), showing advanced deterioration on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale.
- • 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 (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
FM 280TH AVE 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 FM 280TH AVE against other structures in Clay and across Iowa. Iowa 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 FM 280TH AVE?
FM 280TH AVE in Clay, Iowa has a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure rating of 4/9, and substructure rating of 5/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is FM 280TH AVE inspected?
FM 280TH AVE'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 459 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. FM 280TH AVE 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 FM 280TH AVE?
FM 280TH AVE has an NBI inventory load rating of 52.9 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining FM 280TH AVE?
FM 280TH AVE is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is FM 280TH AVE and does age affect safety?
FM 280TH AVE was built in 1993, making it 33 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.