I-255 SB
Carrying I-255 SB over 162 Abandon UPRR 2 trail
2 mi W of IL 157, Madison, Illinois
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
I-255 SB in Madison, Illinois sits above 19% of rated Illinois bridges on inventory load rating (30 t), while its 1987 build year is earlier than 40% of Madison's recorded-year cohort (523 bridges).
I-255 SB in Madison, Illinois is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1987, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 3. 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 IL:060022000000000
LATE-CENTURY · STEEL · MULTI-SPAN · SUPER-LED · HEAVY-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- LATE-CENTURY 1980–1999
- STEEL Steel
- MULTI-SPAN 2 spans
- SUPER-LED Superstructure-led
- HEAVY-ADT Heavy 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: I-255 SB
The I-255 SB bridge in Madison, Illinois carries I-255 SB over 162 Abandon UPRR 2 trail. It was built in 1987, making it 39 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel continuous and spans 2 sections, stretching 109.0 meters (358 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 20,250 vehicles, placing it in the heavily-trafficked tier of Illinois bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure at 3/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. A component scored 4 or below, placing this bridge in the federal Poor condition category rather than declaring it unsafe or closed.
How I-255 SB compares
Age against the county: built in 1987, earlier than 210 of Madison's 523 bridges with a recorded construction year (40%), against a county median build year of 1984. This is one of the newer structures in its county.
Live comparison across Illinois bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (26,904 of 26,928 rated).
I-255 SB vs every rated Illinois bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
30 Top 81% higher than 19% of 26,904 bridges
rated Illinois 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.
Madison inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 523 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
- 1987
- Material
- Steel Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 2
- Structure Length
- 109.0 m (358 ft)
- Deck Width
- 18.7 m (61 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 20,250 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 060022000000000
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in fair condition (6/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in poor condition (3/9), showing advanced deterioration on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale.
- • At 7/9, the substructure (piers and abutments) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
I-255 SB 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 I-255 SB against other structures in Madison and across Illinois. Illinois 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 I-255 SB?
I-255 SB in Madison, Illinois has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 3/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is I-255 SB inspected?
I-255 SB'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 20,250 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. I-255 SB 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 I-255 SB?
I-255 SB has an NBI inventory load rating of 29.5 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining I-255 SB?
I-255 SB is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is I-255 SB and does age affect safety?
I-255 SB was built in 1987, making it 39 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.