DUNBAR RD
Carrying DUNBAR RD over BIG WALNUT CREEK
00.50 W of CR 125 W, Putnam, Indiana
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
DUNBAR RD in Putnam, Indiana sits above 1% of rated Indiana bridges on inventory load rating (6 t), while its 1880 build year is earlier than 99% of Putnam's recorded-year cohort (290 bridges).
DUNBAR RD in Putnam, Indiana is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1880, 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 IN:6700091
PRE-1950 · TIMBER · MULTI-SPAN · SUB-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · LIGHT-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- PRE-1950 Pre-1950
- TIMBER Wood or timber
- MULTI-SPAN 2 spans
- SUB-LED Substructure-led
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial 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: DUNBAR RD
The DUNBAR RD bridge in Putnam, Indiana carries DUNBAR RD over BIG WALNUT CREEK. It was built in 1880, making it 146 years old today. The structure is built primarily of wood or timber and spans 2 sections, stretching 53.3 meters (175 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 1,400 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Indiana bridges. It is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 4/9. 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 DUNBAR RD compares
Age against the county: built in 1880, earlier than 287 of Putnam's 290 bridges with a recorded construction year (99%), against a county median build year of 1966. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across Indiana bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (19,495 rated).
DUNBAR RD vs every rated Indiana bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
6 Top 99% higher than 1% of 19,495 bridges
rated Indiana 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.
Putnam inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 290 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
- 1880
- Material
- Wood or Timber
- Number of Spans
- 2
- Structure Length
- 53.3 m (175 ft)
- Deck Width
- 4.9 m (16 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 1,400 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 6700091
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates fair at 5/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • At 5/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates poor at 4/9, with advanced deterioration recorded on the latest inspection.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
DUNBAR RD 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 DUNBAR RD against other structures in Putnam and across Indiana. Indiana 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 DUNBAR RD?
DUNBAR RD in Putnam, Indiana has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 4/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is DUNBAR RD inspected?
DUNBAR RD'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 1,400 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. DUNBAR RD 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 DUNBAR RD?
DUNBAR RD has an NBI inventory load rating of 6.4 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining DUNBAR RD?
DUNBAR RD is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is DUNBAR RD and does age affect safety?
DUNBAR RD was built in 1880, making it 146 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.