RS 251 (SADDLE RD)
Carrying RS 251 (SADDLE RD) over MULBERRY CREEK
0.7W 0.5N OF FORD, Ford, Kansas
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
RS 251 (SADDLE RD) in Ford, Kansas sits above 96% of rated Kansas bridges on inventory load rating (55 t), while its 1982 build year is earlier than 39% of Ford's recorded-year cohort (223 bridges).
RS 251 (SADDLE RD) in Ford, Kansas is rated Fair in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1982, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 6. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Fair 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 KS:000000000290020
LATE-CENTURY · STEEL · LONG-SPAN-RUN · TIED-CTRL · LOCAL-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-FAIR
- LATE-CENTURY 1980–1999
- STEEL Steel
- LONG-SPAN-RUN 5 spans
- TIED-CTRL Tied control
- LOCAL-ADT Local ADT
- HEAVY-LOAD Heavy load
- CAT-FAIR Fair
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: RS 251 (SADDLE RD)
The RS 251 (SADDLE RD) bridge in Ford, Kansas carries RS 251 (SADDLE RD) over MULBERRY CREEK. It was built in 1982, making it 44 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel continuous and spans 5 sections, stretching 46.0 meters (151 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 760 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Kansas bridges. It is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure at 6/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. None of this bridge's reported major components fall into the Poor condition range.
How RS 251 (SADDLE RD) compares
Age against the county: built in 1982, earlier than 88 of Ford's 223 bridges with a recorded construction year (39%), against a county median build year of 1981. This is one of the newer structures in its county.
Live comparison across Kansas bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (24,893 of 24,894 rated).
RS 251 (SADDLE RD) vs every rated Kansas bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
55 Top 4% higher than 96% of 24,893 bridges
rated Kansas 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.
Ford inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 223 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
- 1982
- Material
- Steel Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 5
- Structure Length
- 46.0 m (151 ft)
- Deck Width
- 8.5 m (28 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 760 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000290020
Condition Analysis
- • At 6/9, the deck (driving surface) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in fair condition (6/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • 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
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether RS 251 (SADDLE RD) is safe to cross today. Here is how to use it.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Learn how the 0–9 condition scale and Good/Fair/Poor categories are defined. How condition ratings work
- Compare RS 251 (SADDLE RD) against other structures in Ford and across Kansas. Kansas 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 RS 251 (SADDLE RD)?
RS 251 (SADDLE RD) in Ford, Kansas has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 6/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is RS 251 (SADDLE RD) inspected?
RS 251 (SADDLE 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 760 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. RS 251 (SADDLE RD) is currently shown as Fair condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for RS 251 (SADDLE RD)?
RS 251 (SADDLE RD) has an NBI inventory load rating of 55.3 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining RS 251 (SADDLE RD)?
RS 251 (SADDLE RD) is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is RS 251 (SADDLE RD) and does age affect safety?
RS 251 (SADDLE RD) was built in 1982, making it 44 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.