US 77 HWY SB
Carrying US 77 HWY SB over WALNUT RIV & LOCAL RD
1.11 MI S OF JCT US160, Cowley, Kansas
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
US 77 HWY SB in Cowley, Kansas sits above 93% of rated Kansas bridges on inventory load rating (51 t), while its 1939 build year is earlier than 61% of Cowley's recorded-year cohort (337 bridges).
US 77 HWY SB in Cowley, Kansas is rated Good in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1939, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 7. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Good 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:999907700180091
PRE-1950 · STEEL · LONG-SPAN-RUN · TIED-CTRL · ARTERIAL-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-GOOD
- PRE-1950 Pre-1950
- STEEL Steel
- LONG-SPAN-RUN 5 spans
- TIED-CTRL Tied control
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial ADT
- HEAVY-LOAD Heavy load
- CAT-GOOD Good
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: US 77 HWY SB
The US 77 HWY SB bridge in Cowley, Kansas carries US 77 HWY SB over WALNUT RIV & LOCAL RD. It was built in 1939, making it 87 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1999, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel continuous and spans 5 sections, stretching 149.7 meters (491 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 5,950 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Kansas bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in good condition. None of this bridge's reported major components fall into the Poor condition range.
How US 77 HWY SB compares
Age against the county: built in 1939, earlier than 204 of Cowley's 337 bridges with a recorded construction year (61%), against a county median build year of 1951. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across Kansas bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (24,893 of 24,894 rated).
US 77 HWY SB vs every rated Kansas bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
51 Top 7% higher than 93% 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.
Cowley inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 337 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
- 1939
- Last Reconstructed
- 1999
- Material
- Steel Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 5
- Structure Length
- 149.7 m (491 ft)
- Deck Width
- 16.5 m (54 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 5,950 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 999907700180091
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
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 US 77 HWY SB 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 US 77 HWY SB against other structures in Cowley 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 US 77 HWY SB?
US 77 HWY SB in Cowley, Kansas has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is US 77 HWY SB inspected?
US 77 HWY 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 5,950 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. US 77 HWY SB is currently shown as Good condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for US 77 HWY SB?
US 77 HWY SB has an NBI inventory load rating of 50.8 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining US 77 HWY SB?
US 77 HWY SB is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is US 77 HWY SB and does age affect safety?
US 77 HWY SB was built in 1939, making it 87 years old and last reconstructed in 1999.
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.