US-81 ALT HWY SB
Carrying US-81 ALT HWY SB over DRY TURKEY CREEK
1.75 MI W I135, McPherson, Kansas
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
US-81 ALT HWY SB in McPherson, Kansas is rated Fair in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.
Built in 1969, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 5. 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:9999081B0590851
INTERSTATE-ERA · CONCRETE · LONG-SPAN-RUN · DECK-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-FAIR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- CONCRETE Concrete
- LONG-SPAN-RUN 5 spans
- DECK-LED Deck-led
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard 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: US-81 ALT HWY SB
The US-81 ALT HWY SB bridge in McPherson, Kansas carries US-81 ALT HWY SB over DRY TURKEY CREEK. It was built in 1969, making it 57 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete continuous and spans 5 sections, stretching 71.3 meters (234 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 2,765 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 5/9, superstructure at 6/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. No reported major component scores in the Poor range under the current federal condition thresholds.
How US-81 ALT HWY SB compares
Age against the county: built in 1969, earlier than 413 of McPherson's 586 bridges with a recorded construction year (70%), against a county median build year of 1980. 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-81 ALT HWY SB vs every rated Kansas bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
34 Top 32% higher than 68% 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.
McPherson inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 586 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
- 1969
- Material
- Concrete Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 5
- Structure Length
- 71.3 m (234 ft)
- Deck Width
- 12.8 m (42 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 2,765 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 9999081B0590851
Condition Analysis
- • At 5/9, 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.
- • 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
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether US-81 ALT 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-81 ALT HWY SB against other structures in McPherson 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-81 ALT HWY SB?
US-81 ALT HWY SB in McPherson, Kansas has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 6/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is US-81 ALT HWY SB inspected?
US-81 ALT 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 2,765 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. US-81 ALT HWY SB 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 US-81 ALT HWY SB?
US-81 ALT HWY SB has an NBI inventory load rating of 33.6 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining US-81 ALT HWY SB?
US-81 ALT HWY SB is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is US-81 ALT HWY SB and does age affect safety?
US-81 ALT HWY SB was built in 1969, making it 57 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.