I135 US81 WL-EL
Carrying I135 US81 WL-EL over SAND CREEK
0.86 MI N NJCT K260, McPherson, Kansas
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
I135 US81 WL-EL in McPherson, Kansas sits above 50% of rated Kansas bridges on inventory load rating (28 t), while its 1971 build year is earlier than 65% of McPherson's recorded-year cohort (586 bridges).
I135 US81 WL-EL in McPherson, Kansas is rated Fair in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1971, it carries 1 rated component 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:999913500590091
INTERSTATE-ERA · CONCRETE · LONG-SPAN-RUN · CULVERT-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-FAIR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- CONCRETE Concrete
- LONG-SPAN-RUN 4 spans
- CULVERT-LED Culvert-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: I135 US81 WL-EL
The I135 US81 WL-EL bridge in McPherson, Kansas carries I135 US81 WL-EL over SAND CREEK. It was built in 1971, making it 55 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete and spans 4 sections, stretching 25.2 meters (83 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 6,650 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 culvert at 6/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. No reported major component scores in the Poor range under the current federal condition thresholds.
How I135 US81 WL-EL compares
Age against the county: built in 1971, earlier than 379 of McPherson's 586 bridges with a recorded construction year (65%), 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).
I135 US81 WL-EL vs every rated Kansas bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
28 Top 50% higher than 50% 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.
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
- 1971
- Material
- Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 4
- Structure Length
- 25.2 m (83 ft)
- Deck Width
- 39.6 m (130 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 6,650 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 999913500590091
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 I135 US81 WL-EL 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 I135 US81 WL-EL 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 I135 US81 WL-EL?
I135 US81 WL-EL in McPherson, Kansas on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is I135 US81 WL-EL inspected?
I135 US81 WL-EL'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 6,650 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. I135 US81 WL-EL 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 I135 US81 WL-EL?
I135 US81 WL-EL has an NBI inventory load rating of 28.1 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining I135 US81 WL-EL?
I135 US81 WL-EL is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is I135 US81 WL-EL and does age affect safety?
I135 US81 WL-EL was built in 1971, making it 55 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.