US-131 BR
Carrying US-131 BR over ST JOSEPH RIVER
IN CONSTANTINE, St. Joseph, Michigan
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
US-131 BR in St. Joseph, Michigan sits above 31% of rated Michigan bridges on inventory load rating (34 t), while its 1947 build year is earlier than 92% of St. Joseph's recorded-year cohort (132 bridges).
US-131 BR in St. Joseph, Michigan is rated Good in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1947, 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 MI:000000000010262
PRE-1950 · STEEL · LONG-SPAN-RUN · TIED-CTRL · ARTERIAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-GOOD
- PRE-1950 Pre-1950
- STEEL Steel
- LONG-SPAN-RUN 5 spans
- TIED-CTRL Tied control
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard 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-131 BR
The US-131 BR bridge in St. Joseph, Michigan carries US-131 BR over ST JOSEPH RIVER. It was built in 1947, making it 79 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 2021, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 5 sections, stretching 76.4 meters (251 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 3,950 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Michigan bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure at 8/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in good condition. All reported major components score above the Poor range.
How US-131 BR compares
Age against the county: built in 1947, earlier than 122 of St. Joseph's 132 bridges with a recorded construction year (92%), against a county median build year of 1976. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across Michigan bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (11,366 of 11,371 rated).
US-131 BR vs every rated Michigan bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
34 Top 69% higher than 31% of 11,366 bridges
rated Michigan 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.
St. Joseph inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 132 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
- 1947
- Last Reconstructed
- 2021
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 5
- Structure Length
- 76.4 m (251 ft)
- Deck Width
- 13.0 m (43 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 3,950 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000010262
Condition Analysis
- • At 7/9, the deck (driving surface) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates good at 8/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • 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-131 BR 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-131 BR against other structures in St. Joseph and across Michigan. Michigan 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-131 BR?
US-131 BR in St. Joseph, Michigan has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 8/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is US-131 BR inspected?
US-131 BR'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 3,950 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. US-131 BR 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-131 BR?
US-131 BR has an NBI inventory load rating of 33.7 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining US-131 BR?
US-131 BR is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is US-131 BR and does age affect safety?
US-131 BR was built in 1947, making it 79 years old and last reconstructed in 2021.
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.