MAIN REFUGE ROAD
Carrying MAIN REFUGE ROAD over RICE RIVER
SEC 24 T47N R24W, Aitkin, Minnesota
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
MAIN REFUGE ROAD in Aitkin, Minnesota sits above 74% of rated Minnesota bridges on inventory load rating (40 t), while its 1963 build year is earlier than 84% of Aitkin's recorded-year cohort (96 bridges).
MAIN REFUGE ROAD in Aitkin, Minnesota is rated Good in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1963, 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 MN:000032540-00071
INTERSTATE-ERA · PRESTRESS · LONG-SPAN-RUN · TIED-CTRL · LOCAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-GOOD
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- PRESTRESS Prestressed concrete
- LONG-SPAN-RUN 4 spans
- TIED-CTRL Tied control
- LOCAL-ADT Local 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: MAIN REFUGE ROAD
The MAIN REFUGE ROAD bridge in Aitkin, Minnesota carries MAIN REFUGE ROAD over RICE RIVER. It was built in 1963, making it 63 years old today. The structure is built primarily of prestressed concrete and spans 4 sections, stretching 37.8 meters (124 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 100 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Minnesota bridges. It is owned and maintained by Bureau of Fish and Wildlife.
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 MAIN REFUGE ROAD compares
Age against the county: built in 1963, earlier than 81 of Aitkin's 96 bridges with a recorded construction year (84%), against a county median build year of 1985. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across Minnesota bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (13,532 rated).
MAIN REFUGE ROAD vs every rated Minnesota bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
40 Top 26% higher than 74% of 13,532 bridges
rated Minnesota 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.
Aitkin inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 96 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
- 1963
- Material
- Prestressed Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 4
- Structure Length
- 37.8 m (124 ft)
- Deck Width
- 9.1 m (30 ft)
- Owner
- Bureau of Fish and Wildlife
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 100 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000032540-00071
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • 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 MAIN REFUGE ROAD 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 MAIN REFUGE ROAD against other structures in Aitkin and across Minnesota. Minnesota 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 MAIN REFUGE ROAD?
MAIN REFUGE ROAD in Aitkin, Minnesota 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 MAIN REFUGE ROAD inspected?
MAIN REFUGE ROAD'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 100 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. MAIN REFUGE ROAD 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 MAIN REFUGE ROAD?
MAIN REFUGE ROAD has an NBI inventory load rating of 39.9 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining MAIN REFUGE ROAD?
MAIN REFUGE ROAD is owned and maintained by Bureau of Fish and Wildlife.
How old is MAIN REFUGE ROAD and does age affect safety?
MAIN REFUGE ROAD was built in 1963, making it 63 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.