T 343
Carrying T 343 over STEWARD CREEK (CD #23)
0.2 MI S OF JCT CSAH 15, Freeborn, Minnesota
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
T 343 in Freeborn, Minnesota sits above 55% of rated Minnesota bridges on inventory load rating (36 t), while its 1963 build year is earlier than 89% of Freeborn's recorded-year cohort (142 bridges).
T 343 in Freeborn, Minnesota is rated Poor 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 4. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Poor 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:24505
INTERSTATE-ERA · TIMBER · MULTI-SPAN · SUB-LED · LOCAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- TIMBER Wood or timber
- MULTI-SPAN 2 spans
- SUB-LED Substructure-led
- LOCAL-ADT Local ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard load
- CAT-POOR Poor
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: T 343
The T 343 bridge in Freeborn, Minnesota carries T 343 over STEWARD CREEK (CD #23). It was built in 1963, making it 63 years old today. The structure is built primarily of wood or timber and spans 2 sections, stretching 11.3 meters (37 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 72 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Minnesota bridges. It is owned and maintained by Town/Township Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 4/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. Because at least one major component scores 4 or lower, this bridge falls in FHWA's Poor condition category. That category is not a closure order.
How T 343 compares
Age against the county: built in 1963, earlier than 127 of Freeborn's 142 bridges with a recorded construction year (89%), against a county median build year of 1973. 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).
T 343 vs every rated Minnesota bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
36 Top 45% higher than 55% 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.
Freeborn inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 142 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
- Wood or Timber
- Number of Spans
- 2
- Structure Length
- 11.3 m (37 ft)
- Deck Width
- 8.2 m (27 ft)
- Owner
- Town/Township Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 72 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 24505
Condition Analysis
- • At 6/9, 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 (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates poor at 4/9, with advanced deterioration recorded on the latest inspection.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
T 343 is in the federal Poor condition category. That is a component-based result, not a closure order.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Understand what Poor condition does and does not mean before drawing conclusions. Poor condition explained
- Compare T 343 against other structures in Freeborn 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 T 343?
T 343 in Freeborn, Minnesota has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 4/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is T 343 inspected?
T 343'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 72 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. T 343 is currently shown as Poor condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for T 343?
T 343 has an NBI inventory load rating of 36.3 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining T 343?
T 343 is owned and maintained by Town/Township Highway Agency.
How old is T 343 and does age affect safety?
T 343 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.