CSAH 21
Carrying CSAH 21 over LITTLE ROCK CREEK
6.1 MI SE OF JCT TH 4, Nicollet, Minnesota
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
CSAH 21 in Nicollet, Minnesota sits above 75% of rated Minnesota bridges on inventory load rating (41 t), while its 1997 build year is earlier than 48% of Nicollet's recorded-year cohort (54 bridges).
CSAH 21 in Nicollet, Minnesota is rated Good in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1997, 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:52511
LATE-CENTURY · TIMBER · SINGLE-SPAN · TIED-CTRL · LOCAL-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-GOOD
- LATE-CENTURY 1980–1999
- TIMBER Wood or timber
- SINGLE-SPAN Single span
- TIED-CTRL Tied control
- LOCAL-ADT Local ADT
- HEAVY-LOAD Heavy 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: CSAH 21
The CSAH 21 bridge in Nicollet, Minnesota carries CSAH 21 over LITTLE ROCK CREEK. It was built in 1997, making it 29 years old today. The structure is built primarily of wood or timber and spans 1 section, stretching 25.4 meters (83 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 475 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Minnesota bridges. It is owned and maintained by County 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. No reported major component scores in the Poor range under the current federal condition thresholds.
How CSAH 21 compares
Age against the county: built in 1997, earlier than 26 of Nicollet's 54 bridges with a recorded construction year (48%), against a county median build year of 1997.
Live comparison across Minnesota bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (13,532 rated).
CSAH 21 vs every rated Minnesota bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
41 Top 25% higher than 75% 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.
Nicollet inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 54 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
- 1997
- Material
- Wood or Timber
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 25.4 m (83 ft)
- Deck Width
- 11.6 m (38 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 475 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 52511
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good condition (8/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
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 CSAH 21 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 CSAH 21 against other structures in Nicollet 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 CSAH 21?
CSAH 21 in Nicollet, Minnesota 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 CSAH 21 inspected?
CSAH 21'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 475 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. CSAH 21 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 CSAH 21?
CSAH 21 has an NBI inventory load rating of 40.5 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining CSAH 21?
CSAH 21 is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is CSAH 21 and does age affect safety?
CSAH 21 was built in 1997, making it 29 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.