US HIGHWAY 52
Carrying US HIGHWAY 52 over JAMES RIVER
10 NW FESSENDEN, Wells, North Dakota
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
US HIGHWAY 52 in Wells, North Dakota sits above 53% of rated North Dakota bridges on inventory load rating (32 t), while its 1962 build year is earlier than 78% of Wells's recorded-year cohort (41 bridges).
US HIGHWAY 52 in Wells, North Dakota is rated Good in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1962, 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 ND:0052175923
INTERSTATE-ERA · CONCRETE · MULTI-SPAN · TIED-CTRL · ARTERIAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-GOOD
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- CONCRETE Concrete
- MULTI-SPAN 3 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 HIGHWAY 52
The US HIGHWAY 52 bridge in Wells, North Dakota carries US HIGHWAY 52 over JAMES RIVER. It was built in 1962, making it 64 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1999, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of concrete continuous and spans 3 sections, stretching 33.5 meters (110 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 1,230 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of North Dakota bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
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. All reported major components score above the Poor range.
How US HIGHWAY 52 compares
Age against the county: built in 1962, earlier than 32 of Wells's 41 bridges with a recorded construction year (78%), against a county median build year of 1983. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across North Dakota bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (4,249 of 4,255 rated).
US HIGHWAY 52 vs every rated North Dakota bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
32 Top 47% higher than 53% of 4,249 bridges
rated North Dakota 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.
Wells inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 41 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
- 1962
- Last Reconstructed
- 1999
- Material
- Concrete Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 33.5 m (110 ft)
- Deck Width
- 10.9 m (36 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 1,230 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 0052175923
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.
- • 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 US HIGHWAY 52 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 HIGHWAY 52 against other structures in Wells and across North Dakota. North Dakota 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 HIGHWAY 52?
US HIGHWAY 52 in Wells, North Dakota 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 US HIGHWAY 52 inspected?
US HIGHWAY 52'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 1,230 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. US HIGHWAY 52 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 HIGHWAY 52?
US HIGHWAY 52 has an NBI inventory load rating of 32.2 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining US HIGHWAY 52?
US HIGHWAY 52 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is US HIGHWAY 52 and does age affect safety?
US HIGHWAY 52 was built in 1962, making it 64 years old and last reconstructed in 1999.
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.