US-550 SBL
Carrying US-550 SBL over HAMPTON ARROYO
0.70 MI N OF JCT NM 516, San Juan, New Mexico
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
US-550 SBL in San Juan, New Mexico sits above 15% of rated New Mexico bridges on inventory load rating (25 t), while its 1961 build year is earlier than 76% of San Juan's recorded-year cohort (174 bridges).
US-550 SBL in San Juan, New Mexico is rated Fair in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1961, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 5. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Fair 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 NM:000000000006221
INTERSTATE-ERA · CONCRETE · LONG-SPAN-RUN · SUB-LED · HEAVY-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-FAIR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- CONCRETE Concrete
- LONG-SPAN-RUN 7 spans
- SUB-LED Substructure-led
- HEAVY-ADT Heavy ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard load
- CAT-FAIR Fair
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-550 SBL
The US-550 SBL bridge in San Juan, New Mexico carries US-550 SBL over HAMPTON ARROYO. It was built in 1961, making it 65 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete continuous and spans 7 sections, stretching 36.0 meters (118 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 14,956 vehicles, placing it in the heavily-trafficked tier of New Mexico bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure at 6/9, substructure at 5/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. No reported major component scores in the Poor range under the current federal condition thresholds.
How US-550 SBL compares
Age against the county: built in 1961, earlier than 132 of San Juan's 174 bridges with a recorded construction year (76%), against a county median build year of 1977. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across New Mexico bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (4,030 of 4,035 rated).
US-550 SBL vs every rated New Mexico bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
25 Top 85% higher than 15% of 4,030 bridges
rated New Mexico 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.
San Juan inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 174 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
- 1961
- Material
- Concrete Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 7
- Structure Length
- 36.0 m (118 ft)
- Deck Width
- 12.4 m (41 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 14,956 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000006221
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) rates fair at 6/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
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-550 SBL 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-550 SBL against other structures in San Juan and across New Mexico. New Mexico 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-550 SBL?
US-550 SBL in San Juan, New Mexico has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 6/9, and substructure rating of 5/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is US-550 SBL inspected?
US-550 SBL'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 14,956 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. US-550 SBL is currently shown as Fair condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for US-550 SBL?
US-550 SBL has an NBI inventory load rating of 25.1 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining US-550 SBL?
US-550 SBL is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is US-550 SBL and does age affect safety?
US-550 SBL was built in 1961, making it 65 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.