NM-581
Carrying NM-581 over ARROYO SECO
0.10 MI N OF JCT NM 399, Rio Arriba, New Mexico
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
NM-581 in Rio Arriba, New Mexico sits above 86% of rated New Mexico bridges on inventory load rating (38 t), while its 1979 build year is earlier than 43% of Rio Arriba's recorded-year cohort (160 bridges).
NM-581 in Rio Arriba, New Mexico is rated Fair in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1979, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 6. 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:000000000008150
INTERSTATE-ERA · CONCRETE · LONG-SPAN-RUN · DECK-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-FAIR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- CONCRETE Concrete
- LONG-SPAN-RUN 4 spans
- DECK-LED Deck-led
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial 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: NM-581
The NM-581 bridge in Rio Arriba, New Mexico carries NM-581 over ARROYO SECO. It was built in 1979, making it 47 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete continuous and spans 4 sections, stretching 37.0 meters (121 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 1,018 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-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 7/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. No reported major component scores in the Poor range under the current federal condition thresholds.
How NM-581 compares
Age against the county: built in 1979, earlier than 68 of Rio Arriba's 160 bridges with a recorded construction year (43%), against a county median build year of 1975. This is one of the newer structures in its county.
Live comparison across New Mexico bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (4,030 of 4,035 rated).
NM-581 vs every rated New Mexico bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
38 Top 14% higher than 86% 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.
Rio Arriba inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 160 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
- 1979
- Material
- Concrete Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 4
- Structure Length
- 37.0 m (121 ft)
- Deck Width
- 10.0 m (33 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 1,018 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000008150
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates fair at 6/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
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 NM-581 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 NM-581 against other structures in Rio Arriba 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 NM-581?
NM-581 in Rio Arriba, New Mexico has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is NM-581 inspected?
NM-581'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 1,018 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. NM-581 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 NM-581?
NM-581 has an NBI inventory load rating of 38.2 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining NM-581?
NM-581 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is NM-581 and does age affect safety?
NM-581 was built in 1979, making it 47 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.