NM-197
Carrying NM-197 over UNNAMED WATERWAY
0.9 MI SW OF JCT US 550, Sandoval, New Mexico
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
NM-197 in Sandoval, New Mexico sits above 29% of rated New Mexico bridges on inventory load rating (32 t), while its 1962 build year is earlier than 79% of Sandoval's recorded-year cohort (182 bridges).
NM-197 in Sandoval, New Mexico is rated Fair in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1962, it carries 1 rated component 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:000000000010018
INTERSTATE-ERA · STEEL · MULTI-SPAN · CULVERT-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-FAIR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- STEEL Steel
- MULTI-SPAN 2 spans
- CULVERT-LED Culvert-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-197
The NM-197 bridge in Sandoval, New Mexico carries NM-197 over UNNAMED WATERWAY. It was built in 1962, making it 64 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 2 sections, stretching 8.7 meters (29 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 1,092 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 culvert at 6/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. No reported major component scores in the Poor range under the current federal condition thresholds.
How NM-197 compares
Age against the county: built in 1962, earlier than 143 of Sandoval's 182 bridges with a recorded construction year (79%), against a county median build year of 1981. 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).
NM-197 vs every rated New Mexico bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
32 Top 71% higher than 29% 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.
Sandoval inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 182 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
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 2
- Structure Length
- 8.7 m (29 ft) 0
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 1,092 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000010018
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-197 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-197 against other structures in Sandoval 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-197?
NM-197 in Sandoval, New Mexico on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is NM-197 inspected?
NM-197'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 1,092 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. NM-197 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-197?
NM-197 has an NBI inventory load rating of 32.4 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining NM-197?
NM-197 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is NM-197 and does age affect safety?
NM-197 was built in 1962, making it 64 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.