US81
Carrying US81 over MISSOURI RIVER
SCL YANKTON, Cedar, Nebraska
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: US81
The US81 bridge in Cedar, Nebraska carries US81 over MISSOURI RIVER. It was built in 2007, making it 19 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel continuous and spans 6 sections, stretching 484.3 meters (1589 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 7,755 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Nebraska bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure at 8/9, substructure at 6/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. All reported major components score above the Poor range. Its NBI inventory load rating is 38.0 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How US81 compares
Live comparison across Nebraska.
Historical Sufficiency Rating
PlainBridge-computedFHWA discontinued this calculated item; it does not determine current condition, funding eligibility, posting, or closure. How the historical reference is calculated.
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 2007
- Material
- Steel Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 6
- Structure Length
- 484.3 m (1589 ft)
- Deck Width
- 23.3 m (76 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 7,755 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- S081 21489
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in fair condition (6/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • At 8/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
- • At 6/9, the substructure (piers and abutments) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether US81 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 US81 against other structures in Cedar and across Nebraska. Nebraska 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 US81?
US81 in Cedar, Nebraska has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 8/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is US81 inspected?
US81'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 7,755 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. US81 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 US81?
US81 has an NBI inventory load rating of 38.0 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining US81?
US81 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is US81 and does age affect safety?
US81 was built in 2007, making it 19 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.
Every figure on PlainBridge is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.