161ST AVENUE
Carrying 161ST AVENUE over BOXELDER CK
0.6S NEW UNDERWOOD, Pennington, South Dakota
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
161ST AVENUE in Pennington, South Dakota sits above 79% of rated South Dakota bridges on inventory load rating (41 t), while its 1973 build year is earlier than 48% of Pennington's recorded-year cohort (348 bridges).
161ST AVENUE in Pennington, South Dakota is rated Fair in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1973, 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 SD:000000052608295
INTERSTATE-ERA · PRESTRESS · MULTI-SPAN · SUB-LED · LOCAL-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-FAIR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- PRESTRESS Prestressed concrete
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- SUB-LED Substructure-led
- LOCAL-ADT Local ADT
- HEAVY-LOAD Heavy 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: 161ST AVENUE
The 161ST AVENUE bridge in Pennington, South Dakota carries 161ST AVENUE over BOXELDER CK. It was built in 1973, making it 53 years old today. The structure is built primarily of prestressed concrete and spans 3 sections, stretching 24.7 meters (81 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 780 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of South Dakota bridges. It is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure 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 161ST AVENUE compares
Age against the county: built in 1973, earlier than 166 of Pennington's 348 bridges with a recorded construction year (48%), against a county median build year of 1973.
Live comparison across South Dakota bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (5,886 of 5,887 rated).
161ST AVENUE vs every rated South Dakota bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
41 Top 21% higher than 79% of 5,886 bridges
rated South 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.
Pennington inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 348 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
- 1973
- Material
- Prestressed Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 24.7 m (81 ft)
- Deck Width
- 9.4 m (31 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 780 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000052608295
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • At 7/9, 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.
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 161ST AVENUE 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 161ST AVENUE against other structures in Pennington and across South Dakota. South 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 161ST AVENUE?
161ST AVENUE in Pennington, South Dakota has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is 161ST AVENUE inspected?
161ST AVENUE'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 780 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. 161ST AVENUE 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 161ST AVENUE?
161ST AVENUE has an NBI inventory load rating of 41.3 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining 161ST AVENUE?
161ST AVENUE is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is 161ST AVENUE and does age affect safety?
161ST AVENUE was built in 1973, making it 53 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.