US 281
Carrying US 281 over MILLER CREEK
1.2 MI N OFFM1821, Palo Pinto, Texas
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
US 281 in Palo Pinto, Texas sits above 24% of rated Texas bridges on inventory load rating (25 t), while its 1914 build year is earlier than 100% of Palo Pinto's recorded-year cohort (237 bridges).
US 281 in Palo Pinto, Texas is rated Good in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1914, it carries 1 rated component on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 7. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Good 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 TX:021820024908030
PRE-1950 · CONCRETE · MULTI-SPAN · CULVERT-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-GOOD
- PRE-1950 Pre-1950
- CONCRETE Concrete
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- CULVERT-LED Culvert-led
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard load
- CAT-GOOD Good
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 281
The US 281 bridge in Palo Pinto, Texas carries US 281 over MILLER CREEK. It was built in 1914, making it 112 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1949, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of concrete and spans 3 sections, stretching 10.7 meters (35 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 4,603 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Texas bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show culvert at 7/9. The weakest component sits in good condition. No reported major component scores in the Poor range under the current federal condition thresholds.
How US 281 compares
Age against the county: built in 1914, earlier than 236 of Palo Pinto's 237 bridges with a recorded construction year (100%), against a county median build year of 1963. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across Texas bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (56,715 of 56,729 rated).
US 281 vs every rated Texas bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
25 Top 76% higher than 24% of 56,715 bridges
rated Texas 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.
Palo Pinto inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 237 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
- 1914
- Last Reconstructed
- 1949
- Material
- Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 10.7 m (35 ft)
- Deck Width
- 19.2 m (63 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 4,603 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 021820024908030
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 281 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 281 against other structures in Palo Pinto and across Texas. Texas 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 281?
US 281 in Palo Pinto, Texas on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is US 281 inspected?
US 281'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 4,603 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. US 281 is currently shown as Good condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for US 281?
US 281 has an NBI inventory load rating of 24.5 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining US 281?
US 281 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is US 281 and does age affect safety?
US 281 was built in 1914, making it 112 years old and last reconstructed in 1949.
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.