SH 243
Carrying SH 243 over MILL CREEK
0.35 MI E OF SH 19, Van Zandt, Texas
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
SH 243 in Van Zandt, Texas sits above 3% of rated Texas bridges on inventory load rating (24 t), while its 1952 build year is earlier than 85% of Van Zandt's recorded-year cohort (249 bridges).
SH 243 in Van Zandt, Texas is rated Good in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1952, 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:102340052202032
INTERSTATE-ERA · CONCRETE · LONG-SPAN-RUN · CULVERT-LED · HEAVY-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-GOOD
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- CONCRETE Concrete
- LONG-SPAN-RUN 6 spans
- CULVERT-LED Culvert-led
- HEAVY-ADT Heavy 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: SH 243
The SH 243 bridge in Van Zandt, Texas carries SH 243 over MILL CREEK. It was built in 1952, making it 74 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 2018, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of concrete and spans 6 sections, stretching 19.2 meters (63 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 11,003 vehicles, placing it in the heavily-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. All reported major components score above the Poor range.
How SH 243 compares
Age against the county: built in 1952, earlier than 211 of Van Zandt's 249 bridges with a recorded construction year (85%), 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).
SH 243 vs every rated Texas bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
24 Top 97% higher than 3% 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.
Van Zandt inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 249 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
- 1952
- Last Reconstructed
- 2018
- Material
- Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 6
- Structure Length
- 19.2 m (63 ft)
- Deck Width
- 27.4 m (90 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 11,003 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 102340052202032
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 SH 243 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 SH 243 against other structures in Van Zandt 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 SH 243?
SH 243 in Van Zandt, Texas on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is SH 243 inspected?
SH 243'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 11,003 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. SH 243 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 SH 243?
SH 243 has an NBI inventory load rating of 23.6 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining SH 243?
SH 243 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is SH 243 and does age affect safety?
SH 243 was built in 1952, making it 74 years old and last reconstructed in 2018.
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.