FM 481
Carrying FM 481 over GATO CREEK
3.3 MI E OF MAVERICK C/L, Zavala, Texas
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
FM 481 in Zavala, Texas is rated Fair in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.
Built in 1983, 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 TX:222540159002009
LATE-CENTURY · CONCRETE · LONG-SPAN-RUN · CULVERT-LED · LOCAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-FAIR
- LATE-CENTURY 1980–1999
- CONCRETE Concrete
- LONG-SPAN-RUN 13 spans
- CULVERT-LED Culvert-led
- LOCAL-ADT Local 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: FM 481
The FM 481 bridge in Zavala, Texas carries FM 481 over GATO CREEK. It was built in 1983, making it 43 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete and spans 13 sections, stretching 42.4 meters (139 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 960 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Texas 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. All reported major components score above the Poor range.
How FM 481 compares
Age against the county: built in 1983, earlier than 3 of Zavala's 72 bridges with a recorded construction year (4%), against a county median build year of 1962. This is one of the newer structures in its county.
Live comparison across Texas bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (56,715 of 56,729 rated).
FM 481 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.
Zavala inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 72 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
- 1983
- Material
- Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 13
- Structure Length
- 42.4 m (139 ft)
- Deck Width
- 11.1 m (36 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 960 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 222540159002009
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 FM 481 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 FM 481 against other structures in Zavala 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 FM 481?
FM 481 in Zavala, Texas on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is FM 481 inspected?
FM 481'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 960 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. FM 481 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 FM 481?
FM 481 has an NBI inventory load rating of 23.6 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining FM 481?
FM 481 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is FM 481 and does age affect safety?
FM 481 was built in 1983, making it 43 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.