USH 12
Carrying USH 12 over OTTER CREEK
0.4M E JCT USH 53 TO N, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
USH 12 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin sits above 81% of rated Wisconsin bridges on inventory load rating (41 t), while its 1988 build year is earlier than 46% of Eau Claire's recorded-year cohort (236 bridges).
USH 12 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1988, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 4. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Poor 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 WI:B18011300000000
LATE-CENTURY · STEEL · SINGLE-SPAN · SUB-LED · HEAVY-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- LATE-CENTURY 1980–1999
- STEEL Steel
- SINGLE-SPAN Single span
- SUB-LED Substructure-led
- HEAVY-ADT Heavy ADT
- HEAVY-LOAD Heavy load
- CAT-POOR Poor
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: USH 12
The USH 12 bridge in Eau Claire, Wisconsin carries USH 12 over OTTER CREEK. It was built in 1988, making it 38 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 1 section, stretching 45.9 meters (151 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 20,800 vehicles, placing it in the heavily-trafficked tier of Wisconsin bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure at 6/9, substructure at 4/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. Because at least one major component scores 4 or lower, this bridge falls in FHWA's Poor condition category. That category is not a closure order.
How USH 12 compares
Age against the county: built in 1988, earlier than 109 of Eau Claire's 236 bridges with a recorded construction year (46%), against a county median build year of 1986. This is one of the newer structures in its county.
Live comparison across Wisconsin bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (14,446 rated).
USH 12 vs every rated Wisconsin bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
41 Top 19% higher than 81% of 14,446 bridges
rated Wisconsin 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.
Eau Claire inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 236 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
- 1988
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 45.9 m (151 ft)
- Deck Width
- 26.3 m (86 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 20,800 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- B18011300000000
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • At 6/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates poor at 4/9, with advanced deterioration recorded on the latest inspection.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
USH 12 is in the federal Poor condition category. That is a component-based result, not a closure order.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Understand what Poor condition does and does not mean before drawing conclusions. Poor condition explained
- Compare USH 12 against other structures in Eau Claire and across Wisconsin. Wisconsin 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 USH 12?
USH 12 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 6/9, and substructure rating of 4/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is USH 12 inspected?
USH 12'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 20,800 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. USH 12 is currently shown as Poor condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for USH 12?
USH 12 has an NBI inventory load rating of 40.5 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining USH 12?
USH 12 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is USH 12 and does age affect safety?
USH 12 was built in 1988, making it 38 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.