County profile · official public datasets

Ellis County, KS

275 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 51.3% rated Good, 44.7% Fair, 4% Poor.

275
Public bridges
51.3%
Good condition
4%
Poor condition

The verdict

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.

Ellis County posts a better-than-median Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state across mid-size county bridge inventory.

Top 46%
lowest Poor share in state
4%
Poor-condition share
275
public highway bridges
1969
avg year built

Poor is an FHWA condition category from the lowest applicable component rating (4 or below), not a live crossing-safety or closure decision. Rankings cover counties with at least five public highway bridges.

Ellis County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Ellis County ranks #48 of 104 Kansas counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 4%). Ellis County, Kansas contains 275 public highway bridges. Roughly 51.3% are rated “Good,” 44.7% “Fair,” and 4% “Poor.” Poor means the lowest applicable deck, superstructure, substructure, or culvert rating is 4 or below on the 0–9 NBI scale. It is a condition category, not a live safety or closure decision.

Responsible agencies inspect covered bridges on risk-based intervals under current NBIS rules and submit inventory data to FHWA annually. The list below shows every NBI-tracked bridge in the county. Use the “Sort by” controls to change the ordering, and click any row for its reported inspection date, traffic count, and condition fields.

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See methodology for full definitions.

Total bridges

275

Public highway bridges in Ellis County

Good condition

51.3%

141 of 275 rated 7-9

Fair condition

44.7%

123 of 275 rated 5-6

Poor condition

4%

11 of 275 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#48 of 104

Among Kansas counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better

Condition distribution

Share of 275 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
51.3% (141)
Fair
44.7% (123)
Poor
4% (11)

Ellis County's Poor-condition bridges carry 2,885 vehicle crossings a day

That is 0.7% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 4% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 262 crossings a day against 2,098 for a Good-condition one. A Poor rating is a condition category, not a closure or a live safety judgement; it means the lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below.

Computed over the 275 of 275 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

60.4% of Ellis County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

166 of the 275 bridges with a recorded construction year were built in 1974 or earlier. Age alone is not a defect: a well-maintained older bridge can rate Good, and 51.3% of this county's inventory does. Even so, this older cohort is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn, which is why the age profile below matters alongside the condition split above.

Cutoff derives from the 2024 release year minus a 50-year design life. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

One structure carries 34.7% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

Old Highway 40 over N. FORK BIG CREEK TRIB., built 1949, carries 1,000 vehicles a day, the most of any Poor-rated structure here. The county's Poor-condition exposure is concentrated rather than evenly spread, so the 11-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 2,885 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Ellis County's bridges were built

275 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1960s, when 77 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 28% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 55 to 64 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1969) matches the Kansas average (1972).

Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory (year built) As of 2024 NBI release

How Ellis County compares with Kansas's closest counties by inventory size

The 5 Kansas counties nearest Ellis County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 4% Poor share is the 5th-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1969 against a peer-group mean of 1968 is in line with the group.

Showing the 5 closest of 103 Kansas counties eligible for comparison.

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Ellis County and the 5 Kansas counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Smith County 281 11.4%
Ellis County (this page) 275 4%
Republic County 266 3%
Rice County 262 3.1%
Russell County 261 1.9%
Mitchell County 260 3.5%

Each share is of that county's own total tracked bridges; peers are the counties with 5 or more bridges whose inventory size is closest to Ellis County's. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

Nationwide counties with similar inventory size or average build year

Two NBI-derived peer sets for Ellis County, both outside Kansas so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside KS (275 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside KS (1969 here).

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.

All 275 Good 141 Fair 123 Poor 11

All bridges (275)

Yocemento Road

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK

WEST EDGE YOCEMENTO, Ellis, KS

Built 1930 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 110

Munjor Road

Fair

Over: N. FORK BIG CREEK TRIB.

3.0S 1.7E OF VICTORIA, Ellis, KS

Built 1939 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 45

Toulon Avenue

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK TRIBUTARY

0.8N 1.0E OF MUNJOR, Ellis, KS

Built 1934 Load: 35.5 t ADT: 55

260th Avenue

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK TRIBUTARY

4.0S 1.5E OF HAYS, Ellis, KS

Built 1940 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 35

Munjor Rd

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK TRIBUTARY

2.3E OF MUNJOR, Ellis, KS

Built 1936 Load: 36.5 t ADT: 75

S County Line Road

Fair

Over: SMOKY HILL TRIBUTARY

0.7S 2.5W OF PFEIFER, Ellis, KS

Built 1971 Load: 36.6 t ADT: 30

RS0231 K255 HWY

Fair

Over: I70 HWY NL-SL

JCT K255/I70, Ellis, KS

Built 1965 Load: 36.8 t ADT: 1,250

US183 HWY

Fair

Over: SALINE RIVER DRAINAGE

13.07 N JT I70, Ellis, KS

Built 1963 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 2,900

W. 11th Street

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK

0.5W OF SOUTH ELLIS, Ellis, KS

Built 1992 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 70

Walker Av (RS 449)

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK

4.8S OF WALKER, Ellis, KS

Built 1936 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 35

US183 BYPASS

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK

0.14 MI NW JCT OLD 40 HWY, Ellis, KS

Built 1966 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 3,530

270th Avenue

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK

3.6S 2.5E OF HAYS, Ellis, KS

Built 1991 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 160

I70 HWY WB

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK BIG CREEK

6.59MI E JCT U183 WB, Ellis, KS

Built 1965 Load: 40.9 t ADT: 8,350

I70 HWY EB

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK BIG CREEK

6.58MI E JCT U183 EB, Ellis, KS

Built 1965 Load: 40.9 t ADT: 8,350

US183 BYPASS

Fair

Over: I70 HWY NL-SL

JT U183Y/I70, Ellis, KS

Built 1964 Load: 40.9 t ADT: 3,530

TOULON AVE

Fair

Over: I70 HWY NL-SL

4.35 MI E JT U183, Ellis, KS

Built 1965 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 768

LOCAL ROAD

Fair

Over: I70 HWY NL-SL

1.10 MI E JT U183 ALT, Ellis, KS

Built 1964 Load: 41.9 t ADT: 2,520

Wiles Road

Fair

Over: SALINE RIVER TRIBUTARY

14.2N 1.9E OF WALKER, Ellis, KS

Built 1925 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 35

Golf Course Road

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK BIG CREEK

0.2W OF VICTORIA, Ellis, KS

Built 1999 Load: 46.4 t ADT: 50

RS 230/Locust

Fair

Over: TRIB. TO BIG CREEK

3.5N 0.1E OF ELLIS, Ellis, KS

Built 1949 Load: 46.6 t ADT: 530

Toulon Avenue

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK TRIBUTARY

2.6S 4.5E OF HAYS, Ellis, KS

Built 1936 Load: 47.9 t ADT: 55

Vincent Avenue

Fair

Over: N. FORK BIG CREEK TRIB.

3.0S 1.7E OF VICTORIA, Ellis, KS

Built 1940 Load: 53.3 t ADT: 45

Emmeram Road

Fair

Over: SALT CREEK

6.2N 1.3E OF WALKER, Ellis, KS

Built 1975 Load: 66.4 t ADT: 45

Saline River Road

Good

Over: SALINE RIVER

15.5N 0.9E OF HAYS, Ellis, KS

Built 1975 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 150

US183 HWY

Good

Over: N FK BIG CREEK DRAINAGE

06.15 MI N JT I70, Ellis, KS

Built 1962 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 3,140

E. 27TH. ST.

Good

Over: CHETOLAH CREEK

E. 27TH. ST. IN HAYS, Ellis, KS

Built 1955 Load: 17.7 t ADT: 9,800

US183 HWY

Good

Over: BIG CREEK DRAINAGE

9.53 MI N RUSH COLN, Ellis, KS

Built 1970 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 3,490

Antonino Road

Good

Over: SMOKY HILL TRIBUTARY

2.9E OF ANTONINO, Ellis, KS

Built 1979 Load: 18.9 t ADT: 385

150th Avenue

Good

Over: TRIB. TO SPRING CREEK

6.5N 3.0E OF ELLIS, Ellis, KS

Built 1983 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 45

Catherine Road

Good

Over: WALKER CREEK TRIBUTARY

4.2N 0.5W OF WALKER, Ellis, KS

Built 1977 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 40

Cathedral Street

Good

Over: N. FORK BIG CREEK

0.2S OF VICTORIA, Ellis, KS

Built 1984 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 310

N. County Line Rd

Good

Over: SALINE RIVER TRIBUTARY

13.5N OF ELLIS, Ellis, KS

Built 1953 Load: 19.5 t ADT: 210

Ellis Avenue

Good

Over: STREAM

3.1N OF ELLIS, Ellis, KS

Built 1958 Load: 19.6 t ADT: 530

Victoria Road

Good

Over: STREAM

4.5E OF HAYS, Ellis, KS

Built 1974 Load: 19.9 t ADT: 65

Saline River Road

Good

Over: SALINE RIVER

12.0N 1.3W OF CATHARINE, Ellis, KS

Built 1975 Load: 20.2 t ADT: 260

110th Avenue

Good

Over: EAST SPRING CREEK

7.6N 1.0W OF ELLIS, Ellis, KS

Built 1979 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 45

Saline River Road

Good

Over: SALINE RIVER TRIBUTARY

15.5N 0.3W OF HAYS, Ellis, KS

Built 1984 Load: 20.6 t ADT: 140

Golf Course Road

Good

Over: SMOKY HILL TRIBUTARY

5.5S 0.2E OF ELLIS, Ellis, KS

Built 1952 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 265

Saline River Road

Good

Over: SALINE RIVER

15.5N 2.4E OF HAYS, Ellis, KS

Built 1975 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 310

Saline River Road

Good

Over: SALINE RIVER

15.5N 2.9E OF HAYS, Ellis, KS

Built 1975 Load: 22.6 t ADT: 280

370th Avenue

Good

Over: SALINE RIVER

13.2N 1.0W OF WALKER, Ellis, KS

Built 1997 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 40

Riverview Road

Good

Over: SALINE RIVER

10.5N 6.4E OF ELLIS, Ellis, KS

Built 1976 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 80

Toulon Avenue

Good

Over: BIG CREEK

0.8S 1.0E OF MUNJOR, Ellis, KS

Built 1982 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 35

350th Avenue

Good

Over: NORTH FORK BIG CREEK

1.2S 0.7E OF VICTORIA, Ellis, KS

Built 1987 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 40

360th Ave

Good

Over: NORTH FORK BIG CREEK

2.0S 1.7E OF VICTORIA, Ellis, KS

Built 1985 Load: 26.0 t ADT: 30

Saline River Road

Good

Over: SAND CREEK

15.5N 1.8W OF HAYS, Ellis, KS

Built 1982 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 120

S. County Line Rd

Good

Over: BIG TIMBER CREEK

2.5E 1.0S OF SCHOENCHEN, Ellis, KS

Built 1985 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 30

I70 HWY EB

Good

Over: RS1910 OLD 40 HWY UPRR

3.61 MI E JT K255 EB, Ellis, KS

Built 1965 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 7,850

Emmeran Road

Good

Over: WALKER CREEK

6.2N 0.2W OF WALKER, Ellis, KS

Built 1980 Load: 26.6 t ADT: 50

Saline River Road

Good

Over: SALINE RIVER

12.0N 1.0W OF CATHARINE, Ellis, KS

Built 1982 Load: 26.7 t ADT: 260

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Related

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Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges

Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.