Total bridges
96
Public highway bridges in Clare County
County profile · official public datasets
Clare County, MI
96 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 38.5% rated Good, 58.3% Fair, 3.1% Poor.
- 96
- Public bridges
- 38.5%
- Good condition
- 3.1%
- Poor condition
The verdict
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.
Clare County pairs a top-10% lowest Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state with a newer average build year than the state inventory.
- Top 7%
- lowest Poor share in state
- 3.1%
- Poor-condition share
- 96
- public highway bridges
- 1984
- 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.
Clare County Bridge Snapshot
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Clare County ranks #6 of 83 Michigan counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 3.1%). Clare County, Michigan contains 96 public highway bridges. Roughly 38.5% are rated “Good,” 58.3% “Fair,” and 3.1% “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.
Good condition
38.5%
37 of 96 rated 7-9
Fair condition
58.3%
56 of 96 rated 5-6
Poor condition
3.1%
3 of 96 rated 4 or below
In-state Poor-share rank
#6 of 83
Among Michigan counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better
Condition distribution
Share of 96 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.
Good 38.5% (37)
Fair 58.3% (56)
Poor 3.1% (3)
Clare County's Poor-condition bridges carry 1,330 vehicle crossings a day
That is 0.6% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 3.1% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 443 crossings a day against 1,677 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 96 of 96 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
45.8% of Clare County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark
44 of the 96 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 38.5% 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 71.4% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic
COLONVILLE ROAD over MC CURRAN CREEK, built 1981, carries 950 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 3-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.
Share is of the 1,330 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
When Clare County's bridges were built
96 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade
- 1930s 6
1930–1939
6 bridges
- 1950s 2
1950–1959
2 bridges
- 1960s
1960–1969
25 bridges
- 1970s
1970–1979
15 bridges
- 1980s 6
1980–1989
6 bridges
- 1990s
1990–1999
13 bridges
- 2000s
2000–2009
12 bridges
- 2010s 6
2010–2019
6 bridges
- 2020s
2020–2029
11 bridges
What this shows Construction peaked in the 1960s, when 25 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 26% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 55 to 64 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year is 1984, 8 years newer than the Michigan average of 1976.
How Clare County compares with Michigan's closest counties by inventory size
The 5 Michigan counties nearest Clare County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 3.1% Poor share is the 1st-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1984 against a peer-group mean of 1976 is 8 years newer.
Showing the 5 closest of 82 Michigan counties eligible for comparison.
| County | Bridges | Good | Fair | Poor | Avg. built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsdale County | 105 | 24.8% | 58.1% | 17.1% | 1973 |
| Gogebic County | 104 | 23.1% | 59.6% | 17.3% | 1969 |
| Osceola County | 103 | 38.8% | 54.4% | 6.8% | 1983 |
| Oceana County | 100 | 31% | 64% | 5% | 1977 |
| Menominee County | 96 | 47.9% | 42.7% | 9.4% | 1978 |
| Clare County (this page) | 96 | 38.5% | 58.3% | 3.1% | 1984 |
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 Clare 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 Clare County, both outside Michigan so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.
Similar inventory size
Nearest county inventories outside MI (96 bridges here).
- Del Norte County, CA · 96 bridges
- Routt County, CO · 96 bridges
- Blaine County, ID · 96 bridges
- Aitkin County, MN · 96 bridges
Similar average build year
Nearest mean year-built outside MI (1984 here).
- Hennepin County, MN · avg 1984 · 936 bridges
- Duval County, FL · avg 1984 · 831 bridges
- El Paso County, CO · avg 1984 · 686 bridges
- Bell County, TX · avg 1984 · 660 bridges
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.
All bridges (96)
BEAVERTON ROAD
FairOver: BAILEY CREEK
SHERIDAN TWP SEC 10-15, Clare, MI
Built 2002 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 1,430
TOWNLINE LAKE RD
FairOver: US-127
3.0 MI N M-61, Clare, MI
Built 1964 Load: 18.5 t ADT: 1,800
HASKEL LAKE ROAD
FairOver: CLAM RIVER
SEC 15-22 WINTERFIELD TWP, Clare, MI
Built 1975 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 320
ATHEY AVENUE
FairOver: MIDDLE BR TOBACCO RIVER
SEC 27-28 ARTHUR TWP, Clare, MI
Built 1991 Load: 26.6 t ADT: 240
MOSTETLER RD
FairOver: US-127 SB
1.3 MI N US-127BR M-61, Clare, MI
Built 1966 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 300
KEEHN ROAD
FairOver: CLAM RIVER
WINTERFIELD TWP SEC 3, Clare, MI
Built 1974 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 490
RODGERS AVE
FairOver: MID BR TOBACCO RIVER
SEC 29-30 ARTHUR TWP, Clare, MI
Built 2008 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 160
BAILEY LAKE AVE
FairOver: M BR TOBACCO RIVER
ARTHUR TWP SEC 26 27, Clare, MI
Built 1992 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 450
HATTON RD
FairOver: US-127 SB
4.6 MI S OF M-61, Clare, MI
Built 1966 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 200
BROWNS ROAD
FairOver: MIDDLE BR TOBACCO RIVER
SEC 26-35 ARTHUR TWP, Clare, MI
Built 1993 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 215
SURREY RD
FairOver: US-127 NB
1.0 MI N OF US-127 BR, Clare, MI
Built 1964 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 1,500
PARTRIDGE AVENUE
FairOver: W BR CLAM RIVER
WINTERFIELD TWP SEC 20, Clare, MI
Built 1974 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 290
JACKSON AVENUE
FairOver: PRESTLE CREEK
SEC 20-21 SUMMERFIELD, Clare, MI
Built 1991 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 290
US-10 WB
FairOver: EBERHART ROAD
0.9 MI NW OF ISABELLA COL, Clare, MI
Built 1961 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,844
GRANT AVENUE
FairOver: S BR TOBACCO RIVER
GRANT TWP SEC 27 28, Clare, MI
Built 2001 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,000
US-127 SB
FairOver: S BR TOBACCO RIVER
N LTS OF CLARE, Clare, MI
Built 1962 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 9,699
BAILEY DRIVE
FairOver: US-127
1.7 MI S OF ROSCOMMON COL, Clare, MI
Built 1966 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 300
LONG LAKE RD
FairOver: US-127 NB
4.0 MI S OF ROSCOMMON COL, Clare, MI
Built 1966 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 300
BEAVER ROAD
FairOver: S BR TOBACCO RIVER
GRANT TWP SEC 30, Clare, MI
Built 2010 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 1,000
PINE ROAD
FairOver: MUSKEGON RIVER
WINTERFIELD TWP SEC 34, Clare, MI
Built 1985 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 150
US-127 NB
FairOver: S BR TOBACCO RIVER
N LTS OF CLARE, Clare, MI
Built 1962 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 9,699
US-10 CON TO US127
FairOver: US-127 NB & EBERHART RD
0.8 MI NW OF ISABELLA COL, Clare, MI
Built 1961 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 5,688
MANNSIDING RD
FairOver: US-127 SB
2.3 MI S OF M-61, Clare, MI
Built 1966 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 1,000
CORNWELL AVENUE
FairOver: SOUTH BR TOBACCO RIVER
SEC 31 SHERIDAN TWP, Clare, MI
Built 1988 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 320
WASHINGTON ROAD
FairOver: SOUTH BR TOBACCO RIVER
SEC 30-31 SHERIDAN TWP, Clare, MI
Built 1992 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 320
DOVER RD
FairOver: US-127
3.0 MI N OF US-127 BR, Clare, MI
Built 1966 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 250
MANNSIDING RD
FairOver: US-127 NB
2.3 MI S OF M-61, Clare, MI
Built 1966 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 1,500
US-127 SB
FairOver: US-127 BR
6.2 MI S OF ROSCOMMON COL, Clare, MI
Built 1961 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 7,200
US-127 BR
FairOver: S BR TOBACCO RIVER
IN CLARE, Clare, MI
Built 1931 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 11,391
BRAND AVENUE
FairOver: S BR TOBACCO RIVER
SEC 28-29 SHERIDAN TWP, Clare, MI
Built 1979 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 290
WILSON ROAD
FairOver: W BR CLAM RIVER
WINTERFIELD TWP SEC 7 18, Clare, MI
Built 1994 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 76
POPLAR ROAD
FairOver: MIDDLE BR TOBACCO RIVER
SEC 32 ARTHUR TWP, Clare, MI
Built 2004 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 100
M-61
FairOver: MUSKEGON RIVER
2.8 MI E OF OSCEOLA COL, Clare, MI
Built 1951 Load: 40.2 t ADT: 1,115
US-10 EB
FairOver: MDOT RR CORRIDOR
3 MI NW OF FARWELL, Clare, MI
Built 1973 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 4,543
US-10 WB
FairOver: US-127
4 MI N OF CLARE, Clare, MI
Built 1973 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 9,050
ARNOLD LAKE ROAD
FairOver: W BR CEDAR RIVER
FRANKLIN TWP SEC 34, Clare, MI
Built 1984 Load: 41.1 t ADT: 1,010
M-115
FairOver: DOC & TOM CREEK
4.6 MI SE OF OSCEOLA COL, Clare, MI
Built 1938 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 5,855
US-10 WB
FairOver: MDOT RR CORRIDOR
3 MI NW OF FARWELL, Clare, MI
Built 1973 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 4,543
HARRISON RD
FairOver: US-10
5 MI NW OF CLARE, Clare, MI
Built 1973 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 300
US-10E TO US-127N
FairOver: US-127
4 MI N OF CLARE, Clare, MI
Built 1973 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 1,100
GRANT RD
FairOver: US-10
5 MI N OF CLARE, Clare, MI
Built 1973 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 300
COLONVILLE ROAD
FairOver: S BR TOBACCO RIVER
SHERIDAN TWP SEC 22 27, Clare, MI
Built 1998 Load: 43.4 t ADT: 600
M-115
FairOver: S BR TOBACCO RIVER
1.7 MI E OF FARWELL, Clare, MI
Built 1935 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 7,472
US-10 WB
FairOver: M-115
3.5 MI NW OF FARWELL, Clare, MI
Built 1973 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 3,250
US-127 SB
FairOver: US-127 BR & M-61
@ US-127 BR & M-61, Clare, MI
Built 1961 Load: 46.0 t ADT: 6,558
US-10 EB
FairOver: M-115
3.5 MI NW OF FARWELL, Clare, MI
Built 1973 Load: 46.3 t ADT: 3,250
TOBACCO DRIVE
FairOver: S BR TOBACCO RIVER
SHERIDAN TWP SEC 22, Clare, MI
Built 1959 Load: 46.3 t ADT: 800
GARFIELD AVE
FairOver: DOC & TOM CREEK
FREEMAN TWP SEC 29 30, Clare, MI
Built 1991 Load: 46.7 t ADT: 280
CLARABELLA RD
FairOver: US-10 CONN
@ ISABELLA CO LINE, Clare, MI
Built 1961 Load: 47.3 t ADT: 600
OLD STATE RD
FairOver: US-10
2.0 MI N OF FARWELL, Clare, MI
Built 1973 Load: 49.2 t ADT: 1,500
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
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.