County profile · official public datasets

Tuscola County, MI

242 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 33.9% rated Good, 61.2% Fair, 5% Poor.

242
Public bridges
33.9%
Good condition
5%
Poor condition

The verdict

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

Tuscola County posts a top-quartile lowest Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state across mid-size county bridge inventory.

Top 11%
lowest Poor share in state
5%
Poor-condition share
242
public highway bridges
1980
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.

Tuscola County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Tuscola County ranks #9 of 83 Michigan counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 5%). Tuscola County, Michigan contains 242 public highway bridges. Roughly 33.9% are rated “Good,” 61.2% “Fair,” and 5% “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

242

Public highway bridges in Tuscola County

Good condition

33.9%

82 of 242 rated 7-9

Fair condition

61.2%

148 of 242 rated 5-6

Poor condition

5%

12 of 242 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#9 of 83

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

Condition distribution

Share of 242 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
33.9% (82)
Fair
61.2% (148)
Poor
5% (12)

Tuscola County's Poor-condition bridges carry 20,782 vehicle crossings a day

That is 8.1% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 5% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry more traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 1,732 crossings a day against 1,031 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 242 of 242 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

40.1% of Tuscola County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

97 of the 242 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 33.9% 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 32.2% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

M-46 over CHEBOYGAN & BRANCHES DRN, built 1939, carries 6,701 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 12-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 20,782 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Tuscola County's bridges were built

242 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1970s, when 70 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 28.9% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 45 to 54 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1980) matches the Michigan average (1976).

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

How Tuscola County compares with Michigan's closest counties by inventory size

The 5 Michigan counties nearest Tuscola County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 5% Poor share is the 1st-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1980 against a peer-group mean of 1977 is in line with the group.

Showing the 5 closest of 82 Michigan counties eligible for comparison.

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Tuscola County and the 5 Michigan counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Washtenaw County 262 20.2%
Ottawa County 254 6.3%
Allegan County 244 16.8%
Tuscola County (this page) 242 5%
Ingham County 241 15.4%
Lenawee County 225 12.9%

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 Tuscola 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 Tuscola County, both outside Michigan so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside MI (242 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside MI (1980 here).

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

All bridges (242)

ROSSMAN ROAD

Good

Over: S. O. DRAIN

SEC 29-32 WELLS TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1978 Load: 21.7 t ADT: 120

M-24

Good

Over: GILBERT BR WISCOGGIN DRN

3.0 MI EAST OF AKRON, Tuscola, MI

Built 1984 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,825

SHREEVES ROAD

Good

Over: ALLEN EXTN DRAIN

SEC 16 FAIRGROVE TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1967 Load: 26.6 t ADT: 220

WELLS ROAD

Good

Over: S. O. DRAIN

SEC 32 WELLS TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1986 Load: 26.6 t ADT: 50

PHILLIPS ROAD

Good

Over: WHITE CREEK I/C DRAIN

SEC 19-20 NOVESTA TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1973 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 680

CEMETERY ROAD

Good

Over: WHITE CREEK I/C DRAIN

SEC 21-22 NOVESTA TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1986 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 2,370

MUSHROOM ROAD

Good

Over: SOUTH BR WHITE CREEK

SEC 6-7 KINGSTON TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1978 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 40

SHABBONA ROAD

Good

Over: WHITE CREEK I/C DRAIN

SEC 19-30 NOVESTA TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1972 Load: 32.1 t ADT: 335

WASHBURN ROAD

Good

Over: SCOTT DRAIN

SEC 31 INDIANFIELDS TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1979 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 50

M-24

Good

Over: KREGER DRAIN

2.0 MI NW OF MAYVILLE LTS, Tuscola, MI

Built 1941 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,188

DICKERSON ROAD

Good

Over: LATIMER OR ALLEN RELIEF

SEC 17-20 AKRON TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 2009 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,300

VASSAR ROAD

Good

Over: GOODING CREEK

SEC 13 TUSCOLA TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1987 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,440

ELMWOOD ROAD

Good

Over: ALLEN DRAIN

SEC 29-32 AKRON TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1992 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 225

TURNER ROAD

Good

Over: SUCKER CREEK DRAIN

SEC 11-12 DAYTON TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 2003 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 70

ALLEN ROAD

Good

Over: SOUTHGATE DRAIN

SEC 6-7 AKRON TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1998 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 27

CARSON ROAD

Good

Over: SOUTHGATE DRAIN

SEC 7-18 AKRON TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1998 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50

CASS CITY ROAD

Good

Over: ALLEN DRAIN #1

SEC 20-29 AKRON TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 2010 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 75

THOMAS ROAD

Good

Over: ALLEN EXT DRAIN

SEC 32-33 AKRON TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 2014 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 175

BIRCH RUN ROAD

Good

Over: THETFORD-ARBELA I/C DRN

SEC 23-26 ARBELA TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1978 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 3,540

VAN GEISEN ROAD

Good

Over: NORTHWEST DRAIN

SEC 2 DENMARK TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1998 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 90

WATERMAN ROAD

Good

Over: EVERGREEN CREEK

SEC 1 VASSAR TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1992 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 120

CASS CITY ROAD

Good

Over: WISCOGGIN DRAIN

SEC 24-25 AKRON TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1984 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 78

FOSTORIA ROAD

Good

Over: BR EVERGREEN CREEK

SEC 23-24 WATERTOWN TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1991 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 1,420

GOODRICH ROAD

Good

Over: FOSTORIA DRAIN

SEC 26-35 WATERTOWN TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1994 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 105

BEVENS ROAD

Good

Over: SUCKER CREEK

SEC 17-20 WELLS TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1992 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 1,880

M-15

Good

Over: CASS RIVER

IN VASSAR, Tuscola, MI

Built 2015 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 14,550

CENTERLINE ROAD

Good

Over: MURDICK-VANSICKLAND DRN

SEC 15-22 KOYLTON TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1993 Load: 35.5 t ADT: 90

PIKE ROAD

Good

Over: CENTER LINE DRAIN

SEC 20 GILFORD TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 2020 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 24

BAY PARK ROAD

Good

Over: ALLEN DRAIN

SEC 5 AKRON TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1972 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 412

WHITE CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: WHITE CREEK DRAIN #2

SEC 1-2 KOYLTON TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1993 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 600

VASSAR ROAD

Good

Over: PERRY CREEK

SEC 7 MILLINGTON TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1985 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 1,690

VASSAR ROAD

Good

Over: NORTHWEST DRAIN

SEC 18 FAIRGROVE TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1971 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 650

M-25

Good

Over: QUANICASSEE RIVER

0.8 MI E OF BAY CO LINE, Tuscola, MI

Built 2013 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 5,571

ELMWOOD ROAD

Good

Over: NORTH BR CASS RIVER

SEC 34 ELKLAND TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 2003 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 215

DICKERSON ROAD

Good

Over: ALLEN DRAIN

SEC 17-20 AKRON TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1971 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 1,300

VAN BUREN ROAD

Good

Over: BR 1 SQUAW CK-GILFORD DN

SEC 31-32 GILFORD TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1980 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 450

CRAWFORD ROAD

Good

Over: WHITE CREEK I/C DRAIN

SEC 23-34 NOVESTA TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1994 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 130

HOPPE ROAD

Good

Over: WISCOGGIN DAIRN

SEC 12-13 AKRON TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1986 Load: 39.3 t ADT: 115

LOREN ROAD

Good

Over: PERRY CREEK

SEC 28 TUSCOLA TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 2006 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 300

RINGLE ROAD

Good

Over: ALLEN EXTN DRAIN

SEC 15-16 FAIRGROVE TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1979 Load: 40.2 t ADT: 345

RINGLE ROAD

Good

Over: WISCOGGIN DRAIN

SEC 15-16 AKRON TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1996 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 225

CEMETERY ROAD

Good

Over: WHITE CREEK DRAIN #2

SEC 27-28 KINGSTON TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1996 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 105

ALBIN ROAD

Good

Over: SUCKER CREEK

SEC 1 INDIANFIELDS TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1990 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 185

THOMAS ROAD

Good

Over: WISCOGGIN DRAIN

SEC 16-17 AKRON TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1984 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 205

ELMWOOD ROAD

Good

Over: NORTHWEST DRAIN OUTLET 3

SEC 25-36 WISNER TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 2000 Load: 43.8 t ADT: 350

CHAMBERS ROAD

Good

Over: CASS RIVER

SEC 20 INDIANFIELDS TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 2009 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 3,900

M-46

Good

Over: SUCKER CREEK

2.8 MI E OF M-24, Tuscola, MI

Built 2012 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 4,040

LOOMIS ROAD

Good

Over: ALLEN DRAIN

SEC 29-32 AKRON TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1999 Load: 45.0 t ADT: 115

LOOMIS ROAD

Good

Over: AKRON CENTERLINE DRAIN

SEC 27-34 AKRON TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 1993 Load: 46.3 t ADT: 132

VAN BUREN ROAD

Good

Over: SHEBOYGAN 1/C DRAIN

SEC 29-30 DENMARK TWP, Tuscola, MI

Built 2020 Load: 48.0 t ADT: 2,348
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.