County profile · official public datasets

Traverse County, MN

121 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 65.3% rated Good, 33.1% Fair, 1.7% Poor.

121
Public bridges
65.3%
Good condition
1.7%
Poor condition

The verdict

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

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

Top 17%
lowest Poor share in state
1.7%
Poor-condition share
121
public highway bridges
1985
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.

Traverse County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Traverse County ranks #15 of 87 Minnesota counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 1.7%). Traverse County, Minnesota contains 121 public highway bridges. Roughly 65.3% are rated “Good,” 33.1% “Fair,” and 1.7% “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

121

Public highway bridges in Traverse County

Good condition

65.3%

79 of 121 rated 7-9

Fair condition

33.1%

40 of 121 rated 5-6

Poor condition

1.7%

2 of 121 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#15 of 87

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

Condition distribution

Share of 121 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
65.3% (79)
Fair
33.1% (40)
Poor
1.7% (2)

Traverse County's Poor-condition bridges carry 22 vehicle crossings a day

That is 0.1% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 1.7% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 11 crossings a day against 100 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 121 of 121 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

24.8% of Traverse County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

30 of the 121 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 65.3% 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 54.5% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

T 104 over JUD DITCH # 14, built 1955, carries 12 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 2-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 22 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Traverse County's bridges were built

121 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1970s, when 29 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 24% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 45 to 54 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1985) matches the Minnesota average (1986).

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

How Traverse County compares with Minnesota's closest counties by inventory size

The 5 Minnesota counties nearest Traverse County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 1.7% Poor share is the 2nd-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1985 against a peer-group mean of 1990 is 5 years older.

Showing the 5 closest of 86 Minnesota counties eligible for comparison.

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Traverse County and the 5 Minnesota counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Scott County 129 0.8%
Traverse County (this page) 121 1.7%
Benton County 117 8.5%
Chippewa County 116 6.9%
Carver County 115 2.6%
Washington County 112 4.5%

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

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside MN (121 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside MN (1985 here).

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

Good-condition bridges (79)

CSAH 13

Good

Over: CO DITCH # 42

0.1 MI S OF JCT CR 82, Traverse, MN

Built 2004 Load: 25.8 t ADT: 20

T 89

Good

Over: CO DITCH #27

0.02 MI E OF JCT TH 75, Traverse, MN

Built 2019 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 1

T 101

Good

Over: JD # 14

1.5 MI N JCT CSAH 14, Traverse, MN

Built 2007 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 12

CR 79

Good

Over: CO DITCH # 42

0.1 MI S OF JCT CR 82, Traverse, MN

Built 2004 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 20

MN 27

Good

Over: STEER CREEK

2.4 MI N OF BROWNS VALLE, Traverse, MN

Built 1934 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 793

T 65

Good

Over: CO DITCH #42

0.1 MI S OF JCT CR 82, Traverse, MN

Built 2004 Load: 29.6 t ADT: 15

CSAH 16

Good

Over: OLD MUSTINKA RIVER

0.3 MI W OF CSAH 11, Traverse, MN

Built 2021 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 25

CR 82

Good

Over: TWELVE MILE CREEK

1.2 MI W OF JCT CSAH13, Traverse, MN

Built 2015 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 15

CR 76

Good

Over: MUSTINKA RIVER

0.3 MI W OF JCT TH 27, Traverse, MN

Built 2020 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 60

US 75

Good

Over: MUSTINKA RIVER

1.1 MI N OF JCT MN 27, Traverse, MN

Built 2020 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 1,366

CSAH 6

Good

Over: TWELVE MILE CREEK

0.3 MI E OF JCT TH75, Traverse, MN

Built 2014 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 275

T 94

Good

Over: CO DITCH # 27

1.0 MI E OF JCT TH 75, Traverse, MN

Built 1995 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 12

CSAH 16

Good

Over: CO DITCH # 27

1.5 MI E OF JCT TH75, Traverse, MN

Built 2012 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 25

CSAH 13

Good

Over: TWELVE MILE CREEK

0.1 MI N OF JCT CR 70, Traverse, MN

Built 1975 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 20

CSAH 8

Good

Over: E FK TWELVE MILE CREEK

0.1 MI E OF JCT CSAH15, Traverse, MN

Built 1968 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 25

CSAH 15

Good

Over: W FK TWELVE MILE CREEK

0.6 MI N OF JCT CSAH4, Traverse, MN

Built 1971 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 225

CSAH 15

Good

Over: TWELVE MILE CREEK

0.5 MI N OF JCT CSAH 8, Traverse, MN

Built 1971 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 150

CR 64

Good

Over: E FK TWELVE MILE CREEK

0.8 MI E OF JCT CSAH 15, Traverse, MN

Built 1974 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 15

CR 70

Good

Over: EIGHTEEN MILE CREEK

0.5 MI E OF JCT CSAH 9, Traverse, MN

Built 1977 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 10

CR 92

Good

Over: OLD MUSTINKA RIVER CHAN

0.4 MI W OF JCT CSAH 11, Traverse, MN

Built 1977 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 25

CR 70

Good

Over: TWELVE MILE CREEK

0.2 MI E OF JCT CSAH 13, Traverse, MN

Built 1977 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 45

CSAH 13

Good

Over: TWELVE MILE CREEK

1.2 MI N OF JCT CSAH 6, Traverse, MN

Built 1977 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 20

CR 92

Good

Over: CO DITCH # 27

1.2 MI E OF JCT TH 75, Traverse, MN

Built 1979 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 25

CR 87

Good

Over: CO DITCH # 10

0.1 MI S OF JCT CR 94, Traverse, MN

Built 1981 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 15

CR 64

Good

Over: E FK TWELVE MILE CREEK

1.3 MI S OF JCT CSAH 8, Traverse, MN

Built 1981 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 15

CSAH 20

Good

Over: CO DITCH # 43

0.9 MI W OF JCT CSAH 13, Traverse, MN

Built 1985 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 110

CR 77

Good

Over: TWELVE MILE CREEK

0.7 MI S OF JCT CSAH 6, Traverse, MN

Built 1992 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 70

T 65

Good

Over: TWELVE MILE CREEK

0.4 MI N OF JCT CR 62, Traverse, MN

Built 1995 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 8

T 197

Good

Over: S FK RABBIT R (CD #53)

1.5 MI W OF JCT CSAH 13, Traverse, MN

Built 1981 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 19

T 22

Good

Over: W BR TWELVE MILE CREEK

0.6 MI W OF JCT TH 75, Traverse, MN

Built 1981 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 26

T 25

Good

Over: W BR TWELVE MILE CREEK

0.1 MI E OF JCT TH 75, Traverse, MN

Built 1977 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 6

T 85

Good

Over: TWELVE MILE CREEK

0.3 MI E OF JCT CR 77, Traverse, MN

Built 1977 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 8

T 49

Good

Over: TWELVE MILE CREEK

0.1 MI W OF JCT CSAH 13, Traverse, MN

Built 1978 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 4

T 201

Good

Over: JUD DITCH # 2

0.1 MI W OF EAST CO LINE, Traverse, MN

Built 1978 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 20

T 78

Good

Over: TWELVE MILE CREEK

0.5 MI N OF JCT CSAH 8, Traverse, MN

Built 1978 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 25

T 76

Good

Over: W BR TWELVE MILE CREEK

1.4 MI W OF JCT CSAH 13, Traverse, MN

Built 1978 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 10

T 83

Good

Over: STREAM

0.9 MI E OF JCT CSAH 13, Traverse, MN

Built 1979 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 10

T 67

Good

Over: STREAM

0.6 MI N OF JCT CSAH4, Traverse, MN

Built 1979 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 12

T 22

Good

Over: STREAM

1.2 MI E OF JCT CR 71, Traverse, MN

Built 1980 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 10

T 82

Good

Over: W BR TWELVE MILE CREEK

0.5 MI S OF JCT CR 72, Traverse, MN

Built 1980 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 16

CR 62

Good

Over: W FK TWELVE MILE CREEK

0.2 MI E OF JCT CR 77, Traverse, MN

Built 1980 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 25

T 22

Good

Over: W FK TWELVE MILE CREEK

0.4 MI W OF JCT CSAH 15, Traverse, MN

Built 1983 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 15

T 39

Good

Over: EIGHTEEN MILE CREEK

0.8 MI S OF JCT TH 27, Traverse, MN

Built 1987 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 45

CSAH 9

Good

Over: MUSTINKA RIVER

0.8 MI NW OF JCT TH 27, Traverse, MN

Built 1991 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 530

CSAH 4

Good

Over: LITTLE MINNESOTA RIVER

0.3 MI S OF JCT TH 28, Traverse, MN

Built 2008 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 540

T 98

Good

Over: CD # 27

1.3 MI E JCT US 75, Traverse, MN

Built 2007 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 34

T 65

Good

Over: W FK TWELVE MILE CREEK

0.3 MI S JCT CNTY RD 64, Traverse, MN

Built 2007 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 20

CR 72

Good

Over: W BR TWELVE MILE CREEK

1.1 MI W OF JCT CSAH 13, Traverse, MN

Built 1996 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 25

T 83

Good

Over: Twelve Mile Creek

0.3 MI W OF JCT CSAH 13, Traverse, MN

Built 2000 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 20

CR 71

Good

Over: W Fk of W Br 12mile Crk

0.5 mi S of jct CR 62, Traverse, MN

Built 2002 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 50
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.