County profile · official public datasets

Butler County, NE

211 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 20.4% rated Good, 76.8% Fair, 2.8% Poor.

211
Public bridges
20.4%
Good condition
2.8%
Poor condition

The verdict

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

Butler County pairs a top-quartile lowest Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state with a newer average build year than the state inventory.

Top 25%
lowest Poor share in state
2.8%
Poor-condition share
211
public highway bridges
1983
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.

Butler County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Butler County ranks #22 of 88 Nebraska counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 2.8%). Butler County, Nebraska contains 211 public highway bridges. Roughly 20.4% are rated “Good,” 76.8% “Fair,” and 2.8% “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

211

Public highway bridges in Butler County

Good condition

20.4%

43 of 211 rated 7-9

Fair condition

76.8%

162 of 211 rated 5-6

Poor condition

2.8%

6 of 211 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#22 of 88

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

Condition distribution

Share of 211 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
20.4% (43)
Fair
76.8% (162)
Poor
2.8% (6)

Butler County's Poor-condition bridges carry 80 vehicle crossings a day

That is 0.1% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 2.8% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 13 crossings a day against 2,357 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 211 of 211 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

28.4% of Butler County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

60 of the 211 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 20.4% 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 25% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

COUNTY ROAD VW over MIDDLE OAK CREEK, built 1935, carries 20 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 6-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 80 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Butler County's bridges were built

211 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1990s, when 50 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 23.7% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 25 to 34 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year is 1983, 6 years newer than the Nebraska average of 1977.

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

How Butler County compares with Nebraska's closest counties by inventory size

The 5 Nebraska counties nearest Butler County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 2.8% Poor share is the 1st-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1983 against a peer-group mean of 1976 is 7 years newer.

Showing the 5 closest of 87 Nebraska counties eligible for comparison.

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Butler County and the 5 Nebraska counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Stanton County 223 9.4%
Thayer County 220 5%
Fillmore County 218 8.7%
Adams County 211 6.2%
Butler County (this page) 211 2.8%
York County 205 2.9%

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

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside NE (211 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside NE (1983 here).

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

All 211 Good 43 Fair 162 Poor 6

All bridges (211)

N15

Fair

Over: BIG BLUE RIVER TRIB

18N SEWARD, Butler, NE

Built 1974 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 3,015

S12B BRUNO-ABIE

Fair

Over: STREAM

0W BRUNO, Butler, NE

Built 1962 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 685

S12C ULYSSES SPUR

Fair

Over: BIG BLUE RIVER

.3E OF ULYSSES, Butler, NE

Built 1988 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 590

COUNTY ROAD B

Fair

Over: S CH PLATTE RIVER

2.3N 5.5W BELLWOOD, Butler, NE

Built 1992 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 25

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Fair

Over: BIG BLUE RIVER

1.5E .6S SURPRISE, Butler, NE

Built 1986 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 70

COUNTY ROAD O

Fair

Over: BONE CREEK

2W 1.7 S OCTAVIA, Butler, NE

Built 1992 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 20

COUNTY ROAD T

Fair

Over: STREAM

COUNTY RD T- 39/40, Butler, NE

Built 2014 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 40

COUNTY ROAD X

Fair

Over: SKULL CREEK

.8N LINWOOD, Butler, NE

Built 1999 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 20

COUNTY ROAD 43

Fair

Over: BONE CREEK

1N 1.3W OCTAVIA, Butler, NE

Built 2004 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 10

COUNTY ROAD B

Fair

Over: BIG BLUE RIVER

1.8W SURPRISE, Butler, NE

Built 1995 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 50

CO RD 45 1/2

Fair

Over: DUCK CREEK

3W 0.5S OF LINWOOD, Butler, NE

Built 2016 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 20

COUNTY ROAD I

Fair

Over: BIG BLUE RIVER

.5W .9N ULYSSES, Butler, NE

Built 1985 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 70

FAS 3115 ROAD Q

Fair

Over: BONE CREEK

JCT N15/S-12B 3.5E .6N, Butler, NE

Built 1997 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 190

COUNTY ROAD 28

Fair

Over: KEZAN CREEK

2S .1E GARRISON, Butler, NE

Built 1995 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 10

COUNTY ROAD P

Fair

Over: KEZAN CREEK

4W 0.4N BRAINARD, Butler, NE

Built 1993 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 25

COUNTY ROAD 46 1/2

Fair

Over: SKULL CREEK

.1W NW EDGE LINWOOD, Butler, NE

Built 1999 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 30

COUNTY ROAD G

Fair

Over: BIG BLUE RIVER

2.5E .6S SURPRISE, Butler, NE

Built 1992 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 35

COUNTY ROAD 29

Fair

Over: N BR BIG BLUE RIVER

WJCT N15/N92 3S 3W, Butler, NE

Built 2003 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 25

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Fair

Over: N BR BIG BLUE RIVER

3N .9E ULYSSES, Butler, NE

Built 2008 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 25

COUNTY ROAD H

Fair

Over: BIG BLUE RIVER

1.3N 1.4W ULYSSES, Butler, NE

Built 2008 Load: 37.0 t ADT: 45

COUNTY ROAD 43

Fair

Over: STREAM

1N 1.6E OCTAVIA, Butler, NE

Built 2006 Load: 37.0 t ADT: 35

COUNTY ROAD 40

Fair

Over: STREAM

.7S ABIE, Butler, NE

Built 2000 Load: 37.0 t ADT: 20

COUNTY ROAD V

Fair

Over: STREAM

1.3W LINWOOD, Butler, NE

Built 2000 Load: 37.0 t ADT: 35

COUNTY ROAD 30

Fair

Over: KEZAN CREEK

1.2E GARRISON, Butler, NE

Built 1999 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 55

FAS 2730 CO RD 23

Fair

Over: STREAM

2W ULYSSES, Butler, NE

Built 1992 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 120

COUNTY ROAD 44

Fair

Over: STREAM

2N 1.7E OCTAVIA, Butler, NE

Built 1992 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 15

COUNTY ROAD U

Fair

Over: STREAM

1.5E DWIGHT, Butler, NE

Built 2013 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 20

COUNTY ROAD 33

Fair

Over: SKULL CREEK

4S .5E BRUNO, Butler, NE

Built 2004 Load: 40.0 t ADT: 20

COUNTY ROAD V

Fair

Over: STREAM

EJCT N15/N92 3.3S 7E, Butler, NE

Built 1980 Load: 40.0 t ADT: 35

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Fair

Over: N BR BIG BLUE RIVER

1.5W 1.5N GARRISON, Butler, NE

Built 2008 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 60

COUNTY ROAD 29

Fair

Over: MIDDLE OAK CREEK

1S 3E BRAINARD, Butler, NE

Built 2012 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 50

COUNTY ROAD H

Fair

Over: N BR BIG BLUE RIVER

3E RISING CITY, Butler, NE

Built 2005 Load: 44.0 t ADT: 40

COLL 7767 CO RD I

Fair

Over: N BR BIG BLUE RIVER

4.2E .3N OF RISING CITY, Butler, NE

Built 2003 Load: 44.0 t ADT: 50

COUNTY ROAD J

Fair

Over: STREAM

3.5W .1S DAVID CITY, Butler, NE

Built 2003 Load: 44.0 t ADT: 40

COUNTY ROAD 33

Fair

Over: N BRANCH BIG BLUE RIVER

1.5N 2.2 E RISING CITY, Butler, NE

Built 2007 Load: 44.0 t ADT: 10

COUNTY ROAD R

Fair

Over: BONE CREEK

4W .2S BRUNO, Butler, NE

Built 1997 Load: 44.0 t ADT: 30

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Fair

Over: STREAM

3.8E DAVID CITY, Butler, NE

Built 2004 Load: 44.0 t ADT: 25

COUNTY ROAD P

Fair

Over: STREAM

1W .8S OCTAVIA, Butler, NE

Built 2004 Load: 44.0 t ADT: 10

COUNTY ROAD X

Fair

Over: DUCK CREEK

1.1N LINWOOD, Butler, NE

Built 2002 Load: 44.0 t ADT: 20

COUNTY ROAD 44 1/2

Fair

Over: STREAM

US81/N64 JCT .5E 3.5N, Butler, NE

Built 1997 Load: 45.0 t ADT: 10

COUNTY ROAD 32

Fair

Over: N BR BIG BLUE RIVER

.5N 3E RISING CITY, Butler, NE

Built 2007 Load: 45.0 t ADT: 15

COUNTY ROAD 38

Fair

Over: SKULL CREEK

.3N 2E BRUNO, Butler, NE

Built 1998 Load: 45.0 t ADT: 30

COUNTY ROAD 46 1/2

Fair

Over: STREAM

.5E N EDGE LINWOOD, Butler, NE

Built 2000 Load: 46.0 t ADT: 20

COUNTY ROAD F

Fair

Over: N BR BIG BLUE RIVER

1E .8N RISING CITY, Butler, NE

Built 2001 Load: 46.0 t ADT: 80

COUNTY ROAD G

Fair

Over: STREAM

2E RISING CITY, Butler, NE

Built 2002 Load: 46.0 t ADT: 40

COUNTY ROAD H

Fair

Over: STREAM

3E 1.1N RISING CITY, Butler, NE

Built 2009 Load: 46.0 t ADT: 40

COUNTY ROAD G

Fair

Over: STREAM

2E 2.1N RISING CITY, Butler, NE

Built 2002 Load: 46.0 t ADT: 40

COUNTY ROAD J

Fair

Over: STREAM

3W .7S DAVID CITY, Butler, NE

Built 2005 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 40

COUNTY ROAD J

Fair

Over: STREAM

3W .5S DAVID CITY, Butler, NE

Built 2005 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 40

COUNTY ROAD 40

Fair

Over: STREAM

1S 1.8E BELLWOOD, Butler, NE

Built 2005 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 25

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.