Total bridges
134
Public highway bridges in Clay County
County profile · official public datasets
Clay County, NE
134 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 66.4% rated Good, 27.6% Fair, 6% Poor.
- 134
- Public bridges
- 66.4%
- Good condition
- 6%
- Poor condition
The verdict
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.
Clay County posts a better-than-median Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state across mid-size county bridge inventory.
- Top 49%
- lowest Poor share in state
- 6%
- Poor-condition share
- 134
- public highway bridges
- 1975
- 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.
Clay County Bridge Snapshot
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Clay County ranks #43 of 88 Nebraska counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 6%). Clay County, Nebraska contains 134 public highway bridges. Roughly 66.4% are rated “Good,” 27.6% “Fair,” and 6% “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
66.4%
89 of 134 rated 7-9
Fair condition
27.6%
37 of 134 rated 5-6
Poor condition
6%
8 of 134 rated 4 or below
In-state Poor-share rank
#43 of 88
Among Nebraska counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better
Condition distribution
Share of 134 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.
Good 66.4% (89)
Fair 27.6% (37)
Poor 6% (8)
Clay County's Poor-condition bridges carry 740 vehicle crossings a day
That is 2.1% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 6% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 93 crossings a day against 326 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 134 of 134 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
42.5% of Clay County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark
57 of the 134 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 66.4% 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 40.5% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic
JAMES AVENUE over SCHOOL CREEK, built 1935, carries 300 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 8-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.
Share is of the 740 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
When Clay County's bridges were built
134 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade
- 1910s 5
1910–1919
5 bridges
- 1920s 6
1920–1929
6 bridges
- 1930s
1930–1939
24 bridges
- 1940s 2
1940–1949
2 bridges
- 1950s 10
1950–1959
10 bridges
- 1960s 4
1960–1969
4 bridges
- 1970s
1970–1979
19 bridges
- 1980s
1980–1989
13 bridges
- 1990s
1990–1999
12 bridges
- 2000s 7
2000–2009
7 bridges
- 2010s
2010–2019
30 bridges
- 2020s 2
2020–2029
2 bridges
What this shows Construction peaked in the 2010s, when 30 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 22.4% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 5 to 14 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1975) matches the Nebraska average (1977).
How Clay County compares with Nebraska's closest counties by inventory size
The 5 Nebraska counties nearest Clay County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 6% Poor share is the 4th-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1975 against a peer-group mean of 1978 is in line with the group.
Showing the 5 closest of 87 Nebraska counties eligible for comparison.
| County | Bridges | Good | Fair | Poor | Avg. built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thurston County | 152 | 48.7% | 30.9% | 20.4% | 1980 |
| Washington County | 149 | 76.5% | 20.8% | 2.7% | 1989 |
| Nance County | 148 | 54.1% | 40.5% | 5.4% | 1973 |
| Dixon County | 146 | 34.2% | 56.2% | 9.6% | 1978 |
| Clay County (this page) | 134 | 66.4% | 27.6% | 6% | 1975 |
| Sherman County | 118 | 57.6% | 39% | 3.4% | 1972 |
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 Clay 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 Clay County, both outside Nebraska so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.
Similar inventory size
Nearest county inventories outside NE (134 bridges here).
- Anchorage County, AK · 134 bridges
- Knott County, KY · 134 bridges
- Murray County, MN · 134 bridges
- Steele County, MN · 134 bridges
Similar average build year
Nearest mean year-built outside NE (1975 here).
- San Bernardino County, CA · avg 1975 · 1,422 bridges
- Lane County, OR · avg 1975 · 1,010 bridges
- Fulton County, GA · avg 1975 · 775 bridges
- Westmoreland County, PA · avg 1975 · 620 bridges
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.
All bridges (134)
COUNTY HIGHWAY
FairOver: STREAM
5.3W 2.9N HARVARD, Clay, NE
Built 1950 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 30
TOWNSHIP ROAD
FairOver: STREAM
1.5N SUTTON, Clay, NE
Built 1935 Load: 5.0 t ADT: 25
TOWNSHIP ROAD
FairOver: STREAM
6.5E OF TRUMBULL, Clay, NE
Built 1950 Load: 5.0 t ADT: 30
TOWNSHIP ROAD
FairOver: STREAM
1.5N .7E SUTTON, Clay, NE
Built 1950 Load: 6.0 t ADT: 40
TOWNSHIP ROAD
FairOver: STREAM
4.5N 1.6W SUTTON, Clay, NE
Built 1960 Load: 9.0 t ADT: 25
TOWNSHIP ROAD
FairOver: W FK BIG BLUE RIVER
4.2N HARVARD, Clay, NE
Built 1935 Load: 9.0 t ADT: 25
TOWNSHIP ROAD
FairOver: STREAM
6E N14 HAMILTON CL, Clay, NE
Built 1935 Load: 9.0 t ADT: 25
TOWNSHIP ROAD
FairOver: STREAM
1.5W 5N SUTTON, Clay, NE
Built 1935 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 25
COUNTY HIGHWAY
FairOver: W FK BIG BLUE RIVER
7.3W 1N HARVARD, Clay, NE
Built 1935 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 30
COUNTY HIGHWAY
FairOver: STREAM
5W 3.2N DEWEESE, Clay, NE
Built 1950 Load: 11.0 t ADT: 50
COUNTY HIGHWAY
FairOver: STREAM
2W 3.9N EDGAR, Clay, NE
Built 1950 Load: 14.0 t ADT: 30
COUNTY HIGHWAY
FairOver: OAK CREEK
2S N74 ADAMS CL, Clay, NE
Built 1920 Load: 14.0 t ADT: 20
COLL 7596
FairOver: STREAM
.8E HARVARD, Clay, NE
Built 1935 Load: 15.0 t ADT: 75
FAS 2405
FairOver: STREAM
NJCT N14/N74 3W 3.4N, Clay, NE
Built 1935 Load: 15.0 t ADT: 100
COUNTY HIGHWAY
FairOver: LITTLE SANDY CREEK
.3S 1E CLAY CENTER, Clay, NE
Built 1920 Load: 15.0 t ADT: 60
COUNTY HIGHWAY
FairOver: LITTLE BLUE RIVER
2.7W 1.8N DEWEESE, Clay, NE
Built 1970 Load: 16.0 t ADT: 60
COUNTY HIGHWAY
FairOver: LITTLE BLUE RIVER
.3W .6N DEWEESE, Clay, NE
Built 1975 Load: 16.0 t ADT: 90
TOWNSHIP ROAD
FairOver: W FK BIG BLUE RIVER
1N 5.6W HARVARD, Clay, NE
Built 1915 Load: 17.0 t ADT: 25
TOWNSHIP ROAD
FairOver: SCHOOL CREEK
5W .2S SUTTON, Clay, NE
Built 1922 Load: 17.0 t ADT: 25
FAS 2400
FairOver: W FK BIG BLUE RIVER
JCT US6/S-18A 2W 6N, Clay, NE
Built 1973 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 130
TOWNSHIP ROAD
FairOver: SCHOOL CREEK
1N US6 FILLMORE CL, Clay, NE
Built 1916 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 45
ROAD D
FairOver: BIG BLUE RIVER TRIB
1.7N OF INLAND, Clay, NE
Built 1935 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 40
TOWNSHIP ROAD
FairOver: W FK BIG BLUE RIVER
1N 7W HARVARD, Clay, NE
Built 1935 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 20
COUNTY HIGHWAY
FairOver: W FK BIG BLUE RIVER
5.3W 1.7N HARVARD, Clay, NE
Built 1975 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 35
TOWNSHIP ROAD
FairOver: LITTLE SANDY CREEK
3.3N 1.9W ONG, Clay, NE
Built 1975 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 40
COUNTY HIGHWAY
FairOver: STREAM
5.2W 2.9N DEWEESE, Clay, NE
Built 1935 Load: 25.0 t ADT: 35
COUNTY HIGHWAY
FairOver: BIG SANDY CREEK
2.2E FAIRFIELD, Clay, NE
Built 1999 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 40
N74
FairOver: PAWNEE CREEK
9W FAIRFIELD, Clay, NE
Built 1963 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 1,005
COUNTY HIGHWAY
FairOver: LITTLE BLUE RIVER
4.2W 2.7N DEWEESE, Clay, NE
Built 1976 Load: 28.0 t ADT: 60
COUNTY HIGHWAY
FairOver: BIG SANDY CREEK
1E 1.5N FAIRFIELD, Clay, NE
Built 1950 Load: 28.0 t ADT: 40
BUTLER AVENUE
FairOver: SCHOOL CREEK
SUTTON BUTLER @ MAPLE, Clay, NE
Built 1976 Load: 28.0 t ADT: 200
N74
FairOver: BIG SANDY CREEK
10W ONG SPUR, Clay, NE
Built 1972 Load: 28.0 t ADT: 615
N74
FairOver: LITTLE SANDY CREEK
2W ONG SPUR, Clay, NE
Built 1972 Load: 28.0 t ADT: 615
N14
FairOver: SCHOOL CREEK
7S CLAY/HAMILTON CO. LINE, Clay, NE
Built 1957 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 1,660
S18G SARONVILLE
FairOver: SCHOOL CREEK
1S SARONVILLE, Clay, NE
Built 1990 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 205
S18C DEWEESE SPUR
FairOver: LITTLE BLUE RIVER
.4NE DEWEESE, Clay, NE
Built 1979 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 185
FAS 2415
FairOver: STREAM
EJCT US6/N14 4.8N 7E, Clay, NE
Built 1933 Load: 44.0 t ADT: 555
COLL 7601
GoodOver: LITTLE BLUE RIVER
JCT N74/S-18B 2S, Clay, NE
Built 1969 Load: 15.0 t ADT: 120
FAS 2380
GoodOver: LITTLE SANDY CREEK
JCT N74/S-18F 2.9S, Clay, NE
Built 1922 Load: 16.0 t ADT: 85
RD 305
GoodOver: PAWNEE CREEK
2.7N 4.5W DEWEESE, Clay, NE
Built 1922 Load: 17.0 t ADT: 30
TOWNSHIP ROAD
GoodOver: W FK BIG BLUE RIVER
2.3W 2.9N HARVARD, Clay, NE
Built 1916 Load: 17.0 t ADT: 20
COUNTY HIGHWAY
GoodOver: W FK BIG BLUE RIVER
.3W 4.2N HARVARD, Clay, NE
Built 1922 Load: 17.0 t ADT: 35
COUNTY HIGHWAY
GoodOver: LITTLE SANDY CREEK
8N EDGAR, Clay, NE
Built 1917 Load: 17.0 t ADT: 110
COLL 7552
GoodOver: W FK BIG BLUE RIVER
5N US6 ADAMS CL, Clay, NE
Built 1983 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 100
TOWNSHIP ROAD
GoodOver: LITTLE BLUE RIVER
3.2W 1.8N DEWEESE, Clay, NE
Built 1977 Load: 21.0 t ADT: 35
TOWNSHIP ROAD
GoodOver: DRY CREEK
1.3W DEWEESE, Clay, NE
Built 2021 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 60
TOWNSHIP ROAD
GoodOver: STREAM
3N .7W OF CLAY CENTER, Clay, NE
Built 1975 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 40
COUNTY HIGHWAY
GoodOver: BIG SANDY CREEK
1.5W 2.7S CLAY CENTER, Clay, NE
Built 1984 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 50
FAS 2435
GoodOver: SCHOOL CREEK
WJCT US6/N14 1N, Clay, NE
Built 1979 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 355
TOWNSHIP ROAD
GoodOver: SCHOOL CREEK
3.8W SARONVILLE, Clay, NE
Built 1986 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 60
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.