County profile · official public datasets

Knox County, NE

329 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 60.5% rated Good, 36.5% Fair, 3% Poor.

329
Public bridges
60.5%
Good condition
3%
Poor condition

The verdict

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

Knox County posts a better-than-median Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state across mid-size county bridge inventory.

Top 32%
lowest Poor share in state
3%
Poor-condition share
329
public highway bridges
1981
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.

Knox County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Knox County ranks #28 of 88 Nebraska counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 3%). Knox County, Nebraska contains 329 public highway bridges. Roughly 60.5% are rated “Good,” 36.5% “Fair,” and 3% “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

329

Public highway bridges in Knox County

Good condition

60.5%

199 of 329 rated 7-9

Fair condition

36.5%

120 of 329 rated 5-6

Poor condition

3%

10 of 329 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#28 of 88

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

Condition distribution

Share of 329 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
60.5% (199)
Fair
36.5% (120)
Poor
3% (10)

Knox County's Poor-condition bridges carry 5,190 vehicle crossings a day

That is 6.9% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 3% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry more traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 519 crossings a day against 262 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 329 of 329 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

34.3% of Knox County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

113 of the 329 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 60.5% 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 24.6% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

IRR/N12 over BAZILE CREEK, built 1946, carries 1,275 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 10-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 5,190 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Knox County's bridges were built

329 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1980s, when 67 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 20.4% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 35 to 44 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1981) matches the Nebraska average (1977).

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

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

The 5 Nebraska counties nearest Knox County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 3% Poor share is the 1st-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1981 against a peer-group mean of 1978 is in line with the group.

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

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Knox County and the 5 Nebraska counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Dodge County 334 3.6%
Knox County (this page) 329 3%
Cedar County 313 6.4%
Saline County 312 8%
Custer County 303 7.9%
Madison County 302 8.3%

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

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside NE (329 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside NE (1981 here).

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

All 329 Good 199 Fair 120 Poor 10

Good-condition bridges (199)

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: STREAM

3.4W 3.2S OF BLOOMFIELD, Knox, NE

Built 1989 Load: 25.0 t ADT: 50

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: STREAM

1.2W 1S OF WINNETOON, Knox, NE

Built 1972 Load: 25.0 t ADT: 25

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: N BR VERDIGRIS CREEK

.7W 1.4S OF VERDIGRE, Knox, NE

Built 1985 Load: 26.0 t ADT: 45

COLL 7655

Good

Over: STREAM

3.4N OF WINNETOON, Knox, NE

Built 2000 Load: 26.0 t ADT: 70

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: STREAM

4.2E 1.2S BAZILE MILLS, Knox, NE

Built 1983 Load: 26.0 t ADT: 30

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: STREAM

4.5S 3.5W OF BLOOMFIELD, Knox, NE

Built 2008 Load: 26.0 t ADT: 30

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: M BR VERDIGRIS CREEK

7.5W 3.2S OF VERDIGRE, Knox, NE

Built 1982 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 55

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: STREAM

.7S 1E OF VERDIGRE, Knox, NE

Built 1994 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 25

IRR/TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: STREAM

1.7E 1.5S OF LINDY, Knox, NE

Built 1992 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 40

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: STREAM

.4W 4.5S OF BLOOMFIELD, Knox, NE

Built 1980 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 40

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: STREAM

2W 1S OF VERDEL, Knox, NE

Built 1999 Load: 28.0 t ADT: 25

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: STREAM

10.4W 3S OF VERDIGRE, Knox, NE

Built 1992 Load: 28.0 t ADT: 30

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: MERRIMAN CREEK

7.4W 1.4S OF WINNETOON, Knox, NE

Built 1991 Load: 28.0 t ADT: 15

FAS 2965

Good

Over: STREAM

JCT N13/N59 7E 3.5N, Knox, NE

Built 1977 Load: 28.0 t ADT: 100

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: STREAM

4.5S 7.3W OF BLOOMFIELD, Knox, NE

Built 1987 Load: 28.0 t ADT: 10

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: N FK ELKHORN RIVER

1.4E 2N OF WAUSA, Knox, NE

Built 1965 Load: 28.0 t ADT: 35

IRR/TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: STREAM

2.5N 1.2W OF BLOOMFIELD, Knox, NE

Built 2000 Load: 28.0 t ADT: 20

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: STREAM

1.5W .2S OF WINNETOON, Knox, NE

Built 1999 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 40

MAIN STREET

Good

Over: VERDIGRE CREEK

.2N OF VERDIGRE, Knox, NE

Built 1993 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 250

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: STREAM

9W 3.2S OF VERDIGRE, Knox, NE

Built 1980 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 20

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: STREAM

3.9W 1S OF WAUSA, Knox, NE

Built 1981 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 30

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: WEST BOW CREEK

2.5N 4.3E OF BLOOMFIELD, Knox, NE

Built 1990 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 15

N14

Good

Over: VERDIGRE CREEK TRIB

6S VERDIGRE SPUR, Knox, NE

Built 1967 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 1,030

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: BAZILE CREEK

1E 3.5N OF BAZILE MILLS, Knox, NE

Built 1997 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 5

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: STREAM

4W 3.1N OF WAUSA, Knox, NE

Built 2001 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 25

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: STREAM

1.7W OF WINNETOON, Knox, NE

Built 1984 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 30

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: WEST BOW CREEK

3.5N 4.9E OF BLOOMFIELD, Knox, NE

Built 1986 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 20

N84

Good

Over: LITTLE BAZILE CREEK

IN BLOOMFIELD, Knox, NE

Built 1959 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 2,050

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: STREAM

4.6W OF WINNETOON, Knox, NE

Built 1985 Load: 32.0 t ADT: 40

IRR/FAS 2965

Good

Over: STREAM

JCT N12/N121 12W 2.6S, Knox, NE

Built 1969 Load: 32.0 t ADT: 105

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: STREAM

2.5N .7E OF BLOOMFIELD, Knox, NE

Built 1986 Load: 32.0 t ADT: 10

N13

Good

Over: BAZILE CREEK

5S CENTER, Knox, NE

Built 1993 Load: 32.0 t ADT: 615

N84

Good

Over: LITTLE BAZILE CREEK TRIB

4W BLOOMFIELD, Knox, NE

Built 1959 Load: 32.0 t ADT: 450

513TH RD

Good

Over: VERDIGRE CREEK MID BR

10.5W 4.4S OF VERDIGRE, Knox, NE

Built 1935 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 25

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: M BR VERDIGRIS CREEK

8.5W 3.4S OF VERDIGRE, Knox, NE

Built 1996 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 50

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: STREAM

1.7N 1.4E OF VERDIGRE, Knox, NE

Built 1979 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 20

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: STREAM

.2S .9W OF CENTER, Knox, NE

Built 1991 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 50

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: W.B. N.F. ELKHORN RIVER

4W .7S OF WAUSA, Knox, NE

Built 1961 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 35

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: STREAM

4W .2S OF WAUSA, Knox, NE

Built 1966 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 35

FAS 2870

Good

Over: N FK ELKHORN RIVER

JCT N59/N121 2.1E 3N, Knox, NE

Built 1957 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 150

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: N FK ELKHORN RIVER

2.5S 6.7E OF BLOOMFIELD, Knox, NE

Built 2006 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 35

BUCKEYE RD

Good

Over: MISSOURI R TRIB

NIOBRARA BUCKEYE @ WALNUT, Knox, NE

Built 1976 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 300

N13

Good

Over: SPRING CREEK

3N CREIGHTON, Knox, NE

Built 1993 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 615

N13

Good

Over: STREAM

2S CENTER, Knox, NE

Built 1993 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 615

N14

Good

Over: STREAM

4N VERDIGRE SPUR, Knox, NE

Built 1985 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 1,095

N14

Good

Over: STREAM

5N VERDIGRE SPUR, Knox, NE

Built 1985 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 1,095

N14

Good

Over: STREAM

5N VERDIGRE SPUR, Knox, NE

Built 1985 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 1,095

N14

Good

Over: STREAM

6S NIOBRARA, Knox, NE

Built 1985 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 1,095

N59

Good

Over: STREAM

14E CREIGHTON, Knox, NE

Built 1969 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 495

IRR/N84

Good

Over: STREAM

8E VERDIGRE, Knox, NE

Built 1995 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 320

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.