County profile · official public datasets

Buffalo County, WI

238 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 63% rated Good, 28.6% Fair, 8.4% Poor.

238
Public bridges
63%
Good condition
8.4%
Poor condition

The verdict

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

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

51st
of 72 on Poor share
8.4%
Poor-condition share
238
public highway bridges
1987
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.

Buffalo County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Buffalo County ranks #51 of 72 Wisconsin counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 8.4%). Buffalo County, Wisconsin contains 238 public highway bridges. Roughly 63% are rated “Good,” 28.6% “Fair,” and 8.4% “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

238

Public highway bridges in Buffalo County

Good condition

63%

150 of 238 rated 7-9

Fair condition

28.6%

68 of 238 rated 5-6

Poor condition

8.4%

20 of 238 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#51 of 72

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

Condition distribution

Share of 238 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
63% (150)
Fair
28.6% (68)
Poor
8.4% (20)

Buffalo County's Poor-condition bridges carry 15,222 vehicle crossings a day

That is 6.9% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 8.4% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 761 crossings a day against 810 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 238 of 238 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

25.2% of Buffalo County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

60 of the 238 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 63% 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 13.8% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

STH 35 over SLOUGH, built 1933, carries 2,100 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 20-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 15,222 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Buffalo County's bridges were built

238 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 2000s, when 56 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 23.5% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 15 to 24 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1987) matches the Wisconsin average (1984).

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

How Buffalo County compares with Wisconsin's closest counties by inventory size

The 5 Wisconsin counties nearest Buffalo County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 8.4% Poor share is the 4th-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1987 against a peer-group mean of 1981 is 6 years newer.

Showing the 5 closest of 71 Wisconsin counties eligible for comparison.

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Buffalo County and the 5 Wisconsin counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Dunn County 245 9%
Green County 244 8.6%
Sheboygan County 240 5.4%
Wood County 239 5.9%
Buffalo County (this page) 238 8.4%
Eau Claire County 236 7.6%

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

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside WI (238 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside WI (1987 here).

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

All 238 Good 150 Fair 68 Poor 20

All bridges (238)

CTH P

Fair

Over: BR TREMPEALEAU RIVER

1.1M N JCT STH 35, Buffalo, WI

Built 1990 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 509

STH 37

Fair

Over: PESSO CREEK

0.8M N JCT USH 10 TO E, Buffalo, WI

Built 1932 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,000

STH 35

Fair

Over: MISSISSIPPI RIVER TRIB

2.2M N JCT CTH N, Buffalo, WI

Built 1958 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 3,400

LRD UPPER RIVER RD

Fair

Over: BR TREMPLEAU RIVER

2.2M E JCT STH 95, Buffalo, WI

Built 1978 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 23

LRD OWEN VALLEY RD

Fair

Over: OWEN VALLEY CREEK

0.6M E JCT CTH F, Buffalo, WI

Built 1985 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 46

LRD WATER ST

Fair

Over: BROWNLEE CREEK

0.1M E JCT STH 37, Buffalo, WI

Built 1987 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 664

USH 10

Fair

Over: HARVEY CREEK

3.6M E JCT CTH BB TO N, Buffalo, WI

Built 1936 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 1,900

LRD SAND ROAD

Fair

Over: ELK CREEK

0.3M N JCT STH 88, Buffalo, WI

Built 1979 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 94

CTH Y

Fair

Over: ROSSMAN CREEK

0.9M S JCT CTH HH, Buffalo, WI

Built 1976 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 160

LRD HEINZ RD (DEAD

Fair

Over: BR WAUMANDEE CREEK

0.1M N JCT CTH U, Buffalo, WI

Built 1978 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 30

CTH XX

Fair

Over: JAHNS VALLEY CREEK

2.8M N JCT STH 88, Buffalo, WI

Built 1998 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 97

LRD SCHAFFNER VALL

Fair

Over: BR EAGLE CREEK

1.7M N JCT CTH G, Buffalo, WI

Built 1978 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 23

LRD SCHOEPP VALLEY

Fair

Over: WAUMANDEE CREEK

1.2M E JCT STH 88, Buffalo, WI

Built 2017 Load: 40.2 t ADT: 70

LRD SEGERSTROM ROA

Fair

Over: BUFFALO RIVER

0.3M S JCT USH 10, Buffalo, WI

Built 1983 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 46

STH 54

Fair

Over: MISSISSIPPI RIVER 08

MINNESOTA STATE LINE, Buffalo, WI

Built 1942 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 10,200

CTH H

Fair

Over: S FK ELK CREEK

0.4M N JCT STH 121, Buffalo, WI

Built 2012 Load: 41.1 t ADT: 336

CTH U

Fair

Over: BR WAUMANDEE CREEK

0.3M N JCT CTH C, Buffalo, WI

Built 1961 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 390

LRD LEYKOM RD (DEA

Fair

Over: BR WAUMANDEE CREEK

4.3M E JCT STH 88, Buffalo, WI

Built 1978 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 10

LRD PARK ROAD (DNR

Good

Over: BN RR

0.3M W JCT STH 35, Buffalo, WI

Built 1963 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 110

STH 88

Good

Over: JOHNS VALLEY CREEK

0.3M N JCT CTH XX, Buffalo, WI

Built 1970 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 170

LRD LOWER RIVER RD

Good

Over: TREMPEALEAU RIVER

0.1M N JCT CTH J, Buffalo, WI

Built 1982 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 151

STH 25

Good

Over: DRY COULEE CREEK

0.6M N JCT STH 35 TO N, Buffalo, WI

Built 1938 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,400

LRD OAK VALLEY RD

Good

Over: BR WAUMANDEE CREEK

1.5M E JCT STH 88, Buffalo, WI

Built 2009 Load: 26.6 t ADT: 10

CTH F

Good

Over: N BR LITTLE BEAR CREEK

1.1M S JCT CTH JJ, Buffalo, WI

Built 1977 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 238

CTH F

Good

Over: N BR LITTLE BEAR CREEK

1.4M S JCT CTH JJ, Buffalo, WI

Built 1977 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 238

CTH F

Good

Over: BUFFALO RIVER

0.4M N JCT STH 37, Buffalo, WI

Built 1978 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 195

CTH B

Good

Over: HADLEY CREEK

2.0M E JCT STH 37, Buffalo, WI

Built 1985 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 553

LRD NELSON RD

Good

Over: ARMOUR VALLEY CREEK

0.9M N JCT CTH H TO W, Buffalo, WI

Built 1986 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 46

CTH A

Good

Over: TIFFANY CREEK

0.7M E JCT CTH B, Buffalo, WI

Built 1990 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 141

LRD SIEBENALER ROA

Good

Over: BR EAGLE CREEK

2.8M N JCT CTH G, Buffalo, WI

Built 1991 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 33

CTH II

Good

Over: BUFFALO RIVER

0.4M N JCT STH 37, Buffalo, WI

Built 1978 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 195

STH 37

Good

Over: MILL CREEK

0.1M N JCT CTH S, Buffalo, WI

Built 1986 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,100

CTH F

Good

Over: N BR LITTLE BEAR CREEK

1.9M N JCT CTH D, Buffalo, WI

Built 1977 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 250

STH 35-STH 54

Good

Over: CHICKEN VALLEY CREEK

2.4M N JCT CTH P, Buffalo, WI

Built 1980 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,000

CTH K

Good

Over: BR LITTLE BEAR CREEK

0.5M E JCT CTH AA, Buffalo, WI

Built 1992 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 238

LRD N PARADISE HIL

Good

Over: BY GOLLY CREEK

0.3M N JCT CTH D, Buffalo, WI

Built 1987 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 45

LRD E SAUER MILL R

Good

Over: SWINNS VALLEY CREEK

0.2M S JCT STH 95, Buffalo, WI

Built 1987 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 22

CTH X

Good

Over: TRAVERSE VALLEY CREEK

3.2M E JCT CTH CC, Buffalo, WI

Built 1991 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 217

STH 88

Good

Over: TRIB.-WAUMANDEE CREEK

1.5M N JCT CTH O, Buffalo, WI

Built 1997 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 600

STH 35

Good

Over: BR ROSE VALLEY CREEK

3.5M N JCT STH 88, Buffalo, WI

Built 1999 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,700

STH 37

Good

Over: BR BUFFALO RIVER

0.1M N JCT CTH J, Buffalo, WI

Built 2000 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 750

STH 37

Good

Over: BR BUFFALO RIVER

1.9M N JCT CTH J, Buffalo, WI

Built 2000 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 750

STH 95

Good

Over: SWINNS VALLEY CREEK

3.3M E JCT CTH E, Buffalo, WI

Built 2001 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,300

LRD TURNER VALLEY

Good

Over: TURNER VALLEY CREEK

0.7M N JCT CTH Z, Buffalo, WI

Built 2001 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 21

STH 88

Good

Over: HADLEY CREEK

2.4M N JCT CTH B, Buffalo, WI

Built 2003 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 710

LRD CROSS RD

Good

Over: TURNER VALLEY CREEK

1.5M E JCT STH 88, Buffalo, WI

Built 2001 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 53

STH 25

Good

Over: BR SPRING CREEK

4.3M N JCT CTH V TO W, Buffalo, WI

Built 2002 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,700

STH 37 NB

Good

Over: TRIB TO BUFFALO R

1.7M N JCT CTH S, Buffalo, WI

Built 2003 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 990

CTH BB

Good

Over: BUFFALO RIVER TRIB.

0.3M E OF JCT CTH HH, Buffalo, WI

Built 2002 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,171

LRD WEISENBECK RD

Good

Over: LITTLE BEAR CR

0.2 M S CTH K, Buffalo, WI

Built 2004 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 57

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Related

Browse all → | Rankings →
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.