County profile · official public datasets

Eau Claire County, WI

236 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 42.8% rated Good, 49.6% Fair, 7.6% Poor.

236
Public bridges
42.8%
Good condition
7.6%
Poor condition

The verdict

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

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

46th
of 72 on Poor share
7.6%
Poor-condition share
236
public highway bridges
1982
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.

Eau Claire County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Eau Claire County ranks #46 of 72 Wisconsin counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 7.6%). Eau Claire County, Wisconsin contains 236 public highway bridges. Roughly 42.8% are rated “Good,” 49.6% “Fair,” and 7.6% “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.

Total bridges

236

Public highway bridges in Eau Claire County

Good condition

42.8%

101 of 236 rated 7-9

Fair condition

49.6%

117 of 236 rated 5-6

Poor condition

7.6%

18 of 236 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#46 of 72

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

Condition distribution

Share of 236 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
42.8% (101)
Fair
49.6% (117)
Poor
7.6% (18)

Eau Claire County's Poor-condition bridges carry 45,242 vehicle crossings a day

That is 3.2% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 7.6% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 2,513 crossings a day against 6,809 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 236 of 236 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

39.4% of Eau Claire County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

93 of the 236 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 42.8% 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 46% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

USH 12 over OTTER CREEK, built 1988, carries 20,800 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 18-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 45,242 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Eau Claire County's bridges were built

236 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1960s, when 46 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 19.5% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 55 to 64 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1982) matches the Wisconsin average (1984).

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

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

The 5 Wisconsin counties nearest Eau Claire County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 7.6% Poor share is the 3rd-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1982 against a peer-group mean of 1982 is in line with the group.

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

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Eau Claire 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 238 8.4%
Eau Claire County (this page) 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 Eau Claire 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 Eau Claire County, both outside Wisconsin so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside WI (236 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside WI (1982 here).

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

All 236 Good 101 Fair 117 Poor 18

All bridges (236)

CTH D

Fair

Over: BEAVER CREEK

0.9M S CTH XX, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1974 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 666

USH 12

Fair

Over: STH 312E

0.5M W JCT USH B12, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1993 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 19,200

STH312WB(OLD STH12

Fair

Over: CHIPPEWA RIVER

1.4M S JCT USH 53 TO S, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1992 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 12,450

LRD HASTING WAY NB

Fair

Over: STH312 EB(OLD 124NB)

2.8M N JCT USH 12, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1993 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 9,050

LRD HASTINGS WAY S

Fair

Over: STH312 EB(OLD 124)

2.2M S JCT CTH J, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1993 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 9,050

STH 37-STH 85

Fair

Over: LOWES CREEK

0.2M N JCT CTH B, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1996 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 8,900

LRD HILLSDALE RD

Fair

Over: FALL CREEK

0.6M E CTH KK, Eau Claire, WI

Built 2002 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 106

CTH U

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK

0.1M N CTH YYY, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1964 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 153

USH 53 NB

Fair

Over: EAU CLAIRE R

.3 MI. EAST OF USH 12, Eau Claire, WI

Built 2006 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 22,550

USH 53 SB

Fair

Over: EAU CLAIRE R

.3M S CTH QQ, Eau Claire, WI

Built 2006 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 22,550

STH 37-STH 85

Fair

Over: TAYLOR CREEK

1.0M N JCT STH 85 TO W, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1933 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 8,400

LRD 10TH ST

Fair

Over: UP RR

0.1M E WILSON DR, Eau Claire, WI

Built 2004 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 7,175

CTH JJ

Fair

Over: BEAR GRASS CREEK

0.3M W CTH V, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1956 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 256

LRD LOWES CREEK RD

Fair

Over: LOWES CREEK

0.3M S CTH S, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1975 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 512

STH312 EB(OLD STH1

Fair

Over: CHIPPEWA RIVER

1.2M N JCT CTH F, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1992 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 12,450

CTH I

Fair

Over: PINE CREEK

0.1M S CTH V, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1966 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 871

USH 12

Fair

Over: BEAR GRASS CREEK

0.3M E JCT CTH AF, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1996 Load: 51.8 t ADT: 3,000

CTH H

Good

Over: SCHOOLHOUSE CREEK

2.8M N USH 10, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1955 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 358

CTH H

Good

Over: N EAU CLAIRE RIVER

0.4M S CTH MM, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1954 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 350

USH 53 NB

Good

Over: IH 94

0.2M N JCT CTH II, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1966 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 16,300

USH 53 SB

Good

Over: IH 94

2.5M S JCT STH 93 TO S, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1966 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 16,300

LRD SILVER SPRING

Good

Over: LOWES CREEK

0.3M E STH 37, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1986 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 102

LRD E MAIN STREET

Good

Over: TOUSSEL CREEK

0.1M E USH 12, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1986 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 256

LRD HASTINGS WAY N

Good

Over: EAU CLAIRE RIVER

1.7M N JCT USH 12 TO E, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1970 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 48,063

USH 12

Good

Over: UNION PACIFIC RR

0.4M E JCT CTH R, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1988 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 5,200

USH 12

Good

Over: THOMPSON VALLEY CREEK

2.9M E JCT CTH V, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1988 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,000

USH 12

Good

Over: FALL CREEK

0.6M E JCT CTH I, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1991 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,900

USH 12-STH 312(OLD

Good

Over: SHERMAN CREEK

0.1M E JCT CTH TT (G), Eau Claire, WI

Built 1993 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 16,900

CTH QQ

Good

Over: USH 53

AT USH 53, Eau Claire, WI

Built 2004 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,100

CTH D

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

0.4M N CTH HH, Eau Claire, WI

Built 2003 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 871

CTH HH

Good

Over: CLEAR CREEK

0.1M E CTH I, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1994 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 256

USH 53

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

0.6M N JCT CTH D TO E, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1977 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 2,400

LRD TIOGA RD

Good

Over: BLACK CREEK

1.8M E CTH H, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1993 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 51

USH 53 SB

Good

Over: OTTER CR

.3 MI. NORTH OF USH 12, Eau Claire, WI

Built 2006 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 21,500

USH 53 NB

Good

Over: UP RR / FAIRWAY DR

.8 MI. NORTH OF USH 12, Eau Claire, WI

Built 2006 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 22,550

USH 53 SB

Good

Over: UP RR

.8 MI. S OF CTH DD, Eau Claire, WI

Built 2006 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 22,550

LRD RIVER PRAIRIE

Good

Over: USH 53

1.3 MI. NORTH OF USH 12, Eau Claire, WI

Built 2006 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 12,900

IH 94 WB

Good

Over: LOWE CREEK

2.6M E JCT STH 37 TO N, Eau Claire, WI

Built 2015 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 14,550

IH 94 EB

Good

Over: LOWE CREEK

2.6M E JCT STH 37 TO N, Eau Claire, WI

Built 2015 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 14,550

CTH HH

Good

Over: PINE CREEK

0.3 MI EAST OF STH 93, Eau Claire, WI

Built 2015 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 710

CTH I

Good

Over: IH 94

0.9M E JCT USH 53, Eau Claire, WI

Built 2018 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 420

CTH D

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

1.3M W USH 53, Eau Claire, WI

Built 2014 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 1,155

LRD HOBBS RD

Good

Over: IH 94

0.2M N JCT CTH I, Eau Claire, WI

Built 2018 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 300

CTH D

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

0.1M W USH 53, Eau Claire, WI

Built 2020 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 1,200

CTH V

Good

Over: BRIDGE CREEK

0.2 MI WEST OF STH 27, Eau Claire, WI

Built 2021 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 640

LRD SHORT ST

Good

Over: CHIPPEWA RIVER 06

0.7M N JCT STH 37, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1998 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 5,510

LRD HORSE CREEK RD

Good

Over: HORSE CREEK

1.3M W CTH H, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1990 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 51

LRD CHANNEY RD

Good

Over: N FK EAU CLAIRE RIVER

2.3M W CTH H, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1988 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 51

USH 12 EB

Good

Over: RAMP

0.2M E JCT USH 53 TO N, Eau Claire, WI

Built 2006 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 5,400

USH 53 S HASTINGS

Good

Over: LRD CYPRESS RD

AT CYPRESS RD, Eau Claire, WI

Built 2005 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 15,000

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.