County profile · official public datasets

Rusk County, WI

151 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 49.7% rated Good, 44.4% Fair, 6% Poor.

151
Public bridges
49.7%
Good condition
6%
Poor condition

The verdict

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

Rusk County pairs a better-than-median Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state with a newer average build year than the state inventory.

Top 50%
lowest Poor share in state
6%
Poor-condition share
151
public highway bridges
1989
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.

Rusk County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Rusk County ranks #36 of 72 Wisconsin counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 6%). Rusk County, Wisconsin contains 151 public highway bridges. Roughly 49.7% are rated “Good,” 44.4% “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.

Total bridges

151

Public highway bridges in Rusk County

Good condition

49.7%

75 of 151 rated 7-9

Fair condition

44.4%

67 of 151 rated 5-6

Poor condition

6%

9 of 151 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#36 of 72

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

Condition distribution

Share of 151 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
49.7% (75)
Fair
44.4% (67)
Poor
6% (9)

Rusk County's Poor-condition bridges carry 6,193 vehicle crossings a day

That is 7.3% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 6% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry more traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 688 crossings a day against 494 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 151 of 151 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

20.5% of Rusk County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

31 of the 151 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 49.7% 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 54.9% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

USH 8 over LITTLE SOFT MAPLE CREEK, built 1938, carries 3,400 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 9-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 6,193 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Rusk County's bridges were built

151 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1980s, when 40 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 26.5% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 35 to 44 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year is 1989, 5 years newer than the Wisconsin average of 1984.

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

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

The 5 Wisconsin counties nearest Rusk County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 6% Poor share is the 2nd-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1989 against a peer-group mean of 1982 is 7 years newer.

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

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Rusk County and the 5 Wisconsin counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Washington County 162 8.6%
Shawano County 160 9.4%
Lincoln County 157 6.4%
Rusk County (this page) 151 6%
Oconto County 149 3.4%
Douglas County 135 12.6%

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

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside WI (151 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside WI (1989 here).

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

All 151 Good 75 Fair 67 Poor 9

All bridges (151)

CTH M

Fair

Over: S FK MAIN CREEK

1.3M S JCT USH 8--28, Rusk, WI

Built 1981 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 379

STH 73

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

8.2M N JCT STH 194, Rusk, WI

Built 1965 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 460

LRD MAIN VALLEY RO

Fair

Over: MAIN CREEK

1.1M E JCT CTH I-66, Rusk, WI

Built 1986 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 150

STH 27

Fair

Over: DEER TAIL CREEK

2.0M N JCT CTH I, Rusk, WI

Built 1987 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 2,300

USH 8-3RD ST

Fair

Over: FLAMBEAU RIVER

0.6M E JCT STH 27, Rusk, WI

Built 1993 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 6,100

CTH VV

Fair

Over: LITTLE JUMP RIVER

1.3M E JCT CTH GG--14, Rusk, WI

Built 1995 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 900

LRD BROKEN ARROW R

Fair

Over: ALDER CREEK

3.8M E JCT CTH GG-87, Rusk, WI

Built 1984 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 81

CTH O

Fair

Over: DEVILS CREEK

3.4M W JCT STH 40--30, Rusk, WI

Built 1999 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 488

LRD NESSA RD

Fair

Over: S FK MAIN CREEK

1.7M E JCT STH 73-98, Rusk, WI

Built 1999 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 54

CTH I

Fair

Over: MAIN CREEK

1.3M N JCT CTH V-4, Rusk, WI

Built 2000 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 580

CTH H

Fair

Over: ELDER CREEK

0.8M N JCT STH 40--22, Rusk, WI

Built 1960 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 455

LRD PROGRESSIVE RD

Fair

Over: BR MAIN CREEK

1.2M S JCT CTH P-71, Rusk, WI

Built 1960 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 21

LRD BUCK LAKE RD

Fair

Over: MCDERMOTT CREEK

0.8M W JCT CTH F-100, Rusk, WI

Built 1963 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 86

CTH O

Fair

Over: DEVILS CREEK

1.3M W JCT STH 40--29, Rusk, WI

Built 1995 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 449

CTH O

Fair

Over: DEVILS CREEK

7.3M W JCT STH 40-33, Rusk, WI

Built 2001 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 449

LRD W RAILWAY ST

Fair

Over: BR SOFT MAPLE CREEK

0.1M W JCT CTH F-117, Rusk, WI

Built 1978 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 1,100

CTH D

Fair

Over: RICE CREEK

2.1M E JCT STH 40-37, Rusk, WI

Built 1969 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 325

CTH G

Good

Over: JUMP RIVER

0.1M S JCT CTY D EAST-6, Rusk, WI

Built 1975 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 280

LRD REICHEL ROAD

Good

Over: WEIRGOR CREEK

2.5M N JCT CTH H-96, Rusk, WI

Built 1984 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 47

LRD VALLEY ROAD

Good

Over: PIGEON CREEK

0.3M WEST OF CTY. F-121, Rusk, WI

Built 2000 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 101

LRD WILSON ROAD

Good

Over: MID FK MAIN CREEK

2.0M E JCT CYH B-97, Rusk, WI

Built 1985 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 162

LRD OLD MURRY ROAD

Good

Over: WEIGOR CREEK

0.7M E JCT STH 40-93, Rusk, WI

Built 1985 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 48

LRD CLOVERLAND RD

Good

Over: MAIN CREEK

0.6M N JCT CTH I-72, Rusk, WI

Built 1981 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 81

STH 73

Good

Over: S FK MAIN CREEK

7.1M N JCT STH 194, Rusk, WI

Built 1965 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 460

LRD DEER TAIL ROAD

Good

Over: DEER TAIL CREEK

2.2M E JCT CTH G-65, Rusk, WI

Built 1985 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 108

LRD DAVIS RD

Good

Over: DEERTAIL CREEK

1.0M S JCT CTH P-62, Rusk, WI

Built 1985 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 138

LRD PLANTZ ROAD

Good

Over: DEERTAIL CREEK

0.9M S JCT CTH P-63, Rusk, WI

Built 1986 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 54

STH 40

Good

Over: ALDER CREEK

0.1M N JCT CTH H TO N, Rusk, WI

Built 1977 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 880

STH 40

Good

Over: POTATO CREEK

1.3M N JCT CTH D, Rusk, WI

Built 1983 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 810

STH 40

Good

Over: SWIFT CREEK

9.8M N JCT CTH M, Rusk, WI

Built 1983 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 810

LRD BROKEN ARROW R

Good

Over: DEER TAIL CREEK

1.1M W JCT STH 27-113, Rusk, WI

Built 1987 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 206

STH 27

Good

Over: FLAMBEAU RIVER

2.1M N JCT CTH P, Rusk, WI

Built 1988 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 5,500

STH 27

Good

Over: LITTLE THORNAPPLE RIVER

0.7M N JCT CTH J TO E, Rusk, WI

Built 1990 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,600

CTH VV

Good

Over: JUMP RIVER

0.2M S JCT CTY D--41, Rusk, WI

Built 1998 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 476

LRD PIONEER RD

Good

Over: ALDER CREEK

1.0M N JCT CTY D-92, Rusk, WI

Built 1998 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 88

LRD DALEY RD

Good

Over: DEER TAIL CREEK

1.2M W JCT STH 27-114, Rusk, WI

Built 2001 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 21

CTH G

Good

Over: SKUNK CREEK

1.3M S JCT CTH I--42, Rusk, WI

Built 2011 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 663

CTH D

Good

Over: TEN MILE CREEK

0.5M W JCT CTH F--16, Rusk, WI

Built 2016 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 720

CTH I

Good

Over: DEER TAIL CREEK

0.3M S JCT CTH P-26, Rusk, WI

Built 2020 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 840

CTH D

Good

Over: LITTLE JUMP RIVER

0.9M E JCT CTH GG TO S, Rusk, WI

Built 2021 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 533

STH 27

Good

Over: THORNAPPLE RIVER

1.6M N JCT CTH A, Rusk, WI

Built 2016 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 2,700

STH 73

Good

Over: DECKER CREEK

4.9M N JCT STH 194, Rusk, WI

Built 1965 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 460

STH 40

Good

Over: SOFT MAPLE CREEK

3.1M N JCT CTH D, Rusk, WI

Built 1983 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 810

LRD HANSON RD.

Good

Over: S FK MAIN CREEK

2.2M S JCT USH 8-81, Rusk, WI

Built 1988 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 86

LRD CLOVERLAND RD

Good

Over: DEER TAIL CREEK

1.2M S JCT CTH P-73, Rusk, WI

Built 1988 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 86

LRD DEER TAIL RD

Good

Over: DEER TAIL CREEK

1.8M E JCT CTH G-70, Rusk, WI

Built 1989 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 108

LRD REICHEL ROAD

Good

Over: CLEAR CREEK

0.3M N JCT CTH H-95, Rusk, WI

Built 1990 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 86

STH 40

Good

Over: LITTLE WEIRGOR CREEK

2.8M N JCT CTH H TO W, Rusk, WI

Built 1999 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 770

CTH F

Good

Over: SOFT MAPLE CREEK

1.4M S JCT USH 8--40, Rusk, WI

Built 2016 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 350

LRD FETKE RD

Good

Over: DEVILS CREEK

0.4M N JCT CTH O-51, Rusk, WI

Built 2018 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 102

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.