SR 42 over Eel River
Clay County, Indiana · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- SR 42 over Eel River in Clay County, Indiana, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the superstructure, rated 5 (fair condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1938 and reconstructed in 1978, making it 87 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 819 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2021).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 102 of the 185 inventoried bridges in Clay County rated fair (55.1%); 19 (10.3%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is open, no restriction (NBI item 41).
- Its condition class and component ratings are unchanged from the 2024 inventory.
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated May 2023, on a 24-month routine inspection cycle.
- It has fracture-critical members (NBI item 92A): steel tension members without a redundant load path, which get their own scheduled inspections.
- A fair rating means the lowest-rated major component scores 5 or 6 on FHWA's 0-9 scale: some deterioration or minor section loss, but the structure is sound. It is the middle class, not a warning.
View this bridge on a map → (39.44431, -86.99373)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Superstructure | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
| Substructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Steel through truss |
| Length | about 264 ft |
| Location | 07.34 E SR 59 |
| NBI structure number | 015790 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | May 2023 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 8: foundations stable, scour above the top of the footing |
| Fracture critical (item 92A) | Yes |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the Indiana department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Clay County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-70 EB over Birch Creek | 1966 | 30,165 | Fair |
| SR 42 over East Fork Honey Creek | 1934 | 29,657 | Good |
| SR 42 over I-70 WB | 1967 | 29,657 | Fair |
| I-70 WB over Honey Creek Priv Rd | 1967 | 16,016 | Fair |
| I-70 EB over Honey Creek Priv Rd | 1967 | 15,522 | Fair |
| I-70 EB over East Fork Birch Creek | 1966 | 15,050 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Clay County, IN bridge conditions · every bridge in Clay County · Indiana bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.