Slippery Elm Shoot over Bear Creek
Brown County, Indiana · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- Slippery Elm Shoot over Bear Creek in Brown 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 1986 and reconstructed in 2012, making it 39 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 100 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2023).
- Its listed owner is the county highway agency.
- It is one of 71 of the 114 inventoried bridges in Brown County rated fair (62.3%); 17 (14.9%) 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 October 2023, on a 24-month routine inspection cycle.
- 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 → (39.27719, -86.34567)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Superstructure | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
| Substructure | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Steel stringer or multi-beam girder |
| Length | about 49 ft |
| Location | 0.01 Mi. W. Bear Creek Rd |
| NBI structure number | 0700097 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | October 2023 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 5: foundations stable, scour within the limits of the footing or piles |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the Indiana department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Brown County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| SR 46 over Greasy Creek | 1964 | 14,040 | Fair |
| SR 46 over North Fork Salt Creek | 1964 | 11,699 | Fair |
| SR 46 over North Fork Salt Creek | 1964 | 10,596 | Fair |
| SR 46 over North Fork Salt Creek | 1964 | 10,520 | Fair |
| SR 46 over N Fork Salt Creek | 1928 | 9,341 | Fair |
| SR 46 over Gnaw Bone Creek | 1960 | 8,485 | Good |
All bridges nearby: Brown County, IN bridge conditions · every bridge in Brown County · Indiana bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.