K181 Hwy over Oak Creek
Smith County, Kansas · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- K181 Hwy over Oak Creek in Smith County, Kansas, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the deck, rated 5 (fair condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1949, making it 76 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 323 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2023).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 159 of the 281 inventoried bridges in Smith County rated fair (56.6%); 32 (11.4%) 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 February 2023, on a 24-month routine inspection cycle.
- It is coded scour critical (NBI item 113 = 3): scour critical: foundations unstable for the assessed or calculated scour.
- 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 → (39.685, -98.55917)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
| Superstructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Substructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Continuous steel stringer or multi-beam girder |
| Length | about 252 ft |
| Location | 8.29MI N Osborne Co Line |
| NBI structure number | 999918100920381 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | February 2023 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 3: scour critical: foundations unstable for the assessed or calculated scour |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the Kansas department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Smith County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| US36 Hwy over Middle Beaver Creek Drg | 1952 | 2,171 | Good |
| US36 Hwy over East Beaver Creek Drg | 1952 | 2,171 | Fair |
| US-36 Hwy over Middle Beaver Creek | 1994 | 2,171 | Good |
| US-36 Hwy over East Beaver Creek | 1994 | 2,171 | Good |
| US36 Hwy over Cedar Creek Drainage | 1963 | 2,031 | Good |
| US36 Hwy over Cedar Creek | 1963 | 2,031 | Good |
All bridges nearby: Smith County, KS bridge conditions · every bridge in Smith County · Kansas bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.