US281 Hwy over White Rock Creek
Smith County, Kansas · rated Poor in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- US281 Hwy over White Rock Creek in Smith County, Kansas, is rated in poor condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the deck, rated 4 (poor condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1937 and reconstructed in 1991, making it 88 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 492 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2023).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 32 of the 281 inventoried bridges in Smith County rated poor (11.4%); 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 April 2024, on a 12-month routine inspection cycle.
- It is coded scour critical (NBI item 113 = 3): scour critical: foundations unstable for the assessed or calculated scour.
- A poor rating means at least one major component - deck, superstructure, or substructure - is rated 4 or lower on FHWA's 0-9 scale. It does not by itself mean the bridge is unsafe; bridges judged unsafe are closed or load-restricted by their owners.
View this bridge on a map → (39.88194, -98.54167)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 4 | 4 | Poor condition |
| Superstructure | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
| Substructure | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Continuous steel stringer or multi-beam girder |
| Length | about 225 ft |
| Location | 3.95 Mi N Jct K191 |
| NBI structure number | 999928100920281 |
| Condition class | Poor |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | April 2024 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 12 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.