Cowan School over Cowan Creek
Letcher County, Kentucky · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- Cowan School over Cowan Creek in Letcher County, Kentucky, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the deck, rated 6 (satisfactory condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1993, making it 32 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 200 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2006).
- Its listed owner is the county highway agency.
- It is one of 92 of the 181 inventoried bridges in Letcher County rated fair (50.8%); 17 (9.4%) 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 May 2024, 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 → (37.09472, -82.84333)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Superstructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Substructure | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Prestressed concrete multiple box beam |
| Length | about 32 ft |
| Location | At JCT of KY-931 |
| NBI structure number | 067C00067N |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | May 2024 |
| 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 Kentucky department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Letcher County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| US-119 over N Fork Kentucky River | 1974 | 11,505 | Fair |
| Ky-15 over Ky-15c | 1979 | 11,229 | Fair |
| Ky-15 over N Fork Kentucky River | 1979 | 11,229 | Fair |
| Ky-15 over N Fork Kentucky River | 1979 | 11,229 | Fair |
| Ky-15 over Maryland Dr/N F KY River | 1979 | 11,229 | Fair |
| Ky-15 over N Fork Ky River | 1965 | 10,037 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Letcher County, KY bridge conditions · every bridge in Letcher County · Kentucky bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.