Welch Road over Prairie Creek
Ionia County, Michigan · rated Good in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- Welch Road over Prairie Creek in Ionia County, Michigan, is rated in good condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the deck, rated 7 (good condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1995, making it 30 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 145 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2008).
- Its listed owner is the county highway agency.
- It is one of 37 of the 118 inventoried bridges in Ionia County rated good (31.4%); 12 (10.2%) 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 2024, on a 24-month routine inspection cycle.
- A good rating means every major component - deck, superstructure, substructure, or culvert - is rated 7 or higher on FHWA's 0-9 scale: no more than minor problems.
View this bridge on a map → (43.01224, -85.01673)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
| Superstructure | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
| Substructure | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Timber slab |
| Length | about 63 ft |
| Location | 1.0 Mi N 1.5 Mi E Ionia |
| NBI structure number | 000000000004066 |
| Condition class | Good |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | October 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 Michigan department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Ionia County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-96 over Portland Trail | 2013 | 35,000 | Good |
| I-96 over Libhart Creek | 1958 | 33,978 | Fair |
| I-96 EB over Kent Rd | 1959 | 20,074 | Fair |
| I-96 WB over Kent Rd | 1959 | 20,074 | Fair |
| I-96 EB over Okemos Rd | 1959 | 20,074 | Fair |
| I-96 WB over Okemos Rd | 1959 | 20,074 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Ionia County, MI bridge conditions · every bridge in Ionia County · Michigan bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.