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US Highway 281 over James River

Stutsman County, North Dakota · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory

United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled August 20, 2026

US Highway 281 over James River in Stutsman County, North Dakota, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of August 20, 2026).
Its lowest-rated component is the deck, rated 5 (fair condition) on the 0-9 scale.
It was built in 1933 and reconstructed in 1984, making it 92 years old at the 2025 inventory.
It carries about 10,370 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2020).
Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
It is one of 39 of the 78 inventoried bridges in Stutsman County rated fair (50.0%); 7 (9.0%) are rated poor.
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.

Component ratings

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the North Dakota department of transportation.

Bridge	Built	Vehicles/day	Condition
US Highway 281 over I-94/US 281 Interchange	1957	13,300	Fair
US Highway 281 SB over James River	1960	10,370	Fair
Interstate 94 over Creek	1958	8,400	Good
US Highway 52 over James River	1939	5,600	Fair
Interstate 94 over Bnrr & SE Jamestown Int	2017	4,560	Fair
US 52/281 Bypass over Red R. Valley/western RR	2003	4,200	Good