County Highway over Niobrara River
Cherry County, Nebraska · rated Poor in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- County Highway over Niobrara River in Cherry County, Nebraska, 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 1909, making it 116 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 10 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2003).
- Its listed owner is the county highway agency.
- It is one of 11 of the 57 inventoried bridges in Cherry County rated poor (19.3%); 11 (19.3%) are rated poor.
- 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 → (42.818, -101.653)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Deck | 4 | Poor condition |
| Superstructure | 5 | Fair condition |
| Substructure | 5 | Fair condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Steel through truss |
| Length | about 130 ft |
| Location | 7S 2E of Merriman |
| NBI structure number | C001602605P |
| Condition class | Poor |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the Nebraska department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Cherry County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRR/US83 over Minnechaduza Creek | 1991 | 2,440 | Good |
| US83 over Stream | 1952 | 2,440 | Fair |
| US20/83 over Niobrara River | 1994 | 2,365 | Good |
| US20 over Minnechaduza Creek | 1984 | 1,460 | Good |
| US83 over North Loup River | 1987 | 1,245 | Good |
| US83 over Ainsworth Canal | 1962 | 1,180 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Cherry County, NE bridge conditions · every bridge in Cherry County · Nebraska bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.