US281 over Republican River
Webster County, Nebraska · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- US281 over Republican River in Webster County, Nebraska, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the deck, rated 5 (fair condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1935, making it 90 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 950 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2018).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 56 of the 192 inventoried bridges in Webster County rated fair (29.2%); 16 (8.3%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is posted for load (NBI item 41).
- Its condition class and component ratings are unchanged from the 2024 inventory.
- Status change: newly posted for load since 2024.
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated July 2024, on a 24-month routine inspection cycle.
- It has fracture-critical members (NBI item 92A): steel tension members without a redundant load path, which get their own scheduled inspections.
- 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 → (40.0628, -98.519)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
| Superstructure | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
| Substructure | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Continuous steel through truss |
| Length | about 644 ft |
| Location | 2S Red Cloud |
| NBI structure number | S281 00423 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Posted for load |
| Last inspection (item 90) | July 2024 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 5: foundations stable, scour within the limits of the footing or piles |
| Fracture critical (item 92A) | Yes |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the Nebraska department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Webster County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| US281 over Stream | 1939 | 1,940 | Good |
| US281 over Stream | 1939 | 1,940 | Good |
| US281 over Crooked Creek | 2024 | 1,610 | Good |
| US281 over Elm Creek | 1979 | 1,360 | Good |
| Fas 2175 over Oak Creek | 1976 | 835 | Fair |
| N4 over Flat Creek | 1959 | 835 | Good |
All bridges nearby: Webster County, NE bridge conditions · every bridge in Webster County · Nebraska bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.