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US281 over North Loup River

Howard County, Nebraska · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory

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

US281 over North Loup River in Howard County, Nebraska, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of August 20, 2026).
Its lowest-rated component is the deck, rated 6 (satisfactory condition) on the 0-9 scale.
It was built in 1955 and reconstructed in 1994, making it 70 years old at the 2025 inventory.
It carries about 2,020 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2018).
Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
It is one of 104 of the 161 inventoried bridges in Howard County rated fair (64.6%); 11 (6.8%) 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


Structure	Continuous steel stringer or multi-beam girder
Length	about 384 ft
Location	3N St Paul
NBI structure number	S281 09667
Condition class	Fair

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

Bridge	Built	Vehicles/day	Condition
US281/N92 over Middle Loup River	1994	5,285	Fair
US281 over Lake Creek	1994	4,270	Good
US281 over Stream	1962	3,150	Good
N92 over Middle Loup River Trib	1974	3,000	Good
N11 over Middle Loup River	1990	2,100	Fair
N11 over Auger Creek	1981	1,400	Fair