US281 over BNSF Railroad
Brown County, South Dakota · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- US281 over BNSF Railroad in Brown County, South Dakota, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the deck, rated 6 (satisfactory condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 2001, making it 24 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 4,468 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2024).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 95 of the 170 inventoried bridges in Brown County rated fair (55.9%); 20 (11.8%) 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.
View this bridge on a map → (45.46298, -98.51582)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Deck | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Superstructure | 7 | Good condition |
| Substructure | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Steel through truss |
| Length | about 318 ft |
| Location | 0.2N Jct US12 |
| NBI structure number | 000000007100328 |
| Condition class | Fair |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the South Dakota department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Brown County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| US012 over Moccasin Ck | 1954 | 21,635 | Poor |
| Second Street over First Ave NW | 2003 | 11,055 | Fair |
| Second Street over Burlington Northern RR | 2003 | 11,055 | Fair |
| Second Street over Railroad Ave SW | 2003 | 11,055 | Fair |
| 3RD Avenue SE over Moccasin Creek | 2019 | 5,087 | Good |
| US281 over Foot Ck | 1971 | 3,968 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Brown County, SD bridge conditions · every bridge in Brown County · South Dakota bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.