White Gates over Little Elk Creek
Meade County, South Dakota · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- White Gates over Little Elk Creek in Meade 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 1973 and reconstructed in 1988, making it 52 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 100 vehicles a day (traffic count year 1991).
- It is one of 90 of the 213 inventoried bridges in Meade County rated fair (42.3%); 27 (12.7%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is open, no restriction (NBI item 41).
- It was rated good in the 2024 inventory and is now fair (deck 7 to 6, superstructure 7 to 6).
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated March 2024, on a 24-month routine inspection cycle.
- 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 → (44.23147, -103.48171)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 7 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Superstructure | 7 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Substructure | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Timber slab |
| Length | about 28 ft |
| Location | T 3 N R 5 E Sec 11 |
| NBI structure number | 020308000010026 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | March 2024 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 4: foundations stable, field review says exposed foundations need protection |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the South Dakota department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Meade County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| I090 over Rc P&e RR | 2008 | 21,020 | Fair |
| I090 over Ck | 1957 | 20,060 | Fair |
| I090 over Alkali Ck | 1947 | 18,840 | Fair |
| I090 over Pleasant Valley Ck | 2023 | 18,420 | Good |
| I090 over Rcp&e RR | 1981 | 18,420 | Fair |
| I090 over Ck | 1956 | 18,420 | Good |
All bridges nearby: Meade County, SD bridge conditions · every bridge in Meade County · South Dakota bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.