US 281 over Mesquite Creek
Hamilton County, Texas · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- US 281 over Mesquite Creek in Hamilton County, Texas, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the substructure, rated 6 (satisfactory condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1940 and reconstructed in 1961, making it 85 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 3,894 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2023).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 64 of the 119 inventoried bridges in Hamilton County rated fair (53.8%); 2 (1.7%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is open, no restriction (NBI item 41).
- Its class is unchanged from 2024 (fair), but component ratings moved: superstructure 6 to 7.
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated November 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 → (31.82867, -98.1153)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
| Superstructure | 6 | 7 | Good condition |
| Substructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Concrete tee beam |
| Length | about 140 ft |
| Location | 8.8 Mi N of SH 36 |
| NBI structure number | 090980025101039 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | November 2024 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 8: foundations stable, scour above the top of the footing |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the Texas department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Hamilton County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| SH 36 over Pecan Creek | 1948 | 7,321 | Fair |
| US 281 over Bosque River | 1942 | 6,992 | Fair |
| US 281 over Bosque River Relief | 1942 | 6,992 | Fair |
| US 281 over Trib N Bosque River | 1938 | 6,963 | Fair |
| SH 6 over Tabor Branch | 1935 | 5,276 | Good |
| SH 6 over Jack Branch | 1934 | 5,076 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Hamilton County, TX bridge conditions · every bridge in Hamilton County · Texas bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.