CR 281 over Ponton Creek
Lavaca County, Texas · rated Poor in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- CR 281 over Ponton Creek in Lavaca County, Texas, is rated in poor condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the substructure, rated 4 (poor condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1930, making it 95 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 50 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2014).
- Its listed owner is the county highway agency.
- It is one of 10 of the 262 inventoried bridges in Lavaca County rated poor (3.8%); 10 (3.8%) 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.
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated February 2025, on a 12-month routine inspection cycle.
- It is coded scour critical (NBI item 113 = 3): scour critical: foundations unstable for the assessed or calculated scour.
- A poor rating means at least one major component - deck, superstructure, or substructure - is rated 4 or lower on FHWA's 0-9 scale. It does not by itself mean the bridge is unsafe; bridges judged unsafe are closed or load-restricted by their owners.
View this bridge on a map → (29.49203, -97.13429)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
| Superstructure | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
| Substructure | 4 | 4 | Poor condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Continuous concrete slab |
| Length | about 28 ft |
| Location | 0.95 Mi E of SH 95 |
| NBI structure number | 131430AA0172001 |
| Condition class | Poor |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Posted for load |
| Last inspection (item 90) | February 2025 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 12 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 3: scour critical: foundations unstable for the assessed or calculated scour |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the Texas department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Lavaca County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| US 77 over Lavaca River | 1925 | 14,949 | Fair |
| US 90A over Brushy Creek | 2015 | 8,496 | Good |
| US 77A over Spring Branch | 1924 | 7,210 | Fair |
| US 77A over Smothers Creek | 1924 | 7,210 | Good |
| US 77A/US 90A over Smothers Creek Relief | 1930 | 7,210 | Fair |
| US 77 over West Navidad River | 1958 | 6,738 | Good |
All bridges nearby: Lavaca County, TX bridge conditions · every bridge in Lavaca County · Texas bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.