Ush 8 over Balsam Branch Creek
Polk County, Wisconsin · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- Ush 8 over Balsam Branch Creek in Polk County, Wisconsin, 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 1990, making it 35 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 6,500 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2022).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 38 of the 72 inventoried bridges in Polk County rated fair (52.8%); 16 (22.2%) 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: substructure 7 to 8.
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated September 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 → (45.39579, -92.45969)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Superstructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Substructure | 7 | 8 | Very good condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Concrete slab |
| Length | about 36 ft |
| Location | 1.5M E Jct Sth 65 |
| NBI structure number | B48003000000000 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | September 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 Wisconsin department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Polk County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ush 8 over St Croix River 07 | 1955 | 14,900 | Fair |
| Ush 8 over Lrd Interstate Park Rd | 1956 | 14,000 | Fair |
| Ush 8 EB over Sth 35 SB / S Vincent St | 1995 | 9,000 | Fair |
| Sth 35 over Osceola CR | 2006 | 7,700 | Fair |
| Ush 8 WB over Sth 35 SB / S Vincent St | 1995 | 7,450 | Fair |
| Ush 8-sth 46 over Apple River | 1973 | 7,400 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Polk County, WI bridge conditions · every bridge in Polk County · Wisconsin bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.