Structure 160096 · Polk County, FL
Carries Cr-542 over Lake Howard Canal, 1.1 Mi. West Of Us-17.
75 ft end to end, longest span 25 ft. Lengths and the car on the deck are drawn to the same scale. Each part is colored by its latest inspection rating. The inventory records lengths but not heights or the layout of the shorter spans, so those are drawn as typical for a tee-beam bridge.
| State | Florida |
| County | Polk |
| Location | 1.1 Mi. West Of Us-17 |
| Carries | Cr-542 |
| Crosses | Lake Howard Canal |
| Coordinates | 28.03240, -81.74839 |
| Material | Concrete |
| Design | Tee Beam |
| Total Length | 74.8 ft (22.8 m) |
| Max Span | 24.9 ft (7.6 m) |
| Deck Width | 39.7 ft (12.1 m) |
| Deck Area | 275.9 sq m |
| Main Spans | 3 |
| Year Built | 1955 |
| Avg Daily Traffic | 10,100 (2024) |
| Truck Traffic | 14% |
| Lanes On Bridge | 2 |
| Last Inspection | February 2024 |
| Inspection Frequency | Every 24 months |
| Owner | City/Municipal Highway Agency |
| Historical Significance | Bridge is not eligible for the National Register |
| Scour Critical | 5 — Stable for scour |
| Structure Number | 160096 |
Inspectors rate each major part of a bridge (the deck you drive on, the superstructure of beams that holds it up, and the substructure of piers and abutments beneath) on a 0–9 scale. A bridge's overall condition is its lowest of those ratings, so one deteriorated component makes the whole bridge "poor."
A poor rating is not a closure. It means the bridge is flagged for priority repair or replacement; bridges judged unsafe are closed or posted with weight limits. The waterway (channel) rating is reported, but it does not count toward the overall classification.