Structure 161260025515297 · Jim Wells County, TX

US 281 Sbml over Bu 281

Carries US 281 Sbml over Bu 281, 7.61 Mi N Of SH 285.

Overall conditionGood

Set by its lowest-rated component: Deck at 7 of 9.

How ratings work
Decksets the rating7/9 · Good
Superstructure8/9 · Very Good
Substructure8/9 · Very Good
0 failed4 poor6 fair9 excellent

Elevation

Side view, colored by inspection rating
SEMI-TRUCK · 72 FT720 FT OVERALL100 FT0ELEVATION · LENGTHS TO SCALE
Deck 7/9 · sets the ratingSuperstructure 8/9Substructure 8/9

720 ft end to end, longest span 120 ft: about 2.0 football fields. Lengths and the semi-truck 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 bridge of this kind.

Built20224 years old
Length720.1 ft219.5 m
Daily traffic13,342counted 2022
Last inspectedFebruary 2024every 24 months

Location

StateTexas
CountyJim Wells
Location7.61 Mi N Of SH 285
CarriesUS 281 Sbml
CrossesBu 281
Coordinates27.33491, -98.12707

Physical Characteristics

MaterialOther
DesignOther
Total Length720.1 ft (219.5 m)
Max Span120.1 ft (36.6 m)
Deck Width52.2 ft (15.9 m)
Deck Area3490.1 sq m
Main Spans6
Year Built2022

Traffic

Avg Daily Traffic13,342 (2022)
Truck Traffic41%
Lanes On Bridge3
Lanes Under Bridge2

Inspection & Ownership

Last InspectionFebruary 2024
Inspection FrequencyEvery 24 months
OwnerState Highway Agency
Historical SignificanceBridge is not eligible for the National Register
Scour CriticalNot applicable
Structure Number161260025515297

How Bridge Ratings Work

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."

0Failed
1Imminent failure
2Critical
3Serious
4Poor
5Fair
6Satisfactory
7Good
8Very good
9Excellent
Good · lowest component 7–9
Fair · lowest component 5–6
Poor · lowest component 0–4

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.

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