Structure 121020002710062 · Harris County, TX

US 90a NB over Buffalo Bayou/ Zoltowski

Carries US 90a NB over Buffalo Bayou/ Zoltowski, 1.6 Mi S Of IH 10.

Overall conditionFair

Set by its lowest-rated component: Deck and Superstructure and Substructure at 6 of 9.

How ratings work
Decksets the rating6/9 · Satisfactory
Superstructuresets the rating6/9 · Satisfactory
Substructuresets the rating6/9 · Satisfactory
Channelnot part of overall6/9 · Satisfactory
0 failed4 poor6 fair9 excellent

Elevation

Side view, colored by inspection rating
SEMI-TRUCK · 72 FT910 FT OVERALL200 FT0ELEVATION · LENGTHS TO SCALE
Deck 6/9Superstructure 6/9Substructure 6/9

910 ft end to end, longest span 270 ft: about 2.5 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 multi-beam bridge.

Built1956rebuilt 1996
Length910.1 ft277.4 m
Daily traffic15,995counted 2024
Last inspectedAugust 2024every 24 months

Location

StateTexas
CountyHarris
Location1.6 Mi S Of IH 10
CarriesUS 90a NB
CrossesBuffalo Bayou/ Zoltowski
Coordinates29.75345, -95.29665

Physical Characteristics

MaterialSteel Continuous
DesignStringer/Multi-beam
Total Length910.1 ft (277.4 m)
Max Span270.0 ft (82.3 m)
Deck Width40.0 ft (12.2 m)
Deck Area3384.3 sq m
Main Spans3
Year Built1956 (reconstructed 1996)

Traffic

Avg Daily Traffic15,995 (2024)
Truck Traffic4%
Lanes On Bridge2
Lanes Under Bridge2

Inspection & Ownership

Last InspectionAugust 2024
Inspection FrequencyEvery 24 months
OwnerState Highway Agency
Historical SignificanceBridge is eligible for the National Register
Scour Critical8 — Stable, low risk
Structure Number121020002710062

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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