National Bridge Inventory: Rhode Island



  • Of the 784 bridges in the state, 130, or 16.6 percent, are classified as structurally deficient. This means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition.
  • This is down from 180 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2018.
  • The deck area of structurally deficient bridges accounts for 17.1 percent of total deck area on all structures.
  • 13 of the structurally deficient bridges are on the Interstate Highway System. A total of 56.2 percent of the structurally deficient bridges are not on the National Highway System, which includes the Interstate and other key roads linking major airports, ports, rail and truck terminals.
  • 105 bridges are posted for load, which may restrict the size and weight of vehicles crossing the structure.
  • The state has identified needed repairs on 720 bridges at an estimated cost of $2.9 billion.
  • This compares to 721 bridges that needed work in 2018.

County Year Built Daily Crossings Type of Bridge Location
Providence 1964 171,707 Urban Interstate I-95 NB & SB over US 6,Woon Rvr,Amtrak
Providence 1964 134,500 Urban Interstate I-95 NB & SB over Wellington Av
Providence 1965 134,500 Urban Interstate I-95 NB & SB over US 1 Elmwood Av
Providence 1964 134,500 Urban Interstate I-95 NB & SB over Amtrak
Providence 1969 80,500 Urban Interstate I-195 WB over Seekonk River
Providence 1957 69,109 Urban freeway/expressway RI 146 Ed Dowl Hwy over RI 15 Mineral Spring Av
Providence 1957 65,800 Urban freeway/expressway RI 146 Ed Dowl Hwy over Branch Av
Providence 1965 54,128 Urban freeway/expressway RI 37 EB & WB over Pontiac Av
Providence 1969 53,619 Urban freeway/expressway US 6 EB & WB over US 6A Hartford Av Ramp
Providence 1951 48,800 Urban freeway/expressway US 6 Olneyvlle Exp over Westminster,Troy,Amtrak
Providence 1965 47,871 Urban other principal arterial RI 37 EB & WB over RI 2 New London Av
Providence 1956 47,393 Urban freeway/expressway RI 146 Ed Dowl Hwy over Cobble Hill Rd
Kent 1963 47,277 Urban freeway/expressway RI 37 EB over Amtrak
Providence 1956 47,208 Urban freeway/expressway RI 146 Ed Dowl Hwy over RI 246 Charles St
Washington 1969 46,800 Urban freeway/expressway US 1 Tower Hill Rd over RI 138
Kent 1965 46,000 Urban freeway/expressway RI 37 EB & WB over US 1 Post Rd
Providence 1963 37,200 Urban freeway/expressway RI 37 WB over Pawtuxet River
Providence 1963 36,090 Urban freeway/expressway RI 37 EB over Pawtuxet River
Providence 1965 34,764 Urban freeway/expressway RI 10 Huntngtn Exp over I-95 NB & SB, Amtrak
Kent 2006 34,118 Urban other principal arterial RI 113 Main Av over Amtrak
Providence 1969 31,251 Urban freeway/expressway RI 37 EB & WB over I-295 SB
Providence 1968 31,251 Urban freeway/expressway RI 37 EB & WB over I-295 NB
Providence 1988 31,200 Urban Interstate Ramp Ad over Amtrak,Woon Rvr,Ramp Bd
Providence 1972 31,112 Urban minor arterial Dean St over US 6 Harris Av & Amtrak
Providence 1968 30,529 Urban freeway/expressway RI 37 EB & WB over Wash Sec Bike Path
Type of Bridge Number of Bridges Area of All Bridges
(sq. meters)
Daily Crossings on All Bridges Number of Structurally Deficient Bridges Area of Structurally Deficient Bridges
(sq. meters)
Daily Crossings on Structurally Deficient Bridges
Rural Interstate 14 7,092 873,492 0 0 0
Rural arterial 16 6,310 128,590 0 0 0
Rural minor arterial 9 2,258 42,545 1 63 4,260
Rural major collector 22 6,724 74,644 4 1,261 4,792
Rural minor collector 23 5,050 20,953 1 318 513
Rural local road 31 3,369 7,712 11 1,105 2,595
Urban Interstate 127 203,914 7,072,295 13 38,277 807,710
Urban freeway/expressway 125 241,559 3,768,340 22 31,980 833,508
Urban other principal arterial 129 119,151 1,993,806 20 17,582 377,973
Urban minor arterial 144 101,486 1,468,083 29 28,047 312,415
Urban collector 86 41,401 372,272 17 8,589 50,853
Urban local road 58 18,058 87,603 12 2,270 20,843
Total 784 756,371 15,910,335 130 129,492 2,415,462
Type of Work Number of Bridges Cost to Repair
(in millions)
Daily Crossings Area of Bridges
(sq. meters)
Bridge replacement 5 $50 34,396 3,527
Widening & rehabilitation 0 $0 0 0
Rehabilitation 712 $2,773 14,084,194 645,712
Deck rehabilitation/replacement 0 $0 0 0
Other structural work 3 $38 3,150 3,953
Total 720 $2,860 14,121,740 653,192

About the data:

Data and cost estimates are from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on February 1, 2023. Note that specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections.

Effective January 1, 2018, FHWA changed the definition of structurally deficient as part of the final rule on highway and bridge performance measures, published May 20, 2017 pursuant to the 2012 federal aid highway bill Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). Two measures that were previously used to classify bridges as structurally deficient are no longer used. This includes bridges where the overall structural evaluation was rated in poor or worse condition, or where the adequacy of waterway openings was insufficient.

The new definition limits the classification to bridges where one of the key structural elements—the deck, superstructure, substructure or culverts, are rated in poor or worse condition. During inspection, the conditions of a variety of bridge elements are rated on a scale of 0 (failed condition) to 9 (excellent condition). A rating of 4 is considered “poor” condition.

Cost estimates have been derived by ARTBA, based on 2021 average bridge replacement costs for structures on and off the National Highway System, published by FHWA. Bridge rehabilitation costs are estimated to be 68 percent of replacement costs. A bridge is considered to need repair if the structure has identified repairs as part of the NBI, a repair cost estimate is supplied by the bridge owner or the bridge is classified as structurally deficient. Please note that for a few states, the number of bridges needing to be repaired can vary significantly from year to year, and reflects the data entered by the state.

Bridges are classified by FHWA into types based on the functional classification of the roadway on the bridge. Interstates comprise routes officially designated by the Secretary of Transportation. Other principal arterials serve major centers of urban areas or provide mobility through rural areas. Freeways and expressways have directional lanes generally separated by a physical barrier, and access/egress points generally limited to on- and off-ramps. Minor arterials serve smaller areas and are used for trips of moderate length. Collectors funnel traffic from local roads to the arterial network; major collectors have higher speed limits and traffic volumes and are longer in length and spaced at greater intervals, while minor collectors are shorter and provide service to smaller communities. Local roads do not carry through traffic and are intended for short distance travel.

4
Compared to 3 in 2021

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridges

1. West Virginia 20.0%
3. South Dakota 17.0%
4. Rhode Island 17.0%
5. Maine 14.0%

44
Compared to 44 in 2021

in the nation in # of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 4,604
43. New Hampshire 190
44. Rhode Island 130
45. Alaska 126

1
Compared to 1 in 2021

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridge deck area

1. Rhode Island 17.0%
2. West Virginia 15.0%
Full State Ranking

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  • Source: Data is from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on February 1, 2023. Note that specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections.

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