National Bridge Inventory: Rhode Island



  • The state has identified needed repairs on 777 bridges.
  • This compares to 717 bridges that needed work in 2021.
  • Over the life of the IIJA, Rhode Island will receive a total of $255.0 million in bridge formula funds, which will help make needed repairs.
  • Rhode Island currently has access to $204.0 million of that total, and has committed $174.5 million towards 37 projects as of June 2025.
  • Of the 787 bridges in the state, 110, or 14.0 percent, are classified as structurally deficient. This means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition.
  • This is down from 136 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2021.
  • The deck area of structurally deficient bridges accounts for 12.0 percent of total deck area on all structures.

Top Most Traveled Structurally Deficient Bridges in Rhode Island

County Year Built Daily Crossings Type of Bridge Location
Providence 1963 156,790 Urban Interstate I-95 NB & SB over Thurbers Av
Kent 1966 146,680 Urban Interstate I-95 NB & SB over Jefferson Blvd
Providence 1964 139,026 Urban Interstate I-95 NB & SB over Narr Elec Co Siding
Providence 1964 129,532 Urban Interstate I-95 NB & SB over Amtrak
Providence 1957 65,800 Urban freeway/expressway RI 146 Ed Dowl Hwy over Branch Av
Providence 1969 59,930 Urban freeway/expressway US 6 EB & WB over RI 128 Killingly St
Providence 1969 53,619 Urban freeway/expressway US 6 EB & WB over US 6A Hartford Av Ramp
Kent 1967 49,300 Urban Interstate I-295 NB over RI 2 Bald Hill Rd
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
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
Kent 2006 34,118 Urban other principal arterial RI 113 Main Av over Amtrak
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 30,528 Urban freeway/expressway RI 37 EB & WB over Cranston St
Providence 1965 28,420 Urban freeway/expressway RI 10 Huntngtn Exp over US 1 Elmwood Av
Providence 1969 27,992 Urban Interstate I-295 NB over RI 146 Eddie Dowling Hwy
Providence 1965 26,754 Urban freeway/expressway RI 10 Huntngtn Exp over I-95 NB & SB, Amtrak
Providence 1965 25,800 Urban Interstate I-295 SB over Abbott Run Valley Rd
Kent 1966 25,800 Urban other principal arterial RI 113 East Av over I-295 NB & SB
Kent 1963 25,765 Urban freeway/expressway RI 37 WB over Amtrak
Kent 1965 24,950 Urban other principal arterial RI 113 East Av over I-95 NB & SB
Kent 1968 22,473 Urban Interstate I-295 NB over Wash Sec Bike,W Natic Rd

Bridge Inventory: Rhode Island

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 7,092 444,242 0 0 0
Rural arterial 16 6,298 128,590 1 200 5,534
Rural minor arterial 9 2,305 42,545 0 0 0
Rural major collector 22 6,828 74,644 3 1,042 3,661
Rural minor collector 22 4,873 18,828 1 318 513
Rural local road 32 3,685 9,682 9 1,000 2,381
Urban Interstate 129 191,032 7,335,640 10 16,292 736,569
Urban freeway/expressway 124 237,670 3,832,689 13 20,910 507,715
Urban other principal arterial 131 122,992 2,013,279 18 19,271 329,253
Urban minor arterial 142 100,089 1,493,818 24 17,642 269,938
Urban collector 87 41,627 374,274 19 9,831 49,413
Urban local road 59 18,177 87,707 12 2,299 20,843
Total 787 742,670 15,855,938 110 88,806 1,925,820

Proposed Bridge Work

Type of Work Number of Bridges Cost to Repair
(in millions)
Daily Crossings Area of Bridges
(sq. meters)
Bridge replacement 5 $38 34,396 3,599
Widening & rehabilitation 0 $0 0 0
Rehabilitation 709 $3,660 14,338,320 628,105
Deck rehabilitation/replacement 0 $0 0 0
Other structural work 63 $592 1,262,799 105,339
Total 777 $4,290 15,635,515 737,043

About the data:

Data and cost estimates are from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on June 24, 2025. 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 2023 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.

6
Compared to 5 in 2024

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 19.0%
5. Puerto Rico 14.0%
6. Rhode Island 14.0%
7. Pennsylvania 12.0%

46
Compared to 45 in 2024

in the nation in # of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 4,424
45. Vermont 114
46. Rhode Island 110
47. Utah 109

4
Compared to 1 in 2024

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridge deck area

1. West Virginia 13.0%
3. Puerto Rico 12.0%
4. Rhode Island 12.0%
5. Massachusetts 11.0%
Full State Ranking

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  • Source: Data is from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on June 24, 2025. Note that specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections.

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