Gowen Avenue
Carrying Gowen Avenue over SEPTA (Chestnut Hill E)
E of Germantown Ave 17B05, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: Gowen Avenue
The Gowen Avenue bridge in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania carries Gowen Avenue over SEPTA (Chestnut Hill E). It was built in 1932, making it 94 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 2001, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of prestressed concrete and spans 1 section, stretching 11.3 meters (37 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 4,250 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Pennsylvania bridges. It is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 8/9, superstructure at 8/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in good condition. No reported major component scores in the Poor range under the current federal condition thresholds. Its NBI inventory load rating is 31.8 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How Gowen Avenue compares
Live comparison across Pennsylvania.
Historical Sufficiency Rating
PlainBridge-computedFHWA discontinued this calculated item; it does not determine current condition, funding eligibility, posting, or closure. How the historical reference is calculated.
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1932
- Last Reconstructed
- 2001
- Material
- Prestressed Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 11.3 m (37 ft)
- Deck Width
- 17.7 m (58 ft)
- Owner
- City/Municipal Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 4,250 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000039243
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates good at 8/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • At 8/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether Gowen Avenue is safe to cross today. Here is how to use it.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Learn how the 0–9 condition scale and Good/Fair/Poor categories are defined. How condition ratings work
- Compare Gowen Avenue against other structures in Philadelphia and across Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania bridges
- Noticed visible damage or a safety concern? Report it to the agency that owns the bridge, or call 911 in an emergency. How to report a bridge
Condition codes come straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory and are not a real-time safety judgment. Only the owning agency, a state DOT, county, or other owner, can post, restrict, or close a bridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the condition ratings mean for Gowen Avenue?
Gowen Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has a deck rating of 8/9, superstructure rating of 8/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is Gowen Avenue inspected?
Gowen Avenue's responsible agency sets its routine interval under FHWA's risk-based inspection rules; this page does not expose the scheduled interval. It carries about 4,250 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. Gowen Avenue is currently shown as Good condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for Gowen Avenue?
Gowen Avenue has an NBI inventory load rating of 31.8 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining Gowen Avenue?
Gowen Avenue is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
How old is Gowen Avenue and does age affect safety?
Gowen Avenue was built in 1932, making it 94 years old and last reconstructed in 2001.
Disclaimer: Bridge condition data is from the FHWA NBI and reflects the last reported inspection. A Poor condition rating is not a live declaration that a bridge is closed or unsafe for travel. For current closure, posting, or safety information, contact the responsible transportation agency.
Every figure on PlainBridge is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.