PR 53
Carrying PR 53 over GRANDE DE PATILLAS RIVER
2.5 KM S.E. OF PATILLAS, Patillas, Puerto Rico
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: PR 53
The PR 53 bridge in Patillas, Puerto Rico carries PR 53 over GRANDE DE PATILLAS RIVER. It was built in 1994, making it 32 years old today. The structure is built primarily of prestressed concrete and spans 31 sections, stretching 1182.6 meters (3880 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 5,800 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Puerto Rico bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Toll Authority.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 3/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. At least one major component here scores 4 or below, which produces a Poor condition classification under FHWA's current reporting rules. Its NBI inventory load rating is 55.3 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How PR 53 compares
Live comparison across Puerto Rico.
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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1994
- Material
- Prestressed Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 31
- Structure Length
- 1182.6 m (3880 ft)
- Deck Width
- 13.3 m (44 ft)
- Owner
- State Toll Authority
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 5,800 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 023151
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates fair at 5/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • At 7/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates poor at 3/9, advanced deterioration that should be prioritized for repair.
How to read this record
PR 53 is in the federal Poor condition category. That is a component-based result, not a closure order.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Understand what Poor condition does and does not mean before drawing conclusions. Poor condition explained
- Compare PR 53 against other structures in Patillas and across Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico 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 PR 53?
PR 53 in Patillas, Puerto Rico has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 3/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is PR 53 inspected?
PR 53'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 5,800 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. PR 53 is currently shown as Poor condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for PR 53?
PR 53 has an NBI inventory load rating of 55.3 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining PR 53?
PR 53 is owned and maintained by State Toll Authority.
How old is PR 53 and does age affect safety?
PR 53 was built in 1994, making it 32 years old.
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.