PR 500
Carrying PR 500 over CAÑAS RIVER
2.0 KM WEST OF PONCE, Ponce, Puerto Rico
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: PR 500
The PR 500 bridge in Ponce, Puerto Rico carries PR 500 over CAÑAS RIVER. It was built in 1992, making it 34 years old today. The structure is built primarily of prestressed concrete and spans 1 section, stretching 41.3 meters (136 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 17,900 vehicles, placing it in the heavily-trafficked tier of Puerto Rico bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 5/9. 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 22.7 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How PR 500 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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1992
- Material
- Prestressed Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 41.3 m (136 ft)
- Deck Width
- 21.8 m (72 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 17,900 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 023211
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • At 4/9, the deck (driving surface) is in poor shape, with advanced wear flagged for priority repair.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
How to read this record
PR 500 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 500 against other structures in Ponce 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 500?
PR 500 in Ponce, Puerto Rico has a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 5/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is PR 500 inspected?
PR 500'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 17,900 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. PR 500 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 500?
PR 500 has an NBI inventory load rating of 22.7 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining PR 500?
PR 500 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is PR 500 and does age affect safety?
PR 500 was built in 1992, making it 34 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.