PALMER ROAD
Carrying PALMER ROAD over ST MARYS RIVER
N OF SR707 0.8 MI, Mercer, Ohio
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: PALMER ROAD
The PALMER ROAD bridge in Mercer, Ohio carries PALMER ROAD over ST MARYS RIVER. It was built in 1994, making it 32 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 1 section, stretching 53.3 meters (175 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 220 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Ohio bridges. It is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure at 4/9, substructure at 6/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. A component scored 4 or below, placing this bridge in the federal Poor condition category rather than declaring it unsafe or closed. Its NBI inventory load rating is 12.7 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How PALMER ROAD compares
Live comparison across Ohio.
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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 53.3 m (175 ft)
- Deck Width
- 7.3 m (24 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 220 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 5454697
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates fair at 6/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in poor condition (4/9), showing advanced deterioration that may require priority repair.
- • At 6/9, the substructure (piers and abutments) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
How to read this record
PALMER ROAD 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 PALMER ROAD against other structures in Mercer and across Ohio. Ohio 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 PALMER ROAD?
PALMER ROAD in Mercer, Ohio has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 4/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is PALMER ROAD inspected?
PALMER ROAD'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 220 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. PALMER ROAD 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 PALMER ROAD?
PALMER ROAD has an NBI inventory load rating of 12.7 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining PALMER ROAD?
PALMER ROAD is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is PALMER ROAD and does age affect safety?
PALMER ROAD 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.