53rd Avenue NE
Carrying 53rd Avenue NE over New Rockford Canal
10.3 mi E-NE of Fessenden, Wells, North Dakota
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: 53rd Avenue NE
The 53rd Avenue NE bridge in Wells, North Dakota carries 53rd Avenue NE over New Rockford Canal. It was built in 1982, making it 44 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete and spans 3 sections, stretching 7.3 meters (24 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 50 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of North Dakota bridges. It is owned and maintained by Bureau of Reclamation.
The latest FHWA inspection records show culvert at 6/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. All reported major components score above the Poor range. Its NBI inventory load rating is 99.9 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How 53rd Avenue NE compares
Live comparison across North Dakota.
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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1982
- Material
- Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 7.3 m (24 ft)
- Owner
- Bureau of Reclamation
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 50 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- DKA-G-NR1-11
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether 53rd Avenue NE 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 53rd Avenue NE against other structures in Wells and across North Dakota. North Dakota 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 53rd Avenue NE?
53rd Avenue NE in Wells, North Dakota on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is 53rd Avenue NE inspected?
53rd Avenue NE'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 50 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. 53rd Avenue NE is currently shown as Fair condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for 53rd Avenue NE?
53rd Avenue NE has an NBI inventory load rating of 99.9 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining 53rd Avenue NE?
53rd Avenue NE is owned and maintained by Bureau of Reclamation.
How old is 53rd Avenue NE and does age affect safety?
53rd Avenue NE was built in 1982, making it 44 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.