HOWARD RD
Carrying HOWARD RD over W BR CARRABASSET RIVER
0.5 MI N JCT RTE 142, Franklin, Maine
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
HOWARD RD in Franklin, Maine sits above 85% of rated Maine bridges on inventory load rating (54 t), while its 1974 build year is earlier than 42% of Franklin's recorded-year cohort (128 bridges).
HOWARD RD in Franklin, Maine is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1974, it carries 1 rated component on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 4. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Poor result describes the weakest reported component rather than the structure as a whole. No NBI category is a closure decision or a live crossing-safety verdict.
NBI record plate
Structure ME:0382
INTERSTATE-ERA · STEEL · MULTI-SPAN · CULVERT-LED · LOCAL-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- STEEL Steel
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- CULVERT-LED Culvert-led
- LOCAL-ADT Local ADT
- HEAVY-LOAD Heavy load
- CAT-POOR Poor
Inspection-sheet codes from this record’s year, material family, spans, controlling component, ADT, inventory load, and NBI category, not a live closure verdict.
Bridge Snapshot: HOWARD RD
The HOWARD RD bridge in Franklin, Maine carries HOWARD RD over W BR CARRABASSET RIVER. It was built in 1974, making it 52 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 3 sections, stretching 15.9 meters (52 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 101 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Maine bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show culvert at 4/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. Because at least one major component scores 4 or lower, this bridge falls in FHWA's Poor condition category. That category is not a closure order.
How HOWARD RD compares
Age against the county: built in 1974, earlier than 54 of Franklin's 128 bridges with a recorded construction year (42%), against a county median build year of 1961. This is one of the newer structures in its county.
Live comparison across Maine bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (2,518 rated).
HOWARD RD vs every rated Maine bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
54 Top 15% higher than 85% of 2,518 bridges
rated Maine bridges, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more bridges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · August 2026
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Franklin inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 128 bridges in this county. Orthogonal to this structure's component profile above: a county catalog share, not a live crossing-safety verdict.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1974
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 15.9 m (52 ft) 0
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 101 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 0382
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
HOWARD RD 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 HOWARD RD against other structures in Franklin and across Maine. Maine 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 HOWARD RD?
HOWARD RD in Franklin, Maine on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is HOWARD RD inspected?
HOWARD RD'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 101 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. HOWARD RD 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 HOWARD RD?
HOWARD RD has an NBI inventory load rating of 53.5 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining HOWARD RD?
HOWARD RD is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is HOWARD RD and does age affect safety?
HOWARD RD was built in 1974, making it 52 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.
Share this inspection record
Send this source-bounded record or download its data card. An NBI condition category is not a closure or live crossing-safety verdict.
Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Component ratings, ADT, and condition category on this page are copied from the NBI record for this structure; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.