RTE 197
Carrying RTE 197 over I-95
0.503 mi E Academy, Kennebec, Maine
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
RTE 197 in Kennebec, Maine sits above 15% of rated Maine bridges on inventory load rating (26 t), while its 1956 build year is earlier than 62% of Kennebec's recorded-year cohort (188 bridges).
RTE 197 in Kennebec, Maine is rated Good in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1956, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 7. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Good 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:0543
INTERSTATE-ERA · STEEL · LONG-SPAN-RUN · SUB-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-GOOD
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- STEEL Steel
- LONG-SPAN-RUN 4 spans
- SUB-LED Substructure-led
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard load
- CAT-GOOD Good
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: RTE 197
The RTE 197 bridge in Kennebec, Maine carries RTE 197 over I-95. It was built in 1956, making it 70 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 2022, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel continuous and spans 4 sections, stretching 81.7 meters (268 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 1,651 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Maine bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Toll Authority.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 8/9, superstructure at 9/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in good condition. None of this bridge's reported major components fall into the Poor condition range.
How RTE 197 compares
Age against the county: built in 1956, earlier than 116 of Kennebec's 188 bridges with a recorded construction year (62%), against a county median build year of 1960. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across Maine bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (2,518 rated).
RTE 197 vs every rated Maine bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
26 Top 85% higher than 15% 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.
Reported 0–9 component ratings from the FHWA NBI. The highlighted component is the lowest reported input to this record’s current condition category; it is not a closure or live crossing-safety decision.
Kennebec inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 188 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
- 1956
- Last Reconstructed
- 2022
- Material
- Steel Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 4
- Structure Length
- 81.7 m (268 ft)
- Deck Width
- 7.9 m (26 ft)
- Owner
- State Toll Authority
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 1,651 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 0543
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in good condition (8/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • At 9/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
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 RTE 197 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 RTE 197 against other structures in Kennebec 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 RTE 197?
RTE 197 in Kennebec, Maine has a deck rating of 8/9, superstructure rating of 9/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is RTE 197 inspected?
RTE 197'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 1,651 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. RTE 197 is currently shown as Good condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for RTE 197?
RTE 197 has an NBI inventory load rating of 25.9 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining RTE 197?
RTE 197 is owned and maintained by State Toll Authority.
How old is RTE 197 and does age affect safety?
RTE 197 was built in 1956, making it 70 years old and last reconstructed in 2022.
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.