BULLEN ST
Carrying BULLEN ST over OTTER BROOK
300 E OF JCT RTE 178, Penobscot, Maine
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
BULLEN ST in Penobscot, Maine sits above 13% of rated Maine bridges on inventory load rating (25 t), while its 1947 build year is earlier than 83% of Penobscot's recorded-year cohort (301 bridges).
BULLEN ST in Penobscot, Maine is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1947, it carries 3 rated components 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:3933
PRE-1950 · STEEL · MULTI-SPAN · DECK-LED · LOCAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- PRE-1950 Pre-1950
- STEEL Steel
- MULTI-SPAN 2 spans
- DECK-LED Deck-led
- LOCAL-ADT Local ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard 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: BULLEN ST
The BULLEN ST bridge in Penobscot, Maine carries BULLEN ST over OTTER BROOK. It was built in 1947, making it 79 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1983, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 2 sections, stretching 26.8 meters (88 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 616 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 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.
How BULLEN ST compares
Age against the county: built in 1947, earlier than 249 of Penobscot's 301 bridges with a recorded construction year (83%), against a county median build year of 1966. 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).
BULLEN ST vs every rated Maine bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
25 Top 87% higher than 13% 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.
Penobscot inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 301 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
- 1947
- Last Reconstructed
- 1983
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 2
- Structure Length
- 26.8 m (88 ft)
- Deck Width
- 11.4 m (37 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 616 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 3933
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in poor condition (4/9), showing advanced deterioration on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • At 5/9, the substructure (piers and abutments) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
BULLEN ST 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 BULLEN ST against other structures in Penobscot 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 BULLEN ST?
BULLEN ST in Penobscot, Maine 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 BULLEN ST inspected?
BULLEN ST'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 616 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. BULLEN ST 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 BULLEN ST?
BULLEN ST has an NBI inventory load rating of 24.9 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining BULLEN ST?
BULLEN ST is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is BULLEN ST and does age affect safety?
BULLEN ST was built in 1947, making it 79 years old and last reconstructed in 1983.
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.