I-196 WB
Carrying I-196 WB over GD R I-296 SCRB TRN MONR
IN GRAND RAPIDS, Kent, Michigan
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
I-196 WB in Kent, Michigan sits above 44% of rated Michigan bridges on inventory load rating (37 t), while its 1964 build year is earlier than 63% of Kent's recorded-year cohort (523 bridges).
I-196 WB in Kent, Michigan is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1964, 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 MI:000000000004764
INTERSTATE-ERA · STEEL · LONG-SPAN-RUN · SUPER-LED · HEAVY-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- STEEL Steel
- LONG-SPAN-RUN 26 spans
- SUPER-LED Superstructure-led
- HEAVY-ADT Heavy 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: I-196 WB
The I-196 WB bridge in Kent, Michigan carries I-196 WB over GD R I-296 SCRB TRN MONR. It was built in 1964, making it 62 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 2019, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel continuous and spans 26 sections, stretching 694.2 meters (2278 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 41,000 vehicles, placing it in the heavily-trafficked tier of Michigan bridges. It is owned and maintained by State 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. At least one major component here scores 4 or below, which produces a Poor condition classification under FHWA's current reporting rules.
How I-196 WB compares
Age against the county: built in 1964, earlier than 330 of Kent's 523 bridges with a recorded construction year (63%), against a county median build year of 1971. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across Michigan bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (11,366 of 11,371 rated).
I-196 WB vs every rated Michigan bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
37 Top 56% higher than 44% of 11,366 bridges
rated Michigan 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.
Kent inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 523 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
- 1964
- Last Reconstructed
- 2019
- Material
- Steel Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 26
- Structure Length
- 694.2 m (2278 ft)
- Deck Width
- 14.4 m (47 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 41,000 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000004764
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 on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates fair at 6/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
I-196 WB 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 I-196 WB against other structures in Kent and across Michigan. Michigan 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 I-196 WB?
I-196 WB in Kent, Michigan 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 I-196 WB inspected?
I-196 WB'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 41,000 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. I-196 WB 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 I-196 WB?
I-196 WB has an NBI inventory load rating of 37.3 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining I-196 WB?
I-196 WB is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is I-196 WB and does age affect safety?
I-196 WB was built in 1964, making it 62 years old and last reconstructed in 2019.
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.