I-196 NB
Carrying I-196 NB over 32 ND AVE (CR378)
5.2 MI NE OF BERRIEN COL, Van Buren, Michigan
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
I-196 NB in Van Buren, Michigan sits above 22% of rated Michigan bridges on inventory load rating (32 t), while its 1963 build year is earlier than 59% of Van Buren's recorded-year cohort (129 bridges).
I-196 NB in Van Buren, Michigan is rated Fair in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1963, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 5. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Fair 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:000000000010686
INTERSTATE-ERA · PRESTRESS · MULTI-SPAN · TIED-CTRL · HEAVY-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-FAIR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- PRESTRESS Prestressed concrete
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- TIED-CTRL Tied control
- HEAVY-ADT Heavy ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard load
- CAT-FAIR Fair
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 NB
The I-196 NB bridge in Van Buren, Michigan carries I-196 NB over 32 ND AVE (CR378). It was built in 1963, making it 63 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 2014, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of prestressed concrete and spans 3 sections, stretching 33.4 meters (110 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 17,400 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 5/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 6/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. None of this bridge's reported major components fall into the Poor condition range.
How I-196 NB compares
Age against the county: built in 1963, earlier than 76 of Van Buren's 129 bridges with a recorded construction year (59%), against a county median build year of 1972. 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 NB vs every rated Michigan bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
32 Top 78% higher than 22% 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.
Van Buren inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 129 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
- 1963
- Last Reconstructed
- 2014
- Material
- Prestressed Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 33.4 m (110 ft)
- Deck Width
- 13.0 m (43 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 17,400 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000010686
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates fair at 5/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates fair at 5/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • At 6/9, 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
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether I-196 NB 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 I-196 NB against other structures in Van Buren 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 NB?
I-196 NB in Van Buren, Michigan has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is I-196 NB inspected?
I-196 NB'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 17,400 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. I-196 NB 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 I-196 NB?
I-196 NB has an NBI inventory load rating of 31.8 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining I-196 NB?
I-196 NB is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is I-196 NB and does age affect safety?
I-196 NB was built in 1963, making it 63 years old and last reconstructed in 2014.
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.