BLACK RIVER ROAD
Carrying BLACK RIVER ROAD over MAPLE BROOK
CITY OF BANGOR, Van Buren, Michigan
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
BLACK RIVER ROAD in Van Buren, Michigan sits above 4% of rated Michigan bridges on inventory load rating (17 t), while its 1935 build year is earlier than 96% of Van Buren's recorded-year cohort (129 bridges).
BLACK RIVER ROAD in Van Buren, Michigan is rated Fair in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1935, 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:000000000010797
PRE-1950 · TIMBER · SINGLE-SPAN · SUB-LED · LOCAL-ADT · LIGHT-LOAD · CAT-FAIR
- PRE-1950 Pre-1950
- TIMBER Wood or timber
- SINGLE-SPAN Single span
- SUB-LED Substructure-led
- LOCAL-ADT Local ADT
- LIGHT-LOAD Light 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: BLACK RIVER ROAD
The BLACK RIVER ROAD bridge in Van Buren, Michigan carries BLACK RIVER ROAD over MAPLE BROOK. It was built in 1935, making it 91 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1995, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of wood or timber and spans 1 section, stretching 7.6 meters (25 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 158 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Michigan bridges. It is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 5/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. None of this bridge's reported major components fall into the Poor condition range.
How BLACK RIVER ROAD compares
Age against the county: built in 1935, earlier than 124 of Van Buren's 129 bridges with a recorded construction year (96%), 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).
BLACK RIVER ROAD vs every rated Michigan bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
17 Top 96% higher than 4% 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
- 1935
- Last Reconstructed
- 1995
- Material
- Wood or Timber
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 7.6 m (25 ft)
- Deck Width
- 7.6 m (25 ft)
- Owner
- City/Municipal Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 158 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000010797
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • At 7/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
- • 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
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether BLACK RIVER ROAD 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 BLACK RIVER ROAD 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 BLACK RIVER ROAD?
BLACK RIVER ROAD in Van Buren, Michigan has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 5/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is BLACK RIVER ROAD inspected?
BLACK RIVER ROAD'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 158 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. BLACK RIVER ROAD 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 BLACK RIVER ROAD?
BLACK RIVER ROAD has an NBI inventory load rating of 16.8 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining BLACK RIVER ROAD?
BLACK RIVER ROAD is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
How old is BLACK RIVER ROAD and does age affect safety?
BLACK RIVER ROAD was built in 1935, making it 91 years old and last reconstructed in 1995.
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.