BELL BLVD
Carrying BELL BLVD over RTE I495 RTE I495
.6 MI NE JCT I295 & I495, Queens, New York
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
BELL BLVD in Queens, New York sits above 1% of rated New York bridges on inventory load rating (8 t), while its 1959 build year is earlier than 61% of Queens's recorded-year cohort (514 bridges).
BELL BLVD in Queens, New York is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1959, 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 NY:000000001055319
INTERSTATE-ERA · STEEL · MULTI-SPAN · SUPER-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · LIGHT-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- STEEL Steel
- MULTI-SPAN 2 spans
- SUPER-LED Superstructure-led
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial ADT
- LIGHT-LOAD Light 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: BELL BLVD
The BELL BLVD bridge in Queens, New York carries BELL BLVD over RTE I495 RTE I495. It was built in 1959, making it 67 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 2 sections, stretching 34.1 meters (112 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 7,558 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of New York bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure at 4/9, substructure at 6/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. Because at least one major component scores 4 or lower, this bridge falls in FHWA's Poor condition category. That category is not a closure order.
How BELL BLVD compares
Age against the county: built in 1959, earlier than 311 of Queens's 514 bridges with a recorded construction year (61%), against a county median build year of 1963. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across New York bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (17,641 of 17,642 rated).
BELL BLVD vs every rated New York bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
8 Top 99% higher than 1% of 17,641 bridges
rated New York 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.
Queens inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 514 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
- 1959
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 2
- Structure Length
- 34.1 m (112 ft)
- Deck Width
- 30.8 m (101 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 7,558 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000001055319
Condition Analysis
- • At 5/9, the deck (driving surface) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • 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) is in fair condition (6/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
BELL BLVD 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 BELL BLVD against other structures in Queens and across New York. New York 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 BELL BLVD?
BELL BLVD in Queens, New York has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 4/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is BELL BLVD inspected?
BELL BLVD'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 7,558 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. BELL BLVD 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 BELL BLVD?
BELL BLVD has an NBI inventory load rating of 8.2 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining BELL BLVD?
BELL BLVD is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is BELL BLVD and does age affect safety?
BELL BLVD was built in 1959, making it 67 years old.
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.