PR 53
Carrying PR 53 over GRANDE DE PATILLAS RIVER
2.5 KM S.E. OF PATILLAS, Patillas, Puerto Rico
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
PR 53 in Patillas, Puerto Rico sits above 82% of rated Puerto Rico bridges on inventory load rating (55 t), while its 1994 build year is earlier than 22% of Patillas's recorded-year cohort (32 bridges).
PR 53 in Patillas, Puerto Rico is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1994, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 3. 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 PR:023151
LATE-CENTURY · PRESTRESS · LONG-SPAN-RUN · SUB-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- LATE-CENTURY 1980–1999
- PRESTRESS Prestressed concrete
- LONG-SPAN-RUN 31 spans
- SUB-LED Substructure-led
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial ADT
- HEAVY-LOAD Heavy 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: PR 53
The PR 53 bridge in Patillas, Puerto Rico carries PR 53 over GRANDE DE PATILLAS RIVER. It was built in 1994, making it 32 years old today. The structure is built primarily of prestressed concrete and spans 31 sections, stretching 1182.6 meters (3880 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 5,800 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Puerto Rico bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Toll Authority.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 3/9. 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 PR 53 compares
Age against the county: built in 1994, earlier than 7 of Patillas's 32 bridges with a recorded construction year (22%), against a county median build year of 1963. This is one of the newer structures in its county.
Live comparison across Puerto Rico bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (2,385 rated).
PR 53 vs every rated Puerto Rico bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
55 Top 18% higher than 82% of 2,385 bridges
rated Puerto Rico 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.
Patillas inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 32 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
- 1994
- Material
- Prestressed Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 31
- Structure Length
- 1182.6 m (3880 ft)
- Deck Width
- 13.3 m (44 ft)
- Owner
- State Toll Authority
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 5,800 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 023151
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates fair at 5/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • At 7/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates poor at 3/9, with advanced deterioration recorded on the latest inspection.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
PR 53 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 PR 53 against other structures in Patillas and across Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico 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 PR 53?
PR 53 in Patillas, Puerto Rico has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 3/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is PR 53 inspected?
PR 53'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 5,800 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. PR 53 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 PR 53?
PR 53 has an NBI inventory load rating of 55.3 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining PR 53?
PR 53 is owned and maintained by State Toll Authority.
How old is PR 53 and does age affect safety?
PR 53 was built in 1994, making it 32 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.