SOUTH MAIN ST
Carrying SOUTH MAIN ST over PAWTUXET RIVER SW BRANCH
0.01 Mi S of JCT RI 117, Kent, Rhode Island
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
SOUTH MAIN ST in Kent, Rhode Island sits above 32% of rated Rhode Island bridges on inventory load rating (31 t), while its 1919 build year is earlier than 96% of Kent's recorded-year cohort (115 bridges).
SOUTH MAIN ST in Kent, Rhode Island is rated Fair in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1919, it carries 2 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 RI:000000000000320
PRE-1950 · CONCRETE · SINGLE-SPAN · SUPER-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-FAIR
- PRE-1950 Pre-1950
- CONCRETE Concrete
- SINGLE-SPAN Single span
- SUPER-LED Superstructure-led
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial 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: SOUTH MAIN ST
The SOUTH MAIN ST bridge in Kent, Rhode Island carries SOUTH MAIN ST over PAWTUXET RIVER SW BRANCH. It was built in 1919, making it 107 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete and spans 1 section, stretching 18.3 meters (60 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 9,625 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Rhode Island bridges. It is owned and maintained by Town/Township Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show 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 SOUTH MAIN ST compares
Age against the county: built in 1919, earlier than 110 of Kent's 115 bridges with a recorded construction year (96%), against a county median build year of 1967. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across Rhode Island bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (783 rated).
SOUTH MAIN ST vs every rated Rhode Island bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
31 Top 68% higher than 32% of 783 bridges
rated Rhode Island 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 115 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
- 1919
- Material
- Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 18.3 m (60 ft)
- Deck Width
- 12.3 m (40 ft)
- Owner
- Town/Township Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 9,625 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000000320
Condition Analysis
- • 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 SOUTH MAIN ST 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 SOUTH MAIN ST against other structures in Kent and across Rhode Island. Rhode Island 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 SOUTH MAIN ST?
SOUTH MAIN ST in Kent, Rhode Island, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is SOUTH MAIN ST inspected?
SOUTH MAIN ST'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 9,625 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. SOUTH MAIN ST 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 SOUTH MAIN ST?
SOUTH MAIN ST has an NBI inventory load rating of 30.8 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining SOUTH MAIN ST?
SOUTH MAIN ST is owned and maintained by Town/Township Highway Agency.
How old is SOUTH MAIN ST and does age affect safety?
SOUTH MAIN ST was built in 1919, making it 107 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.