RI 146 ED DOWL HWY
Carrying RI 146 ED DOWL HWY over RI 15 MINERAL SPRING AV
0.8 Mi S of JCT CHRLES ST, Providence, Rhode Island
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
RI 146 ED DOWL HWY in Providence, Rhode Island sits above 44% of rated Rhode Island bridges on inventory load rating (35 t), while its 1957 build year is earlier than 72% of Providence's recorded-year cohort (476 bridges).
RI 146 ED DOWL HWY in Providence, Rhode Island is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1957, it carries 2 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 RI:000000000004270
INTERSTATE-ERA · CONCRETE · SINGLE-SPAN · SUPER-LED · HEAVY-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- CONCRETE Concrete
- SINGLE-SPAN Single span
- SUPER-LED Superstructure-led
- HEAVY-ADT Heavy ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard 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: RI 146 ED DOWL HWY
The RI 146 ED DOWL HWY bridge in Providence, Rhode Island carries RI 146 ED DOWL HWY over RI 15 MINERAL SPRING AV. It was built in 1957, making it 69 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1990, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of concrete and spans 1 section, stretching 21.6 meters (71 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 69,109 vehicles, placing it in the heavily-trafficked tier of Rhode Island bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show 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 RI 146 ED DOWL HWY compares
Age against the county: built in 1957, earlier than 342 of Providence's 476 bridges with a recorded construction year (72%), against a county median build year of 1966. 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).
RI 146 ED DOWL HWY vs every rated Rhode Island bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
35 Top 56% higher than 44% 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.
Providence inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 476 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
- 1957
- Last Reconstructed
- 1990
- Material
- Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 21.6 m (71 ft)
- Deck Width
- 30.9 m (101 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 69,109 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000004270
Condition Analysis
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates poor at 4/9, with advanced deterioration recorded on the latest inspection.
- • 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
RI 146 ED DOWL HWY 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 RI 146 ED DOWL HWY against other structures in Providence 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 RI 146 ED DOWL HWY?
RI 146 ED DOWL HWY in Providence, Rhode Island, superstructure rating of 4/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is RI 146 ED DOWL HWY inspected?
RI 146 ED DOWL HWY'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 69,109 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. RI 146 ED DOWL HWY 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 RI 146 ED DOWL HWY?
RI 146 ED DOWL HWY has an NBI inventory load rating of 35.0 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining RI 146 ED DOWL HWY?
RI 146 ED DOWL HWY is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is RI 146 ED DOWL HWY and does age affect safety?
RI 146 ED DOWL HWY was built in 1957, making it 69 years old and last reconstructed in 1990.
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.
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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.