RI 138
Carrying RI 138 over RI 238 JT Connell Hwy
0.3 Mi S of JCT RI 214, Newport, Rhode Island
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
RI 138 in Newport, Rhode Island is rated Fair in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.
Built in 1969, 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 RI:000000000009070
INTERSTATE-ERA · STEEL · SINGLE-SPAN · SUPER-LED · HEAVY-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-FAIR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- STEEL Steel
- SINGLE-SPAN Single span
- SUPER-LED Superstructure-led
- HEAVY-ADT Heavy 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: RI 138
The RI 138 bridge in Newport, Rhode Island carries RI 138 over RI 238 JT Connell Hwy. It was built in 1969, making it 57 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 1 section, stretching 29.8 meters (98 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 26,700 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 a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. None of this bridge's reported major components fall into the Poor condition range.
How RI 138 compares
Age against the county: built in 1969, earlier than 13 of Newport's 37 bridges with a recorded construction year (35%), against a county median build year of 1968. This is one of the newer structures in its county.
Live comparison across Rhode Island bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (783 rated).
RI 138 vs every rated Rhode Island bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
33 Top 62% higher than 38% 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.
Newport inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 37 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
- 1969
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 29.8 m (98 ft)
- Deck Width
- 20.1 m (66 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 26,700 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000009070
Condition Analysis
- • At 6/9, the deck (driving surface) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
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 RI 138 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 RI 138 against other structures in Newport 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 138?
RI 138 in Newport, Rhode Island has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is RI 138 inspected?
RI 138'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 26,700 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. RI 138 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 RI 138?
RI 138 has an NBI inventory load rating of 33.0 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining RI 138?
RI 138 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is RI 138 and does age affect safety?
RI 138 was built in 1969, making it 57 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.