County profile · official public datasets

Washington County, RI

145 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 20.7% rated Good, 66.9% Fair, 12.4% Poor.

145
Public bridges
20.7%
Good condition
12.4%
Poor condition

The verdict

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.

Washington County posts a higher-than-median Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state across mid-size county bridge inventory.

3rd
of 5 on Poor share
12.4%
Poor-condition share
145
public highway bridges
1967
avg year built

Poor is an FHWA condition category from the lowest applicable component rating (4 or below), not a live crossing-safety or closure decision. Rankings cover counties with at least five public highway bridges.

Washington County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Washington County ranks #3 of 5 Rhode Island counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 12.4%). Washington County, Rhode Island contains 145 public highway bridges. Roughly 20.7% are rated “Good,” 66.9% “Fair,” and 12.4% “Poor.” Poor means the lowest applicable deck, superstructure, substructure, or culvert rating is 4 or below on the 0–9 NBI scale. It is a condition category, not a live safety or closure decision.

Responsible agencies inspect covered bridges on risk-based intervals under current NBIS rules and submit inventory data to FHWA annually. The list below shows every NBI-tracked bridge in the county. Use the “Sort by” controls to change the ordering, and click any row for its reported inspection date, traffic count, and condition fields.

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See methodology for full definitions.

Total bridges

145

Public highway bridges in Washington County

Good condition

20.7%

30 of 145 rated 7-9

Fair condition

66.9%

97 of 145 rated 5-6

Poor condition

12.4%

18 of 145 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#3 of 5

Among Rhode Island counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better

Condition distribution

Share of 145 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
20.7% (30)
Fair
66.9% (97)
Poor
12.4% (18)

Washington County's Poor-condition bridges carry 101,412 vehicle crossings a day

That is 7.2% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 12.5% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 5,634 crossings a day against 11,841 for a Good-condition one. A Poor rating is a condition category, not a closure or a live safety judgement; it means the lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below.

Computed over the 144 of 145 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

58.6% of Washington County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

85 of the 145 bridges with a recorded construction year were built in 1974 or earlier. Age alone is not a defect: a well-maintained older bridge can rate Good, and 20.7% of this county's inventory does. Even so, this older cohort is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn, which is why the age profile below matters alongside the condition split above.

Cutoff derives from the 2024 release year minus a 50-year design life. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

One structure carries 46.1% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

US 1 TOWER HILL RD over RI 138, built 1969, carries 46,800 vehicles a day, the most of any Poor-rated structure here. The county's Poor-condition exposure is concentrated rather than evenly spread, so the 18-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 101,412 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Washington County's bridges were built

145 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1960s, when 28 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 19.3% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 55 to 64 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1967) matches the Rhode Island average (1969).

Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory (year built) As of 2024 NBI release

How Washington County compares with Rhode Island's closest counties by inventory size

The 4 Rhode Island counties nearest Washington County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 12.4% Poor share is the 3rd-lowest of these 5. Its average build year of 1967 against a peer-group mean of 1974 is 7 years older.

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Washington County and the 4 Rhode Island counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Providence County 476 16.4%
Washington County (this page) 145 12.4%
Kent County 115 15.7%
Newport County 37 10.8%
Bristol County 10 10%

Each share is of that county's own total tracked bridges; peers are the counties with 5 or more bridges whose inventory size is closest to Washington County's. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

Nationwide counties with similar inventory size or average build year

Two NBI-derived peer sets for Washington County, both outside Rhode Island so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside RI (145 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside RI (1967 here).

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.

All 145 Good 30 Fair 97 Poor 18

All bridges (145)

WHITE ROCK RD

Good

Over: PAWCATUCK RIVER

0.5 Mi NW of RI 78, Washington, RI

Built 1996 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 3,502

ATLANTIC AV

Good

Over: WEEKAPAUG INLET

1.0 Mi S of US 1A, Washington, RI

Built 2011 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 1,616

KINGS FACTORY RD

Good

Over: PAWCATUCK RIVER

0.3 Mi S of JCT RI 91, Washington, RI

Built 2023 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 1,131

WOODRUFF AV

Good

Over: NARR/S.KINGSTOWN BIKEWAY

_, Washington, RI

Built 1980 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 3,753

RI 91 WEST BRAD RD

Good

Over: MCGOWAN BROOK

1.5 Mi E of JCT RI 78, Washington, RI

Built 2022 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 4,260

I-95 NB

Good

Over: TEFFT HILL TRAIL

2.1 Mi S of JCT RI 102, Washington, RI

Built 2017 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 22,977

I-95 SB

Good

Over: TEFFT HILL TRAIL

2.1 Mi S of JCT RI 102, Washington, RI

Built 2017 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 26,973

GALILEE ESCAPE RD

Good

Over: POINT JUDITH POND

.88Mi west of Rt 108, Washington, RI

Built 1992 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 5,411

GALILEE ESCAPE RD

Good

Over: POINT JUDITH POND

.55 mi west of rt 108, Washington, RI

Built 1992 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 3,900

Seawynds Drive

Good

Over: No name Brook

0.95 mi. S. of JCT RI 403, Washington, RI

Built 2020 Load: 41.1 t ADT: 500

RI 4 NB & SB

Good

Over: LAFAYETTE RD

0.7 Mi S of JCT RI 2, Washington, RI

Built 2019 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 64,455

I-95 NB & SB

Good

Over: ROUTE 3

1.5 Mi N of JCT RI 138, Washington, RI

Built 2019 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 43,029

PLAIN ROAD

Good

Over: FALLS RIVER

1.0 Mi E of Eschg Hll Rd, Washington, RI

Built 2017 Load: 43.4 t ADT: 500

BOOM BRIDGE ROAD

Good

Over: PAWCATUCK RIVER

.75 MI SW OF ANTHONY RD, Washington, RI

Built 2021 Load: 44.7 t ADT: 100

I-95 NB

Good

Over: RI 165 TEN ROD RD

1.3 Mi S of JCT RI 102, Washington, RI

Built 1968 Load: 46.0 t ADT: 21,515

I-95 SB

Good

Over: RI 165 TEN ROD RD

0.5 Mi W of JCT RI 3, Washington, RI

Built 1968 Load: 46.0 t ADT: 21,515

I-95 NB

Good

Over: RI 138 KINGSTOWN RD

1.3 Mi S of JCT RI 3, Washington, RI

Built 2021 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 24,623

DRY BRIDGE RD

Good

Over: AMTRAK

1.0 Mi S of JCT RI 2, Washington, RI

Built 1930 Load: 48.9 t ADT: 1,136

SUCCOTASH RD

Good

Over: POTTER POND CHANNEL

1.2 Mi S of JCT US 1, Washington, RI

Built 2002 Load: 49.6 t ADT: 3,358

I-95 SB

Good

Over: RI 138 KINGSTOWN RD

1.3 Mi S of JCT RI 3, Washington, RI

Built 2021 Load: 51.2 t ADT: 24,623

GREAT ISLAND RD

Good

Over: TIDAL FLATS INLET

0.1 Mi N of Galilee Rd, Washington, RI

Built 2016 Load: 53.1 t ADT: 1,621

DEVILS FOOT RD

Good

Over: RI 403

1.2 Mi W of JCT US1, Washington, RI

Built 2007 Load: 59.3 t ADT: 5,252

BRIDGE ST

Good

Over: WOOD RIVER

0.1 Mi N of JCT RI 138, Washington, RI

Built 1932 Load: 63.8 t ADT: 1,629

W DAVISVILLE RD

Good

Over: SEAVIEW RR

400ft S.of Jct RI 403, Washington, RI

Built 2004 Load: 65.1 t ADT: 2,880

BRIDGE ST

Good

Over: WOOD RIVER

0.1 Mi N of JCT RI 138, Washington, RI

Built 1932 Load: 74.2 t ADT: 1,629

RI 112 CAROLINA

Good

Over: MILL CANAL

0.3 Mi S of JCT Shnnck Rd, Washington, RI

Built 2018 Load: 76.1 t ADT: 3,603

US 1 TOWER HILL RD

Good

Over: ANNAQUATUCKET RIVER

1.2 Mi N of JCT RI 4, Washington, RI

Built 1917 Load: 97.2 t ADT: 10,438

BARBER TRAIL

Poor

Over: FALLS RIVER

EXTER-ARCADIA MGT AREA 9, Washington, RI

Built 1960 Load: 4.9 t ADT: 17

RI 78 WEST BY-PASS

Poor

Over: RI 91 BRDFRD RD & AMTRAK

1.9 Mi N of JCT US 1, Washington, RI

Built 1975 Load: 11.0 t ADT: 12,829

DEVILS FOOT RD

Poor

Over: AMTRAK

1.0 Mi N of JCT US 1, Washington, RI

Built 2007 Load: 11.7 t ADT: 5,252

AUSTIN RD

Poor

Over: POTOWOMUT POND

0.6 Mi E of JCT US 1, Washington, RI

Built 1979 Load: 12.0 t ADT: 747

KINGS FACTORY RD

Poor

Over: AMTRAK

0.8 Mi S of JCT RI 91, Washington, RI

Built 1978 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 1,191

HATCHERY RD

Poor

Over: AMTRAK

0.5 Mi E of JCT RI 2, Washington, RI

Built 1901 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 606

LAUREL STREET

Poor

Over: ASHAWAY RIVER

0.5 Mi W of JCT RI 3, Washington, RI

Built 1900 Load: 18.5 t ADT: 1,111

RI 216 HIGH ST

Poor

Over: ASHAWAY RIVER

0.2 Mi NW of JCT RI 3, Washington, RI

Built 1950 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 3,184

SILVER LAKE AV

Poor

Over: SAUGATUCKET RIVER

0.6 Mi W of Woodruff Av, Washington, RI

Built 1959 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 1,461

EXETER RD

Poor

Over: AMTRAK

0.8 Mi E of JCT RI 2, Washington, RI

Built 1936 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 1,787

US 1 TOWER HILL RD

Poor

Over: RI 138

0.5 Mi S of JCT RI 4, Washington, RI

Built 1969 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 46,800

US 1A BSTN NCK RD

Poor

Over: NARROW RIVER

2.6 Mi E of JCT US 1, Washington, RI

Built 1981 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 11,818

WELLSTOWN RD

Poor

Over: ASHAWAY RIVER

0.1 Mi S of JCT RI 3, Washington, RI

Built 1907 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 653

NORTH SWITCH RD

Poor

Over: WOOD RIVER

0.5 MI S of JCT RI 3, Washington, RI

Built 1930 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 233

NEW LONDON TRNPK

Poor

Over: ASHAWAY RIVER

0.1 Mi E of CONN LINE, Washington, RI

Built 1934 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 180

BURDICKVILLE RD

Poor

Over: PAWCATUCK RIVER

0.5 Mi S of JCT RI 91, Washington, RI

Built 1984 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 513

US 1 BROAD STREET

Poor

Over: PAWCATUCK RIVER

0.3 Mi N of JCT US 1A, Washington, RI

Built 1932 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 12,200

SHANNOCK RD

Poor

Over: PAWCATUCK RIVER

1.0 Mi S of JCT RI 91, Washington, RI

Built 1926 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 830

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Related

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Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges

Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.