State profile · Above median Poor share

Rhode Island bridge safety

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, condition ratings, load ratings, and Poor-condition shares for every public highway bridge in Rhode Island.

783
Public bridges
22.9%
Good condition
15.2%
Poor condition

Rhode Island holds 783 public highway bridges (#51 of 52 by inventory) with a 15.2% Poor share (#5 of 52 by Poor share).

That is 15.2% of the state's inventory, against an average of 7.5% across the 54 states and territories with Poor-rated bridges on file, which places it 49 of 54 ordered from the lowest Poor share upward. A bridge is rated Poor when its weakest applicable component scores 4 or below on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, so the category is a maintenance and funding signal rather than a closure order or a live crossing-safety verdict.

Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026

Total Bridges

783

Public highway bridges in Rhode Island

Good Condition

22.9%

179 bridges rated 7-9

-27.1pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

15.2%

119 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

7.7pp vs national avg 7.5%

Rhode Island vs national bridge condition

Rhode Island - Good condition share 22.9%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

Rhode Island - Poor-condition share 50.7%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.5%.

Rhode Island in the national condition pattern

Each point is a state or territory in the FHWA NBI; the highlighted point is this profile.

Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Rhode Island has 783 bridges and a 15.2% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #49 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold. Scatter plot of 54 data points. 0%10%20%30%40% 0k20k40k60k Public bridges in inventory (thousands) Poor-condition share (%) RI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.2%AL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.35%AK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.89%AZ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.15%AR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.43%CA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 25.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.91%CO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.82%CT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.72%DE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.26%DC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.95%FL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.79%GA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.59%GU, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.77%HI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.53%ID, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.9%IL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.35%IN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.22%IA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 19.16%KS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.26%KY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.37%LA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 12.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.48%ME, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.41%MD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.56%MA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.88%MI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 11.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.27%MN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.44%MS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.03%MO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.95%MT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.81%NE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.9%NV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.14%NH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.51%NJ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 6.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.01%NM, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.51%NY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 17.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.43%NC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.76%ND, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 10.98%OH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.74%OK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 22.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.7%OR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.61%PA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.58%PR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 13.92%SC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.17%SD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 16.36%TN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 20.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.41%TX, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 56.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.23%UT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.91%VT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.9%VI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 29.17%VA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.39%WA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.45%WV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 7.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 18.64%WI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.52%WY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.51%
Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Rhode Island has 783 bridges and a 15.2% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #49 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold.

Rhode Island vs all states by public bridge inventory

Where this state's FHWA NBI public-highway bridge count sits among every state and territory on PlainBridges

783 51st of 54 higher than 3 of 54 states

States and territories, banded by public bridge inventory size

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. 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 · 2024

Read the rank neighborhood for Rhode Island

The highlighted point is Rhode Island: 783 bridges and 15.20% in Poor condition, rank #49 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below Rhode Island on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • Guam: 47 bridges · 12.77% Poor
  • Puerto Rico: 2,385 bridges · 13.92% Poor
  • Rhode Island: 783 bridges · 15.20% Poor
  • Maine: 2,518 bridges · 15.41% Poor
  • South Dakota: 5,887 bridges · 16.36% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in Rhode Island

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 783 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains Rhode Island’s inventory

State agency holds 78.3% of the 783 public highway bridges filed under Rhode Island in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When Rhode Island’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 21.7% of the 783 bridges with a recorded original year in Rhode Island. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

Rhode Island22.9%61.9%15.2%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - Rhode Island (FHWA NBI)

Rhode Island vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states by Poor-condition share (lower share = better)

States are ranked by the share of bridges whose lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below. This describes recorded condition; it does not measure funding effectiveness or live crossing safety. States here sit immediately above and below Rhode Island on the same metric.

GU

Guam

12.77% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$47

PR

Puerto Rico

13.92% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$2,385
Selected

RI

Rhode Island

15.20% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$783

ME

Maine

15.41% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$2,518

SD

South Dakota

16.36% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$5,887

Bridges Needing Most Attention in Rhode Island

Six lowest-condition bridges in Rhode Island, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

All Bridges in Rhode Island

HARKNEY HILL RD

Good

Over: FLAT RIVER RESERVOIR

0.8 Mi W of JCT RI 3, Kent, RI

Built 1997 Load: 51.8 t ADT: 6,580

RI 15 MNRL SPRG AV

Good

Over: AMTRAK & P&W RR

0.1 Mi E of Lonsdale Av, Providence, RI

Built 1931 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 7,541

MILL ST

Good

Over: SLEEPY HOLLOW RESERVOIR

0.3 Mi E of JCT RI 114, Providence, RI

Built 1983 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 8,686

RI 102 VICTORY HWY

Good

Over: I-95 NB and SB

0.8 Mi S of JCT RI165, Kent, RI

Built 2019 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 7,203

Morgan Av

Good

Over: Pocasset River

500 ft east of RI 5, Providence, RI

Built 1900 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 2,630

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

PINE ST

Good

Over: I-95 NB & SB

0.2 Mi S of JCT RI 15, Providence, RI

Built 2018 Load: 53.5 t ADT: 6,060

WILBUR AV

Good

Over: MESHANTICUT BROOK

0.9 Mi E of Phenix Av, Providence, RI

Built 1968 Load: 53.8 t ADT: 9,782

RI 146 LSQSST PK

Good

Over: I-95 NB & SB

0.5 Mi N Jct US 44, Providence, RI

Built 2022 Load: 54.1 t ADT: 38,900

Maes Meadow

Good

Over: Scott Brook

200 ft W of JCT Scott Rd, Providence, RI

Built 2005 Load: 54.1 t ADT: 157

MARTIN ST

Good

Over: BLACKSTONE RIVER

0.3 Mi W of JCT RI 122, Providence, RI

Built 1810 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 2,958

RAMP CB-2

Good

Over: AMTRAK & CITY STREETS

0.2 Mi N of JCT I-195, Providence, RI

Built 2023 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 22,100

RI 114 E SHORE EXP

Good

Over: US 6 WARREN AV

0.1 Mi S of JCT I-195, Providence, RI

Built 2016 Load: 55.4 t ADT: 17,200

I-95 SB

Good

Over: WELLINGTON AV

0.2 Mi N of JCT RI 10, Providence, RI

Built 2023 Load: 55.4 t ADT: 134,500

RI 98 SHRMN FRM RD

Good

Over: NIPMUC RIVER

0.4 Mi N of JCT RI 107, Providence, RI

Built 2016 Load: 56.7 t ADT: 1,750

I-95 NB EXIT RAMP

Good

Over: WATER ST

0.1 Mi N of JCT Seekonk R, Providence, RI

Built 1958 Load: 57.8 t ADT: 18,244

WEST NATICK RD

Good

Over: MESHANTICUT BROOK

0.03 Mi W of JCT RI 2, Kent, RI

Built 2022 Load: 59.0 t ADT: 2,600

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

OLD FORGE RD

Good

Over: POTOWOMUT RIVER

0.9 Mi SE of JCT US 1, Kent, RI

Built 2002 Load: 60.3 t ADT: 2,024

ATWELLS AV

Good

Over: WOONASQUATUCKET RIVER

0.5 Mi W of RI 10, Providence, RI

Built 2015 Load: 61.6 t ADT: 10,681

US 1 ELMWOOD AV

Good

Over: HAR JUNC BR LINE P&W RR

0.8 Mi E JCT US 1 & R, Providence, RI

Built 2018 Load: 61.9 t ADT: 18,400

I-195 LANE E

Good

Over: US 6 WARREN AV

1.1 Mi N of JCT RI 114, Providence, RI

Built 2016 Load: 62.2 t ADT: 20,900

India Street

Good

Over: India Pt Bike Path

.01Mile West of GANO ST, Providence, RI

Built 2008 Load: 63.5 t ADT: 199

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

RI 5 (CENTRAL ST)

Good

Over: RI 146 N SMITHFIELD EXP

0.1 Mi S of JCT MASS LINE, Providence, RI

Built 2017 Load: 64.2 t ADT: 2,285

RI 7 DOUGLAS AV

Good

Over: WEST RIVER

0.5 Mi S of JCT RI 15, Providence, RI

Built 2019 Load: 64.2 t ADT: 6,988

SIMMONSVILLE AV

Good

Over: SIMMONS BROOK

0.9 Mi S of JCT RI 5, Providence, RI

Built 2018 Load: 64.5 t ADT: 5,588

I-195 RAMP DR-2

Good

Over: US 6 WARREN AV

0.1 Mi E of SEEKONK RVR, Providence, RI

Built 1959 Load: 64.5 t ADT: 11,600

W DAVISVILLE RD

Good

Over: SEAVIEW RR

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

Built 2004 Load: 65.1 t ADT: 2,880

HAMMET RD

Good

Over: Whaley Brook

0.9 Mi N of RI 117, Kent, RI

Built 2016 Load: 66.1 t ADT: 106

RI 2 RESERVOIR AV

Good

Over: POCASSET RIVER

1.0 Mi S of JCT RI 12, Providence, RI

Built 1926 Load: 66.7 t ADT: 26,364

RI 114 Hope St

Good

Over: Tidal Inlet

0.3 Mi E of JCT RI 103, Bristol, RI

Built 2020 Load: 67.7 t ADT: 19,100

ROMANO VINEYARDWAY

Good

Over: DAVISVILLE RD

1 mi East of Post Rd, Kent, RI

Built 2011 Load: 67.7 t ADT: 2,451

I-95 NB

Good

Over: WELLINGTON AV

0.2 Mi N of JCT RI 10, Providence, RI

Built 2023 Load: 68.0 t ADT: 134,500

RI 403 Ramp BB

Good

Over: RampEE/W.DavisvilleRD/RR

0.1Mi.N.RI403, Kent, RI

Built 2002 Load: 68.0 t ADT: 2,650

I-195 EB RAMP CR-1

Good

Over: VALLEY ST

1.4 Mi W of JCT RI 114, Providence, RI

Built 1959 Load: 69.0 t ADT: 21,600

BRIDGE ST

Good

Over: E BAY BICYCLE FAC

0.7 Mi S of JCT RI 103, Bristol, RI

Built 1993 Load: 70.0 t ADT: 1,313

CHESTNUT HILL RD

Good

Over: SAYLES RESERVOIR

1.0 Mi W of JCT RI 102, Providence, RI

Built 2011 Load: 70.3 t ADT: 1,858

RI 138 MAIN RD

Good

Over: RI 24

4.0 Mi N of JCT RI 114, Newport, RI

Built 2007 Load: 73.2 t ADT: 12,522

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

Shun Pike

Good

Over: Ceder Swamp Brook

1.1 mi W of I 295 SB, Providence, RI

Built 2013 Load: 74.5 t ADT: 4,876

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

NORTH ROAD

Good

Over: CLEAR RIVER

0.1 Mi N of Laurel Hll Rd, Providence, RI

Built 2017 Load: 76.8 t ADT: 454

MAIN ST

Good

Over: CLARK BROOK

2.0 mi S of Jct RI 12, Providence, RI

Built 2018 Load: 78.7 t ADT: 2,654

MARTIN ST

Good

Over: BLACKSTONE CANAL

0.5 Mi W of JCT RI 126, Providence, RI

Built 1900 Load: 83.3 t ADT: 2,958

RI 114A PLEASNT ST

Good

Over: TEN MILE RIVER

0.5 Mi S of JCT US 1A, Providence, RI

Built 2022 Load: 84.9 t ADT: 11,420

RI 12 PARK AV

Good

Over: POCASSET RIVER

1.0 Mi E of JCT RI 5, Providence, RI

Built 2019 Load: 85.2 t ADT: 15,500

RI 33 SDY BTTM RD

Good

Over: PAWTUXET RIVER

0.3 Mi N of JCT RI 3, Kent, RI

Built 2021 Load: 85.9 t ADT: 9,864

RI 37 WB

Good

Over: JEFFERSON BLVD

0.1 Mi W OF JCT I-95, Kent, RI

Built 2022 Load: 87.2 t ADT: 32,400

RI 152 N BROADWAY

Good

Over: TEN MILE RIVER

0.5 Mi S of JCT RI 114A, Providence, RI

Built 2012 Load: 88.1 t ADT: 10,807

Showing 601-650 of 783 bridges

Data sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI), latest released cycle. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Poor condition is an inspection-record category, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult the bridge owner for current status.

What to do with this

Use Rhode Island's inventory picture to drill to a county or a specific span.

  • Browse counties in Rhode Island and open the highest-Poor shares first. County list
  • See where this state sits among peers on Poor-condition share. State rankings
  • Compare this state with another jurisdiction on the same measures. State compare

NBI condition ratings are inventory snapshots, not live crossing-safety verdicts.

Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Rhode Island Good/Fair/Poor shares and county rollups on this page are computed from the same NBI extract as the national boards; 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.