Fifth Avenue over Portage River
St. Joseph County, Michigan · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- Fifth Avenue over Portage River in St. Joseph County, Michigan, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the superstructure, rated 6 (satisfactory condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1985, making it 40 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 2,800 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2022).
- Its listed owner is a city or municipal highway agency.
- It is one of 77 of the 132 inventoried bridges in St. Joseph County rated fair (58.3%); 16 (12.1%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is open, no restriction (NBI item 41).
- Its class is unchanged from 2024 (fair), but component ratings moved: substructure 8 to 7.
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated September 2024, on a 24-month routine inspection cycle.
- A fair rating means the lowest-rated major component scores 5 or 6 on FHWA's 0-9 scale: some deterioration or minor section loss, but the structure is sound. It is the middle class, not a warning.
View this bridge on a map → (41.94709, -85.62837)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
| Superstructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Substructure | 8 | 7 | Good condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Prestressed concrete multiple box beam |
| Length | about 77 ft |
| Location | 0.3 Mi East of US-131 Br |
| NBI structure number | 000000000010391 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | September 2024 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 5: foundations stable, scour within the limits of the footing or piles |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the Michigan department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in St. Joseph County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| US-131 over St Joseph River | 2013 | 9,999 | Good |
| US-131 NB over Rocky River | 1951 | 9,588 | Fair |
| US-131 SB over Rocky River | 1956 | 9,588 | Fair |
| US-131 over White Pigeon River | 1994 | 9,556 | Fair |
| M-60 & US-131 Br over Rocky River | 1966 | 9,299 | Fair |
| M-60 & US-131 Br over Rocky River Race | 1942 | 9,299 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: St. Joseph County, MI bridge conditions · every bridge in St. Joseph County · Michigan bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.