costal facet costal facet a costal facet is a site of connection between a rib and a vertebra. the costal facets are located on the vertebrae that the rib articulates with. they are the superior costal facet, the inferior costal facet, and the transverse costal facet. rib 1 only articulates with a transverse costal facet. a transverse costal facet is a facet on the transverse process of the vertebrae for articulation with the tubercle on the rib. the superior costal facet joins the rib to the top of a vertebra. the transverse costal facet joins the rib to the transverse process of a vertebra, and the inferior costal facet joins the rib to the lower part of the vertebra. the joints formed are known as the costovertebral joints.