DEL 896, US71,301S
Carrying DEL 896, US71,301S over C&D CANAL
9 MI W OF REEDY POINT, New Castle, Delaware
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: DEL 896, US71,301S
The DEL 896, US71,301S bridge in New Castle, Delaware carries DEL 896, US71,301S over C&D CANAL. It was built in 1959, making it 67 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1987, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 3 sections, stretching 627.3 meters (2058 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 26,840 vehicles, placing it in the heavily-trafficked tier of Delaware bridges. It is owned and maintained by Army Corps of Engineers.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 6/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. No reported major component scores in the Poor range under the current federal condition thresholds. Its NBI inventory load rating is 21.1 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How DEL 896, US71,301S compares
Live comparison across Delaware.
Historical Sufficiency Rating
PlainBridge-computedFHWA discontinued this calculated item; it does not determine current condition, funding eligibility, posting, or closure. How the historical reference is calculated.
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1959
- Last Reconstructed
- 1987
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 627.3 m (2058 ft)
- Deck Width
- 19.5 m (64 ft)
- Owner
- Army Corps of Engineers
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 26,840 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000001494016
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗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) rates fair at 5/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in fair condition (6/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether DEL 896, US71,301S 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 DEL 896, US71,301S against other structures in New Castle and across Delaware. Delaware 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 DEL 896, US71,301S?
DEL 896, US71,301S in New Castle, Delaware has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is DEL 896, US71,301S inspected?
DEL 896, US71,301S'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 26,840 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. DEL 896, US71,301S 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 DEL 896, US71,301S?
DEL 896, US71,301S has an NBI inventory load rating of 21.1 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining DEL 896, US71,301S?
DEL 896, US71,301S is owned and maintained by Army Corps of Engineers.
How old is DEL 896, US71,301S and does age affect safety?
DEL 896, US71,301S was built in 1959, making it 67 years old and last reconstructed in 1987.
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.
Every figure on PlainBridge 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.