WEST 38TH STREET
Carrying WEST 38TH STREET over AMTRAK W SIDE CON
IN WEST MANHATTAN, New York, New York
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: WEST 38TH STREET
The WEST 38TH STREET bridge in New York, New York carries WEST 38TH STREET over AMTRAK W SIDE CON. It was built in 1934, making it 92 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel continuous and spans 2 sections, stretching 31.4 meters (103 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 3,336 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of New York bridges. It is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure at 6/9, substructure at 5/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. A component scored 4 or below, placing this bridge in the federal Poor condition category rather than declaring it unsafe or closed. Its NBI inventory load rating is 29.0 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How WEST 38TH STREET compares
Live comparison across New York.
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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1934
- Material
- Steel Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 2
- Structure Length
- 31.4 m (103 ft)
- Deck Width
- 18.3 m (60 ft)
- Owner
- City/Municipal Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 3,336 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000002245070
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in poor condition (4/9), showing advanced deterioration that may require priority repair.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in fair condition (6/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • At 5/9, the substructure (piers and abutments) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
How to read this record
WEST 38TH STREET is in the federal Poor condition category. That is a component-based result, not a closure order.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Understand what Poor condition does and does not mean before drawing conclusions. Poor condition explained
- Compare WEST 38TH STREET against other structures in New York and across New York. New York 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 WEST 38TH STREET?
WEST 38TH STREET in New York, New York has a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure rating of 6/9, and substructure rating of 5/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is WEST 38TH STREET inspected?
WEST 38TH STREET'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 3,336 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. WEST 38TH STREET is currently shown as Poor condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for WEST 38TH STREET?
WEST 38TH STREET has an NBI inventory load rating of 29.0 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining WEST 38TH STREET?
WEST 38TH STREET is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
How old is WEST 38TH STREET and does age affect safety?
WEST 38TH STREET was built in 1934, making it 92 years old.
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.