I-78 WESTBOUND
Carrying I-78 WESTBOUND over TRIBUTARY OF DEAD RIVER
0.27 MI W / I-287 EXIT 36, Somerset, New Jersey
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: I-78 WESTBOUND
The I-78 WESTBOUND bridge in Somerset, New Jersey carries I-78 WESTBOUND over TRIBUTARY OF DEAD RIVER. It was built in 1965, making it 61 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1986, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of prestressed concrete and spans 1 section, stretching 14.6 meters (48 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 49,148 vehicles, placing it in the heavily-trafficked tier of New Jersey bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 6/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. Because at least one major component scores 4 or lower, this bridge falls in FHWA's Poor condition category. That category is not a closure order. Its NBI inventory load rating is 29.9 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How I-78 WESTBOUND compares
Live comparison across New Jersey.
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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1965
- Last Reconstructed
- 1986
- Material
- Prestressed Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 14.6 m (48 ft)
- Deck Width
- 17.8 m (58 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 49,148 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 1817167
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • At 4/9, the deck (driving surface) is in poor shape, with advanced wear flagged for priority repair.
- • At 7/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates fair at 6/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
How to read this record
I-78 WESTBOUND 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 I-78 WESTBOUND against other structures in Somerset and across New Jersey. New Jersey 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 I-78 WESTBOUND?
I-78 WESTBOUND in Somerset, New Jersey has a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is I-78 WESTBOUND inspected?
I-78 WESTBOUND'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 49,148 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. I-78 WESTBOUND 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 I-78 WESTBOUND?
I-78 WESTBOUND has an NBI inventory load rating of 29.9 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining I-78 WESTBOUND?
I-78 WESTBOUND is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is I-78 WESTBOUND and does age affect safety?
I-78 WESTBOUND was built in 1965, making it 61 years old and last reconstructed in 1986.
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.