Route US 9
Carrying Route US 9 over Delaware Bay
Cape May Ferry Terminal, Cape May, New Jersey
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: Route US 9
The Route US 9 bridge in Cape May, New Jersey carries Route US 9 over Delaware Bay. It was built in 1964, making it 62 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1982, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 1 section, stretching 19.5 meters (64 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 1,237 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of New Jersey bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Toll Authority.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 6/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. All reported major components score above the Poor range. 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 Route US 9 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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1964
- Last Reconstructed
- 1982
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 19.5 m (64 ft)
- Deck Width
- 4.0 m (13 ft)
- Owner
- State Toll Authority
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 1,237 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 3200001
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates fair at 6/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether Route US 9 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 Route US 9 against other structures in Cape May 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 Route US 9?
Route US 9 in Cape May, New Jersey has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is Route US 9 inspected?
Route US 9'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 1,237 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. Route US 9 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 Route US 9?
Route US 9 has an NBI inventory load rating of 29.0 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining Route US 9?
Route US 9 is owned and maintained by State Toll Authority.
How old is Route US 9 and does age affect safety?
Route US 9 was built in 1964, making it 62 years old and last reconstructed in 1982.
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.