CODS ROAD
Carrying CODS ROAD over SLAUGHTER CREEK
WEST OF FOWLER BEACH, Sussex, Delaware
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
CODS ROAD in Sussex, Delaware sits above 1% of rated Delaware bridges on inventory load rating (16 t), while its 1931 build year is earlier than 90% of Sussex's recorded-year cohort (153 bridges).
CODS ROAD in Sussex, Delaware is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1931, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 3. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Poor result describes the weakest reported component rather than the structure as a whole. No NBI category is a closure decision or a live crossing-safety verdict.
NBI record plate
Structure DE:3818 038
PRE-1950 · STEEL · SINGLE-SPAN · SUPER-LED · LOCAL-ADT · LIGHT-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- PRE-1950 Pre-1950
- STEEL Steel
- SINGLE-SPAN Single span
- SUPER-LED Superstructure-led
- LOCAL-ADT Local ADT
- LIGHT-LOAD Light load
- CAT-POOR Poor
Inspection-sheet codes from this record’s year, material family, spans, controlling component, ADT, inventory load, and NBI category, not a live closure verdict.
Bridge Snapshot: CODS ROAD
The CODS ROAD bridge in Sussex, Delaware carries CODS ROAD over SLAUGHTER CREEK. It was built in 1931, making it 95 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 1 section, stretching 10.9 meters (36 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 77 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Delaware bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure at 3/9, substructure at 5/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. At least one major component here scores 4 or below, which produces a Poor condition classification under FHWA's current reporting rules.
How CODS ROAD compares
Age against the county: built in 1931, earlier than 138 of Sussex's 153 bridges with a recorded construction year (90%), against a county median build year of 1973. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across Delaware bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (872 rated).
CODS ROAD vs every rated Delaware bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
16 Top 99% higher than 1% of 872 bridges
rated Delaware bridges, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more bridges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · August 2026
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Reported 0–9 component ratings from the FHWA NBI. The highlighted component is the lowest reported input to this record’s current condition category; it is not a closure or live crossing-safety decision.
Sussex inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 153 bridges in this county. Orthogonal to this structure's component profile above: a county catalog share, not a live crossing-safety verdict.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1931
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 10.9 m (36 ft)
- Deck Width
- 7.0 m (23 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 77 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 3818 038
Condition Analysis
- • At 7/9, the deck (driving surface) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
- • At 3/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in poor shape, with advanced wear on file for this vintage.
- • At 5/9, the substructure (piers and abutments) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
CODS ROAD 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 CODS ROAD against other structures in Sussex 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 CODS ROAD?
CODS ROAD in Sussex, Delaware has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 3/9, and substructure rating of 5/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is CODS ROAD inspected?
CODS ROAD'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 77 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. CODS ROAD 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 CODS ROAD?
CODS ROAD has an NBI inventory load rating of 16.2 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining CODS ROAD?
CODS ROAD is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is CODS ROAD and does age affect safety?
CODS ROAD was built in 1931, making it 95 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.
Share this inspection record
Send this source-bounded record or download its data card. An NBI condition category is not a closure or live crossing-safety verdict.
Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Component ratings, ADT, and condition category on this page are copied from the NBI record for this structure; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.