NJ ROUTE 159
Carrying NJ ROUTE 159 over BRANCH OF PASSAIC RIVER
.25 MI.E.OF NJ159 & US 46, Morris, New Jersey
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
NJ ROUTE 159 in Morris, New Jersey sits above 43% of rated New Jersey bridges on inventory load rating (37 t), while its 1921 build year is earlier than 91% of Morris's recorded-year cohort (508 bridges).
NJ ROUTE 159 in Morris, New Jersey is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1921, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 4. 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 NJ:1430151
PRE-1950 · STEEL · SINGLE-SPAN · DECK-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- PRE-1950 Pre-1950
- STEEL Steel
- SINGLE-SPAN Single span
- DECK-LED Deck-led
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard 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: NJ ROUTE 159
The NJ ROUTE 159 bridge in Morris, New Jersey carries NJ ROUTE 159 over BRANCH OF PASSAIC RIVER. It was built in 1921, making it 105 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1940, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 1 section, stretching 11.0 meters (36 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 2,799 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-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 6/9, substructure at 6/9. 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 NJ ROUTE 159 compares
Age against the county: built in 1921, earlier than 461 of Morris's 508 bridges with a recorded construction year (91%), against a county median build year of 1966. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across New Jersey bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (6,826 of 6,827 rated).
NJ ROUTE 159 vs every rated New Jersey bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
37 Top 57% higher than 43% of 6,826 bridges
rated New Jersey 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.
Morris inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 508 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
- 1921
- Last Reconstructed
- 1940
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 11.0 m (36 ft)
- Deck Width
- 28.9 m (95 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 2,799 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 1430151
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in poor condition (4/9), showing advanced deterioration on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in fair condition (6/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • At 6/9, 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
NJ ROUTE 159 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 NJ ROUTE 159 against other structures in Morris 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 NJ ROUTE 159?
NJ ROUTE 159 in Morris, New Jersey has a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure rating of 6/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is NJ ROUTE 159 inspected?
NJ ROUTE 159'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 2,799 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. NJ ROUTE 159 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 NJ ROUTE 159?
NJ ROUTE 159 has an NBI inventory load rating of 37.2 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining NJ ROUTE 159?
NJ ROUTE 159 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is NJ ROUTE 159 and does age affect safety?
NJ ROUTE 159 was built in 1921, making it 105 years old and last reconstructed in 1940.
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.
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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.