NJ ROUTE 72
Carrying NJ ROUTE 72 over WEST THOROFARE U-TURN
4.45 MI EAST OF US 9, Ocean, New Jersey
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
NJ ROUTE 72 in Ocean, New Jersey sits above 53% of rated New Jersey bridges on inventory load rating (42 t), while its 1958 build year is earlier than 76% of Ocean's recorded-year cohort (241 bridges).
NJ ROUTE 72 in Ocean, New Jersey is rated Good in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1958, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 7. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Good 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:1513153
INTERSTATE-ERA · PRESTRESS · LONG-SPAN-RUN · TIED-CTRL · HEAVY-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-GOOD
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- PRESTRESS Prestressed concrete
- LONG-SPAN-RUN 9 spans
- TIED-CTRL Tied control
- HEAVY-ADT Heavy ADT
- HEAVY-LOAD Heavy load
- CAT-GOOD Good
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 72
The NJ ROUTE 72 bridge in Ocean, New Jersey carries NJ ROUTE 72 over WEST THOROFARE U-TURN. It was built in 1958, making it 68 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 2017, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of prestressed concrete and spans 9 sections, stretching 112.2 meters (368 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 22,370 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 7/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in good condition. None of this bridge's reported major components fall into the Poor condition range.
How NJ ROUTE 72 compares
Age against the county: built in 1958, earlier than 182 of Ocean's 241 bridges with a recorded construction year (76%), against a county median build year of 1985. 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 72 vs every rated New Jersey bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
42 Top 47% higher than 53% 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.
Ocean inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 241 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
- 1958
- Last Reconstructed
- 2017
- Material
- Prestressed Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 9
- Structure Length
- 112.2 m (368 ft)
- Deck Width
- 21.8 m (72 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 22,370 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 1513153
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether NJ ROUTE 72 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 NJ ROUTE 72 against other structures in Ocean 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 72?
NJ ROUTE 72 in Ocean, New Jersey has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is NJ ROUTE 72 inspected?
NJ ROUTE 72'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 22,370 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. NJ ROUTE 72 is currently shown as Good condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for NJ ROUTE 72?
NJ ROUTE 72 has an NBI inventory load rating of 41.7 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining NJ ROUTE 72?
NJ ROUTE 72 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is NJ ROUTE 72 and does age affect safety?
NJ ROUTE 72 was built in 1958, making it 68 years old and last reconstructed in 2017.
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.