RTE I81
Carrying RTE I81 over HALSEY ROAD
1 MI S I81 SB & SH 13, Oswego, New York
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
RTE I81 in Oswego, New York sits above 25% of rated New York bridges on inventory load rating (33 t), while its 1961 build year is earlier than 59% of Oswego's recorded-year cohort (233 bridges).
RTE I81 in Oswego, New York is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1961, 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 NY:000000001031881
INTERSTATE-ERA · STEEL · MULTI-SPAN · SUB-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- STEEL Steel
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- SUB-LED Substructure-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: RTE I81
The RTE I81 bridge in Oswego, New York carries RTE I81 over HALSEY ROAD. It was built in 1961, making it 65 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1991, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 3 sections, stretching 39.0 meters (128 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 8,174 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of New York bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure at 6/9, substructure at 4/9. 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 RTE I81 compares
Age against the county: built in 1961, earlier than 138 of Oswego's 233 bridges with a recorded construction year (59%), against a county median build year of 1977. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across New York bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (17,641 of 17,642 rated).
RTE I81 vs every rated New York bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
33 Top 75% higher than 25% of 17,641 bridges
rated New York 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.
Oswego inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 233 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
- 1961
- Last Reconstructed
- 1991
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 39.0 m (128 ft)
- Deck Width
- 13.0 m (43 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 8,174 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000001031881
Condition Analysis
- • At 7/9, the deck (driving surface) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
- • At 6/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in poor condition (4/9), showing advanced deterioration on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
RTE I81 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 RTE I81 against other structures in Oswego and across New York. New York 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 RTE I81?
RTE I81 in Oswego, New York has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 6/9, and substructure rating of 4/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is RTE I81 inspected?
RTE I81'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 8,174 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. RTE I81 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 RTE I81?
RTE I81 has an NBI inventory load rating of 32.7 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining RTE I81?
RTE I81 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is RTE I81 and does age affect safety?
RTE I81 was built in 1961, making it 65 years old and last reconstructed in 1991.
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.