RTE 221
Carrying RTE 221 over TIOUGHNIOGA RIVER
.2 MI W JCT SH 221 & US11, Cortland, New York
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
RTE 221 in Cortland, New York sits above 16% of rated New York bridges on inventory load rating (27 t), while its 1932 build year is earlier than 93% of Cortland's recorded-year cohort (189 bridges).
RTE 221 in Cortland, New York is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1932, 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:000000001041800
PRE-1950 · STEEL · SINGLE-SPAN · SUPER-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- PRE-1950 Pre-1950
- STEEL Steel
- SINGLE-SPAN Single span
- SUPER-LED Superstructure-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 221
The RTE 221 bridge in Cortland, New York carries RTE 221 over TIOUGHNIOGA RIVER. It was built in 1932, making it 94 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1993, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 1 section, stretching 54.6 meters (179 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 1,978 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 6/9, superstructure at 4/9, substructure at 5/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. Because at least one major component scores 4 or lower, this bridge falls in FHWA's Poor condition category. That category is not a closure order.
How RTE 221 compares
Age against the county: built in 1932, earlier than 175 of Cortland's 189 bridges with a recorded construction year (93%), against a county median build year of 1971. 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 221 vs every rated New York bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
27 Top 84% higher than 16% 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.
Cortland inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 189 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
- 1932
- Last Reconstructed
- 1993
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 54.6 m (179 ft)
- Deck Width
- 8.1 m (27 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 1,978 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000001041800
Condition Analysis
- • At 6/9, the deck (driving surface) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • At 4/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in poor shape, with advanced wear on file for this vintage.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
RTE 221 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 221 against other structures in Cortland 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 221?
RTE 221 in Cortland, New York has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 4/9, and substructure rating of 5/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is RTE 221 inspected?
RTE 221'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 1,978 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. RTE 221 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 221?
RTE 221 has an NBI inventory load rating of 27.2 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining RTE 221?
RTE 221 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is RTE 221 and does age affect safety?
RTE 221 was built in 1932, making it 94 years old and last reconstructed in 1993.
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.