IRR RTE 438
Carrying IRR RTE 438 over CLEAR CREEK
4.8MI SE JCT RTS 438 & 20, Erie, New York
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
IRR RTE 438 in Erie, New York sits above 21% of rated New York bridges on inventory load rating (30 t), while its 1935 build year is earlier than 90% of Erie's recorded-year cohort (906 bridges).
IRR RTE 438 in Erie, New York is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1935, 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 NY:000000006060710
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: IRR RTE 438
The IRR RTE 438 bridge in Erie, New York carries IRR RTE 438 over CLEAR CREEK. It was built in 1935, making it 91 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1992, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 1 section, stretching 39.0 meters (128 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 5,556 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 3/9, substructure at 7/9. 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 IRR RTE 438 compares
Age against the county: built in 1935, earlier than 814 of Erie's 906 bridges with a recorded construction year (90%), against a county median build year of 1972. 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).
IRR RTE 438 vs every rated New York bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
30 Top 79% higher than 21% 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.
Erie inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 906 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
- 1935
- Last Reconstructed
- 1992
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 39.0 m (128 ft)
- Deck Width
- 8.2 m (27 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 5,556 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000006060710
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • At 3/9, 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) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
IRR RTE 438 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 IRR RTE 438 against other structures in Erie 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 IRR RTE 438?
IRR RTE 438 in Erie, New York has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 3/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is IRR RTE 438 inspected?
IRR RTE 438'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 5,556 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. IRR RTE 438 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 IRR RTE 438?
IRR RTE 438 has an NBI inventory load rating of 29.9 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining IRR RTE 438?
IRR RTE 438 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is IRR RTE 438 and does age affect safety?
IRR RTE 438 was built in 1935, making it 91 years old and last reconstructed in 1992.
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.