TOWNSHIP RD 838
Carrying TOWNSHIP RD 838 over BIRDS RUN
.2 MI. E OF COUNTY RD. 33, Guernsey, Ohio
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
TOWNSHIP RD 838 in Guernsey, Ohio sits above 90% of rated Ohio bridges on inventory load rating (55 t), while its 1983 build year is earlier than 42% of Guernsey's recorded-year cohort (350 bridges).
TOWNSHIP RD 838 in Guernsey, Ohio is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1983, 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 OH:3033112
LATE-CENTURY · STEEL · SINGLE-SPAN · SUB-LED · LOCAL-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- LATE-CENTURY 1980–1999
- STEEL Steel
- SINGLE-SPAN Single span
- SUB-LED Substructure-led
- LOCAL-ADT Local ADT
- HEAVY-LOAD Heavy 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: TOWNSHIP RD 838
The TOWNSHIP RD 838 bridge in Guernsey, Ohio carries TOWNSHIP RD 838 over BIRDS RUN. It was built in 1983, making it 43 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 1 section, stretching 7.3 meters (24 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 96 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Ohio bridges. It is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 4/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. A component scored 4 or below, placing this bridge in the federal Poor condition category rather than declaring it unsafe or closed.
How TOWNSHIP RD 838 compares
Age against the county: built in 1983, earlier than 146 of Guernsey's 350 bridges with a recorded construction year (42%), against a county median build year of 1968. This is one of the newer structures in its county.
Live comparison across Ohio bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (26,729 rated).
TOWNSHIP RD 838 vs every rated Ohio bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
55 Top 10% higher than 90% of 26,729 bridges
rated Ohio 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.
Guernsey inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 350 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
- 1983
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 7.3 m (24 ft)
- Deck Width
- 5.0 m (16 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 96 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 3033112
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates fair at 6/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates poor at 4/9, with advanced deterioration recorded on the latest inspection.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
TOWNSHIP RD 838 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 TOWNSHIP RD 838 against other structures in Guernsey and across Ohio. Ohio 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 TOWNSHIP RD 838?
TOWNSHIP RD 838 in Guernsey, Ohio has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 4/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is TOWNSHIP RD 838 inspected?
TOWNSHIP RD 838'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 96 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. TOWNSHIP RD 838 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 TOWNSHIP RD 838?
TOWNSHIP RD 838 has an NBI inventory load rating of 55.1 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining TOWNSHIP RD 838?
TOWNSHIP RD 838 is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is TOWNSHIP RD 838 and does age affect safety?
TOWNSHIP RD 838 was built in 1983, making it 43 years old.
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.