HWY CONGRESS ST
Carrying HWY CONGRESS ST over WATER FORT POINT CHANNEL
OVER FT POINT CHANNEL, Suffolk, Massachusetts
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: HWY CONGRESS ST
The HWY CONGRESS ST bridge in Suffolk, Massachusetts carries HWY CONGRESS ST over WATER FORT POINT CHANNEL. It was built in 1850, making it 176 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 2009, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 2 sections, stretching 166.7 meters (547 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 17,100 vehicles, placing it in the heavily-trafficked tier of Massachusetts bridges. It is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure at 4/9, substructure at 6/9. 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. Its NBI inventory load rating is 21.0 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How HWY CONGRESS ST compares
Live comparison across Massachusetts.
Historical Sufficiency Rating
PlainBridge-computedFHWA discontinued this calculated item; it does not determine current condition, funding eligibility, posting, or closure. How the historical reference is calculated.
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1850
- Last Reconstructed
- 2009
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 2
- Structure Length
- 166.7 m (547 ft)
- Deck Width
- 13.9 m (46 ft)
- Owner
- City/Municipal Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 17,100 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- B1603238AMUNNBI
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in fair condition (6/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates poor at 4/9, advanced deterioration that should be prioritized for repair.
- • At 6/9, the substructure (piers and abutments) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
How to read this record
HWY CONGRESS ST 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 HWY CONGRESS ST against other structures in Suffolk and across Massachusetts. Massachusetts 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 HWY CONGRESS ST?
HWY CONGRESS ST in Suffolk, Massachusetts has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 4/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is HWY CONGRESS ST inspected?
HWY CONGRESS ST'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 17,100 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. HWY CONGRESS ST 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 HWY CONGRESS ST?
HWY CONGRESS ST has an NBI inventory load rating of 21.0 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining HWY CONGRESS ST?
HWY CONGRESS ST is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
How old is HWY CONGRESS ST and does age affect safety?
HWY CONGRESS ST was built in 1850, making it 176 years old and last reconstructed in 2009.
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.
Every figure on PlainBridge is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.