HWY MERRIAM AVE
Carrying HWY MERRIAM AVE over ST 2
MM98 1.2M W OF ST12, Worcester, Massachusetts
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
HWY MERRIAM AVE in Worcester, Massachusetts is rated Good in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.
Built in 1947, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 7. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Good 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 MA:L0802620VDOTNBI
PRE-1950 · STEEL · MULTI-SPAN · TIED-CTRL · HEAVY-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-GOOD
- PRE-1950 Pre-1950
- STEEL Steel
- MULTI-SPAN 2 spans
- TIED-CTRL Tied control
- HEAVY-ADT Heavy ADT
- HEAVY-LOAD Heavy load
- CAT-GOOD Good
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: HWY MERRIAM AVE
The HWY MERRIAM AVE bridge in Worcester, Massachusetts carries HWY MERRIAM AVE over ST 2. It was built in 1947, making it 79 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 2004, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel continuous and spans 2 sections, stretching 31.7 meters (104 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 14,790 vehicles, placing it in the heavily-trafficked tier of Massachusetts bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in good condition. All reported major components score above the Poor range.
How HWY MERRIAM AVE compares
Age against the county: built in 1947, earlier than 782 of Worcester's 1,014 bridges with a recorded construction year (77%), against a county median build year of 1962. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across Massachusetts bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (5,295 rated).
HWY MERRIAM AVE vs every rated Massachusetts bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
50 Top 19% higher than 81% of 5,295 bridges
rated Massachusetts 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.
Worcester inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 1,014 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
- 1947
- Last Reconstructed
- 2004
- Material
- Steel Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 2
- Structure Length
- 31.7 m (104 ft)
- Deck Width
- 12.0 m (39 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 14,790 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- L0802620VDOTNBI
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • 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
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether HWY MERRIAM AVE is safe to cross today. Here is how to use it.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Learn how the 0–9 condition scale and Good/Fair/Poor categories are defined. How condition ratings work
- Compare HWY MERRIAM AVE against other structures in Worcester 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 MERRIAM AVE?
HWY MERRIAM AVE in Worcester, Massachusetts has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is HWY MERRIAM AVE inspected?
HWY MERRIAM AVE'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 14,790 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. HWY MERRIAM AVE is currently shown as Good condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for HWY MERRIAM AVE?
HWY MERRIAM AVE has an NBI inventory load rating of 50.0 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining HWY MERRIAM AVE?
HWY MERRIAM AVE is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is HWY MERRIAM AVE and does age affect safety?
HWY MERRIAM AVE was built in 1947, making it 79 years old and last reconstructed in 2004.
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.