HWY ST JAMES AVE
Carrying HWY ST JAMES AVE over RR CONRAIL (ABANDNED)
.1 M S JCT ALBANY ST., Hampden, Massachusetts
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
HWY ST JAMES AVE in Hampden, Massachusetts sits above 14% of rated Massachusetts bridges on inventory load rating (26 t), while its 1903 build year is earlier than 94% of Hampden's recorded-year cohort (428 bridges).
HWY ST JAMES AVE in Hampden, Massachusetts is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1903, 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 MA:S2402814NDOT634
PRE-1950 · STEEL · SINGLE-SPAN · SUPER-LED · HEAVY-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- PRE-1950 Pre-1950
- STEEL Steel
- SINGLE-SPAN Single span
- SUPER-LED Superstructure-led
- HEAVY-ADT Heavy 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: HWY ST JAMES AVE
The HWY ST JAMES AVE bridge in Hampden, Massachusetts carries HWY ST JAMES AVE over RR CONRAIL (ABANDNED). It was built in 1903, making it 123 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 15.7 meters (52 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 21,207 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 5/9, superstructure at 4/9, substructure at 6/9. 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 HWY ST JAMES AVE compares
Age against the county: built in 1903, earlier than 404 of Hampden's 428 bridges with a recorded construction year (94%), against a county median build year of 1957. 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 ST JAMES AVE vs every rated Massachusetts bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
26 Top 86% higher than 14% 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.
Hampden inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 428 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
- 1903
- Last Reconstructed
- 1992
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 15.7 m (52 ft)
- Deck Width
- 20.1 m (66 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 21,207 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- S2402814NDOT634
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in poor condition (4/9), showing advanced deterioration on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale.
- • At 6/9, the substructure (piers and abutments) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
HWY ST JAMES AVE 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 ST JAMES AVE against other structures in Hampden 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 ST JAMES AVE?
HWY ST JAMES AVE in Hampden, Massachusetts has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 4/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is HWY ST JAMES AVE inspected?
HWY ST JAMES 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 21,207 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. HWY ST JAMES AVE 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 ST JAMES AVE?
HWY ST JAMES AVE has an NBI inventory load rating of 26.0 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining HWY ST JAMES AVE?
HWY ST JAMES AVE is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is HWY ST JAMES AVE and does age affect safety?
HWY ST JAMES AVE was built in 1903, making it 123 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.