HWY HIGH ST
Carrying HWY HIGH ST over WATER MILLERS RIVER
600 S INT WITH ST 12, Worcester, Massachusetts
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
HWY HIGH ST in Worcester, Massachusetts sits above 18% of rated Massachusetts bridges on inventory load rating (28 t), while its 1850 build year is earlier than 99% of Worcester's recorded-year cohort (1,014 bridges).
HWY HIGH ST in Worcester, Massachusetts is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1850, 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:W3901316DMUNNBI
PRE-1950 · STEEL · MULTI-SPAN · DECK-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- PRE-1950 Pre-1950
- STEEL Steel
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- DECK-LED Deck-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: HWY HIGH ST
The HWY HIGH ST bridge in Worcester, Massachusetts carries HWY HIGH ST over WATER MILLERS RIVER. It was built in 1850, making it 176 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1973, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel continuous and spans 3 sections, stretching 39.2 meters (129 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 1,810 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Massachusetts bridges. It is owned and maintained by Town/Township Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure at 6/9, substructure at 5/9. 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 HWY HIGH ST compares
Age against the county: built in 1850, earlier than 1,008 of Worcester's 1,014 bridges with a recorded construction year (99%), 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 HIGH ST vs every rated Massachusetts bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
28 Top 82% higher than 18% 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
- 1850
- Last Reconstructed
- 1973
- Material
- Steel Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 39.2 m (129 ft)
- Deck Width
- 9.9 m (32 ft)
- Owner
- Town/Township Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 1,810 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- W3901316DMUNNBI
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in poor condition (4/9), showing advanced deterioration on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale.
- • At 6/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
HWY HIGH 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 HIGH ST 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 HIGH ST?
HWY HIGH ST in Worcester, Massachusetts has a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure rating of 6/9, and substructure rating of 5/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is HWY HIGH ST inspected?
HWY HIGH 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 1,810 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. HWY HIGH 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 HIGH ST?
HWY HIGH ST has an NBI inventory load rating of 27.8 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining HWY HIGH ST?
HWY HIGH ST is owned and maintained by Town/Township Highway Agency.
How old is HWY HIGH ST and does age affect safety?
HWY HIGH ST was built in 1850, making it 176 years old and last reconstructed in 1973.
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.