MAIN ST
Carrying MAIN ST over UNION RIVER
.5 MI S OF JCT US1A, Hancock, Maine
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
MAIN ST in Hancock, Maine sits above 44% of rated Maine bridges on inventory load rating (35 t), while its 1923 build year is earlier than 97% of Hancock's recorded-year cohort (70 bridges).
MAIN ST in Hancock, Maine is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1923, 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 ME:2499
PRE-1950 · CONCRETE · LONG-SPAN-RUN · TIED-CTRL · HEAVY-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- PRE-1950 Pre-1950
- CONCRETE Concrete
- LONG-SPAN-RUN 4 spans
- TIED-CTRL Tied control
- 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: MAIN ST
The MAIN ST bridge in Hancock, Maine carries MAIN ST over UNION RIVER. It was built in 1923, making it 103 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1990, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of concrete and spans 4 sections, stretching 48.2 meters (158 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 16,449 vehicles, placing it in the heavily-trafficked tier of Maine bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure at 4/9, 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 MAIN ST compares
Age against the county: built in 1923, earlier than 68 of Hancock's 70 bridges with a recorded construction year (97%), against a county median build year of 1958. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across Maine bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (2,518 rated).
MAIN ST vs every rated Maine bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
35 Top 56% higher than 44% of 2,518 bridges
rated Maine 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.
Hancock inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 70 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
- 1923
- Last Reconstructed
- 1990
- Material
- Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 4
- Structure Length
- 48.2 m (158 ft)
- Deck Width
- 14.8 m (49 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 16,449 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 2499
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates poor at 4/9, with advanced deterioration recorded on the latest inspection.
- • At 4/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in poor shape, with advanced wear on file for this vintage.
- • 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
MAIN 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 MAIN ST against other structures in Hancock and across Maine. Maine 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 MAIN ST?
MAIN ST in Hancock, Maine has a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure rating of 4/9, and substructure rating of 5/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is MAIN ST inspected?
MAIN 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 16,449 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. MAIN 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 MAIN ST?
MAIN ST has an NBI inventory load rating of 35.3 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining MAIN ST?
MAIN ST is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is MAIN ST and does age affect safety?
MAIN ST was built in 1923, making it 103 years old and last reconstructed in 1990.
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.