NH 3A
Carrying NH 3A over NEWFOUND RIVER
2.0 MI. FROM HILL T.L., Grafton, New Hampshire
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
NH 3A in Grafton, New Hampshire sits above 17% of rated New Hampshire bridges on inventory load rating (25 t), while its 1949 build year is earlier than 72% of Grafton's recorded-year cohort (544 bridges).
NH 3A in Grafton, New Hampshire is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1949, 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 NH:003201090006100
PRE-1950 · STEEL · MULTI-SPAN · DECK-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- PRE-1950 Pre-1950
- STEEL Steel
- MULTI-SPAN 2 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: NH 3A
The NH 3A bridge in Grafton, New Hampshire carries NH 3A over NEWFOUND RIVER. It was built in 1949, making it 77 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel continuous and spans 2 sections, stretching 21.9 meters (72 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 3,364 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of New Hampshire bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 7/9. 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 NH 3A compares
Age against the county: built in 1949, earlier than 391 of Grafton's 544 bridges with a recorded construction year (72%), against a county median build year of 1968. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across New Hampshire bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (2,540 of 2,542 rated).
NH 3A vs every rated New Hampshire bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
25 Top 83% higher than 17% of 2,540 bridges
rated New Hampshire 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.
Grafton inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 544 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
- 1949
- Material
- Steel Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 2
- Structure Length
- 21.9 m (72 ft)
- Deck Width
- 15.6 m (51 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 3,364 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 003201090006100
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in poor condition (4/9), showing advanced deterioration on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates fair at 5/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
NH 3A 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 NH 3A against other structures in Grafton and across New Hampshire. New Hampshire 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 NH 3A?
NH 3A in Grafton, New Hampshire has a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is NH 3A inspected?
NH 3A'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 3,364 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. NH 3A 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 NH 3A?
NH 3A has an NBI inventory load rating of 24.5 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining NH 3A?
NH 3A is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is NH 3A and does age affect safety?
NH 3A was built in 1949, making it 77 years old.
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.