SEWALLS FALLS ROAD
Carrying SEWALLS FALLS ROAD over MERRIMACK RIVER
0.3 MI JCT RTE 132, Merrimack, New Hampshire
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
SEWALLS FALLS ROAD in Merrimack, New Hampshire sits above 93% of rated New Hampshire bridges on inventory load rating (62 t), while its 2016 build year is earlier than 4% of Merrimack's recorded-year cohort (326 bridges).
SEWALLS FALLS ROAD in Merrimack, New Hampshire is rated Good in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 2016, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 8. 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 NH:005200700011700
POST-2000 · STEEL · MULTI-SPAN · TIED-CTRL · ARTERIAL-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-GOOD
- POST-2000 2000+
- STEEL Steel
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- TIED-CTRL Tied control
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial 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: SEWALLS FALLS ROAD
The SEWALLS FALLS ROAD bridge in Merrimack, New Hampshire carries SEWALLS FALLS ROAD over MERRIMACK RIVER. It was built in 2016, making it 10 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel continuous and spans 3 sections, stretching 124.1 meters (407 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 3,625 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of New Hampshire bridges. It is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 8/9, superstructure at 8/9, substructure at 8/9. The weakest component sits in good condition. No reported major component scores in the Poor range under the current federal condition thresholds.
How SEWALLS FALLS ROAD compares
Age against the county: built in 2016, earlier than 13 of Merrimack's 326 bridges with a recorded construction year (4%), against a county median build year of 1966. This is one of the newer structures in its county.
Live comparison across New Hampshire bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (2,540 of 2,542 rated).
SEWALLS FALLS ROAD vs every rated New Hampshire bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
62 Top 7% higher than 93% 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.
Merrimack inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 326 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
- 2016
- Material
- Steel Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 124.1 m (407 ft)
- Deck Width
- 12.2 m (40 ft)
- Owner
- City/Municipal Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 3,625 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 005200700011700
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in good condition (8/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • At 8/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
- • At 8/9, the substructure (piers and abutments) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
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 SEWALLS FALLS ROAD 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 SEWALLS FALLS ROAD against other structures in Merrimack 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 SEWALLS FALLS ROAD?
SEWALLS FALLS ROAD in Merrimack, New Hampshire has a deck rating of 8/9, superstructure rating of 8/9, and substructure rating of 8/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is SEWALLS FALLS ROAD inspected?
SEWALLS FALLS ROAD'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 3,625 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. SEWALLS FALLS ROAD 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 SEWALLS FALLS ROAD?
SEWALLS FALLS ROAD has an NBI inventory load rating of 61.9 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining SEWALLS FALLS ROAD?
SEWALLS FALLS ROAD is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
How old is SEWALLS FALLS ROAD and does age affect safety?
SEWALLS FALLS ROAD was built in 2016, making it 10 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.