County profile · official public datasets

Essex County, MA

395 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 15.9% rated Good, 66.8% Fair, 17.2% Poor.

395
Public bridges
15.9%
Good condition
17.2%
Poor condition

The verdict

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.

Essex County posts a higher-than-median Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state across mid-size county bridge inventory.

13th
of 13 on Poor share
17.2%
Poor-condition share
395
public highway bridges
1957
avg year built

Poor is an FHWA condition category from the lowest applicable component rating (4 or below), not a live crossing-safety or closure decision. Rankings cover counties with at least five public highway bridges.

Essex County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Essex County ranks #13 of 13 Massachusetts counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 17.2%). Essex County, Massachusetts contains 395 public highway bridges. Roughly 15.9% are rated “Good,” 66.8% “Fair,” and 17.2% “Poor.” Poor means the lowest applicable deck, superstructure, substructure, or culvert rating is 4 or below on the 0–9 NBI scale. It is a condition category, not a live safety or closure decision.

Responsible agencies inspect covered bridges on risk-based intervals under current NBIS rules and submit inventory data to FHWA annually. The list below shows every NBI-tracked bridge in the county. Use the “Sort by” controls to change the ordering, and click any row for its reported inspection date, traffic count, and condition fields.

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See methodology for full definitions.

Total bridges

395

Public highway bridges in Essex County

Good condition

15.9%

63 of 395 rated 7-9

Fair condition

66.8%

264 of 395 rated 5-6

Poor condition

17.2%

68 of 395 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#13 of 13

Among Massachusetts counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better

Condition distribution

Share of 395 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
15.9% (63)
Fair
66.8% (264)
Poor
17.2% (68)

Essex County's Poor-condition bridges carry 2,590,672 vehicle crossings a day

That is 21.8% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 17.3% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry more traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 38,098 crossings a day against 20,809 for a Good-condition one. A Poor rating is a condition category, not a closure or a live safety judgement; it means the lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below.

Computed over the 394 of 395 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

73.4% of Essex County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

289 of the 394 bridges with a recorded construction year were built in 1974 or earlier. Age alone is not a defect: a well-maintained older bridge can rate Good, and 15.9% of this county's inventory does. Even so, this older cohort is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn, which is why the age profile below matters alongside the condition split above.

Cutoff derives from the 2024 release year minus a 50-year design life. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

One structure carries 5% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

US 1 NEWBRPRT TPK over I 95 /ST128, built 1963, carries 128,520 vehicles a day, the most of any Poor-rated structure here. The county's Poor-condition exposure is concentrated rather than evenly spread, so the 68-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 2,590,672 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Essex County's bridges were built

394 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1960s, when 95 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 24.1% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 55 to 64 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1957) matches the Massachusetts average (1961).

Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory (year built) As of 2024 NBI release

How Essex County compares with Massachusetts's closest counties by inventory size

The 5 Massachusetts counties nearest Essex County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 17.2% Poor share is the 6th-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1957 against a peer-group mean of 1961 is in line with the group.

Showing the 5 closest of 12 Massachusetts counties eligible for comparison.

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Essex County and the 5 Massachusetts counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Berkshire County 450 7.8%
Hampden County 428 7.5%
Essex County (this page) 395 17.2%
Bristol County 384 6.5%
Norfolk County 343 5%
Franklin County 314 11.1%

Each share is of that county's own total tracked bridges; peers are the counties with 5 or more bridges whose inventory size is closest to Essex County's. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

Nationwide counties with similar inventory size or average build year

Two NBI-derived peer sets for Essex County, both outside Massachusetts so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside MA (395 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside MA (1957 here).

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.

All 395 Good 63 Fair 264 Poor 68

All bridges (395)

US 1 BOSTON ST

Fair

Over: HWY HOWLETT ST

.8 MI N IPSWICH RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1922 Load: 33.2 t ADT: 16,100

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: HWY MAIN ST

.6 MI N EXIT 54, Essex, MA

Built 1964 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 35,000

I 95 NB

Fair

Over: WATER FISH BROOK

1.3 MI N IPSWICH RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1976 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 43,300

I 495 NB

Fair

Over: HWY MAIN ST

.6 MI N EXIT 54, Essex, MA

Built 1964 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 36,900

ST114 ANDOVER ST

Fair

Over: ST128

.8 MI LOWELL STREET, Essex, MA

Built 1938 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 56,508

I 95 SB

Fair

Over: WATER FISH BROOK

1.3 MI N IPSWICH RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1950 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 43,600

HWY LAB-IN-VA RD

Fair

Over: WATER LABOR-IN-VAIN CRK

1.1 MI. E. OF RT. 1A, Essex, MA

Built 1996 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 260

HWY GENERAL ST

Fair

Over: WATER SPICKET RIVER

AT LAWRENCE GEN. HOSP., Essex, MA

Built 1939 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 6,206

I 495 NB

Fair

Over: HWY BEACON ST

1.4 MI N I93, Essex, MA

Built 1962 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 57,650

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: HWY BEACON ST

1.4 MI N I-93, Essex, MA

Built 1962 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 76,550

HWY LOCKWOOD LN

Fair

Over: WATER FISH BROOK

MILE WEST I 95, Essex, MA

Built 1988 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 300

I 495 NB

Fair

Over: HWY MIDDLE RD

1.6 KM N ST110, Essex, MA

Built 1964 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 34,028

I 495 NB

Fair

Over: HWY AMESBURY LINE RD

3.2 KM N ST110, Essex, MA

Built 1964 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 31,088

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: HWY COMMONWEALTH DR

.4 MI N MERRIMAC RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1962 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 60,077

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: ST213

1 MI N ST110, Essex, MA

Built 1964 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 50,326

I 495 NB

Fair

Over: I 95

AT END OF I495, Essex, MA

Built 1969 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 25,862

I 95 RAMP D

Fair

Over: I 95 RAMP C

.1 MI E US1, Essex, MA

Built 1959 Load: 34.2 t ADT: 25,200

HWY EMERY ST

Fair

Over: I 495

.4 MI S ST110, Essex, MA

Built 1964 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 1,050

I 495 NB

Fair

Over: ST114 WINTHROP AVE

.7 MI N ST28, Essex, MA

Built 1962 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 90,400

I 95 SB

Fair

Over: ST114 ANDOVER ST

1.5 MI N ST62, Essex, MA

Built 1969 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 40,100

I 95 NB

Fair

Over: ST114 ANDOVER ST

1.5 MI N ST62, Essex, MA

Built 1969 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 39,400

HWY JEWETT ST

Fair

Over: I 95

3.2 KM N ST133, Essex, MA

Built 1975 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 1,401

HWY PEABODY ST

Fair

Over: WATER IPSWICH RIVER

.96 KM. SW. OF BOXFORD, Essex, MA

Built 1985 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 3,200

ST 35 WATER ST

Fair

Over: WATER WATERS RIVER

.25 MI NW OF PEABODY, Essex, MA

Built 2016 Load: 34.8 t ADT: 27,500

HWY TENNEY ST

Fair

Over: I 95

1.1 KM N OF ST-133, Essex, MA

Built 1976 Load: 34.9 t ADT: 2,300

I 95 SB

Fair

Over: HWY FULLER LN

.9 MI N IPSWICH RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1950 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 38,821

HWY CENTRAL ST

Fair

Over: I 95

QUARTER MILE N PARKER RIV, Essex, MA

Built 1976 Load: 35.2 t ADT: 6,700

HWY HAVERHILL ST

Fair

Over: WATER SPICKET RIVER

0.8 KM EAST ST 110, Essex, MA

Built 1939 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 7,800

ST213 RAMP

Fair

Over: ST213

.6 MI W I495, Essex, MA

Built 1985 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 12,700

ST107 BRIDGE ST

Fair

Over: RR MBTA (MAIN LINE)

.32 KM N SALEM CENTER, Essex, MA

Built 1949 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 24,000

I 95 NB

Fair

Over: ST110

.9 MI N MERRIMAC RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1967 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 59,700

I 95 SB

Fair

Over: ST110

.9 MI N MERRIMAC RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1967 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 55,200

ST 97 KILLAM HILL

Fair

Over: I 95

4.2 MI N IPSWICH RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1974 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 16,100

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: ST110

AT EXIT 55, Essex, MA

Built 1964 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 64,410

I 95 /ST128

Fair

Over: HWY MAIN ST

1 MI SW CHESTNUT & MAIN, Essex, MA

Built 1948 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 143,036

ST125 CONN EB

Fair

Over: COMB FERRY RD&MBTA/BMRR

1 MI E I495, Essex, MA

Built 1961 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 11,500

ST129 SALEM ST

Fair

Over: US 1 NEWBURYPORT TNPK

.32 KM S ST128, Essex, MA

Built 1959 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 32,800

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

2.6 MI N I93, Essex, MA

Built 1962 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 106,800

ST114 N MAIN ST

Fair

Over: WATER EMERSON BROOK

1 MI N MIDDLETON TOWN HAL, Essex, MA

Built 1962 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 34,267

I 95 NB

Fair

Over: WATER IPSWICH RIVER

AT IPSWICH RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1951 Load: 36.5 t ADT: 43,300

I 95 SB

Fair

Over: WATER IPSWICH RIVER

AT IPSWICH RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1950 Load: 36.8 t ADT: 43,600

ST110 MACY ST

Fair

Over: WATER POWWOW RIVER

1 MI W I 95, Essex, MA

Built 1967 Load: 37.0 t ADT: 24,181

ST 1 A/CABOT ST

Fair

Over: WATER DANVERS RIVER

AT DANVERS RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1996 Load: 37.0 t ADT: 48,600

ST 1 A/S MAIN ST

Fair

Over: WATER IPSWICH RIVER

.32 KM SE OF COUNTY RD, Essex, MA

Built 1764 Load: 37.1 t ADT: 26,250

US 1 NEWBRPRT TPK

Fair

Over: WATER PARKER RIVER

2.6 MI S MBTA, Essex, MA

Built 1972 Load: 37.1 t ADT: 8,478

HWY FLINT ST

Fair

Over: WATER NORTH RIVER CANAL

.4 MI SW. OF RT114, Essex, MA

Built 1998 Load: 37.1 t ADT: 12,900

HWY STEVENS ST

Fair

Over: WATER SHAWSHEEN RIVER

.4 KM W. MAIN ST, Essex, MA

Built 1900 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 6,200

ST114 /WASHINGTON

Fair

Over: RR MBTA (TUNNEL)

DOWN TOWN SALEM, Essex, MA

Built 1955 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 32,000

ST 28 BROADWAY

Fair

Over: WATER NORTH CANAL

.16 KM N MERRIMAC RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1939 Load: 37.4 t ADT: 38,800

I 495

Fair

Over: COMB MERRIMAC ST & MBTA

.32 KM S MERRIMAC RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1962 Load: 37.4 t ADT: 96,595

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Related

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Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges

Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.