County profile · official public datasets

Essex County, NY

256 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 48.4% rated Good, 44.5% Fair, 7% Poor.

256
Public bridges
48.4%
Good condition
7%
Poor condition

The verdict

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

Essex County pairs a top-quartile lowest Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state with a newer average build year than the state inventory.

Top 24%
lowest Poor share in state
7%
Poor-condition share
256
public highway bridges
1981
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 #15 of 62 New York counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 7%). Essex County, New York contains 256 public highway bridges. Roughly 48.4% are rated “Good,” 44.5% “Fair,” and 7% “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

256

Public highway bridges in Essex County

Good condition

48.4%

124 of 256 rated 7-9

Fair condition

44.5%

114 of 256 rated 5-6

Poor condition

7%

18 of 256 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#15 of 62

Among New York counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better

Condition distribution

Share of 256 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
48.4% (124)
Fair
44.5% (114)
Poor
7% (18)

Essex County's Poor-condition bridges carry 24,846 vehicle crossings a day

That is 6.1% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 7.3% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 1,380 crossings a day against 1,664 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 245 of 256 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

43.4% of Essex County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

111 of the 256 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 48.4% 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 25.9% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

RIVER STREET EXT over OUTLET BROOK, built 1984, carries 6,437 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 18-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 24,846 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

256 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 2010s, when 59 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 23% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 5 to 14 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year is 1981, 9 years newer than the New York average of 1972.

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

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

The 5 New York counties nearest Essex County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 7% Poor share is the 2nd-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1981 against a peer-group mean of 1968 is 13 years newer.

Showing the 5 closest of 61 New York counties eligible for comparison.

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Essex County and the 5 New York counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Chemung County 256 6.6%
Chenango County 256 7.8%
Essex County (this page) 256 7%
Herkimer County 248 12.1%
Rockland County 248 10.1%
New York County 247 9.7%

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 New York so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside NY (256 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside NY (1981 here).

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

All 256 Good 124 Fair 114 Poor 18

All bridges (256)

RTE 9

Fair

Over: ROARING BROOK

US 9- 0.3 MI N NEW RUSSIA, Essex, NY

Built 1979 Load: 57.2 t ADT: 735

RTE 9N

Fair

Over: GROVE BROOK

9N 1.7 MI S PORT HENRY, Essex, NY

Built 1941 Load: 57.2 t ADT: 3,967

RTE 73

Fair

Over: SO FORK BOUQUET RIVER

RT 73 0.4 MI N JCT RT9&73, Essex, NY

Built 1935 Load: 58.1 t ADT: 4,457

RTE 73

Fair

Over: BEEDE BROOK

RT 73 3.0 MI S KEENE V., Essex, NY

Built 1935 Load: 59.9 t ADT: 4,457

RTE 9N

Fair

Over: PUTNAM CREEK

RT 9N 0.4 MI N CROWN POIN, Essex, NY

Built 2008 Load: 61.7 t ADT: 3,419

RTE 185

Fair

Over: DELAWARE & HDSN

SOUTH OF CROWN POINT, Essex, NY

Built 1982 Load: 64.4 t ADT: 3,388

RTE 9N

Fair

Over: W BR BOUQUET RVR

2.7 MI W OF ELIZABETHTOWN, Essex, NY

Built 1964 Load: 67.1 t ADT: 1,904

RTE 9

Fair

Over: BOUQUET RIVER

RT 9 2.4 MI N JCT RT 9&73, Essex, NY

Built 1979 Load: 68.9 t ADT: 735

RTE 9N

Fair

Over: W BR BOUQUET RVR

1 MI W OF ELIZABETHTOWN, Essex, NY

Built 1962 Load: 72.6 t ADT: 1,904

CR 13

Fair

Over: GULF BROOK

1.5 MI E OF KEENE, Essex, NY

Built 1998 Load: 73.5 t ADT: 80

COUNTY ROUTE 8

Fair

Over: BOQUET RIVER

.1 MI NE OF ELIZABETHTOWN, Essex, NY

Built 2001 Load: 77.1 t ADT: 680

RTE 9

Fair

Over: SCHROON RIVER

RT 9 2.7 MI S EXIT 30, Essex, NY

Built 1928 Load: 77.4 t ADT: 235

RTE 86

Fair

Over: OUTLET BROOK

RT 86 4.4 MI E RAY BROOK, Essex, NY

Built 1935 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 9,484

DOCK STREET

Fair

Over: MILL BROOK

PORT HENRY OVER MILL CK, Essex, NY

Built 1915 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 734

Newcomb Lake Road

Good

Over: Upper Newcomb Lake

5m N of RT 28N-MP 1047, Essex, NY

Built 2009 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 13

RTE 86

Good

Over: WBR AUSABLE RIVER

0.3 MI E JCT RTS 86 & 431, Essex, NY

Built 1935 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 2,069

BEEDE ROAD

Good

Over: PHELPS BROOK

0.8 MI NE KEENE VALLEY, Essex, NY

Built 2000 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 377

CR 4

Good

Over: MILL BROOK

3 MI W OF MORIAH CORNERS, Essex, NY

Built 2016 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 420

ADIRONDACK LOJ RD

Good

Over: W BR AUSABLE RIVR

4 MI SE OF LAKE PLACID, Essex, NY

Built 2013 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 866

MACDONALD ROAD

Good

Over: STYLES BROOK

4 MI NE KEENE, Essex, NY

Built 1985 Load: 29.4 t

TROUT POND ROAD

Good

Over: HALE BROOK

5.8 MI SOUTH GREENE ST, Essex, NY

Built 2001 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 254

CR 30

Good

Over: MINERVA STREAM

.5 MI W OF OLMSTEDVILLE, Essex, NY

Built 1999 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 637

INTERBROOK ROAD

Good

Over: JOHNS BROOK

KEENE VALLEY, Essex, NY

Built 2019 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 563

RTE I87

Good

Over: THURMAN POND OUTL

1.4 MI N EXIT 27 OF I87, Essex, NY

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,260

RTE I87

Good

Over: THURMAN POND OUTL

1.3 MI N EXIT 27 OF I87, Essex, NY

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,090

LANG ROAD

Good

Over: GROVE BROOK

2 MI SW PORT HENRY, Essex, NY

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 39

TAHAWUS ROAD

Good

Over: SANFORD LAKE

SANFORD LAKE, Essex, NY

Built 2020 Load: 32.7 t

CHURCH STREET

Good

Over: CASCADE BROOK

.5 MI NW VILLAGE OF KEENE, Essex, NY

Built 1996 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 54

CR 69 HULLS FALLS

Good

Over: E BR AUSABLE RIVER

2 MI S VILLAGE OF KEENE, Essex, NY

Built 1966 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 94

FRATERNAL LAND RD

Good

Over: PARADOX CREEK

AT PARADOX, Essex, NY

Built 2018 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 140

CORNELL ROAD

Good

Over: BROOK TO W. BRANCH GOODN

BROOK TO BR OF GOODFLOW, Essex, NY

Built 2018 Load: 33.6 t

CR 17

Good

Over: MUD BROOK

1.5 Mi. N.E. Rte. 9 Keesv, Essex, NY

Built 2008 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 397

BUCKS LANE

Good

Over: GULF BROOK

VILLAGE OF KEENE, Essex, NY

Built 2021 Load: 35.3 t

RTE 9N

Good

Over: NORTON BROOK

RT 73 2.8 MI N KEENE V., Essex, NY

Built 2012 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 5,986

NORTHWOOD CLUB RD

Good

Over: BOREAS RIVER

5 MILES NW OF MINERVA, Essex, NY

Built 2006 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 90

RTE 9N

Good

Over: BOUQUET RIVER

JCT RTE 9N < BOUQUET R, Essex, NY

Built 1978 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 3,129

RTE 73

Good

Over: E BR AUSABLE RVR

1.9 MI S OF KEENE VALLEY, Essex, NY

Built 2016 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 4,457

SCHAFFER ROAD

Good

Over: NORTON BROOK

.1 MI SCHAFFER RD / CR 9N, Essex, NY

Built 2001 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 273

LOBDELL ROAD

Good

Over: BOUQUET RIVER

2 MI SW ELIZABETHTOWN, Essex, NY

Built 2020 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 30

COUNTY ROAD 18

Good

Over: COLD BROOK

1.5 MI SW OF BLOOMINGDALE, Essex, NY

Built 2010 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 322

RTE 73

Good

Over: JOHNS BROOK

N END KEENE VALLEY, Essex, NY

Built 2016 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 4,457

PINE STREET

Good

Over: SARANAC RIVER

SARANAC LAKE, Essex, NY

Built 1988 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 3,302

COUNTY ROAD 68

Good

Over: BOUQUET RIVER

4 MILES SW OF WILLSBORO, Essex, NY

Built 1998 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 120

RTE I87

Good

Over: RTE 9

I87 EXIT 30, Essex, NY

Built 1965 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 5,019

County Road 8

Good

Over: 87I 87I12111382 RTE I87

1.5 MI N OF EXIT 31 - I87, Essex, NY

Built 1965 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 472

DEER POND ROAD

Good

Over: WEST BRANCH GOODNOW RIVE

NEAR STANLEY BROOK, Essex, NY

Built 2018 Load: 39.9 t

PEPPER HOLLOW ROAD

Good

Over: WEST MILL BROOK

4.5 MI NE OF NORTH HUDSON, Essex, NY

Built 1996 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 15

GROVE ROAD

Good

Over: E B AUSABLE RIVER

IN AU SABLE FORKS, Essex, NY

Built 2015 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 447

RTE 28N

Good

Over: HUDSON RIVER

RT 28N 1 MI E OF NEWCOMB, Essex, NY

Built 1996 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 1,842

RTE 73

Good

Over: BEEDE BROOK

RT 73 2.5 MI S KEENE V., Essex, NY

Built 2016 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 4,457

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.