State profile · Near median Poor share

Massachusetts bridge safety

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, condition ratings, load ratings, and Poor-condition shares for every public highway bridge in Massachusetts.

5,295
Public bridges
25.1%
Good condition
8.9%
Poor condition

Massachusetts holds 5,295 public highway bridges (#35 of 52 by inventory) with a 8.88% Poor share (#14 of 52 by Poor share).

That is 8.9% of the state's inventory, against an average of 7.5% across the 54 states and territories with Poor-rated bridges on file, which places it 39 of 54 ordered from the lowest Poor share upward. A bridge is rated Poor when its weakest applicable component scores 4 or below on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, so the category is a maintenance and funding signal rather than a closure order or a live crossing-safety verdict.

Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026

Total Bridges

5,295

Public highway bridges in Massachusetts

Good Condition

25.1%

1,331 bridges rated 7-9

-24.9pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

8.9%

470 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

1.4pp vs national avg 7.5%

Massachusetts vs national bridge condition

Massachusetts - Good condition share 25.1%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

Massachusetts - Poor-condition share 29.6%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.5%.

Massachusetts in the national condition pattern

Each point is a state or territory in the FHWA NBI; the highlighted point is this profile.

Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Massachusetts has 5,295 bridges and a 8.9% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #39 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold. Scatter plot of 54 data points. 0%10%20%30%40% 0k20k40k60k Public bridges in inventory (thousands) Poor-condition share (%) MA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.88%AL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.35%AK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.89%AZ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.15%AR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.43%CA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 25.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.91%CO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.82%CT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.72%DE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.26%DC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.95%FL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.79%GA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.59%GU, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.77%HI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.53%ID, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.9%IL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.35%IN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.22%IA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 19.16%KS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.26%KY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.37%LA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 12.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.48%ME, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.41%MD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.56%MI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 11.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.27%MN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.44%MS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.03%MO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.95%MT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.81%NE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.9%NV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.14%NH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.51%NJ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 6.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.01%NM, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.51%NY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 17.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.43%NC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.76%ND, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 10.98%OH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.74%OK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 22.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.7%OR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.61%PA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.58%PR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 13.92%RI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.2%SC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.17%SD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 16.36%TN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 20.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.41%TX, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 56.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.23%UT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.91%VT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.9%VI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 29.17%VA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.39%WA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.45%WV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 7.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 18.64%WI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.52%WY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.51%
Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Massachusetts has 5,295 bridges and a 8.9% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #39 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold.

Massachusetts vs all states by public bridge inventory

Where this state's FHWA NBI public-highway bridge count sits among every state and territory on PlainBridges

5,295 35th of 54 higher than 19 of 54 states

States and territories, banded by public bridge inventory size

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. 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 · 2024

Read the rank neighborhood for Massachusetts

The highlighted point is Massachusetts: 5,295 bridges and 8.88% in Poor condition, rank #39 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below Massachusetts on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • Alaska: 1,685 bridges · 7.89% Poor
  • Nebraska: 15,398 bridges · 7.90% Poor
  • Massachusetts: 5,295 bridges · 8.88% Poor
  • Missouri: 24,618 bridges · 8.95% Poor
  • Illinois: 26,928 bridges · 9.35% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in Massachusetts

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 5,295 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains Massachusetts’s inventory

State agency holds 67.9% of the 5,295 public highway bridges filed under Massachusetts in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When Massachusetts’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 26.1% of the 5,295 bridges with a recorded original year in Massachusetts. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

Massachusetts25.1%66%8.9%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - Massachusetts (FHWA NBI)

Counties (14)

Barnstable 107 Berkshire 450 Bristol 384 Dukes 5 Essex 395 Franklin 314 Hampden 428 Hampshire 259 Middlesex 818 Nantucket 2 Norfolk 343 Plymouth 287 Suffolk 489 Worcester 1014

Massachusetts vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states by Poor-condition share (lower share = better)

States are ranked by the share of bridges whose lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below. This describes recorded condition; it does not measure funding effectiveness or live crossing safety. States here sit immediately above and below Massachusetts on the same metric.

AK

Alaska

7.89% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$1,685

NE

Nebraska

7.90% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$15,398
Selected

MA

Massachusetts

8.88% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$5,295

MO

Missouri

8.95% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$24,618

IL

Illinois

9.35% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$26,928

Bridges Needing Most Attention in Massachusetts

Six lowest-condition bridges in Massachusetts, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

HWY PINEDALE AVE

Poor

Over: WATER E BR TULLY RIVER

ATHOL/ORANGE TOWN LINE, Worcester, MA

Built 1937 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 1,293

US 20 EB/WSHNGTN

Poor

Over: I 395

.3 MI S OF I-90, Worcester, MA

Built 1965 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 10,144

HWY BRIDGE ST

Poor

Over: WATER BASS RIVER

.1 MILE WEST OF RIVER ST, Essex, MA

Built 1929 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 21,300

HWY RIVER ST

Poor

Over: RR AMTRAK/MBTA

.8 KM SW OF MATTAPAN SQ., Suffolk, MA

Built 1883 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 24,000

HWY DORCHSTR AVE

Poor

Over: COMB MBTA & RED LN

OVER RED LINE, Suffolk, MA

Built 1924 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 11,800

HWY STORRW DR WB

Poor

Over: HWY STORROW DR EB

.1 N OF BEACON ST, Suffolk, MA

Built 1951 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 57,770

All Bridges in Massachusetts

I 495 NB

Poor

Over: ST110 AMESBURY RD

3.5 KM N ST125, Essex, MA

Built 1964 Load: 25.5 t ADT: 79,962

I 95 RAMPS A&B

Poor

Over: US 1 NEWBURY ST

0.6 MI N OF I-95, Essex, MA

Built 1959 Load: 25.5 t ADT: 36,300

ST 62 MAIN ST

Poor

Over: WATER ASSABET RIVER

0.25 MI SW RT 27 & MAIN, Middlesex, MA

Built 1922 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 8,000

HWY KELSEY RD

Poor

Over: WATER SCHENOB BROOK

1.1 MI E OF RTE 41, Berkshire, MA

Built 1915 Load: 25.7 t ADT: 120

I 95 SB/ST128 SB

Poor

Over: ST 3 A/CAMBRIDGE ST

AT JUNC. OF I 95 & ST 3A, Middlesex, MA

Built 1950 Load: 25.8 t ADT: 93,600

I 495 NB RAMP N

Poor

Over: COMB SUTTON ST & MBTA

NEXT TO I495, Essex, MA

Built 1963 Load: 25.8 t ADT: 13,566

ST122 MAIN ST

Poor

Over: OTHER BLACKSTONE R GRNWY

.1 MI S OF MILLVILLE T.L., Worcester, MA

Built 1958 Load: 26.0 t ADT: 3,245

HWY SUFFOLK ST

Poor

Over: WATER NORTHERN CANAL

FRENCH ST EXT, Middlesex, MA

Built 1848 Load: 26.0 t ADT: 3,000

HWY FIFTH ST

Poor

Over: WATER UTILITY CANAL

100 E CONN RIVER, Franklin, MA

Built 1954 Load: 26.0 t ADT: 10,000

HWY ST JAMES AVE

Poor

Over: RR CONRAIL (ABANDNED)

.1 M S JCT ALBANY ST., Hampden, MA

Built 1903 Load: 26.0 t ADT: 21,207

US 5 /ST10/STATE

Poor

Over: I 91

MM 32.3 ON I-91, Franklin, MA

Built 1962 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 4,800

ST 9 USMC LGE HWY

Poor

Over: WATER STONES BROOK

.3 M E JCT SHAW ROAD, Hampshire, MA

Built 1950 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 2,548

HWY WEST ST

Poor

Over: WATER WADING RIVER

2 MI W OF ST140, Bristol, MA

Built 1910 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 4,714

HWY HIGH ST

Poor

Over: COMB CSX/WESTFLD/PLSNT

0.1MI N OF INT. W/ RTE 8, Berkshire, MA

Built 1941 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 900

HWY MILL ST

Poor

Over: WATER BAKER BROOK

.1MI E OF RT68 BY RSDL PD, Worcester, MA

Built 1938 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 650

HWY COLRAIN ST

Poor

Over: I 91

MM 43.6 ON I-91, Franklin, MA

Built 1964 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 13,319

I 95 SB/ST128 SB

Poor

Over: HWY S BEDFORD ST

0.5 MI SW RT 95 & RT 3A, Middlesex, MA

Built 1950 Load: 26.5 t ADT: 92,706

ST125 CONN WB

Poor

Over: I 495

1 KM N METHUEN TOWN LINE, Essex, MA

Built 1961 Load: 26.5 t ADT: 9,670

HWY OLD WALES RD

Poor

Over: WATER CONANT BROOK

1.0 M S OF MUNN RD, Hampden, MA

Built 1938 Load: 26.5 t ADT: 50

HWY STEDMAN ST

Poor

Over: I 93 /US1/ST3

3.2 KM N OF JCT I93&128, Norfolk, MA

Built 1954 Load: 26.5 t ADT: 2,600

HWY MELBOURNE RD

Poor

Over: WATER SW BR HOUSATONIC R

AT INT OF CHAPEL ST, Berkshire, MA

Built 1938 Load: 26.6 t ADT: 3,750

HWY BOYLSTON ST

Poor

Over: I 495

1.3 KM SOUTH RT 38, Middlesex, MA

Built 1961 Load: 26.7 t ADT: 12,000

HWY TRAPELO RD

Poor

Over: I 95 /ST128

1.4 KM SLY RT 2, Middlesex, MA

Built 1960 Load: 26.7 t ADT: 24,727

ST129 LOWELL ST

Poor

Over: I 93

RT 129 AT RT 93, Middlesex, MA

Built 1957 Load: 26.8 t ADT: 25,500

I 495 SB

Poor

Over: HWY SUMMER ST

MM40 .3 MI N OF WRNTM TL, Norfolk, MA

Built 1966 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 41,765

HWY WINCHNDON RD

Poor

Over: WATER PRIEST BROOK

JUST W OF WINCHENDON LINE, Worcester, MA

Built 1937 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 1,293

I 93

Poor

Over: WATER MERRIMACK RIVER

AT MERRIMAC RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1959 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 119,818

ST 24

Poor

Over: WATER ASSONET RIVER

.7 MI N OF ST 79, Bristol, MA

Built 1951 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 42,505

HWY NORTH ST

Poor

Over: I 495

0.6 MI SWLY RT 133, Middlesex, MA

Built 1961 Load: 27.1 t ADT: 11,767

HWY N LEVERET RD

Poor

Over: WATER SAWMILL RIVER

0.2 MI E OF SPLDNG BRK RD, Franklin, MA

Built 1939 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 2,844

ST 2

Poor

Over: HWY HARVARD ST

.5 MI E OF I-190, Worcester, MA

Built 1951 Load: 27.3 t ADT: 50,065

HWY APPLE VALLEY

Poor

Over: WATER U BR CLESSON BK

300 SOUTH OF CLARK RD, Franklin, MA

Built 1939 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 129

HWY ARMORY ST

Poor

Over: RR CSX

AT JCT ALBANY ST., Hampden, MA

Built 1934 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 35,000

ST141 APPLETON ST

Poor

Over: WATER SECOND LEVEL CANAL

AT INT OF RACE/APPLETON, Hampden, MA

Built 1921 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 5,431

HWY MISHAWUM RD

Poor

Over: I 95 /ST128

1 MI NE RTE 38, Middlesex, MA

Built 1961 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 13,700

HWY HIGH ST

Poor

Over: WATER MILLERS RIVER

600 S INT WITH ST 12, Worcester, MA

Built 1850 Load: 27.8 t ADT: 1,810

HWY CIRCLE ST

Poor

Over: WATER N NASHUA RIVER

0.1 MI S OF ST-31, Worcester, MA

Built 1937 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 800

ST 8 A/W HWLEY RD

Poor

Over: WATER CHICKLEY RIVER

AT SAVOY RD INTERSECTION, Franklin, MA

Built 1938 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 776

I 495 NB

Poor

Over: ST133 ANDOVER ST

RT 495 AT RT 133, Middlesex, MA

Built 1961 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 60,988

I 495 SB

Poor

Over: ST133 ANDOVER ST

RT 495 AT RT 133, Middlesex, MA

Built 1961 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 60,884

HWY SALEM ST

Poor

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

.1MI E ST 28, Essex, MA

Built 1928 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 12,600

US 20 /US7/SOUTH

Poor

Over: RR HRR

@ GAMWELL AVE 85.00, Berkshire, MA

Built 1900 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 21,457

ST 9 BOYLSTON ST

Poor

Over: TR GREEN LINE D

2.3 KM ELY RT 128, Middlesex, MA

Built 1905 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 96,206

I 93 NB/US1SB

Poor

Over: ST 24 NB

I 93 AT ST 24, Norfolk, MA

Built 1958 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 199,278

I 495 NB

Poor

Over: HWY MIDDLE RD

2.3 MI S EXIT 54, Essex, MA

Built 1964 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 40,300

HWY MISHAWUM ST

Poor

Over: ST 99 SULLIVAN SQ UNDRPS

1.6 KM N OF N WSHNGTON ST, Suffolk, MA

Built 1951 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 6,900

HWY MILL ST

Poor

Over: WATER WASHNGTN MTN BROOK

.2 MI S OF LENOX TL, Berkshire, MA

Built 1911 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 2,172

US 1 NEWBRPRT TPK

Poor

Over: WATER LITTLE RIVER

.2 MI S OF MBTA, Essex, MA

Built 1922 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 44,612

HWY OXFORD ST

Poor

Over: WATER KETTLE BROOK

AT CORNER OF ROCHDALE ST, Worcester, MA

Built 1880 Load: 28.7 t ADT: 22,200

ST122 GRAFTON ST

Poor

Over: US 20 SW CUT OFF

.3 MI. N. OF MILLBURY TL, Worcester, MA

Built 1931 Load: 28.7 t ADT: 17,943

Showing 5,001-5,050 of 5,295 bridges

Related

All states → | National rankings → | Understanding conditions → | Retired SD term explained →
Data sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI), latest released cycle. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Poor condition is an inspection-record category, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult the bridge owner for current status.

Understanding Bridge Conditions

How FHWA rates bridge condition on a 0-9 scale.

Check Your Daily Bridges

How to look up bridge condition data for bridges on your route.

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

What to do with this

Use Massachusetts's inventory picture to drill to a county or a specific span.

  • Browse counties in Massachusetts and open the highest-Poor shares first. County list
  • See where this state sits among peers on Poor-condition share. State rankings
  • Compare this state with another jurisdiction on the same measures. State compare

NBI condition ratings are inventory snapshots, not live crossing-safety verdicts.

Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Massachusetts Good/Fair/Poor shares and county rollups on this page are computed from the same NBI extract as the national boards; 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.