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

ST 2

Fair

Over: WATER DEERFIELD RIVER

.1 M W JCT ST 112 SO., Franklin, MA

Built 1954 Load: 25.8 t ADT: 4,831

HWY GREENLDGE ST

Fair

Over: WATER NEPONSET RIVER

.32 KM.NW OF I 95, Norfolk, MA

Built 1931 Load: 25.8 t ADT: 800

US 6 (WEST BRG)

Fair

Over: COMB ACUS RIV/LOC ST/RR

.7 MI W OF NBED C.L., Bristol, MA

Built 1901 Load: 25.8 t ADT: 32,200

HWY HARWOOD AVE

Fair

Over: I 495

@MM 78.5 1 MI N OF ST 2, Middlesex, MA

Built 1962 Load: 25.8 t ADT: 1,300

I 90 WB

Fair

Over: ST183 INTERLAKEN RD

@ MILE MARKER 5.4, Berkshire, MA

Built 1957 Load: 25.8 t ADT: 13,768

I 90 EB

Fair

Over: US 20 WASHINGTON ST

.7 MI W OF MLBURY TN LINE, Worcester, MA

Built 1957 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 9,912

HWY LEXINGTON ST

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

WAVERLY SQ NEAR ST 60, Middlesex, MA

Built 1952 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 26,120

I 90 RAMP D

Fair

Over: OTHER MBTA & RAMP B

EXIT 22 TOWARDS STUART ST, Suffolk, MA

Built 1981 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 9,569

HWY UNION ST

Fair

Over: WATER MERRIMACK RIVER

AT MERRIMAC RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1888 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 24,050

HWY HANCOCK ST

Fair

Over: WATER MILL RIVER

.3 MI SW OF CENTRAL ST, Hampden, MA

Built 1957 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 9,698

I 95 /ST128

Fair

Over: HWY PLEASURE ISLAND RD

0.3 MI WLY SAUGUS RIVER, Middlesex, MA

Built 1948 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 135,000

US 20 WB/WESTON ST

Fair

Over: I 95 /ST128

RT 20 WB AT RT 128, Middlesex, MA

Built 1960 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 27,600

ST 3

Fair

Over: WATER MILL RIVER

1.4 KM E BRAINTREE T.L., Norfolk, MA

Built 1957 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 130,707

HWY SKILLINGS RD

Fair

Over: WATER ABERJONA RIVER

1.4 KM W STONEHAM, Middlesex, MA

Built 1955 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 11,800

I 93 NB

Fair

Over: I 93 SB/RMP LT/MIL RV

I93/US1 INTERCHANGE, Suffolk, MA

Built 2002 Load: 26.0 t ADT: 79,712

HWY WALNUT ST

Fair

Over: RR CSX

.16 KM S OF MILTON ST, Norfolk, MA

Built 1976 Load: 26.0 t ADT: 12,500

HWY N WSHNGTN ST

Fair

Over: I 495

.5 MI SE OF MANSFLD T.L., Bristol, MA

Built 1978 Load: 26.0 t ADT: 1,214

I 91

Fair

Over: OTHER BUILDING

MM 7.2 ON I-91, Hampden, MA

Built 1967 Load: 26.0 t ADT: 132,311

HWY WILLIAMS ST

Fair

Over: WATER WEST RIVER

50 FT.WST. OF ST.140, Worcester, MA

Built 1952 Load: 26.0 t ADT: 4,700

HWY SPRING RD

Fair

Over: I 90

AT I-90 MM 103.9, Worcester, MA

Built 1957 Load: 26.0 t ADT: 860

US 5 /ST10/STATE

Fair

Over: I 91

MM 34.7 ON I-91, Franklin, MA

Built 1965 Load: 26.0 t ADT: 17,198

US 6 EB/MD CP HWY

Fair

Over: COMB WILLOW ST & MACRR

4.0 M E OF RTE 132, Barnstable, MA

Built 1966 Load: 26.0 t ADT: 27,179

HWY RING RD

Fair

Over: I 90 & MBTA/CSX

.06 MI N OF JCT ST9, Suffolk, MA

Built 1981 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 9,600

I 90 WB

Fair

Over: HWY BROOKFIELD RD

MM 72.6 ON I-90, Hampden, MA

Built 1957 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 46,152

HWY GROVE ST

Fair

Over: WATER SALISBURY PLAIN R

2.1 MI W ABINGTON, Plymouth, MA

Built 1910 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 11,214

ST 24

Fair

Over: HWY W CHESTNUT ST

.3 MI.S OF ST 123, Plymouth, MA

Built 1954 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 101,540

ST 27 REYNOLDS MEM

Fair

Over: ST 24

ST 27 AT ST 24, Plymouth, MA

Built 1954 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 31,115

ST225 W MAIN ST

Fair

Over: WATER NASHUA RIVER

0.8 MI W RT 111, Middlesex, MA

Built 1930 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 4,927

I 90

Fair

Over: RR CSX/MBTA

.2 MI E.CHARLES RV S11, Middlesex, MA

Built 1965 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 106,825

I 91 NB

Fair

Over: COMB I 91 RAMP & GWRR

MM 25.8 ON I-91 NB, Hampshire, MA

Built 1963 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 12,026

I 95 SB CONNECTOR

Fair

Over: US 1 NB/NEWBURY ST

.1 MI E US1, Essex, MA

Built 1975 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 23,500

I 91

Fair

Over: HWY HUNTINGTON ST

MM 7.0 ON I-91, Hampden, MA

Built 1967 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 107,542

HWY SOUTH ST

Fair

Over: COMB QUABOAG R & CSX

AT JCT OF ST 67, Worcester, MA

Built 1980 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 3,103

ST 88

Fair

Over: ST177 AMERICAN LGN HWY

1.5 MI. S. OF US 6, Bristol, MA

Built 1961 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 5,857

HWY BULLITT RD

Fair

Over: WATER SOUTH RIVER

AT INT. W/ ROUTE 116, Franklin, MA

Built 1938 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 120

I 93 NB B5-B10

Fair

Over: COMB MBTA & I 93 SB

.8 MI N OF RAMP I93&US1, Suffolk, MA

Built 1970 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 69,748

HWY RIVER ST

Fair

Over: WATER MONATIQUOT RIVER

.32 KM W OF JCT MIDDLE ST, Norfolk, MA

Built 1978 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 646

HWY WASHNGTON ST

Fair

Over: ST 3

WASH.ST AT ST 3, Norfolk, MA

Built 1957 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 27,931

HWY ROOSEVELT ST

Fair

Over: WATER MILL RIVER

0.5MI W OFRT116, Hampshire, MA

Built 1958 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 5,100

US 5 NRTHAMPTN ST

Fair

Over: RR PVRR

.3 M N JCT PELTIAH ST., Hampden, MA

Built 1970 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 14,520

ST 28 BROADWAY

Fair

Over: WATER MERRIMACK RIVER

AT MERRIMAC RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1935 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 11,000

HWY FOREST ST

Fair

Over: WATER GREENWATER BROOK

300 S OF INT WITH RT 20, Berkshire, MA

Built 1970 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 2,198

ST 18 BEDFORD ST

Fair

Over: I 495

1 M S OF RTE 44 / 495, Plymouth, MA

Built 1958 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 12,924

I 91 RAMP C

Fair

Over: I 91 & RMP A TO US 5 NB

JCT I-91, Hampden, MA

Built 1954 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 16,477

I 90 INT 90 RAMPS

Fair

Over: I 90

MM 90.1 OLD INT 10, Worcester, MA

Built 1957 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 16,513

ST143 MAIN RD

Fair

Over: WATER WESTFIELD RIVER

JCT IRELAND ST., Hampshire, MA

Built 1947 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 1,680

US 6 FAIRHAVEN RD

Fair

Over: WATER MATTAPOISETT RIVER

1. 3 KM E OF FAIRHAVEN TL, Plymouth, MA

Built 1925 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 21,336

HWY ROYS RD

Fair

Over: WATER GREEN RIVER

0.1M S OF WILLIAMSTWN BDR, Berkshire, MA

Built 1955 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 120

ST123 E MAIN ST

Fair

Over: WATER RUMFORD RIVER

.8 MI NE OF ST 140, Bristol, MA

Built 1958 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 12,239

HWY BWKR NB OFRP

Fair

Over: HWY STRRW DR WB ON RMP

.2 MI S OF ST RTE 2A, Suffolk, MA

Built 1965 Load: 26.4 t ADT: 16,971

Showing 501-550 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.