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

HWY MAVERICK ST

Fair

Over: WATER MOTHER BROOK

1 KM E OF RT 1, Norfolk, MA

Built 1958 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 3,800

I 95 NB

Fair

Over: ST106 GREEN ST

.5 MI NE OF I 495, Norfolk, MA

Built 1963 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 55,628

I 95 SB

Fair

Over: ST106 GREEN ST

.5 MI NE OF I 495, Norfolk, MA

Built 1963 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 53,446

HWY ALLEN AVE

Fair

Over: I 295

BEHIND EMERALD SQ MALL, Bristol, MA

Built 1966 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 3,879

I 91

Fair

Over: HWY NOBLE ST

MM 7.5 ON I-91, Hampden, MA

Built 1967 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 110,101

ST 13 FITCHBURG RD

Fair

Over: WATER SQUANNACOOK RIVER

0.3 MI S OF RT 119, Middlesex, MA

Built 1971 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 8,500

I 91

Fair

Over: HWY WEST LOOP

MM 9.4 ON I-91, Hampden, MA

Built 1966 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 73,585

I 290 EB

Fair

Over: ST 12 HOPE AVE

.2 MI E OF AUBURN T.L., Worcester, MA

Built 1965 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 48,961

HWY BURKE FLAT R

Fair

Over: WATER FALL RIVER

600 E INT RT 5, Franklin, MA

Built 1958 Load: 27.1 t ADT: 1,810

HWY WASHNGTON ST

Fair

Over: WATER E BR NEPONSET RIV

.16 KM S OF REVERE ST., Norfolk, MA

Built 1949 Load: 27.1 t ADT: 19,400

I 495 NB

Fair

Over: HWY BEAVER ST

.7 MI SE OF ST 140, Norfolk, MA

Built 1966 Load: 27.1 t ADT: 36,570

ST 2 MOHAWK TRAIL

Fair

Over: HWY OLD SHELBURNE RD

.2 M W HOME DEPOT PLAZA, Franklin, MA

Built 1951 Load: 27.1 t ADT: 12,901

ST 2

Fair

Over: HWY TANK RD

ST 2 MM 107.8, Worcester, MA

Built 1951 Load: 27.1 t ADT: 53,473

US 5 /ST10/WEST

Fair

Over: I 91

MM 29.9 ON I-91, Hampshire, MA

Built 1963 Load: 27.1 t ADT: 9,828

ST114 LAFAYETTE ST

Fair

Over: WATER FOREST RIVER

1.8 MI S SALEM CENTER, Essex, MA

Built 1898 Load: 27.1 t ADT: 27,100

HWY WASHNGTON ST

Fair

Over: I 95 /ST128

0.5 MI W OF I-93, Middlesex, MA

Built 1961 Load: 27.1 t ADT: 45,000

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: HWY MIDDLE RD

2.3 MI S EXIT 54, Essex, MA

Built 1964 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 34,800

ST 16 EB

Fair

Over: HWY ACCESS RAMP E

3.2 KM S JCT SR60 & US1, Suffolk, MA

Built 1955 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 29,224

ST 70 LUNENBURG RD

Fair

Over: ST 2

EXIT 103 / MM103.4, Worcester, MA

Built 1951 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 8,197

ST119 GREAT RD

Fair

Over: WATER BEAVER BROOK

0.2 MI. WEST OF I 495, Middlesex, MA

Built 1921 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 12,173

I 190 NB

Fair

Over: HWY PRATT JUNCTION RD

MM 14.6, Worcester, MA

Built 1978 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 19,010

I 95 /ST128

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

.32 KM SLY RTS 20 & 128, Middlesex, MA

Built 1950 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 171,900

HWY OLD W BRKFLD

Fair

Over: WATER QUABOAG RIVER

0.5M N JCT RTS19&67, Worcester, MA

Built 1956 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 700

US 20 STURBRDGE RD

Fair

Over: WATER MILL BROOK

0.1 MI E OF ST 19, Hampden, MA

Built 1955 Load: 27.3 t ADT: 11,897

HWY FNDRY VLL RD

Fair

Over: WATER FOUNDRY BROOK

AT YORK RD INTERSECTION, Franklin, MA

Built 1939 Load: 27.3 t ADT: 229

ST 2

Fair

Over: WATER BOWERS BROOK

@ MM 109.8, Worcester, MA

Built 1949 Load: 27.3 t ADT: 55,214

HWY EAST ST

Fair

Over: WATER IPSWICH RIVER

2.7 KM NORTH ST 62, Essex, MA

Built 1978 Load: 27.3 t ADT: 10,050

HWY RIVER ST

Fair

Over: ST 3

ADJACENT PINE & STETSON, Plymouth, MA

Built 1961 Load: 27.3 t ADT: 6,000

ST 9 MAIN ST

Fair

Over: WATER MILL RIVER

AT JCT OF RIVER RD, Hampshire, MA

Built 1933 Load: 27.3 t ADT: 15,400

I 95 NB/ST128 NB

Fair

Over: HWY FOREST PARK RD

1 MI NE RT 128 & RT 3A, Middlesex, MA

Built 1950 Load: 27.3 t ADT: 88,500

HWY WALL ST

Fair

Over: WATER TEN MILE RIVER

.1 MI W OF RTE 123, Bristol, MA

Built 1976 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 1,857

HWY CEDAR GROVE

Fair

Over: TR RED HSL

S. OF ADAMS ST., Suffolk, MA

Built 1935 Load: 27.4 t

HWY SHAWMUT AVE

Fair

Over: I 195

.5 MI E OF ST 140, Bristol, MA

Built 1963 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 10,715

I 95 NB

Fair

Over: WATER NEPONSET RIVER

N. OF NEPONSET ST/95, Norfolk, MA

Built 1963 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 56,887

HWY WEST ST

Fair

Over: WATER W BR HOUSATONIC R

150 EAST S. JOHN ST, Berkshire, MA

Built 1904 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 10,571

HWY SUDBURY RD

Fair

Over: WATER ASSABET RIVER

0.8 MI. E. OF RT. 62, Middlesex, MA

Built 1902 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 5,400

HWY DEPOT ST

Fair

Over: WATER BLACKSTONE RIVER

0.1M N OF RT122A @GRAFTON, Worcester, MA

Built 1957 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 1,551

HWY NORTH ST

Fair

Over: I 90

I-90 MM 102.5, Worcester, MA

Built 1957 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 1,949

ST116

Fair

Over: RR GWRR

0.1 MI E OF US 5 & ST 10, Franklin, MA

Built 1968 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 16,096

ST116 S DEERFLD RD

Fair

Over: WATER MILL RIVER

.2 M W DEERFIELD TOWN LIN, Franklin, MA

Built 1917 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 3,621

HWY BARRE RD

Fair

Over: WATER MOOSE BROOK

.2 M NW JCT. ST. 32, Worcester, MA

Built 1947 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 1,810

HWY LOWER COUNTY

Fair

Over: WATER DOANES CREEK

1.2 M EAST OF DENNIS TL, Barnstable, MA

Built 1955 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 4,286

ST 2 EB

Fair

Over: HWY WALTHAM ST

1.5 MI SE RT 2 & RT 128, Middlesex, MA

Built 1965 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 42,400

ST 62 WASHNGTON ST

Fair

Over: WATER IPSWICH RIVER

0.3 MI ELY HAVERHILL ST, Middlesex, MA

Built 1947 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 12,300

ST 9 HAYDENVLL RD

Fair

Over: WATER BEAVER BROOK

.9 M W JCT FLORENCE ST., Hampshire, MA

Built 1957 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 19,655

US 20 /US7/SOUTH

Fair

Over: WATER HOUSATONIC RIVER

@ FAIRFIELD ST, Berkshire, MA

Built 1900 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 23,286

I 95 /ST128

Fair

Over: HWY PARKER RD

0.9 MI NELY RT 28, Middlesex, MA

Built 1959 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 148,200

I 91

Fair

Over: US 5 RIVERDALE ST

MM 9.2 ON I-91, Hampden, MA

Built 1966 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 87,448

HWY STONY BRK RD

Fair

Over: WATER STONY BROOK

.3 MI.N. OF LOWELL RD., Middlesex, MA

Built 1880 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 600

US202 MAPLE ST

Fair

Over: RR NECRR

.4 M W JCT ST 181, Hampshire, MA

Built 1949 Load: 27.6 t ADT: 21,600

Showing 601-650 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.