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 ADAMS ST

Fair

Over: WATER MONATIQUOT RIVER

ADJACENT TO ARNOLD STREET, Norfolk, MA

Built 1971 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 2,715

US 7 /ST23/STATE

Fair

Over: WATER HOUSATONIC RIVER

3.0 MI N OF SHEFFLD TL, Berkshire, MA

Built 1931 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 13,813

ST 23 MONTEREY RD

Fair

Over: WATER TOM PALMER BROOK

150 E. OF E. MOUNTAIN RD, Berkshire, MA

Built 1950 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 6,207

ST124 PLSNT LK AVE

Fair

Over: US 6 MID CAPE HWY

2.5 M W OF RTE 137, Barnstable, MA

Built 1955 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 20,000

ST137 BRWSTR CHTM

Fair

Over: US 6 MID CAPE HWY

3.25 M W OF ORLEANS TL, Barnstable, MA

Built 1955 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 12,900

HWY MILLERS RD

Fair

Over: WATER ROARING BROOK

100 S OF SHUTESBURY RD, Franklin, MA

Built 1960 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 10

ST 28 FELLSWAY

Fair

Over: RR BMRR (ABANDONED)

AT RAILROAD, Middlesex, MA

Built 1850 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 28,190

HWY CENTNNIAL AV

Fair

Over: RR MBTA

.5 MI N ST127, Essex, MA

Built 1850 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 3,800

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: WATER BEAVER BROOK

MM 79.5, Middlesex, MA

Built 1962 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 53,157

HWY ELM ST

Fair

Over: I 495 NB

0.5 MI N RT 20, Middlesex, MA

Built 1963 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 5,316

I 495 NB

Fair

Over: ST 16 E MAIN ST

.5 MI. NORTH OF STATE 109, Worcester, MA

Built 1968 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 38,525

I 95 NB

Fair

Over: HWY PLAIN ST

.2 MI SW OF MANSFLD T.L., Bristol, MA

Built 1962 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 55,245

I 95 SB

Fair

Over: HWY PLAIN ST

.2 MI SW OF MANSFLD T.L., Bristol, MA

Built 1962 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 47,072

ST129 RICHMOND RD

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

.32 KM W OF RTE 38, Middlesex, MA

Built 1973 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 29,500

HWY APPLE VALLEY

Fair

Over: WATER UPPR BR CLESSON BK

350 W OF SMTH BRNCH RD, Franklin, MA

Built 1938 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 388

HWY BNNINGTN ST

Fair

Over: TR BLUE LINE

OVER BLUE LINE, Suffolk, MA

Built 1961 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 17,300

HWY E HOUSATONIC

Fair

Over: WATER E BR HOUSATONIC R

BETWEEN EAST ST & ROUTE 8, Berkshire, MA

Built 1941 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 7,198

US 6 STATE RD

Fair

Over: WATER WESTPORT RIVER

.5 MI. WEST OF REED RD, Bristol, MA

Built 1850 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 10,390

ST 2 EB RAMP 5S2E

Fair

Over: ST 2 WB RAMP 5S2W

.4 M W JCT US 5 & ST 10, Franklin, MA

Built 1964 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 1,955

HWY SHIRLEY RD

Fair

Over: ST 2

EXIT 105 / MM 104.9, Worcester, MA

Built 1951 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 4,860

I 495 NB

Fair

Over: WATER BEAVER BROOK

0.25 MI NE RT 2A, Middlesex, MA

Built 1962 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 60,125

ST 1 A/HIGH ST

Fair

Over: US 1

.4 MI S MERRIMAC RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1934 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 16,700

US 5 NB RAMP A

Fair

Over: I 91

@ MM 4.2 ON I-91, Hampden, MA

Built 1954 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 14,000

I 291 RAMP P

Fair

Over: I 291 /US20

MM 2.7 ON I-291, Hampden, MA

Built 1970 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 77,100

HWY FARQUHAR RD

Fair

Over: WATER QUINEBAUG RIVER

.5 MI SW OF RTE 131, Worcester, MA

Built 1938 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 1,100

ST146

Fair

Over: WATER COLD SPRING BROOK

0.4 MI S BOSTON RD-SUTTON, Worcester, MA

Built 1938 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 38,284

HWY HIGH ST

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/CSX

.7 MI EAST OF ST 28, Plymouth, MA

Built 1977 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 8,400

HWY E ASHLAND ST

Fair

Over: WATER TROUT BROOK

EAST OF JCT ST 28, Plymouth, MA

Built 1937 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 11,785

HWY MT AUBURN ST

Fair

Over: OTHER GREENWAY M/U PATH

2 MI S OF JCT SR2, Middlesex, MA

Built 1955 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 35,200

HWY OLD CONN PTH

Fair

Over: I 90

.2 MI. W. OF INT. 13, Middlesex, MA

Built 1957 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 8,000

HWY JEFFRSON AV

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

.4 MI W OF RTE 1A, Essex, MA

Built 1953 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 28,578

HWY SCOTT RD

Fair

Over: WATER CHICKLEY RIVER

N OF HAWLEY RD NEAR HWLEY, Berkshire, MA

Built 1938 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 129

HWY MILL ST

Fair

Over: WATER QUINEBAUG RIVER

200 FT. NORTH OF ST-131, Worcester, MA

Built 1956 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 682

I 290 EB

Fair

Over: RR PWRR

.2 MI EAST OF HOPE AVE, Worcester, MA

Built 1966 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 40,641

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: RR BMRR (ABANDONED)

0.1 MI N OF ST-62, Worcester, MA

Built 1963 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 27,582

HWY SUGAR RD

Fair

Over: I 495

MM 71.5 / 1.5 MI N OF 117, Worcester, MA

Built 1963 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 400

HWY ELM ST

Fair

Over: COMB MBTA & RED SSH

NEAR BRAINTREE T STATION, Norfolk, MA

Built 1957 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 10,200

ST 2 WB

Fair

Over: US 5 /ST10/BRNRDSTN RD

.1M SW OF RT 5 AND BURNHA, Franklin, MA

Built 1964 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 4,453

I 91 NB

Fair

Over: US202 CHERRY ST

MM 14.2 ON I-91 NB, Hampden, MA

Built 1965 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 29,379

I 91 SB

Fair

Over: US202 CHERRY ST

MM 14.2 ON I-91 SB, Hampden, MA

Built 1965 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 36,357

HWY SHIP POND RD

Fair

Over: ST 3 SB/PILGRIM HWY

.5 MI E OF LONG POND RD, Plymouth, MA

Built 1957 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 1,164

ST 41 STATE RD

Fair

Over: RR CSX

@ FIREHOUSE 158.80, Berkshire, MA

Built 1942 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 3,900

I 190 RAMP N SB

Fair

Over: I 190 RAMP L SB

.3 MI W OF ST 12, Worcester, MA

Built 1979 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 903

HWY EASTHMPTN RD

Fair

Over: WATER N BR MANHAN RIVER

0.2 MI S OF TURKEY HILL, Hampshire, MA

Built 1939 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 1,810

HWY RIVER RD

Fair

Over: I 95 /ST128

2.3 KM SLY RT 20, Middlesex, MA

Built 1960 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 16,800

HWY FORGE RD

Fair

Over: WATER E BR WESTPORT RIV

.3 MI S OF RTE 177, Bristol, MA

Built 1938 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 857

I 93 SB B5-B10

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

.9 MI N OF JCT I93&US1, Suffolk, MA

Built 1970 Load: 28.7 t ADT: 57,435

ST 79 NB

Fair

Over: ST 24 SB

ST 79 AT ST 24, Bristol, MA

Built 1962 Load: 28.7 t ADT: 12,398

HWY AIRPORT RD

Fair

Over: WATER N NASHUA RIVER

.25 MI. EAST OF BENSON RD, Worcester, MA

Built 1910 Load: 28.7 t ADT: 9,607

ST 30 COMM RD

Fair

Over: I 90

I-90 MM 117.2, Middlesex, MA

Built 1957 Load: 28.7 t ADT: 23,700

Showing 701-750 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.