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 93 SB

Fair

Over: HWY VALE ST

0.1 MI SLY ANDOVER T.L., Middlesex, MA

Built 1958 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 137,300

ST140 BEAMAN ST

Fair

Over: RR BMRR

.2 MI. S. OF LAUREL ST., Worcester, MA

Built 1974 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 6,373

I 91 NB

Fair

Over: HWY PROSPECT AVE

MM 11.0 ON I-91 NB, Hampden, MA

Built 1967 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 36,681

I 91 SB

Fair

Over: HWY PROSPECT AVE

MM 11.0 ON I-91 SB, Hampden, MA

Built 1967 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 36,989

I 95 SB/ST128 SB

Fair

Over: HWY FOREST PARK RD

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

Built 1950 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 88,000

HWY MARSH AVE

Fair

Over: I 290

.2 MI S OF LINCOLN ST, Worcester, MA

Built 1967 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 680

I 95 SB

Fair

Over: ST123 SOUTH AVE

I 95 AT ST 123, Bristol, MA

Built 1959 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 37,571

I 95 NB

Fair

Over: ST123 SOUTH AVE

I 95 AT ST 123, Bristol, MA

Built 1959 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 46,994

ST 99 SB/MAIN ST

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR/CSX

30 M S OF JCT SR16&SR99, Middlesex, MA

Built 1954 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 41,500

ST 23 BLANDFORD RD

Fair

Over: WATER POTASH BROOK

1.9 MI W OF US 20, Hampden, MA

Built 1915 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 2,884

ST 32 CHESNT HL AV

Fair

Over: WATER MILLERS RIVER

0.2 M N OF RTE. 2A, Worcester, MA

Built 1850 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 8,663

ST181 DEPOT ST

Fair

Over: WATER SWIFT RIVER

AT PALMER T.L.& SWIFT RV, Hampshire, MA

Built 1937 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 5,689

HWY LOVEFIELD ST

Fair

Over: WATER MANHAN RIVER

.8 MI S OF RTE 10, Hampshire, MA

Built 1971 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 9,310

ST 2 EB

Fair

Over: WATER NASHUA RIVER

MM106.5 .1 E OF JCKSN RD, Worcester, MA

Built 1953 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 25,151

ST 2 WB

Fair

Over: WATER NASHUA RIVER

MM106.5 .1 E OF JCKSN RD, Worcester, MA

Built 1953 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 23,614

ST 1 A/COUNTY RD

Fair

Over: WATER MILES RIVER

2.7 KM S IPSWICH CENTER, Essex, MA

Built 1952 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 7,300

HWY WINNETUXT RD

Fair

Over: WATER WINNETUXET RIVER

1.3 MI NE MIDDLEBORO LIN, Plymouth, MA

Built 1923 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 900

I 93 SB BT 38-46

Fair

Over: TR ORANGE LINE

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

Built 1970 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 87,100

ST112 ASHFIELD RD

Fair

Over: WATER MAYNARD BROOK

500 N OF HOG HOLLOW RD, Franklin, MA

Built 1955 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 2,147

US 6 EB/EASTRN AV

Fair

Over: I 195

AT I 195, Bristol, MA

Built 1965 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 8,000

ST 24

Fair

Over: OTHER BIKEWAY(BCRR)

.1 MI SW OF I 195, Bristol, MA

Built 1963 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 50,559

HWY N BROADWAY

Fair

Over: I 495 SB

2.1 KM N MERRIMAC RIVR, Essex, MA

Built 1961 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 6,400

US 20 HUNTNGTON RD

Fair

Over: WATER BRADLEY BROOK

300 SOUTH OF MAIN ST, Hampden, MA

Built 1924 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 7,286

ST 9 BSTN-WRCSTR

Fair

Over: ST140 GRAFTON ST

ST 9/ST 140, Worcester, MA

Built 1932 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 50,103

HWY PLEASANT ST

Fair

Over: US202 /ST2

PLEASANT ST/US 202 & ST 2, Worcester, MA

Built 1954 Load: 29.6 t ADT: 1,940

HWY EAST ST

Fair

Over: WATER DEAD BR WSTFLD RIV

S OF 143 NEAR BISBEE RD, Hampshire, MA

Built 1954 Load: 29.6 t ADT: 388

ST 2

Fair

Over: WATER MONOOSNOC BROOK

.5 MI W OF SOUTH ST EXIT, Worcester, MA

Built 1937 Load: 29.6 t ADT: 54,761

I 495

Fair

Over: WATER FALL BROOK

1.8 M S OF RTE 105, Plymouth, MA

Built 1957 Load: 29.6 t ADT: 44,431

HWY ZOAR RD

Fair

Over: WATER SHIPPEE BROOK

1.2 MI EAST OF COUNTY RD, Franklin, MA

Built 1939 Load: 29.6 t ADT: 278

HWY CHARLTON ST

Fair

Over: WATER CADY BROOK

.1MI. E. OF MECHANIC ST., Worcester, MA

Built 1956 Load: 29.6 t ADT: 4,800

HWY BIRNIE AVE

Fair

Over: I 90

MM 45.0 ON I-90, Hampden, MA

Built 1957 Load: 29.6 t ADT: 10,474

ST 88

Fair

Over: RR MACRR

.4 MI S OF I 195, Bristol, MA

Built 1964 Load: 29.6 t ADT: 21,015

I 93 SB BT 33-38

Fair

Over: TR ORANGE LINE

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

Built 1970 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 87,100

HWY CENTRE ST

Fair

Over: I 95

1 MILE SOUTH ST 62, Essex, MA

Built 1969 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 28,600

HWY JEFFERSON ST

Fair

Over: ST 24

1.0 MI NE OF R.I.S.L., Bristol, MA

Built 1966 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 1,300

ST140 SB

Fair

Over: HWY WASHBURN RD

.9 MI S OF LAKEVIL T L, Bristol, MA

Built 1968 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 18,360

ST140 NB

Fair

Over: HWY COUNTY ST

AT ST 140, Plymouth, MA

Built 1958 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 15,388

HWY SB LOWLL CON

Fair

Over: RR CSX (ABANDONED)

274 M E. INDUSTRIAL AVE., Middlesex, MA

Built 1960 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 23,224

I 290 WB

Fair

Over: HWY BIGELOW ST

MM31.8 0.1 MI W OF I-495, Middlesex, MA

Built 1968 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 37,897

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: OTHER BIKE TRAIL

JUST S. OF MM 48.8, Worcester, MA

Built 1968 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 41,829

HWY TURNERS FLLS

Fair

Over: RR GWRR

100 N JCT SWAMP RD., Franklin, MA

Built 1966 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 4,000

ST 10 NEW SOUTH ST

Fair

Over: HWY CLARK AVE

.2 M S JCT ST 9, Hampshire, MA

Built 1948 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 27,026

HWY TANNERY RD

Fair

Over: WATER ROSS BROOK

.8 MI WEST OF BLK BRK RD, Berkshire, MA

Built 1940 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 129

HWY ANTHONY ST

Fair

Over: I 195

1.5 MI W OF RI LINE, Bristol, MA

Built 1958 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 4,270

I 91

Fair

Over: COMB STS/CSX/GWRR/GARAG

JCT CITY GARAGE & BMRR, Hampden, MA

Built 1971 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 143,144

HWY PLAIN ST

Fair

Over: WATER TAUNTON RIVER

AT JCT OF WATER ST, Bristol, MA

Built 1953 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 9,786

HWY BEMIS RD

Fair

Over: I 90

MM 70.6 ON I-90, Worcester, MA

Built 1957 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 646

I 290 EB

Fair

Over: HWY MCKEON RD

.1 MI. E OF COLLEGE SQ., Worcester, MA

Built 1966 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 49,028

I 290 WB

Fair

Over: HWY MCKEON RD

.1 MI. E. OF COLLEGE SQ., Worcester, MA

Built 1966 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 44,468

HWY CEDAR ST

Fair

Over: I 395

1ST BR SOUTH OF ST-20, Worcester, MA

Built 1976 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 800

Showing 801-850 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.