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 24

Fair

Over: HWY BRAYTON AVE

.3 MI SW OF I 195, Bristol, MA

Built 1963 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 106,551

ST 97 BROADWAY

Fair

Over: I 495 SB

1.1 KM N MERRIMAC RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1961 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 48,897

HWY MIDDLESEX ST

Fair

Over: COMB ARCH ST & BMRR

1.9 KM E OF CHELMSFORD, Middlesex, MA

Built 1959 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 25,200

ST107 WESTERN AVE

Fair

Over: WATER GLENMERE LAKE

.64 KM S SALEM CITY LINE, Essex, MA

Built 1921 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 25,200

ST 3 A/MAIN ST

Fair

Over: WATER SOUTH RIVER

AT JCT.139, Plymouth, MA

Built 1947 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 28,241

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: HWY PINE ST

2 M N OF ROCHESTER TL, Plymouth, MA

Built 1964 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 13,357

HWY W SQUANTM ST

Fair

Over: TR RED LINE SSH

1.0 MIE. JCT. GRANITE AVE, Norfolk, MA

Built 1969 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 11,700

I 91

Fair

Over: HWY CITY STS&GARAGE

JCT VARIOUS CITY STREETS, Hampden, MA

Built 1971 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 125,740

I 290 WB

Fair

Over: ST 12 HOPE AVE

I 290WB/ST 12, Worcester, MA

Built 1965 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 43,806

HWY BROTHERTON W

Fair

Over: WATER RAMSHORN BROOK

0.1 MI S OF ST-12, Worcester, MA

Built 1962 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 20,500

HWY RESERVOIR ST

Fair

Over: I 290 EB

@MM 26.5/W OF CHURCH ST, Worcester, MA

Built 1968 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 3,300

HWY ELM ST

Fair

Over: ST 3

.64 KM.NE OF UNION ST, Norfolk, MA

Built 1957 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 13,600

HWY ELM ST

Fair

Over: HWY OLD ELM ST

.64 KM NE OF UNION ST, Norfolk, MA

Built 1957 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 15,000

ST127 WASHNGTON ST

Fair

Over: WATER GOOSE COVE

3.5 KM N WASHINGTON CIRCL, Essex, MA

Built 1952 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 13,600

ST 97 BROADWAY

Fair

Over: I 495 NB

1.1 KM N MERIMAC RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1961 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 33,000

HWY MASS AVE

Fair

Over: I 95 /ST128

.16 KM NORTH OF RT 2A, Middlesex, MA

Built 1961 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 8,793

I 495 NB

Fair

Over: HWY PINE ST

2 M N OF ROCHESTER TL, Plymouth, MA

Built 1964 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 21,383

I 95 /ST128

Fair

Over: WATER CHARLES RIVER

NEWTON WESTON TWN LINE, Middlesex, MA

Built 1961 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 171,190

I 91 NB

Fair

Over: OTHER NORWOTTUCK RA TR

MM 24.8 ON I-91 NB, Hampshire, MA

Built 1965 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 16,917

I 91 SB

Fair

Over: OTHER NORTWOTTUCK RA TR

MM 24.8 ON I-91 SB, Hampshire, MA

Built 1965 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 17,735

I 195 WB

Fair

Over: WATER PALMER RIVER

.6 MI FROM SWANSEA T L, Bristol, MA

Built 1960 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 31,163

US 7 S MAIN ST

Fair

Over: WATER HOUSATONIC RIVER

1.9 MI N OF CONN SL, Berkshire, MA

Built 1959 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 4,512

HWY RIVER RD

Fair

Over: I 84 WB

2.5 MI SO OF PIKE TOLL, Worcester, MA

Built 1970 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 1,700

ST 2

Fair

Over: COMB W ORANGE RD & GWRR

MM 65.5 ON ST 2, Franklin, MA

Built 1958 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 7,850

I 495 NB

Fair

Over: WATER POWWOW RIVER

1 MI N EXIT 54, Essex, MA

Built 1967 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 31,686

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: WATER POWWOW RIVER

1 MI N EXIT 54, Essex, MA

Built 1967 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 31,697

ST 2 A/E MAIN ST

Fair

Over: RR MBTA / BMRR

0.1 MI E MAIN & PARK, Middlesex, MA

Built 1949 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 20,477

HWY LWLL CONN SB

Fair

Over: I 495 RAMP B-11

.16 KM S RT 495, Middlesex, MA

Built 1959 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 26,000

ST112 MAIN RD

Fair

Over: WATER JOHNSON BROOK

.9 MI N. OF CHARLEMONT RD, Franklin, MA

Built 1929 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 1,810

I 90 EB

Fair

Over: COMB US20 & HOUSATNC R

AT MILE MARKER 10.3 A15, Berkshire, MA

Built 1957 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 8,962

HWY LOWELL CONN

Fair

Over: HWY HOWARD ST

0.4 KM SW RT 3A, Middlesex, MA

Built 1960 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 55,800

HWY HIGHLAND ST

Fair

Over: I 195

.7 MI E OF ST 140, Bristol, MA

Built 1963 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 357

HWY ROCKDALE AVE

Fair

Over: ST140

.3 MI SW OF I 195, Bristol, MA

Built 1963 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 11,100

HWY NORFOLK RD

Fair

Over: WATER WHITING RIVER

.4 MI S OF HOTCHKISS RD, Berkshire, MA

Built 1938 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 517

I 395 NB

Fair

Over: HWY FEDERAL HILL RD

MM 8.2, Worcester, MA

Built 1976 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 24,229

I 395 SB

Fair

Over: HWY FEDERAL HILL RD

MM 8.2, Worcester, MA

Built 1976 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 23,475

I 395 NB

Fair

Over: RR PWRR

.5 MILE SOUTH OF DEPOT RD, Worcester, MA

Built 1976 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 25,036

ST 1 A/LEE BRBNK

Fair

Over: COMB ST16 & MBTA/BMRR

1000 FT SW OF JET SR60&1A, Suffolk, MA

Built 1934 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 54,957

HWY LISA LANE

Fair

Over: WATER CONSERVATION AREA

0.15 M. WEST OF MAIN ST., Essex, MA

Built 2003 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 300

ST140 MEMORIAL DR

Fair

Over: US 20 HARTFORD TNPK

1 MI S OF ST-9, Worcester, MA

Built 1966 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 10,331

HWY RUSSLVLLE RD

Fair

Over: WATER MANHAN RIVER

AT JNCT OF MANHAN ROAD, Hampshire, MA

Built 1956 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 1,810

HWY BIRCH ISL RD

Fair

Over: I 395

.1 MI E OF ST-193, Worcester, MA

Built 1969 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 1,300

I 290 EB

Fair

Over: COMB ACCESS RD & BMRR

JUST WEST OF EXIT 19, Worcester, MA

Built 1961 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 46,758

I 290 WB

Fair

Over: ST 70 LINCOLN ST

I-290 MM 8.6, Worcester, MA

Built 1967 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 46,267

I 495 NB

Fair

Over: ST 1 A/SOUTH ST

AT ST 1A, Norfolk, MA

Built 1966 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 41,841

HWY ELM ST

Fair

Over: I 495

0.5 MI N OF EXIT 55, Essex, MA

Built 1964 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 10,500

ST 2

Fair

Over: HWY DOW AVE

0.75 MI W RT 2 & PARK AVE, Middlesex, MA

Built 1967 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 82,857

I 290 WB

Fair

Over: HWY WATER ST

600 FT. WEST OF ST - 12, Worcester, MA

Built 1965 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 37,907

I 93 NB BT 38-46

Fair

Over: I 93 SB BT 38-46

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

Built 1970 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 81,000

ST 24

Fair

Over: HWY TORREY ST

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

Built 1954 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 106,550

Showing 1,051-1,100 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.