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 N WSHNGTN ST

Fair

Over: HWY WATER ST

NEAR BOSTON GARDEN, Suffolk, MA

Built 1900 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 36,206

HWY W FOURTH ST

Fair

Over: WATER FORT POINT CHANNEL

.32 KM S I-90, Suffolk, MA

Built 1958 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 13,200

HWY BOWKER INT

Fair

Over: ST 2 COMM AV BEACON ST

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

Built 1965 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 53,577

HWY RAMP X/XX

Fair

Over: HWY ALBANY ST

ALBANY ST & FRONTAGE RD, Suffolk, MA

Built 2003 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 11,638

HWY PAIGE HILL R

Fair

Over: WATER WALES BROOK

1100 S OF NEW HOLLAND RD, Hampden, MA

Built 1956 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 129

ST112 ASHFIELD RD

Fair

Over: WATER CLESSON BROOK

AT JCT CROSS ST., Franklin, MA

Built 1938 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,845

HWY BURNT HIL RD

Fair

Over: WATER WILDER BROOK

200W OF INT W/W.OXBOW RD, Franklin, MA

Built 1940 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 129

HWY MIDDLESEX ST

Fair

Over: WATER STONY BROOK

@ STONY BROOK, Middlesex, MA

Built 1850 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,208

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: WATER RIVER MEADOW BROOK

0.7 MI NO RT 110, Middlesex, MA

Built 1959 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 52,341

ST116 SAVOY RD

Fair

Over: WATER DRY BROOK

JUST SOUTH OF WELLS RD, Berkshire, MA

Built 1940 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,362

HWY SAW MILL LN

Fair

Over: WATER MOTHER BROOK

1.4 KM E OF RT 1, Norfolk, MA

Built 2002 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 16,000

ST 14 CONGRESS ST

Fair

Over: ST 3 PILGRIM HWY

2.25 M W OF PEMBROKE TL, Plymouth, MA

Built 1962 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 16,940

I 195

Fair

Over: HWY QUEQUECHAN ST

1 MI. E. OF ST.24, Bristol, MA

Built 1963 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 68,442

HWY W CENTRAL ST

Fair

Over: WATER MINE BROOK

@ 860 W CENTRAL ST, Norfolk, MA

Built 1850 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 5,714

ST140

Fair

Over: WATER FALL BROOK

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

Built 1957 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 38,405

ST 2

Fair

Over: WATER BENNETTS BROOK

200 FT. W. OF 110.8 MM, Worcester, MA

Built 1949 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 55,214

HWY OVERLOOK RD

Fair

Over: COMB SDDLE HLL TL & BRK

0.1 MI E OF GREENWOOD RD, Middlesex, MA

Built 2002 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,200

HWY WEDGEWOOD DR

Fair

Over: WATER BROOK

0.3 MI W OF CEDAR ST EXT, Middlesex, MA

Built 1990 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,200

HWY CHAPEL ST

Fair

Over: WATER KETTLE BROOK

0.2 MI S OF WAITE ST, Worcester, MA

Built 2000 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 400

HWY SHUTESBRY RD

Fair

Over: WATER ROARING BROOK

AT JCT BROAD HILL RD, Franklin, MA

Built 1959 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,069

I 93

Fair

Over: HWY WEBSTER ST

.5 MI S OF ROOSVELT CIR., Middlesex, MA

Built 1961 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 194,827

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: ST 85 CEDAR ST

1 MI. N. OF ST.16, Worcester, MA

Built 1967 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 52,091

HWY RUPERT RD

Fair

Over: WATER HUCKLEBERRY BROOK

.2 MI EAST OF HAVEN ST, Worcester, MA

Built 1995 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 300

US 20 WB

Fair

Over: COMB ST146&PWRR&BLKSTN

.3 MI S OF WORCESTER T.L., Worcester, MA

Built 2005 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 11,870

HWY MORMN HLW RD

Fair

Over: WATER LYONS BROOK

AT WENDELL TOWN LINE, Franklin, MA

Built 1951 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 259

HWY HATHAWAY RD

Fair

Over: I 195

0.1MI N OF ROCKDALE AVE, Bristol, MA

Built 1966 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 25,000

HWY BRIDGE ST

Fair

Over: WATER CHARLES RIVER

.96 KM E WALTHAM, Middlesex, MA

Built 1967 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 28,965

I 290 EB

Fair

Over: HWY WHITNEY ST

MM 29.1, Worcester, MA

Built 1968 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 39,181

I 290 WB

Fair

Over: HWY WHITNEY ST

MM 29.1, Worcester, MA

Built 1968 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 38,819

HWY CUDWORTH RD

Fair

Over: I 395

.1 MI EAST OF ST-12, Worcester, MA

Built 1969 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,232

I 395 NB

Fair

Over: HWY DANA RD

I-395 MM 7.6, Worcester, MA

Built 1973 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 25,036

I 395 SB

Fair

Over: HWY DANA RD

.6 MI. N. OF SUTTON AVE., Worcester, MA

Built 1973 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 23,475

ST101 QUEEN LK RD

Fair

Over: WATER BURNSHIRT RIVER

.15 MI SW OF TEMPLETON, Worcester, MA

Built 1939 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,156

ST 3 A

Fair

Over: WATER FORE RIVER

AT WEYMOUTH TWN LINE, Norfolk, MA

Built 2018 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 36,441

HWY SHIRLEY AVE

Fair

Over: TR BLUE LINE

102 FT WEST OF OCEAN AVE, Suffolk, MA

Built 1953 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,300

I 90

Fair

Over: WATER POTASH BROOK

AT MILE 34.0, Hampden, MA

Built 1957 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 28,837

HWY GRIZZLY DRV

Fair

Over: WATER WETLAND

0.8 MI EAST OF ROUTE 56, Worcester, MA

Built 2009 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 200

ST 57 SANDISFLD RD

Fair

Over: WATER CLAM RIVER

0.5 MI W OF RT 8, Berkshire, MA

Built 1938 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,034

HWY TOWN HILL RD

Fair

Over: WATER GILDER PND OUTFLOW

1.0 MI S OF RTE 23, Berkshire, MA

Built 1970 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 258

US 7 N MAIN ST

Fair

Over: WATER HUBBARD BROOK

.1 MI NORTH OF MAPLE AVE, Berkshire, MA

Built 1924 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 8,221

ST 28 MCGRATH

Fair

Over: HWY WASHINGTON ST

.1 MI W OF ALLSTON ST, Middlesex, MA

Built 1951 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 17,849

I 291 RAMP B

Fair

Over: I 291 CONN A & RMP G

.15 M E JCT MAIN ST., Hampden, MA

Built 1967 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,711

HWY DANVERS RD

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

.1 MILES WEST ESSEX STREE, Essex, MA

Built 1995 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 35,400

HWY WOODLAND DR

Fair

Over: WATER BAYBERRY HILL BRK

240 EAST OF ST 13, Middlesex, MA

Built 1970 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 220

HWY ELM ST

Fair

Over: WATER CHARLES RIVER

400 FT SO INT ELM & RIVER, Middlesex, MA

Built 1850 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 8,600

I 95 /ST128

Fair

Over: WATER STONY BROOK

0.96 KM SLY RT 20, Middlesex, MA

Built 1950 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 172,999

HWY CLIFF RD

Fair

Over: RR CSX/MBTA

BETWEEN RT 9 & RT 16, Norfolk, MA

Built 1932 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 10,991

HWY STAGE RD EXT

Fair

Over: WATER N BR MANHAN RIVER

100 E INT EASTHAMPTON RD, Hampshire, MA

Built 1996 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 30

HWY WILLMSBRG RD

Fair

Over: WATER BR WEST BROOK

0.3M W OF CONWAY RD, Franklin, MA

Built 2020 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 10

HWY MONTVALE AVE

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

0.75 MI W OF I-93, Middlesex, MA

Built 1987 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 35,700

Showing 1,201-1,250 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.