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 WASHINGTN ST

Fair

Over: COMB I 90 & AMTRAK/MBTA

.16 KM W. I 93 S71, Suffolk, MA

Built 1965 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 12,000

HWY FAIRMONT AVE

Fair

Over: COMB WALNUT ST & MBTA

1 MI W OF SR138/NEP PKW., Suffolk, MA

Built 1908 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 18,103

HWY COMM AVE WB

Fair

Over: WATER MUDDY RIVER

.3 MI E OF KENMORE SQ., Suffolk, MA

Built 1917 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 9,800

I 93 SB B16-SB4

Fair

Over: COMB CAMBRIGE&MBTA/BMRR

1.2 MI N OF JCT I93&US1, Suffolk, MA

Built 1970 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 77,596

HWY CHELSEA ST

Fair

Over: WATER LITTLE MYSTIC CHAN

UNDER TOBIN AT MORAN TERM, Suffolk, MA

Built 1982 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 4,008

HWY UKRAINE WAY

Fair

Over: RR AMTRAK/MBTA

S OF FOREST HILLS STATION, Suffolk, MA

Built 1982 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 5,400

I 95 NB

Fair

Over: WATER FISH BROOK

1.3 MI N IPSWICH RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1976 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 43,300

HWY HEATH RD

Fair

Over: WATER TAYLOR BROOK

.4MI E OF N CATAMT HIL RD, Franklin, MA

Built 1938 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 388

HWY STAFFORD RD

Fair

Over: ST 24

.7 MI N OF R I LINE, Bristol, MA

Built 1966 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 4,857

HWY COTTON ST

Fair

Over: WATER MONOOSNOC BROOK

1.9MI W OF RT.190, Worcester, MA

Built 1997 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 517

I 93 /US1/ST3

Fair

Over: HWY GRANITE AVE

1 MI S OF JCT193& NEP AVE, Norfolk, MA

Built 1956 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 99,184

HWY SOUTH ST

Fair

Over: ST 3

.5 MI S OF HANOVER TL, Plymouth, MA

Built 1961 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 4,214

I 395 SB

Fair

Over: RR PWRR

MM 8.6, Worcester, MA

Built 1976 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 20,227

HWY DEPOT ST

Fair

Over: WATER MUMFORD RIVER

0.1M E JCT RTS 16 & 122, Worcester, MA

Built 1994 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 260

HWY W HARTFRD AV

Fair

Over: ST146 NB

1MI.NTH.OF ST-16, Worcester, MA

Built 1950 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 3,556

ST 67 /ST19/MAIN

Fair

Over: RR CSX

AT INT BRIDGE AVE, Worcester, MA

Built 1972 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 3,862

ST 9 GOSHEN RD

Fair

Over: WATER W BR MILL RIVER

300 E JCT OLD GOSHEN RD., Hampshire, MA

Built 1926 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 9,310

HWY SPRINGWATER

Fair

Over: WATER BROAD BROOK

AT MCLAIN COURT, Berkshire, MA

Built 1956 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 647

HWY WEST ST

Fair

Over: I 93

0.25 MI S RT 129, Middlesex, MA

Built 1957 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 7,000

HWY HAMILTON ST

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/CSX

0.3 MI WEST OF LAKE AVE, Worcester, MA

Built 1931 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 7,376

I 495 NB

Fair

Over: HWY MAIN ST

.6 MI N EXIT 54, Essex, MA

Built 1964 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 36,900

HWY SUMMER ST

Fair

Over: WATER RESERVE CHANNEL

1. 6 KM SE OF FT PT CHAN, Suffolk, MA

Built 1892 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 29,200

HWY PLEASANT ST

Fair

Over: ST 24

.2 MI.S OF ST 27, Plymouth, MA

Built 1954 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 16,900

ST 8 A/N HEATH RD

Fair

Over: WATER MILL BROOK

.45 KM N OF RTE 2, Franklin, MA

Built 1950 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 1,035

HWY CURLEY BLVD

Fair

Over: OTHER BIKE PATH PREV RR

.1 MI W RTE 28 A, Barnstable, MA

Built 1988 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 6,857

I 90 EX 117 IN 13

Fair

Over: ST 30 COCHITUATE RD

OUTSIDE INT 13 L26, Middlesex, MA

Built 1957 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 52,165

I 91 SB/ST2 WB

Fair

Over: HWY COUNTRY CLUB RD

MM 45.6 ON I-91 SB, Franklin, MA

Built 1962 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 18,557

HWY ASHWORTH DR

Fair

Over: I 90

MM 88, Worcester, MA

Built 1957 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 130

ST114 ANDOVER ST

Fair

Over: ST128

.8 MI LOWELL STREET, Essex, MA

Built 1938 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 56,508

ST116 AMHERST RD

Fair

Over: WATER LONG PLAIN BROOK

3.2 M E CONN RIVER, Franklin, MA

Built 1956 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 13,876

US 20 EB

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

O, Middlesex, MA

Built 1950 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 22,400

HWY EAST ST

Fair

Over: US 1 PROVIDENCE HWY

.96 KM S OF DEDHAM T.L., Norfolk, MA

Built 1956 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 17,198

I 91 NB

Fair

Over: WATER FALL RIVER

MM 49.9 ON I-91 NB, Franklin, MA

Built 1960 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 10,866

I 90 WB

Fair

Over: COMB WASH RD&CSX&RIV

MM 66.7 ON I-90 WB, Hampden, MA

Built 1957 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 24,191

I 91 SB

Fair

Over: OTHER MANHAN RAIL TRAIL

MM 21.2 ON I-91 SB, Hampshire, MA

Built 1963 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 27,526

HWY PAWTUCKET ST

Fair

Over: RR BMRR

150 YDS SO OF RIVER, Middlesex, MA

Built 1976 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 20,560

HWY LOWELL CONN

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

.8 KM W OF ST-3A, Middlesex, MA

Built 1960 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 55,846

HWY GROVE ST

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

1.5 MI W OF JCT SR38&60, Middlesex, MA

Built 1891 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 1,100

HWY LEWIS TER

Fair

Over: COMB I 90 & CSX/MBTA

.8 KM S. CHARLES RV S25, Middlesex, MA

Built 1964 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 8,100

HWY CUSHMAN RD

Fair

Over: WATER ABBOTT RUN RIVER

.6 MI E RHODE ISLAND, Bristol, MA

Built 1886 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 3,725

HWY GREEN ST

Fair

Over: I 290

.5 MI N OF HOWARD ST., Worcester, MA

Built 1968 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 1,300

HWY ADAMS ST

Fair

Over: TR RED LINE SSH

1.8 MI E OF JCT. I93, Norfolk, MA

Built 1967 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 15,800

US 5 SB

Fair

Over: I 91

@ MM 3.6 ON I-91, Hampden, MA

Built 1958 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 14,588

ST140 NB

Fair

Over: ST 79 MYRICKS ST

3.2 MI SO OF RT 24, Bristol, MA

Built 1959 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 12,252

ST146 SB

Fair

Over: HWY ELMWOOD AVE

.5 MI N OF RT 146-A, Worcester, MA

Built 1984 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 15,752

I 90 RAMP D

Fair

Over: ST 30 SOUTH AV& I95 RMPS

AT INT 14 L45, Middlesex, MA

Built 1957 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 47,700

I 290 EB

Fair

Over: HWY PLANTATION ST

MM 9.8/21.8, Worcester, MA

Built 1967 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 38,074

I 290 WB

Fair

Over: HWY PLANTATION ST

1.9 MI. E. OF I-190, Worcester, MA

Built 1967 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 39,408

HWY ARARAT ST

Fair

Over: I 190

.6 MI.WEST OF ST.12, Worcester, MA

Built 1976 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 15,100

I 91 SB

Fair

Over: WATER FALL RIVER

MM 49.9 ON I-91 SB, Franklin, MA

Built 1960 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 10,459

Showing 1,401-1,450 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.