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 /US1/ST3

Fair

Over: WATER NEPONSET RIVER

.8 KM S OF JCT SR 3A, Suffolk, MA

Built 1954 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 169,936

I 95 SB

Fair

Over: WATER FISH BROOK

1.3 MI N IPSWICH RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1950 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 43,600

HWY FREEMANS WAY

Fair

Over: US 6

1.75 M W OF ORLEANS TL, Barnstable, MA

Built 1955 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 2,700

HWY SCHOOL ST

Fair

Over: WATER STONY BROOK

1.0 KM SE OF MAIN ST, Middlesex, MA

Built 1850 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 3,750

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: ST110 CHELMSFORD ST

RT 495 AT RT 110, Middlesex, MA

Built 1960 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 54,901

US 6 (DRAWBRIDGE)

Fair

Over: WATER ACUSHNET RIVER

.4 MI W OF NBED, Bristol, MA

Built 1900 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 32,200

I 495 NB

Fair

Over: HWY RIVER RD

@MM 65.6, Middlesex, MA

Built 1963 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 47,733

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: HWY RIVER RD

@MM 65.6, Middlesex, MA

Built 1963 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 49,054

HWY LAB-IN-VA RD

Fair

Over: WATER LABOR-IN-VAIN CRK

1.1 MI. E. OF RT. 1A, Essex, MA

Built 1996 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 260

HWY GENERAL ST

Fair

Over: WATER SPICKET RIVER

AT LAWRENCE GEN. HOSP., Essex, MA

Built 1939 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 6,206

ST140

Fair

Over: HWY SHAWMUT AVE

.8 MI NE OF I 195, Bristol, MA

Built 1970 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 53,603

ST 2 A/STATE RD E

Fair

Over: ST 2

MM 91.8, Worcester, MA

Built 1965 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 9,435

HWY HOOSAC&SUMER

Fair

Over: WATER TOPHET BROOK

@ SUMMER & HOOSAC ST INT., Berkshire, MA

Built 1941 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 6,857

ST 99 ALFORD ST

Fair

Over: WATER MYSTIC RIVER

AT MYSTIC RIVER, Suffolk, MA

Built 1963 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 40,000

HWY SOHAMPTN ST

Fair

Over: COMB AMTRAK & RED LINE

E OF SE XWAY, Suffolk, MA

Built 1902 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 33,800

I 93 BT NB4-N ABT

Fair

Over: I 93 CONN D & K

1.9 KM N OF JCT US1&I93, Suffolk, MA

Built 1970 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 65,702

I 95 SB

Fair

Over: WATER NEPONSET RIVER

.32 KM SW OF NEPONSET ST, Norfolk, MA

Built 1963 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 48,133

ST 8 A/N HEATH RD

Fair

Over: WATER MAXWELL BROOK

AT MAXWELL ROAD, Franklin, MA

Built 1939 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 480

HWY STEADMAN ST

Fair

Over: US 3

0.75 MI E DRUM HILL, Middlesex, MA

Built 2004 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 8,911

ST122 A/MAIN ST

Fair

Over: RR PWRR

@ CORNER OF SAMPSON ST., Worcester, MA

Built 1999 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 4,738

HWY LOWELL CONN

Fair

Over: HWY THORNDIKE ST

.16 KM SE RT 3A & HALE ST, Middlesex, MA

Built 1960 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 35,900

HWY MEDFORD ST

Fair

Over: WATER MALDEN RIVER

.2 M E OF PEARL ST, Middlesex, MA

Built 1976 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 32,100

ST146 NB OFF RAMP

Fair

Over: WATER BLACKSTONE RIVER

.1 MILE WEST OF ST 122, Worcester, MA

Built 1997 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 2,169

ST140 SB

Fair

Over: HWY BRALEY RD

.9 MI SE OF FREETOWN T.L., Bristol, MA

Built 1964 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 25,000

I 195

Fair

Over: HWY BELLEVILLE AVE

.4 MI W OF FAIHVN T L, Bristol, MA

Built 1965 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 51,471

I 91 SB

Fair

Over: HWY OLD FERRY RD

MM 24.3 ON I-91 SB, Hampshire, MA

Built 1965 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 36,140

I 190 SB

Fair

Over: ST140 REDEMPTION ROCK TR

.3MI N. OF W.BOYLSTON T.L, Worcester, MA

Built 1979 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 4,646

I 195 EB

Fair

Over: WATER COHACKET BROOK

1.5 M E OF RTE 105, Plymouth, MA

Built 1970 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 13,143

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: HWY TADMUCK RD

0.5 MI N OF BOSTON RD, Middlesex, MA

Built 1961 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 96,543

HWY SCHOOLHSE RD

Fair

Over: WATER WINDSOR JAMBS BRK

.1 MI E OF WINDSOR BS RD, Berkshire, MA

Built 1938 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 129

I 290 EB

Fair

Over: ST 70 LNCLN ST & ON RAMP

.25 MI. N. OF ST-9, Worcester, MA

Built 1961 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 69,694

I 495 NB

Fair

Over: HWY BEACON ST

1.4 MI N I93, Essex, MA

Built 1962 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 57,650

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: HWY BEACON ST

1.4 MI N I-93, Essex, MA

Built 1962 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 76,550

I 295 SB

Fair

Over: HWY CLIFTON ST

.3 MI W OF I 95, Bristol, MA

Built 1967 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 24,598

I 290 WB

Fair

Over: ST 12 SOUTHBRIDGE ST

.2 MI N OF US-20, Worcester, MA

Built 1965 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 41,165

HWY HERALD ST

Fair

Over: RR CSX SPUR

AT INK BLOCK, Suffolk, MA

Built 1957 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 32,500

I 93 NB

Fair

Over: I 93 SB BT 57 - 61

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

Built 1970 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 37,000

I 93 SB BT 57-61

Fair

Over: RR MBTA & BMRR

.5 MI N OF JCT 193&US1, Suffolk, MA

Built 1970 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 87,100

HWY BOURNE CR CN

Fair

Over: ST 25

0.4 M N OF BOURNE BRIDGE, Barnstable, MA

Built 1985 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 14,504

HWY LOCKWOOD LN

Fair

Over: WATER FISH BROOK

MILE WEST I 95, Essex, MA

Built 1988 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 300

ST110 /ST111/AYER

Fair

Over: WATER BOWERS BROOK

.5 MI NORTH OF STATE 2, Worcester, MA

Built 1925 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 13,905

HWY BELLS NCK RD

Fair

Over: WATER HERRING RIVER

0.6 MI. N OF RTE. 28, Barnstable, MA

Built 1986 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 571

I 495 NB

Fair

Over: HWY MIDDLE RD

1.6 KM N ST110, Essex, MA

Built 1964 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 34,028

I 495 NB

Fair

Over: HWY AMESBURY LINE RD

3.2 KM N ST110, Essex, MA

Built 1964 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 31,088

HWY WATER ST

Fair

Over: WATER MONOOSNOC BROOK

.25MI. EAST OF ST-12, Worcester, MA

Built 1984 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 5,142

HWY LEOMSTR CONN

Fair

Over: WATER N NASHUA RIVER

.2 MI. WEST OF I-190, Worcester, MA

Built 1977 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 19,749

HWY GROVE ST

Fair

Over: I 95 /ST128

0.5 MI NE BEDFORD ST, Middlesex, MA

Built 1962 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 4,655

I 90 EB

Fair

Over: HWY CHAPIN ST

MM 55.2 ON I-90 EB, Hampden, MA

Built 1957 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 25,600

I 90 WB

Fair

Over: HWY CHAPIN ST

MM 55.2 ON I-90 WB, Hampden, MA

Built 1957 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 25,800

I 495 NB

Fair

Over: WATER CANOE RIVER

.2 MI NW OF 123, Bristol, MA

Built 1978 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 40,367

Showing 1,451-1,500 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.