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 MIDDLEFLD RD

Fair

Over: WATER W BR WESTFIELD RIV

@ JOHNSON HILL RD INT, Hampden, MA

Built 1987 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 905

HWY BAY RD

Fair

Over: WATER HARTS BROOK

.75 MI E OF RTE 47, Hampshire, MA

Built 1940 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 8,793

ST125 CONN EB

Fair

Over: COMB FERRY RD&MBTA/BMRR

1 MI E I495, Essex, MA

Built 1961 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 11,500

US 20 RAMP INT 10

Fair

Over: US 20 HOUSATONIC ST

INT. OF ROUTES 20 & 102, Berkshire, MA

Built 1957 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 5,431

ST 9 BOYLSTON ST

Fair

Over: HWY QUINOBEQUIN RD

0.56 KM ELY RT 128, Middlesex, MA

Built 1932 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 79,400

I 90 WB

Fair

Over: I 90 RMPS EX 78 INT 9

END OF I 84 I4, Worcester, MA

Built 1957 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 16,443

HWY N CROSS RD

Fair

Over: WATER DRY BROOK

0.1 MI W OF BOYLE RD, Franklin, MA

Built 1940 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 1,552

I 90 EB

Fair

Over: ST122 WORCESTER ST

AT I-90 MM 98.1, Worcester, MA

Built 1957 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 43,661

I 90 WB

Fair

Over: ST122 WORCESTER ST

AT I-90 MM 98.1, Worcester, MA

Built 1957 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 43,661

ST129 SALEM ST

Fair

Over: US 1 NEWBURYPORT TNPK

.32 KM S ST128, Essex, MA

Built 1959 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 32,800

I 195 EB

Fair

Over: HWY POINT RD

0.5 M E OF RTE 105, Plymouth, MA

Built 1971 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 17,380

I 195 WB

Fair

Over: HWY POINT RD

0.5 M E OF RTE 105, Plymouth, MA

Built 1971 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 16,850

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: WATER LOWER CANOE RIVER

SOUTH OF 123 OVERPASS, Bristol, MA

Built 1978 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 65,460

I 495 NB

Fair

Over: WATER LOWER CANOE RIVER

JUST SO OF 123 OVERPASS, Bristol, MA

Built 1978 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 42,572

HWY GRANITE ST

Fair

Over: TR RED LINE SSH

130 FT SW OF HANCOCK ST, Norfolk, MA

Built 1971 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 8,200

HWY HAWLEY RD

Fair

Over: WATER CHICKLEY RIVER

100 EAST OF SCOTT RD, Berkshire, MA

Built 1938 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 129

ST102 W STCKBRG RD

Fair

Over: I 90

@ AVERIC RD INT. A20, Berkshire, MA

Built 1957 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 2,584

US 20 WB/CHRLTN RD

Fair

Over: I 84 EB

MM 6.8, Worcester, MA

Built 1974 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 15,000

I 84 WB

Fair

Over: US 20 WB/CHARLTON RD

.4 MI S. OF I-90, Worcester, MA

Built 1973 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 26,867

HWY MALBOUEF RD

Fair

Over: WATER FLAT BROOK

0.5MI S OF RT32 NR WRE RV, Hampshire, MA

Built 1956 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 100

HWY MIDDLE ST

Fair

Over: ST 3

2.1 KM E OF BRAIN. T.L., Norfolk, MA

Built 1957 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 28,189

ST 57 EB

Fair

Over: HWY SHOEMAKER LN

MM 40.9 ON ST 57 EB, Hampden, MA

Built 1991 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 15,259

ST 57 WB

Fair

Over: HWY SHOEMAKER LN

.5 MI E. JCT. 57 & ST 187, Hampden, MA

Built 1991 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 14,095

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

2.6 MI N I93, Essex, MA

Built 1962 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 106,800

HWY W MAIN ST

Fair

Over: COMB MBTA/BM & ACCS RD

AT CORNER OF SCULLY RD, Middlesex, MA

Built 1996 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 8,118

I 90 WB ON-RAMP E

Fair

Over: COMB I90 W ONRP A & CSX

AT TOLL PLAZAS S104A, Suffolk, MA

Built 1965 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 5,000

I 93 RAMP S-N

Fair

Over: OTHER RELIEF

RAMP STORROW DR. TO I93N, Suffolk, MA

Built 2005 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 8,800

ST 53 QUINCY AVE

Fair

Over: WATER MONATIQUOT RIVER

.16 KM.N OF UNION ST., Norfolk, MA

Built 1919 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 27,672

I 95 NB

Fair

Over: WATER NEPONSET RIVER

.32 KM SW OF NEPONSET ST, Norfolk, MA

Built 1963 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 42,837

ST 28 MAIN ST

Fair

Over: WATER HERRING RIVER

1.0 M W OF RTE 39, Barnstable, MA

Built 1953 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 20,600

ST 2

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

0.5 MI E RT 495, Middlesex, MA

Built 1950 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 39,000

HWY AIKEN ST

Fair

Over: WATER NORTHERN CANAL

.24 KM SW OF MERRIMACK RV, Middlesex, MA

Built 1897 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 12,055

ST114 N MAIN ST

Fair

Over: WATER EMERSON BROOK

1 MI N MIDDLETON TOWN HAL, Essex, MA

Built 1962 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 34,267

I 90 EB

Fair

Over: RR ABANDONED PWRR

.25 MI W OF RIVERLIN ST, Worcester, MA

Built 1957 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 40,902

I 90

Fair

Over: COMB I 95 & CHARLES RIV

OVER ST 128 CHARLES RV S9, Middlesex, MA

Built 1964 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 119,166

HWY CHURCH ST

Fair

Over: WATER TAUNTON RIVER

.65 MI SE OF RTE 44, Bristol, MA

Built 1977 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 2,700

I 290 EB

Fair

Over: COMB LK QUINSIG&LK AV N

I-290 MM 10, Worcester, MA

Built 1968 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 37,980

I 290 WB

Fair

Over: COMB LK QUINSIG&LK AV N

.1 MI W OF W MAIN ST, Worcester, MA

Built 1969 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 49,344

HWY BEACON ST

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

305 M E OF SR2A, Middlesex, MA

Built 1899 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 13,250

HWY BAY STATE DR

Fair

Over: RR CSX

0.2 MI N OF US 20 125.10, Hampden, MA

Built 1978 Load: 36.4 t ADT: 300

I 90 RAMP ON&OFF

Fair

Over: I 495

1.5 MI. S. OF RTE. 9, Middlesex, MA

Built 1968 Load: 36.4 t ADT: 30,736

I 90 EB

Fair

Over: HWY MILLER ST

MM 56.9 ON I-90, Hampden, MA

Built 1957 Load: 36.4 t ADT: 27,180

I 90 WB

Fair

Over: HWY MILLER ST

MM 56.9 ON I-90, Hampden, MA

Built 1957 Load: 36.4 t ADT: 27,552

HWY WORONOCO RD

Fair

Over: WATER POTASH BROOK

300 S. OF VALLEY VIEW AV, Hampden, MA

Built 1956 Load: 36.4 t ADT: 129

I 93

Fair

Over: HWY FALLON ROAD

1.4 KM SLY MONTVALE AVE, Middlesex, MA

Built 1958 Load: 36.4 t ADT: 152,640

I 290 WB

Fair

Over: OTHER 146 RAMP & PWRR

.1 MI. W OF CAMBRIDGE ST., Worcester, MA

Built 1966 Load: 36.4 t ADT: 42,881

HWY ADAMS ST

Fair

Over: TR RED LINE MATT CONN

.3 MI S. JCT SR, Suffolk, MA

Built 1886 Load: 36.5 t ADT: 21,000

I 95 NB

Fair

Over: WATER IPSWICH RIVER

AT IPSWICH RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1951 Load: 36.5 t ADT: 43,300

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: ST135 WOOD ST

MM 55.3 495 SB, Middlesex, MA

Built 1966 Load: 36.5 t ADT: 53,404

HWY DONALD LYNCH

Fair

Over: WATER ASSABET RIVER

ENTRANCE TO SOL POND MALL, Middlesex, MA

Built 1984 Load: 36.5 t ADT: 30,000

Showing 1,851-1,900 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.