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 91 NB

Fair

Over: RR PVRR

MM 12.2 ON I-91 NB, Hampden, MA

Built 1965 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 35,431

I 91 SB

Fair

Over: RR PVRR

MM 12.2 ON I-91 SB, Hampden, MA

Built 1965 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 36,983

HWY AMESBURY ST

Fair

Over: WATER NORTH CANAL

AT NORTH CANAL, Essex, MA

Built 1919 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 13,433

I 495 SB & ON RAMP

Fair

Over: WATER RUMFORD RIVER

.1 MI SW OF OLD ST 140, Bristol, MA

Built 1978 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 44,600

HWY CANAAN VALLY

Fair

Over: WATER WHITING RIVER

.2 MI W OF NORFOLK RD, Berkshire, MA

Built 1938 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 258

HWY LYMAN ST

Fair

Over: WATER E BR HOUSATONIC R

.1MI SE OF EAST ST (RT 9), Berkshire, MA

Built 1913 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 4,267

HWY NEWELL ST

Fair

Over: WATER E BR HOUSATONIC R

.1 MI S OF EAST ST, Berkshire, MA

Built 1930 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 11,625

HWY MORGAN ST

Fair

Over: WATER STONY BROOK

1 M E OF RT 116, Hampshire, MA

Built 1997 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 8,664

HWY MYSTIC AVE

Fair

Over: COMB ORANGE & MBTA/BMRR

610 M NW OF SULLIVAN SQ, Suffolk, MA

Built 1953 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 31,293

HWY POND ST

Fair

Over: WATER FARM RIVER

.16 KM E OF GRANITE ST, Norfolk, MA

Built 1975 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 12,200

ST 3

Fair

Over: COMB MBTA/CSX & REDS

.48 KM NE OF UNION ST, Norfolk, MA

Built 1957 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 106,018

I 90 WB

Fair

Over: ST 33 MEMORIAL DR

MM 49.2 ON I-90 WB, Hampden, MA

Built 1957 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 25,031

HWY PINGREE FARM

Fair

Over: I 95

.5 MI S OF ST-133, Essex, MA

Built 1974 Load: 37.9 t

HWY MANNING ST

Fair

Over: WATER TROUT BROOK

1 MI W OF W BOYLSTON LINE, Worcester, MA

Built 1969 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 6,917

HWY CABOT ST

Fair

Over: WATER NORTHERN CANAL

N. OF FRENCH ST. EXT., Middlesex, MA

Built 1850 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 8,800

HWY CENTRAL ST

Fair

Over: WATER SAUGUS RIVER

1.1 KM N OF MAIN ST, Essex, MA

Built 1973 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 6,724

I 290 EB

Fair

Over: HWY GULF ST

MM24 1 MI W OF 140, Worcester, MA

Built 1967 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 40,203

I 290 WB

Fair

Over: HWY GULF ST

MM24 1 MI W OF 140, Worcester, MA

Built 1967 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 40,892

US 6 GAR HWY

Fair

Over: WATER LEES RIVER

AT SWANSEA T.L., Bristol, MA

Built 1970 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 17,214

HWY PRRY HLL CRS

Fair

Over: WATER N BR MANHAN RIVER

.1 MI SW OF KINGS HWY, Hampshire, MA

Built 1956 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 388

HWY BEE HILL RD

Fair

Over: WATER FLORA GLEN BROOK

0.2MI S OF INT W/ RTE 2&7, Berkshire, MA

Built 1997 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 50

HWY FRNT RD NB

Fair

Over: OTHER RELIEF

MASS AVE. INT., Suffolk, MA

Built 2000 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 42,672

HWY CABOT ST

Fair

Over: WATER FIRST LEVEL CANAL

.5 MI NW OF 3RD CANAL, Hampden, MA

Built 1924 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 15,129

HWY BRIGHAM ST

Fair

Over: WATER BRIGHAM POND INLET

.6 MI E OF RTE 68, Worcester, MA

Built 1939 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 1,741

HWY HRTVIL-MIL R

Fair

Over: WATER KONKAPOT RIVER

BTW COUNTY&N MARL HILL RD, Berkshire, MA

Built 1996 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 517

I 95 NB

Fair

Over: WATER PARKER RIVER

.3 MI S OF CENTRAL ST, Essex, MA

Built 1976 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 33,151

I 95 SB

Fair

Over: WATER PARKER RIVER

.3 MI S OF CENTRAL ST, Essex, MA

Built 1951 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 35,618

ST128

Fair

Over: HWY LOWELL ST

.8 MI S ST114, Essex, MA

Built 1937 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 102,600

US 1 NE XWAY

Fair

Over: US 1 RAMP & ST60

1 MI W OF ST-107, Suffolk, MA

Built 1956 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 71,684

HWY LOVELL RD

Fair

Over: WATER CATACUNEMAUG BROOK

.25 M. EAST OF SPRUCE ST, Middlesex, MA

Built 1941 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 905

ST 25 EB

Fair

Over: WATER WAKINCO RIVER

1.0 M S OF RTE 195, Plymouth, MA

Built 1967 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 11,000

ST 25 WB

Fair

Over: WATER WAKINCO RIVER

1.0 M S OF RTE 195, Plymouth, MA

Built 1967 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 21,429

HWY MILTON ST

Fair

Over: RR AMTRAK/MBTA

182 M NW OF WOLCOTT SQ., Suffolk, MA

Built 1919 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 42,700

ST128

Fair

Over: RR MBTA

.7 MI N WASHINGTON CIRCLE, Essex, MA

Built 1950 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 23,500

HWY MIDDLE RD

Fair

Over: WATER PARKER RIVER

0.5 MI W OF US-1, Essex, MA

Built 1995 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 1,550

HWY DAWES AVE

Fair

Over: WATER E BR HOUSATONIC R

.6 MI W OF HOLMES RD, Berkshire, MA

Built 1928 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 5,948

ST146 SB

Fair

Over: HWY MENDON RD

.7MI. N. OF NRTHBRDG T.L., Worcester, MA

Built 1982 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 16,688

I 95 NB RAMP

Fair

Over: OTHER MDC AQUEDUCT

AT INT 14 L51, Middlesex, MA

Built 1957 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 29,482

I 95 NB

Fair

Over: COMB AMTK & PLEASANT VW

AT R.I. STATE LINE, Bristol, MA

Built 1961 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 48,250

I 95 SB

Fair

Over: COMB AMTK & PLEASANT VW

AT R.I. STATE LINE, Bristol, MA

Built 1961 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 48,250

HWY QUINCY SHORE

Fair

Over: OTHER PARKING

.2 MI E OF I 93, Suffolk, MA

Built 1970 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 1,200

HWY RAMP F

Fair

Over: RR MBTA

AT RAILROAD, Norfolk, MA

Built 1977 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 18,600

ST 2

Fair

Over: WATER DEERFIELD RIVER

AT ZOAR ROAD INTERSECTION, Franklin, MA

Built 1955 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 2,305

I 90 WB

Fair

Over: ST 31 CITY DEPOT RD

AT I-90 MM 82.6, Worcester, MA

Built 1957 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 48,925

I 391 OFF RAMP CB

Fair

Over: WATER N BR CHICOPEE RIV

1.65 M N SPRINGFIELD C.L., Hampden, MA

Built 1979 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 4,725

HWY PLAINFLD RD

Fair

Over: WATER WESTFIELD RIVER

BETWEEN NASH RD & MAIN ST, Hampshire, MA

Built 1939 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 429

BURGESS ROAD

Fair

Over: PRIEST BROOK

16.09 KM N OF GARDNER, Worcester, MA

Built 1925 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 20

HWY TEMPLE ST

Fair

Over: ST 3 PILGRIM HWY

1 M W OF MARSHFIELD TL, Plymouth, MA

Built 1962 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 786

HWY KELTON ST

Fair

Over: ST140

1.3 MI. N. OF ST-101, Worcester, MA

Built 1980 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 150

US 20 CAPE ST

Fair

Over: I 90

1 MI W. OF BECKET RD A19, Berkshire, MA

Built 1957 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 5,952

Showing 2,051-2,100 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.