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 NB

Fair

Over: OTHER RELIEF

0.0 M S I-90 WB B16702 U2, Suffolk, MA

Built 2002 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 77,653

I 91 SB

Fair

Over: HWY COUNTRY CLUB RD

MM 19.8 ON I-91 SB, Hampden, MA

Built 1964 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 53,922

I 91 NB

Fair

Over: HWY COUNTRY CLUB RD

MM 19.8 ON I-91 NB, Hampden, MA

Built 1964 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 50,819

I 91 NB

Fair

Over: HWY RESERVATION RD

MM 19.2 ON I-91 NB, Hampden, MA

Built 1964 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 42,543

I 91 SB

Fair

Over: HWY RESERVATION RD

MM 19.2 ON I-91 SB, Hampden, MA

Built 1964 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 42,543

HWY WHITCOMB AVE

Fair

Over: ST 2

0.75 MI. W. OF I-495, Middlesex, MA

Built 1950 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 400

ST122 S MAIN ST

Fair

Over: RR GWRR

200 S JCT MAIN ST, Franklin, MA

Built 1930 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 6,500

I 190 SB

Fair

Over: ST 12 NB & RAMP B

I-190 MM 0.9, Worcester, MA

Built 1977 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 35,606

HWY BRIMBAL AVE

Fair

Over: ST128

AT BRIMBALL AVE, Essex, MA

Built 1948 Load: 41.6 t ADT: 14,400

I 93 /US1/ST3

Fair

Over: OTHER PED/ BIKE PATH

7.4 KM S OF JCT I90&I93, Suffolk, MA

Built 1956 Load: 41.6 t ADT: 172,489

HWY WATER ST

Fair

Over: WATER EEL POND

3.2 MI SW OF RT 28-W.HOLE, Barnstable, MA

Built 1940 Load: 41.6 t ADT: 6,750

HWY HANOVER ST

Fair

Over: WATER LITTLE RIVER

.62 K SOUTH OF NEWBURYPO, Essex, MA

Built 1997 Load: 41.6 t ADT: 2,974

US 1 CUTLER HWY

Fair

Over: WATER TOWN LINE BROOK

US-1 AT MM 53.6, Suffolk, MA

Built 1957 Load: 41.6 t ADT: 89,000

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: COMB MDC AQUEDUCT & CSX

MM 61.2 /1.5 MI N OF ST-9, Worcester, MA

Built 1962 Load: 41.6 t ADT: 41,411

I 90

Fair

Over: WATER MUDDY RIVER

.2 MI FENWAY PARK S53, Suffolk, MA

Built 1965 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 128,567

I 93 NB

Fair

Over: COMB I90 RPS&HOV&AMTK

0.2 MI N I-90 EB, Suffolk, MA

Built 2002 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 116,800

ST 62 /ST2A/MAIN

Fair

Over: WATER SUDBURY RIVER

1.0 KM NE RT 2, Middlesex, MA

Built 1909 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 17,100

ST 16 GALEN ST

Fair

Over: WATER CHARLES RIVER

AT NONANTUM RD, Middlesex, MA

Built 1907 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 42,200

HWY POND ST

Fair

Over: WATER POWWOW RIVER

1.2 MI N OF I-495, Essex, MA

Built 1850 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 3,500

HWY FOREST HILLS

Fair

Over: HWY CEMETERY RD

JUST N OF MORTON ST, Suffolk, MA

Built 1894 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 16,034

I 90 EB

Fair

Over: HWY DEERNOLM ST

@ MM 96.9, Worcester, MA

Built 1957 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 38,314

ST 41 N PLAIN RD

Fair

Over: WATER WILLIAMS RIVER

@ DIVISION ST INT., Berkshire, MA

Built 1900 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 5,172

I 91 NB

Fair

Over: US 5 /ST10/BRNRDSTN RD

MM 48.4 ON I-91 NB, Franklin, MA

Built 1965 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 9,871

I 91 SB

Fair

Over: US 5 /ST10/BRNRDSTN RD

MM 48.4 ON I-91 SB, Franklin, MA

Built 1965 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 10,956

ST 2

Fair

Over: HWY FOSTER ST

ROUTE 2 MM 113.6, Middlesex, MA

Built 1950 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 44,387

HWY PLAIN ST

Fair

Over: RR CSX (ABAND)

0.25 SE LWLL CONN, Middlesex, MA

Built 1993 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 7,500

ST 63 FEDERAL ST

Fair

Over: RR GWRR & NECRR

100 N JCT HIGHLAND ST, Franklin, MA

Built 1935 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 3,400

US 20 MAIN ST

Fair

Over: WATER WACHUSETT AQUEDUCT

0.3 MI W OF BARTLETT ST, Worcester, MA

Built 1931 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 10,825

ST146 SB

Fair

Over: HWY LACKEY DAM RD

0.1 MI S DOUGLS-UXBRG TL, Worcester, MA

Built 1983 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 20,057

US 7 SIMONDS RD

Fair

Over: COMB HOOSIC RIV & PARR

1.1M N OF RTE 2 RR428.13, Berkshire, MA

Built 1933 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 4,287

HWY WASHNGTON ST

Fair

Over: WATER ABERJONA RIVER

.48 KM S. OF WOBURN, Middlesex, MA

Built 1934 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 18,233

HWY OLYMPIA AVE

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

1.1 KM W STONEHAM, Middlesex, MA

Built 1963 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 13,375

HWY W MOUNTN ST

Fair

Over: I 190

MM3.2 .6 MI. W. OF ST-12, Worcester, MA

Built 1975 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 13,132

I 190 NB

Fair

Over: ST 12 NB & RAMP B

I-190 NB/12 & RAMP B, Worcester, MA

Built 1977 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 26,688

US 20 WASHNGTON ST

Fair

Over: WATER WORC DVRSN CHANNEL

.25 MI.W.OFGREENWOOD ST., Worcester, MA

Built 1958 Load: 41.9 t ADT: 19,643

HWY MASS AV CONN

Fair

Over: OTHER RELIEF

MASS AVE. INT., Suffolk, MA

Built 2000 Load: 41.9 t ADT: 55,474

I 495 NB

Fair

Over: ST 28 NB/UNION ST

2.5 MI N I93, Essex, MA

Built 1962 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 47,400

I 93 /US1/ST3

Fair

Over: RR CSX SPUR

2 MI S OF JCT I90&I93, Suffolk, MA

Built 1958 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 188,320

ST169 SOUTHBRDG RD

Fair

Over: WATER CADY BROOK

1.3MI.N.OF SOUTHBRIDG TL., Worcester, MA

Built 1948 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 11,270

I 90 WB

Fair

Over: HWY DEERNOLM ST

MM 96.9, Worcester, MA

Built 1957 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 36,707

HWY ROGERS ST

Fair

Over: TR GREEN LINE D

OVER GREEN LINE, Middlesex, MA

Built 1906 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 766

HWY BEACON ST

Fair

Over: TR GREEN LINE D

OVER GREEN LINE, Middlesex, MA

Built 1917 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 24,000

ST135 SOUTH ST

Fair

Over: WATER ASSABET RIVER

AT WESTBORO TOWN LINE, Worcester, MA

Built 1947 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 9,124

HWY WARWICK RD

Fair

Over: WATER MILL BROOK

0.15 MI NE OF ST MARYS ST, Franklin, MA

Built 1937 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 1,100

HWY LAUREL ST

Fair

Over: I 190

1.5 MI S OF ST-140, Worcester, MA

Built 1979 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 3,148

I 495 NB

Fair

Over: I 93

JCT I-93 & I-495, Essex, MA

Built 1961 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 58,248

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: I 93

JCT I-93 & I-495, Essex, MA

Built 1961 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 59,694

ST 1 A

Fair

Over: OTHER RELIEF

1.3 KM NE OF CALLAHAN TUN, Suffolk, MA

Built 1951 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 102,900

HWY PLAIN ST

Fair

Over: WATER SALISBURY PLAIN R

AT CAMPELLO T STATION, Plymouth, MA

Built 1988 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 7,571

HWY FIFTH ST

Fair

Over: COMB BMRR & N NASHUA RI

5TH ST/N NASH RIV-B&M RR, Worcester, MA

Built 2002 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 9,650

Showing 2,401-2,450 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.