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 RAMP LL

Fair

Over: COMB HOV EB & AMTRK&WYE

.5 MI S. OF I90 EB, Suffolk, MA

Built 2002 Load: 43.4 t ADT: 11,522

ST 2

Fair

Over: HWY CENTRAL ST

2.4 MI. E OF I-495, Middlesex, MA

Built 1950 Load: 43.4 t ADT: 37,218

HWY OLD PALMER

Fair

Over: WATER FOSKETT MILL STRM

1MI. S OF RT20, Hampden, MA

Built 1956 Load: 43.4 t ADT: 259

I 91 NB

Fair

Over: HWY SEVERANCE ST

MM 47.6 ON I-91 NB, Franklin, MA

Built 1961 Load: 43.4 t ADT: 9,515

HWY FARM AVENUE

Fair

Over: I 95 /ST128

1 MI N OF US-1, Essex, MA

Built 1988 Load: 43.4 t ADT: 4,300

ST146 SB

Fair

Over: WATER MUMFORD RIVER

.7MI. S. OF LACKEY DAM RD, Worcester, MA

Built 1983 Load: 43.4 t ADT: 20,057

HWY MOODY ST

Fair

Over: WATER CHARLES RIVER

.89 MI. N. NEWTON TWN.LN., Middlesex, MA

Built 1917 Load: 43.4 t ADT: 13,500

I 90 WB

Fair

Over: HWY MOSCOW RD

.3 MI W. INT. 1 A4, Berkshire, MA

Built 1957 Load: 43.4 t ADT: 9,629

HWY LOOMIS ST

Fair

Over: WATER MUNN BROOK

3MI N OF RT57 SWCK NR GVL, Hampden, MA

Built 1916 Load: 43.4 t ADT: 646

HWY POTATO HL RD

Fair

Over: WATER PHILLIPS BROOK

0.1MI W OF ST-12, Worcester, MA

Built 1993 Load: 43.4 t ADT: 145

US 5

Fair

Over: HWY RIVER RD

JCT US 5 & RIVER RD., Hampden, MA

Built 1953 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 30,259

HWY POLLARD ST

Fair

Over: WATER CONCORD RIVER

AT JCT TREBLE COVE RD, Middlesex, MA

Built 1998 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 5,500

I 90 EB

Fair

Over: HWY PARSONS ST

.16 KM S. CHARLES RV S36, Suffolk, MA

Built 1964 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 44,057

I 90 WB

Fair

Over: HWY PARSONS ST

.16 KM S. CHARLES RV S36, Suffolk, MA

Built 1964 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 43,643

HWY SHAWMUT AVE

Fair

Over: COMB AMTRAK/MBTA

OVER ORANGE LINE, Suffolk, MA

Built 1932 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 8,700

I 90 WB

Fair

Over: HWY MONTGOMERY ST

MM 48.8 ON I-90 WB, Hampden, MA

Built 1957 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 25,405

ST 3 PILGRIM HWY

Fair

Over: RR MBTA

RR MP 33/885, Plymouth, MA

Built 1954 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 65,943

HWY ALLEN ST

Fair

Over: WATER MILL RIVER

AT JCT OF CENTRAL ST, Hampden, MA

Built 1875 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 7,878

I 90 WB

Fair

Over: HWY CLARKE RD

I-90 MM 75.4, Worcester, MA

Built 1957 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 24,514

HWY STEVENS ST

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/CSX

MP QNB 14.8, Bristol, MA

Built 1995 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 3,300

ST 9 E MAIN ST

Fair

Over: WATER COYS BROOK

0.1MI E OF FSTR HLL RD, Worcester, MA

Built 1901 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 10,500

HWY DRY BRDGE RD

Fair

Over: RR PVRR

.2 M N JCT HOLYOKE ST, Hampden, MA

Built 1923 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 50

HWY PARK AVE

Fair

Over: COMB MINUTMN BP & BROOK

91.4 M NO OF MASS AVE, Middlesex, MA

Built 1900 Load: 43.6 t ADT: 18,500

ST 3

Fair

Over: HWY LIBERTY ST

1.3 KM W. OF WEYMOUTH, Norfolk, MA

Built 1957 Load: 43.6 t ADT: 114,641

I 495 RAMP K

Fair

Over: HWY COMMONWEALTH DR

350 E OF MARSTON ST, Essex, MA

Built 2002 Load: 43.6 t ADT: 3,248

ST 3 PILGRIM HWY

Fair

Over: HWY LONG POND RD

3.5 M S OF KINGSTON TL, Plymouth, MA

Built 1950 Load: 43.6 t ADT: 127,758

HWY HARRISON BLV

Fair

Over: ST 24

POND/CENTRAL ST BEYOND, Norfolk, MA

Built 1996 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 33,600

HWY MERIDIAN ST

Fair

Over: ST 1 A/NB

AT EAST END OF CAL TNL, Suffolk, MA

Built 1961 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 20,689

I 93 STRRW DR CON

Fair

Over: WATER CHARLES RIVER

I93/US1 INTERCHANGE, Suffolk, MA

Built 1999 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 74,323

ST 3

Fair

Over: WATER MONATIQUOT RIVER

.3 MI SE OF UNION ST, Norfolk, MA

Built 1957 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 236,250

HWY SNAKE HLL RD

Fair

Over: WATER CADY BROOK

1.5 MI. S. OF ST 20, Worcester, MA

Built 1956 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 937

HWY ROWE RD

Fair

Over: WATER GREEN RIVER

E OF RT71 0.5M S OF ALFRD, Berkshire, MA

Built 1900 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 388

ST 9 WORCESTER RD

Fair

Over: I 90

.5 MI W OF MDC RES, Middlesex, MA

Built 1957 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 45,084

HWY LOGAN ST

Fair

Over: RR BMRR

BETWEEN CHESTNUT & PINE, Worcester, MA

Built 1930 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 1,100

I 93 OFF RAMP NB

Fair

Over: HWY WEST ST

1 MI N OF JCT I93&128, Norfolk, MA

Built 1956 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 6,878

ST 3 RPS CC&C&X&Y

Fair

Over: RR CSX SPUR TO LEDGER

.32 KM SO OF CENTER ST., Norfolk, MA

Built 1981 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 67,900

I 93

Fair

Over: RR BMRR SPUR (ABAND)

STONEHAM-WOBURN TOWN LINE, Middlesex, MA

Built 1958 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 164,532

HWY BOYLSTON ST

Fair

Over: WATER MUDDY RIVER

.2 MI W OF MASS AVE, Suffolk, MA

Built 1881 Load: 43.8 t ADT: 51,600

ST116 SPRNGFLD ST

Fair

Over: WATER DWIGHT MFG CANAL

AT INT FRONT/SPRINGFIELD, Hampden, MA

Built 1931 Load: 43.8 t ADT: 32,500

HWY GRAPE ST

Fair

Over: WATER DWIGHT MFG CANAL

300 N. JCT FRONT ST, Hampden, MA

Built 1943 Load: 43.8 t ADT: 130

I 495 NB

Fair

Over: COMB FORBS//AMTRAK/MBTA

1.9 MI E OF I 95, Bristol, MA

Built 1978 Load: 43.8 t ADT: 37,280

I 495 SB

Fair

Over: COMB FORBS//AMTRAK/MBTA

1.9 MI E OF I 95, Bristol, MA

Built 1978 Load: 43.8 t ADT: 36,695

HWY CENTRAL TNPK

Fair

Over: ST146

1.1 MI SO OF BOSTON RD, Worcester, MA

Built 1982 Load: 43.8 t ADT: 7,779

HWY BEAVER ST

Fair

Over: WATER BEAVER BROOK

.1 MI.EST.OF ST.12, Worcester, MA

Built 1909 Load: 43.8 t ADT: 1,450

HWY RAMP CC

Fair

Over: ST 3 & RAMPS C&F

AT ST 3 SB, Norfolk, MA

Built 1981 Load: 43.9 t ADT: 23,300

I 190 SB

Fair

Over: HWY ROWLEY HILL RD

@ MILE MARKER 12.8, Worcester, MA

Built 1980 Load: 43.9 t ADT: 18,874

I 190 NB

Fair

Over: HWY ROWLEY HILL RD

I-190 MM 12.8, Worcester, MA

Built 1980 Load: 43.9 t ADT: 29,568

HWY GROVE ST

Fair

Over: OTHER GREENWAY M/U PATH

.32 KM S RTE 16, Middlesex, MA

Built 1969 Load: 43.9 t ADT: 8,793

HWY BRIDGE ST

Fair

Over: WATER TEN MILE RIVER

100 FT W OF KNIGHT ST, Bristol, MA

Built 1850 Load: 44.0 t ADT: 1,928

HWY TECHNOLGY DR

Fair

Over: WATER CHICOPEE RIVER

200 N JCT ST 141, Hampden, MA

Built 1991 Load: 44.0 t ADT: 18,620

Showing 2,551-2,600 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.