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 CARRINGTN RD

Fair

Over: WATER ROARING BROOK

0.6 MI S OF MAIN RD., Hampden, MA

Built 1998 Load: 47.3 t ADT: 776

HWY BULLARD RD

Fair

Over: WATER E WACHUSETT BROOK

.4 MI. N. OF RT. 62, Worcester, MA

Built 1960 Load: 47.3 t ADT: 400

US202 ELM ST

Fair

Over: WATER OTTER RIVER

250 S OF INT CENTRAL ST, Worcester, MA

Built 1999 Load: 47.3 t ADT: 8,100

ST113 /ST3A/KENDLL

Fair

Over: RR BMRR

AT TYNGSBOROUGH BRIDGE, Middlesex, MA

Built 1930 Load: 47.3 t ADT: 22,300

I 90 WB

Fair

Over: HWY MORGAN RD

MM 44.1 ON I-90 EB, Hampden, MA

Built 1957 Load: 47.3 t ADT: 31,191

I 93 RAMP X

Fair

Over: OTHER RELIEF

I93/I90 INTERCHANGE, Suffolk, MA

Built 2004 Load: 47.4 t ADT: 1,221

HWY LYMAN ST

Fair

Over: RR CSX

1.1MI.STH.OF US-20, Worcester, MA

Built 1900 Load: 47.4 t ADT: 3,600

I 93 NB

Fair

Over: I 93 SB

I93/US1 INTERCHANGE, Suffolk, MA

Built 2003 Load: 47.5 t ADT: 70,395

I 93 RAMP SA-CN

Fair

Over: I 93 RAMPS

NORTH BANK CHARLES RIVER, Suffolk, MA

Built 2004 Load: 47.5 t ADT: 20,359

I 93 RAMP NS

Fair

Over: US 1 RAMP TC & LC

I93/US1 INTERCHANGE, Suffolk, MA

Built 1999 Load: 47.5 t ADT: 20,547

HWY FOUNTAIN ST

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/CSX

.1 MI N OF ST-135, Middlesex, MA

Built 1900 Load: 47.5 t ADT: 9,376

HWY QNCY CTR CON

Fair

Over: COMB MBTA&REDS&PARKING

1.4 MI NORTH OF RTE 3, Norfolk, MA

Built 2002 Load: 47.5 t ADT: 33,210

ST 62 BURLINGTN RD

Fair

Over: WATER SHAWSHEEN RIVER

.8 MI W OF RTE 3, Middlesex, MA

Built 1962 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 17,100

HWY COPICUT RD

Fair

Over: ST 24

AT COPICUT RD, Bristol, MA

Built 1951 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 1,034

I 90 WB

Fair

Over: HWY WEST ST

MM 52.8 ON I-90 WB, Hampden, MA

Built 1957 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 54,569

ST 10 COLLEGE HWY

Fair

Over: WATER MANHAN RIVER

.8 M S SOUTHHAMPTON T.L., Hampshire, MA

Built 1986 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 19,138

HWY CITY TUNNEL

Fair

Over: HWY HIGHLAND ST

.2 MI. W. OF I-290, Worcester, MA

Built 1954 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 1,000

ST128

Fair

Over: ST 97 CABOT ST

500 WEST OF DODGE ST, Essex, MA

Built 1947 Load: 47.7 t ADT: 76,198

HWY RAMP 1A/D

Fair

Over: HWY RAMP 1A-A

1.20 KM SE OF CALLAHAN TU, Suffolk, MA

Built 2001 Load: 47.7 t ADT: 10,600

ST 3

Fair

Over: HWY UNION ST N ROTARY

ST 3 AT UNION ST, Norfolk, MA

Built 1957 Load: 47.7 t ADT: 63,986

HWY ACCESS RD

Fair

Over: WATER MILL CREEK

IN CHELSEA, Suffolk, MA

Built 1993 Load: 47.7 t ADT: 4,000

I 190 RAMPS G & E

Fair

Over: HWY MECHANIC ST

.25 MI. W. OF LANCSTR PIT, Worcester, MA

Built 1977 Load: 47.7 t ADT: 10,680

ST140 TAUNTON AVE

Fair

Over: RR CSX/MACRR

MP QN 6.64, Bristol, MA

Built 1966 Load: 47.7 t ADT: 5,714

I 90 EB

Fair

Over: HWY CLARKE RD

I-90 MM 75.4, Worcester, MA

Built 1957 Load: 47.7 t ADT: 24,667

ST 38 MAIN ST

Fair

Over: RR BMRR

0.4 MI SELY RT 495, Middlesex, MA

Built 1938 Load: 47.7 t ADT: 29,095

HWY W BROADWAY

Fair

Over: COMB HAUL RD & MBTA RED

1.1 KM SW OF D ST, Suffolk, MA

Built 1918 Load: 47.8 t ADT: 18,103

I 93 RAMP NS

Fair

Over: RR MBTA

I93 US1 INTERCHANGE, Suffolk, MA

Built 1999 Load: 47.8 t ADT: 31,000

HWY UNION ST EB

Fair

Over: WATER MONATIQUOT RIVER

.32 KM. SW OF MIDDLE ST, Norfolk, MA

Built 1957 Load: 47.8 t ADT: 16,000

ST101 PARKER ST

Fair

Over: WATER OTTER RIVER

DIRECTLY ON TEMPLETON T.L, Worcester, MA

Built 1963 Load: 47.8 t ADT: 4,429

I 495

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/CSX QNB 20.82

CSX TRACK MP QNB 20.82, Plymouth, MA

Built 1958 Load: 47.8 t ADT: 47,237

HWY SECOND ST

Fair

Over: RR CSX

INT ADAMS & PLSNT 149.93, Berkshire, MA

Built 1999 Load: 47.8 t ADT: 5,000

HWY PLEASANT ST

Fair

Over: I 495

0.5 M S OF RTE 24, Bristol, MA

Built 1983 Load: 47.8 t ADT: 6,000

US 1 RAMP TC

Fair

Over: COMB I93 RMP NS & MBTA

I93/US1 INTERCHANGE, Suffolk, MA

Built 2002 Load: 47.9 t ADT: 51,207

HWY BRIDGE RD

Fair

Over: WATER MEADOW BROOK

0.25 M SW GILBERTVILLE RD, Worcester, MA

Built 1956 Load: 47.9 t ADT: 50

I 93 RAMP MW

Fair

Over: COMB I90&RMP LL KK&AMTK

.5 M N OF I90, Suffolk, MA

Built 2002 Load: 48.0 t ADT: 2,521

HWY SUDBURY ST

Fair

Over: WATER MILL CANAL

.2MI.SOUTH OF ST.62, Middlesex, MA

Built 1956 Load: 48.0 t ADT: 2,500

I 90 WB

Fair

Over: HWY INDIAN ROCK ROAD

I-90 MM 119.8, Middlesex, MA

Built 1957 Load: 48.0 t ADT: 65,074

US 1 RAMP CT

Fair

Over: OTHER RELIEF

US1 RAMP C-T, Suffolk, MA

Built 2001 Load: 48.1 t ADT: 46,604

HWY JUG END RD

Fair

Over: WATER KARNER BROOK

AT INT W/MT.WASHINGTON RD, Berkshire, MA

Built 1956 Load: 48.1 t ADT: 647

HWY CRAWFORD ST

Fair

Over: WATER BAKER BROOK

.1 M NW OF AIRPORT, Worcester, MA

Built 1962 Load: 48.1 t ADT: 8,252

HWY WALNUT ST

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

1.1 KM SW JCT SR28&3, Middlesex, MA

Built 1902 Load: 48.1 t ADT: 3,900

HWY DANE ST

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

3.2 KM N OF HARVARD BR., Middlesex, MA

Built 1913 Load: 48.1 t ADT: 10,900

HWY BRIDGE ST

Fair

Over: WATER STONY BROOK

1 MI S OF ST-40, Middlesex, MA

Built 1870 Load: 48.1 t ADT: 3,400

I 93 SB CONNECTOR

Fair

Over: I 93 NB

I 93 SB AT I 93 NB, Norfolk, MA

Built 1957 Load: 48.2 t ADT: 68,793

HWY ASHTON AVE

Fair

Over: WATER HOOSIC RIVER

450 S OF JCT W/MASS AVE, Berkshire, MA

Built 1985 Load: 48.2 t ADT: 2,350

HWY HENDERSON ST

Fair

Over: WATER ALEWIFE BROOK

072288 128465599, Middlesex, MA

Built 1913 Load: 48.3 t ADT: 650

HWY KEVENEY LN

Fair

Over: WATER MILL CREEK

1.5 MI N OF RT 6, Barnstable, MA

Built 1978 Load: 48.3 t ADT: 800

US 20 CHESTER ROAD

Fair

Over: WATER WALKER BROOK

0.55MI E OF JCT W/RT8 N, Berkshire, MA

Built 1931 Load: 48.3 t ADT: 1,662

ST 27 CRESCENT ST

Fair

Over: WATER TROUT BROOK

0.6 M E OF RTE 28, Plymouth, MA

Built 1976 Load: 48.3 t ADT: 14,353

ST 99 NB/BROADWAY

Fair

Over: ST 16 REV BCH PKWY

.1 MI W OF LEWIS ST, Middlesex, MA

Built 1956 Load: 48.3 t ADT: 18,800

Showing 2,801-2,850 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.