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 FRNT RD NB

Fair

Over: HWY RAMP K

MASS AVE. INT., Suffolk, MA

Built 2000 Load: 67.2 t ADT: 46,800

US 1 SB/NEWBRY ST

Fair

Over: ST 62 MAPLE ST

1.6 MI N OF ST-114, Essex, MA

Built 1950 Load: 67.2 t ADT: 19,815

HWY LINCOLN ST

Fair

Over: WATER CHARLES RIVER

CHRLS. RIVER @ MDWY. T.L., Norfolk, MA

Built 1900 Load: 67.2 t ADT: 3,000

HWY WHITNEY ST

Fair

Over: WATER NORTH BROOK

0.1 MI N OF NORTBORO LINE, Worcester, MA

Built 1958 Load: 67.3 t ADT: 3,800

HWY PLEASANT ST

Fair

Over: WATER CHARLES RIVER

.1 MI SOUTH OF ST. 16, Middlesex, MA

Built 1861 Load: 67.5 t ADT: 9,000

HWY BELGRADE AVE

Fair

Over: RR MBTA

JUST S OF HOLY NAME ROT, Suffolk, MA

Built 1918 Load: 67.7 t ADT: 14,600

HWY CONCORD RD

Fair

Over: OTHER CENTRAL RAIL TRAIL

0.6 KM NWLY BSTON POST RD, Middlesex, MA

Built 1911 Load: 67.7 t ADT: 5,431

HWY MYST VAL PKY

Fair

Over: WATER ALEWIFE BROOK

.4 MI N OF BROADWAY, Middlesex, MA

Built 1908 Load: 67.8 t ADT: 16,200

ST117 GREAT RD

Fair

Over: WATER ASSABET RIVER

0.4 MILES E STOW T. L., Middlesex, MA

Built 1900 Load: 67.8 t ADT: 12,464

HWY HEATH ST

Fair

Over: COMB AMTRAK/MBTA & ORNG

BTWN TERRACE & COLUMBUS, Suffolk, MA

Built 1981 Load: 68.0 t ADT: 15,250

HWY WALDNGFLD RD

Fair

Over: RR MBTA

AT RR TRACKS, Essex, MA

Built 1927 Load: 68.0 t ADT: 800

ST 3 OFF RAMP NB

Fair

Over: WATER MILL RIVER

.16 KM N OF ST 3, Norfolk, MA

Built 1957 Load: 68.1 t ADT: 12,700

ST113 PLEASANT ST

Fair

Over: WATER BEAVER BK WEST STR

.8 KM N RIVERSIDE ST, Middlesex, MA

Built 1855 Load: 68.3 t ADT: 17,123

HWY BOYLSTON ST

Fair

Over: COMB AMTRAK/MBTA & ORNG

AT STONY BROOK SUBSTATION, Suffolk, MA

Built 1981 Load: 68.4 t ADT: 3,500

ST 12 MAIN ST

Fair

Over: WATER FRENCH RIVER

AT WEBSTER-DUDLEY T.L., Worcester, MA

Built 1868 Load: 68.4 t ADT: 12,630

HWY TRUMAN HWY

Fair

Over: WATER NEPONSET RIVER

.32 KM N OF NEPONST VL PK, Suffolk, MA

Built 1939 Load: 68.6 t ADT: 18,103

HWY E HAVERHILL

Fair

Over: WATER SPICKET RIVER

0.4 KM SW OF PROSPECT ST, Essex, MA

Built 2012 Load: 69.0 t ADT: 11,379

HWY SPRING ST

Fair

Over: WATER THREE MILE RIVER

@ TAUNTON TOWN LINE, Bristol, MA

Built 1959 Load: 69.1 t ADT: 4,600

US 1 WASHNGTON ST

Fair

Over: RR MACRR

CSX QBF 4.9 @ STADIUM, Norfolk, MA

Built 1995 Load: 69.5 t ADT: 13,285

ST140 E CENTRAL ST

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/CSX

0.1 MI WEST OF SUMMER ST, Norfolk, MA

Built 1899 Load: 69.5 t ADT: 29,013

I 91 & NASHS MILL

Fair

Over: WATER NASHS MILL BROOK

MM 44.6 ON I-91, Franklin, MA

Built 1962 Load: 69.5 t ADT: 36,983

HWY PERKINS ST

Fair

Over: WATER SALISBURY BROOK

0.3 MI E OF RT 28, Plymouth, MA

Built 1914 Load: 69.6 t ADT: 2,571

HWY BERK SCHOOL

Fair

Over: WATER DRY BROOK

900 EAST OF ROUTE 41, Berkshire, MA

Built 1956 Load: 69.6 t ADT: 3,788

HWY MCKEON RD

Fair

Over: COMB BLKSTNE RIV / BKWY

.1 M WEST OF ST146 MM20, Worcester, MA

Built 2005 Load: 69.7 t ADT: 16,555

HWY RUSSEL STAGE

Fair

Over: WATER FREELAND BROOK

.3 MI W OF BLANDFORD TL, Hampden, MA

Built 1956 Load: 70.2 t ADT: 517

I 93 NB RAMP S-N

Fair

Over: HWY NASHUA ST

0.32 KM E OF LEVRTT CIR, Suffolk, MA

Built 2005 Load: 70.3 t ADT: 47,100

ST 66 WEST ST

Fair

Over: WATER MILL RIVER

.4 MI W JCT ST 9, Hampshire, MA

Built 1924 Load: 70.3 t ADT: 11,767

I 95 NB/ST128 NB

Fair

Over: HWY SUMMER ST

0.5 MI S OF US-1, Essex, MA

Built 1940 Load: 70.5 t ADT: 55,400

HWY W MAIN ST

Fair

Over: WATER LAKE QUINSIGAMOND

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

Built 1939 Load: 70.9 t ADT: 21,580

ST 28 N MAIN ST

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

.4 MI N ANDOVER CENTER, Essex, MA

Built 1929 Load: 71.3 t ADT: 22,800

HWY MARGARET ST

Fair

Over: TR MARGARET BROOK

.1 MI N OF HIGH ST, Hampden, MA

Built 1956 Load: 71.3 t ADT: 6,983

HWY WESTERN AVE

Fair

Over: WATER CHARLES RIVER

CITY LINE BOS CAMB, Suffolk, MA

Built 1924 Load: 71.4 t ADT: 26,100

HWY WASHNGTON RD

Fair

Over: WATER PENNY BROOK

JCT OF JOHN HALEY ROAD, Hampden, MA

Built 1956 Load: 71.4 t ADT: 1,034

HWY STANDLEY ST

Fair

Over: ST128

1.2 MILES S GRAPEVINE RD., Essex, MA

Built 1952 Load: 71.8 t ADT: 2,844

HWY LAKEVIEW AVE

Fair

Over: WATER BEAVER BROOK

.40 KM E OF MAMMOTH RD, Middlesex, MA

Built 1850 Load: 71.9 t ADT: 9,250

I 93 RAMP AS

Fair

Over: OTHER RELIEF

UNIT 1, Suffolk, MA

Built 2003 Load: 72.0 t ADT: 26,120

HWY SUMMER ST

Fair

Over: WATER SHAWSHEEN RIVER

2.5 MI E OF SOUTH RD, Middlesex, MA

Built 1959 Load: 72.3 t ADT: 26,897

HWY CHARLTON ST

Fair

Over: WATER FRENCH RIVER

.15 MI NW OF DUDLEY RD, Worcester, MA

Built 1880 Load: 72.6 t ADT: 15,646

HWY DANFORTH ST

Fair

Over: WATER PALMER RIVER

.25 MI NW OF RTE 44, Bristol, MA

Built 1936 Load: 72.6 t ADT: 1,423

ST 16 GORE RD

Fair

Over: WATER NORTH POND

.4 MILES EAST OF I-395, Worcester, MA

Built 1956 Load: 72.6 t ADT: 3,358

ST143 MAIN RD

Fair

Over: WATER DEAD BR WSTFLD RIV

850 W. OF BISBEE RD, Hampshire, MA

Built 1959 Load: 73.2 t ADT: 4,138

ST112 WORTHGTN RD

Fair

Over: WATER WESTFIELD RIVER

AT MONTGOMERY ROAD, Hampshire, MA

Built 1921 Load: 73.4 t ADT: 3,245

HWY TULLY RD

Fair

Over: WATER W BR TULLY RIVER

@BTTRWTH RD BLISSVILLE, Franklin, MA

Built 1951 Load: 73.4 t ADT: 1,551

I 190 SB RAMP C

Fair

Over: HWY W BOYLSTON DR

AT MATTSON AVE, Worcester, MA

Built 1977 Load: 73.4 t ADT: 7,640

ST 21 JABISH ST

Fair

Over: WATER JABISH BROOK

.1 M W JCT ST 9, Hampshire, MA

Built 1956 Load: 73.7 t ADT: 4,650

HWY RUGGLES ST

Fair

Over: COMB AMTRAK/MBTA & ORNG

AT RUGGLES STATION, Suffolk, MA

Built 1982 Load: 73.8 t ADT: 267

HWY CLUB ST

Fair

Over: RR (ABANDONED)

INTERSECTION BAY & CLUB S, Bristol, MA

Built 1912 Load: 73.8 t ADT: 500

HWY ATHERTON ST

Fair

Over: COMB AMTRAK/MBTA & ORNG

N OF STONY BROOK SUBSTA, Suffolk, MA

Built 1980 Load: 73.9 t ADT: 3,500

HWY BRYTN PNT RD

Fair

Over: I 195

1.3MI W OF FALL RIVER C.L, Bristol, MA

Built 1960 Load: 74.2 t ADT: 2,300

HWY WASHNGTON ST

Fair

Over: WATER MOTHER BROOK

.5 KM. NE OF US 1, Norfolk, MA

Built 1959 Load: 74.5 t ADT: 30,000

Showing 3,251-3,300 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.