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 HUBBARD AVE

Good

Over: WATER E BR HOUSATONIC R

AT INT W/ ST ROUTES 8 & 9, Berkshire, MA

Built 1995 Load: 26.0 t ADT: 42,207

HWY SUMMER ST

Good

Over: ST 3 PILGRIM HWY

1 MI W OF RTE 3A, Plymouth, MA

Built 1951 Load: 26.0 t ADT: 8,286

HWY MILLER AVE

Good

Over: WATER MILLER RED BRK

.2 M NORTH POMEROY/MEADOW, Hampshire, MA

Built 1989 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 259

HWY LOWER COUNTY

Good

Over: WATER HERRING RIVER

2 MI W OF RT 28, Barnstable, MA

Built 1930 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 3,143

HWY LOCUST ST

Good

Over: WATER ASSONET RIVER

.01 MI N OF RTE 79, Bristol, MA

Built 1960 Load: 26.6 t ADT: 1,214

HWY FRANKLIN ST

Good

Over: WATER SUDBURY RIVER

1000 FT N MT WAITE AV, Middlesex, MA

Built 1934 Load: 26.8 t ADT: 4,387

HWY MT PLSANT AV

Good

Over: WATER ASNEBUMSKIT BROOK

.3 MI E OF ST-122A, Worcester, MA

Built 1985 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 3,367

HWY ROOT RD

Good

Over: WATER GLENDALE BROOK

.1 MI E OF ARTHR PEASE RD, Hampshire, MA

Built 1984 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 259

I 91

Good

Over: WATER FALLS BROOK

MM 52.4 ON I-91, Franklin, MA

Built 1958 Load: 27.3 t ADT: 15,215

HWY SKYLINE TRL

Good

Over: WATER ROARING BROOK

1.7MI N OF OLD CHESTER RD, Hampden, MA

Built 1930 Load: 27.7 t ADT: 536

HWY WOOD ST

Good

Over: I 495

1.0 M S OF RTE 105, Plymouth, MA

Built 1958 Load: 27.7 t ADT: 2,714

HWY SIBLEY ROAD

Good

Over: WATER PELHAM BROOK

100 YDS E OF ZOAR RD, Franklin, MA

Built 1985 Load: 27.7 t ADT: 129

I 495 NB

Good

Over: HWY KING ST

I-495 @ EXIT 16, Norfolk, MA

Built 1966 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 42,890

I 495 SB

Good

Over: HWY KING ST

I-495 @ EXIT 16, Norfolk, MA

Built 1966 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 33,852

ST 12 /ST140/WRSTR

Good

Over: WATER WACHUSETT RESERVR

.3 MI NE OF B&M RR, Worcester, MA

Built 1904 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 10,557

HWY BEACH ST

Good

Over: TR BLUE LINE

AT INTERSECT KIMBALL AVE, Suffolk, MA

Built 1938 Load: 28.0 t ADT: 8,900

I 190 SB

Good

Over: HWY PRATT JUNCTION RD

MM 14.6, Worcester, MA

Built 1978 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 19,326

HWY CHESTNUT ST

Good

Over: WATER DAVIS BROOK

0.9MI FROM JCT W/ROUTE 20, Berkshire, MA

Built 1939 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 129

I 495 NB

Good

Over: WATER WEWEANTIC RIVER

0.5 M S OF RTE 58, Plymouth, MA

Built 1964 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 21,071

ST112 WORTHGTN RD

Good

Over: WATER SYKES BROOK

AT KIMBALL RD INT., Hampshire, MA

Built 1940 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 2,974

ST 2 /ST8/UNION

Good

Over: WATER N BR HOOSIC RIVER

AT CANAL STREET, Berkshire, MA

Built 1956 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 5,571

I 495 SB

Good

Over: WATER WEWEANTIC RIVER

0.5 M S OF RTE 58, Plymouth, MA

Built 1964 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 17,786

ST133 HAVERHILL ST

Good

Over: WATER SHAWSHEEN RIVER

.1 MI N ST 28, Essex, MA

Built 1921 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 15,300

HWY SCHOOL ST

Good

Over: WATER MEMORIAL POND OTLT

.2 MI S OF RTE 27, Norfolk, MA

Built 1924 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 7,370

HWY HIRAM BLAIR

Good

Over: WATER POND BROOK

.5 MILE SOUTH OF RTE 23, Hampden, MA

Built 2012 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 129

HWY HIGHLAND AVE

Good

Over: I 95 /ST128

1.3 KM SE OF ST 9, Norfolk, MA

Built 2018 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 29,095

HWY LIBERTY ST

Good

Over: I 291 /US20

MM 1.5 ON I-291, Hampden, MA

Built 1967 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 18,300

HWY ARMORY ST

Good

Over: I 291 /US20

MM 1.5 ON I-291, Hampden, MA

Built 1967 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 23,700

HWY FRANKLIN AVE

Good

Over: HWY CSX ACCESS ROAD

1/4 MI N. GRAFTON ST, Worcester, MA

Built 2013 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 9,613

I 290 EB ON RAMP

Good

Over: WATER MIDDLE RIVER

.25 MI SO. CAMBRIDGE ST, Worcester, MA

Built 1966 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 5,288

ST 28 NB

Good

Over: HWY BRICK KILN RD

4.25 M S OF BOURNE TL, Barnstable, MA

Built 1959 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 4,214

HWY BARROWS ST

Good

Over: WATER WADING RIVER

1 MI SW OF ST140, Bristol, MA

Built 1999 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 775

HWY OAK ST

Good

Over: US 6 WB/MID CAPE HWY

ADJCENT TO JCT SERVICE RD, Barnstable, MA

Built 1950 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 6,071

I 90 RAMP F

Good

Over: I 93 RMP KK &INFLD ACCS

.07K W OF I93NB@S.ST CON, Suffolk, MA

Built 2004 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 7,600

HWY NORTON AVE

Good

Over: WATER THREE MILE RIVER

.1 MI E OF RTE 140, Bristol, MA

Built 1984 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 9,310

HWY SPRING ST

Good

Over: WATER SALISBURY BROOK

.1 MI E OF BELMONT AVE, Plymouth, MA

Built 2005 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 2,285

HWY ROWE RD

Good

Over: WATER PELHAM BROOK

550 N OF INT W/ ZOAR RD, Franklin, MA

Built 1939 Load: 30.4 t ADT: 776

HWY CHERRY ST

Good

Over: I 495

.4 M S OF RTE 28, Plymouth, MA

Built 1958 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 1,900

HWY BROOK RD

Good

Over: WATER TUFTS BROOK

JUST N OF RTE 90, Worcester, MA

Built 1936 Load: 30.6 t ADT: 1,939

HWY HURLBURT RD

Good

Over: WATER GREEN RIVER

0.9M NORTH RT 71, Berkshire, MA

Built 1958 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 1,164

ST 79

Good

Over: HWY WILSON RD

.6 MI S OF ST 24, Bristol, MA

Built 1962 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 25,947

HWY RUSSLVLLE RD

Good

Over: WATER RED BROOK

50 FT E GILBERT RD, Hampshire, MA

Built 1995 Load: 31.3 t ADT: 685

HWY WEST ST

Good

Over: WATER STONY BROOK

0.1 MI W. OF BROOK STREET, Hampden, MA

Built 1956 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 6,975

HWY HIGHLAND AVE

Good

Over: US202 /ST2

MM 77.9 ON US202/ST2, Worcester, MA

Built 1959 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 905

ST 49 PODUNK BLVD

Good

Over: RR CSX

.85 MI. S. OF ST-9, Worcester, MA

Built 1972 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 6,176

HWY MORGAN AVE

Good

Over: WATER S ATHOL PND OUTLET

.15M SO.OF WASHINGTON AVE, Worcester, MA

Built 1979 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 387

HWY SANDWICH RD

Good

Over: HWY PLIMOTH PLNTN HWY

1.5 M S OF RTE 3A, Plymouth, MA

Built 1950 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 3,100

HWY SHAKER RD

Good

Over: WATER GREAT BROOK

2.6 KM S OF RTE 20, Hampden, MA

Built 1956 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 8,700

ST 3 SB/PLGRM HWY

Good

Over: HWY BILLINGTON ST

2.5 M S OF KINGSTON TL, Plymouth, MA

Built 1950 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 31,733

ST 3 NB/PLGRM HWY

Good

Over: HWY BILLINGTON ST

2.5 M S OF KINGSTON TL, Plymouth, MA

Built 1950 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 37,789

Showing 3,551-3,600 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.