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 RIVER ST

Good

Over: WATER EEL RIVER

.2 MI W OF RTE 3A, Plymouth, MA

Built 2004 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 500

US 6 WB/MD CP HWY

Good

Over: RR MACRR

1.8 M E OF WILLOW ST, Barnstable, MA

Built 1971 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 17,211

ST 2

Good

Over: RR PARR

0.5M W JCT TOWR RD 409.79, Franklin, MA

Built 1985 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 2,400

I 395 NB

Good

Over: ST 16 GORE RD

EXIT 2, Worcester, MA

Built 1969 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 17,340

ST143 OLD NORTH RD

Good

Over: WATER TROUT BROOK

600 S OF RIVER RD. INT., Hampshire, MA

Built 1924 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 550

HWY WEST ST

Good

Over: WATER TEN MILE RIVER

.2 M FROM JCT N MAIN ST, Bristol, MA

Built 1999 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 6,000

HWY LINDSEY ST

Good

Over: RR AMTRAK/MBTA

RR MP 198.68, Bristol, MA

Built 1987 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 3,620

ST116 SAVOY RD

Good

Over: WATER DRY BROOK

JUST NORTH OF WELLS RD, Berkshire, MA

Built 1929 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 2,586

HWY CROSS ST

Good

Over: RR MBTA/CSX

0.1MI SOUTH OF EVERETT ST, Plymouth, MA

Built 1995 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 642

HWY CARRINGTN RD

Good

Over: WATER ROARING BROOK

.2MI SOUTH OF MAIN RD, Hampden, MA

Built 1939 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 776

HWY NEWMAN RD

Good

Over: WATER LITTLE RIVER

1.2MI E OF RT.1, Essex, MA

Built 2000 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 400

ST 41 /ST102/ALBNY

Good

Over: WATER WILLIAMS RIVER

@ DEPOT ST INTERSECTION, Berkshire, MA

Built 2007 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 9,052

US 44 EB

Good

Over: HWY INDUSTRIAL PARK RD

NEAR INDUSTRIAL PARK, Plymouth, MA

Built 2003 Load: 34.8 t ADT: 17,142

I 395 SB

Good

Over: ST 16 GORE RD

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

Built 1969 Load: 34.8 t ADT: 12,223

ST 2 EB

Good

Over: ST 2 A/W BROADWAY

.3 MILES NORTH OF ST 68, Worcester, MA

Built 1969 Load: 34.9 t ADT: 11,745

ST116 CONWAY RD

Good

Over: WATER SOUTH RIVER

600 N. OF CREAMERY ROAD, Franklin, MA

Built 2007 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 1,940

HWY PEABODY ST

Good

Over: OTHER DEM RAIL TRAIL

0.4 MI SO OF RTE 111, Middlesex, MA

Built 2002 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 714

HWY SHORE RD

Good

Over: WATER FIVE MILE RIVER

AT N END OF LAKE LASHAWAY, Worcester, MA

Built 1993 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 850

HWY BNNTT BRK RD

Good

Over: RR GWRR

.1 M E JCT ST 142, Franklin, MA

Built 1995 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 2,198

HWY JAMES ST

Good

Over: RR CSX

.5 MILES N. OF AUBURN T/L, Worcester, MA

Built 2010 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 14,746

I 290 EB

Good

Over: HWY AUBURN ST

.3 MI W OF INT ST-12, Worcester, MA

Built 1965 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 34,930

HWY CHELSEA ST

Good

Over: WATER CHELSEA RIVER

AT CHELSEA RIVER, Suffolk, MA

Built 2012 Load: 35.2 t ADT: 13,400

ST116 CONWAY RD

Good

Over: WATER SOUTH RIVER

1/4 MI E OF CREAMERY ROAD, Franklin, MA

Built 2007 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 1,940

HWY N HARBOR RD

Good

Over: COMB BMRR & BROOK

.2 MI N OF ST 110, Worcester, MA

Built 1985 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 3,612

US 6 EB/MD CP HWY

Good

Over: HWY PHINNEYS LN

1.5 M E OF RTE 132, Barnstable, MA

Built 1966 Load: 35.5 t ADT: 17,704

HWY GRAY ST

Good

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

.4 MILES TWKS. TWN. LINE, Middlesex, MA

Built 1996 Load: 35.5 t ADT: 4,300

I 95 SB

Good

Over: WATER MERRIMACK RIVER

AT MERRIMAC RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 2017 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 57,000

I 95 NB

Good

Over: HWY EVANS PLACE

1/8 M N. OF WHITTIER BRDG, Essex, MA

Built 2018 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 37,200

HWY WATSON RD

Good

Over: WATER SWIFT RIVER

0.8MI W OLD STAGE/BUGHILL, Franklin, MA

Built 2021 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 129

HWY YOKUM PND RD

Good

Over: WATER YOKUM BROOK

.8 MI W. OF COUNTY RD, Berkshire, MA

Built 2009 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 776

HWY CLESSN BK RD

Good

Over: WATER CLESSON BROOK

0.4MI W. 112 @ OLD HWL RD, Franklin, MA

Built 2016 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 120

ST 2 @ STA 511

Good

Over: WATER WILDER BROOK

NEAR W OXBOW ROAD, Franklin, MA

Built 2013 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 4,427

HWY MOUNTAIN RD

Good

Over: WATER HARTWELL BROOK

1.2MI N OF BURRINGTON RD, Franklin, MA

Built 2012 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 129

HWY JONES RD

Good

Over: RR CSX

.5MI E. OF ST.31, Worcester, MA

Built 2012 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 400

HWY BRIDGE ST

Good

Over: WATER MITCHELL RIVER

.9 MI S OF RTE 28, Barnstable, MA

Built 2016 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 2,435

ST 28 ORLEANS RD

Good

Over: WATER MUDDY CREEK

.25 MI WEST OF BAY RD, Barnstable, MA

Built 2016 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 7,787

HWY GEO MILLR RD

Good

Over: WATER M BR WESTFIELD RIV

AT E. RIVER RD INT., Hampden, MA

Built 2015 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 120

HWY HEATH RD

Good

Over: WATER TAYLOR BROOK

2 MI N OF ADAMSVILLE RD, Franklin, MA

Built 1989 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 129

I 91 SB

Good

Over: COMB STLWTR RD & DRFLD

MM 38.5 ON I-91 SB, Franklin, MA

Built 2015 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 15,174

I 91 NB

Good

Over: COMB STLWTR RD & DRFLD

MM 38.6 ON I-91 NB, Franklin, MA

Built 2014 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 14,582

HWY W UNION ST

Good

Over: RR MBTA MP 24/440

MBTA MP 24/440, Plymouth, MA

Built 1997 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 10,100

HWY MT WASHNGTON

Good

Over: WATER KARNER BROOK

.6MI WEST OF ROUTE 41, Berkshire, MA

Built 2016 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 866

HWY WATER ST CON

Good

Over: RR MACRR

0.674 KM EAST OF WATR ST, Bristol, MA

Built 2015 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 1,600

ST 31 RIVER ST

Good

Over: WATER N NASHUA RIVER

100 FT E OF WALLACE ST, Worcester, MA

Built 1947 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 9,104

HWY ASHBY W RD

Good

Over: WATER SCOTT RESRVR OTLT

2.1 MI. S. OF ASHBY LINE, Worcester, MA

Built 2011 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 100

I 90 WB

Good

Over: WATER MDC RES 3

0.7 MI E OF TEMPLE ST, Middlesex, MA

Built 1957 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 47,529

HWY FORGE RD

Good

Over: WATER ASSONET RIVER

@ ST 79 & RR CROSS, Bristol, MA

Built 2012 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 600

HWY JACKSON RD

Good

Over: ST 2

.1 MI. W. OF HARVARD TL., Worcester, MA

Built 1951 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 4,329

HWY NARRAGANSETT

Good

Over: WATER PONTOOSUC LAKE

OVER NW CORNER PNTSC LAKE, Berkshire, MA

Built 2018 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 388

HWY VALLEY ST

Good

Over: WATER HOUSATONIC RIVER

OFF CRYSTAL @ WOODS POND, Berkshire, MA

Built 2020 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 650

Showing 3,801-3,850 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.