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 RUSSELLS MIL

Fair

Over: WATER PASKAMANSETT RIVER

.75 M W OF TUCKER RD, Bristol, MA

Built 1826 Load: 23.4 t ADT: 4,500

HWY TORREY ST

Fair

Over: WATER N BR MANHAN RIVER

AT SOUTHAMPTON LINE, Hampshire, MA

Built 1940 Load: 23.4 t ADT: 2,200

HWY MILLBURY ST

Fair

Over: WATER QUINSIGAMOND RIVER

.1 M W OF RTE 122, Worcester, MA

Built 1953 Load: 23.4 t ADT: 3,518

US 1 NE XWAY

Fair

Over: HWY MALDEN ST

.2 MI SW OF JET SR60&US1, Suffolk, MA

Built 1958 Load: 23.4 t ADT: 66,200

HWY EAST MAIN ST

Fair

Over: WATER MERRIMACK RIVER

AT WEST NEWBURY MERRIMAC, Essex, MA

Built 1883 Load: 23.5 t ADT: 8,534

HWY S UNION ST

Fair

Over: WATER MILL BROOK

1M S OF RT116, Hampshire, MA

Built 1940 Load: 23.5 t ADT: 129

US 6 MID CAPE HWY

Fair

Over: HWY HIGHLAND RD

5.7 M N OF WELLFLEET TL, Barnstable, MA

Built 1953 Load: 23.5 t ADT: 16,717

HWY MAIN RD

Fair

Over: WATER HOP BROOK

2.5 MI S OF LEE, Berkshire, MA

Built 1935 Load: 23.5 t ADT: 1,413

HWY POND ST

Fair

Over: ST146 NB

@ ST 146 MM 4.7, Worcester, MA

Built 1950 Load: 23.5 t ADT: 800

HWY TRAPELO RD

Fair

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

WAVERLY SQ NEAR ST 60, Middlesex, MA

Built 1952 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 14,900

HWY COMMRCIAL ST

Fair

Over: WATER NASHUA RIVER

0.1 MI. E. OF PUTNAM ST., Worcester, MA

Built 1939 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 130

ST128

Fair

Over: WATER ANNISQUAM RIVER

AT ANNISQUAM RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1950 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 42,201

ST110 /ST111/AYER

Fair

Over: ST 2

2.9 MI E OF JACKSON RD, Worcester, MA

Built 1950 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 13,458

HWY NB LOWLL CON

Fair

Over: HWY INDSTRIAL AVE EAST

0.3 MI N OF I-495, Middlesex, MA

Built 1960 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 35,000

ST177 AMER LGN HWY

Fair

Over: WATER E BR WESTPORT RIV

.3 MI SW OF US 6, Bristol, MA

Built 1941 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 10,345

ST225 BEDFORD RD

Fair

Over: WATER CONCORD RIVER

AT TWNLN BEDFORD-CARLISLE, Middlesex, MA

Built 1955 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 9,750

ST122 A/MAIN ST

Fair

Over: RR PWRR

.3 MI N OF JCT RTE 31, Worcester, MA

Built 1900 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 20,712

HWY BURNCOAT ST

Fair

Over: I 290

I-290 MM 8.3, Worcester, MA

Built 1962 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 11,193

ST 28 NB/COLUMBUS

Fair

Over: COMB I 90 &CSX &ORNG LN

.32 KM E.COPLEY PLACE S65, Suffolk, MA

Built 1965 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 15,000

HWY PLEASANT ST

Fair

Over: WATER WEST RIVER

.2 MI. W. OF MAPLE AVE., Worcester, MA

Built 1959 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 4,611

HWY LR SANDY HIL

Fair

Over: WATER POWDERMILL BROOK

1MI E OF RT202&WSTFLD RIV, Hampden, MA

Built 1939 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 129

HWY RIVER RD

Fair

Over: WATER TROUT BROOK

.25 MI S OF ROUTE 143, Hampshire, MA

Built 1938 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 129

HWY HOOSAC ST

Fair

Over: WATER HOOSIC RIVER

.1 MI E OF RTE 8, Berkshire, MA

Built 1956 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 3,200

HWY LOGAN RD

Fair

Over: WATER E BR TULLY RIVER

0.1MI W. OF RTE. 32, Worcester, MA

Built 1937 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 2,328

HWY DEDHAM ST

Fair

Over: I 95

.2 MI.SE OF WESTWOOD T.L., Norfolk, MA

Built 1964 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 15,300

HWY CENTRE ST

Fair

Over: RR BCRR

.16 KM N OF CROSS ST, Norfolk, MA

Built 1978 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 10,900

US 20 CAPE ST

Fair

Over: WATER GREENWATER BROOK

0.3 MI. E. OF MAPLE ST., Berkshire, MA

Built 1939 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 4,745

HWY MANSFLD AVE

Fair

Over: HWY N MAIN ST

0.2 MI. N. OF RT. 106, Bristol, MA

Built 1954 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 775

I 84 WB

Fair

Over: ST 15 MASHAPAUG RD

4 MI SOUTH OF US-20, Worcester, MA

Built 1970 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 30,938

ST 27 OLD SUDBURY

Fair

Over: WATER SUDBURY RIVER

AT RIVER RD, Middlesex, MA

Built 1956 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 12,500

HWY HOPPER RD

Fair

Over: WATER HOPPER BROOK

1 MI S OF INT W/ RTE 43, Berkshire, MA

Built 1949 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 388

I 93

Fair

Over: HWY DASCOMB RD

2.7 MI S I 495, Essex, MA

Built 1957 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 151,100

HWY HOE SHOP RD

Fair

Over: WATER FALL RIVER

AT JCT W CUTLERY RD, Franklin, MA

Built 1957 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 776

I 95 SB/ST128 SB

Fair

Over: HWY WINN ST

0.75 MI NE RT 95 & RT 3A, Middlesex, MA

Built 1949 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 99,185

ST140 NB

Fair

Over: HWY WASHBURN RD

.9 MI S OF LAKEVIL TL, Bristol, MA

Built 1957 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 30,388

HWY S UNION CONN

Fair

Over: HWY SOUTH ST

AT ANDOVER TOWN LINE, Essex, MA

Built 1962 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 11,900

HWY WILLOW ST

Fair

Over: WATER HOUSATONIC RIVER

AT ROUTE 102 INT., Berkshire, MA

Built 1951 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 300

HWY S MAIN ST

Fair

Over: WATER MILL RIVER

SW OF RT9 .5MI N OF NHPTN, Hampshire, MA

Built 1957 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 600

HWY BEALE ST

Fair

Over: TR RED LINE SSH

0.04 MI NE OF NEWPORT AVE, Norfolk, MA

Built 1968 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 25,600

ST131 SNDRSDALE RD

Fair

Over: WATER SANDERSDALE CANAL

AT VILLAGE DR., Worcester, MA

Built 1900 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 13,189

HWY WEST RIV ST

Fair

Over: WATER WEST RIVER

.8 MI SW OF MENDON ST, Worcester, MA

Built 1959 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 776

ST128

Fair

Over: HWY MARSH ST

.3 MI S OF WASHINGTON CIR, Essex, MA

Built 1948 Load: 24.2 t ADT: 35,677

HWY DAISY ST

Fair

Over: WATER SPICKET RIVER

1.4 KM E ST28, Essex, MA

Built 1939 Load: 24.2 t ADT: 7,500

ST 3 NB/PLGRM HWY

Fair

Over: ST139 CHURCH ST

.5 M N OF MARSHFIELD TL, Plymouth, MA

Built 1961 Load: 24.2 t ADT: 29,723

ST 3 SB/PLGRM HWY

Fair

Over: ST139 CHURCH ST

.5 M N OF MARSHFIELD TL, Plymouth, MA

Built 1961 Load: 24.2 t ADT: 31,688

HWY EAST ST

Fair

Over: WATER BROWNS POND

1M E OF RT32 1M S OF 101, Worcester, MA

Built 1951 Load: 24.2 t ADT: 1,200

HWY LANDHAM RD

Fair

Over: RR BMRR (ABANDONED)

300 FT S OF RT. 20, Middlesex, MA

Built 1970 Load: 24.2 t ADT: 13,356

HWY FARWELL ST

Fair

Over: WATER CHARLES RIVER

AT CHARLES RIVER, Middlesex, MA

Built 1850 Load: 24.2 t ADT: 20,252

HWY EASTHMPTN RD

Fair

Over: WATER N BR MANHAN RIVER

2M N RT66 NR NORTHAMPTON, Hampshire, MA

Built 1938 Load: 24.2 t ADT: 905

ST126 HARTFORD AVE

Fair

Over: I 495 SB

1MI.S.MEDWAY TWN LN, Norfolk, MA

Built 1966 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 20,192

Showing 351-400 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.