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 NE FITZWM RD

Good

Over: WATER LAWRENCE BROOK

1M N OF RT68 NR BROWN RD, Worcester, MA

Built 2014 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 600

HWY N FITZWLM RD

Good

Over: WATER LAWRENCE BROOK

0.6M S OF NH BRDR IN CNTR, Worcester, MA

Built 2017 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 110

HWY CLARK RD EXT

Good

Over: WATER W BR FARMINGTON R

@ ROOSTERVILLE RD INT, Berkshire, MA

Built 2015 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 129

ST 28 MCGRATH HWY

Good

Over: HWY GILMAN ST

.1 MI S OF EVERETT AVE, Middlesex, MA

Built 2016 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 45,425

I 90 EB

Good

Over: HWY PARKERVILLE RD

I-90 MM 108.1, Worcester, MA

Built 1957 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 57,994

I 90 WB

Good

Over: HWY PARKERVILLE RD

I-90 MM 108.1, Worcester, MA

Built 1957 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 47,606

HWY MAIN ST

Good

Over: WATER LEES RIVER

AT JCT GARDNERS NECK, Bristol, MA

Built 1984 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 5,286

HWY MONTEREY RD

Good

Over: WATER HOP BROOK

.3 MI SOUTH OF MAIN ROAD, Berkshire, MA

Built 2021 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 325

ST122 MAIN ST

Good

Over: WATER BLACKSTONE RIVER

2.2MI.NTH OF MILLVILLE TL, Worcester, MA

Built 2012 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 4,229

ST122 MLLVLLE RD

Good

Over: RR PWRR

2 MI N OF MILVLL-UXBRG TL, Worcester, MA

Built 1955 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 4,229

HWY ONSET AVE

Good

Over: RR MACRR

MACRR MP 53.98, Plymouth, MA

Built 1990 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 4,496

HWY LONG HILL RD

Good

Over: RR CSX

0.3 MI S RT 9 WBRKFLD CTR, Worcester, MA

Built 2012 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 1,160

HWY HOPPER RD

Good

Over: WATER GREEN RIVER

AT INT W/ RTE 43, Berkshire, MA

Built 2016 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 905

HWY HARRIS RD

Good

Over: WATER TARBELL BROOK

0.1 MILE NORTH OF WEST ST, Worcester, MA

Built 2017 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 50

HWY BRIDGE ST

Good

Over: WATER CHARLES RIVER

DOVER/SHERBORN LINE, Norfolk, MA

Built 2000 Load: 42.2 t ADT: 3,900

US 6 MID CAPE HWY

Good

Over: HWY DEPOT ST

2.5 M E OF YARMOUTH TL, Barnstable, MA

Built 1955 Load: 42.2 t ADT: 26,354

HWY SWAMP RD

Good

Over: WATER MILL RIVER

.4 MI SW OF US RTE 5, Franklin, MA

Built 1993 Load: 42.2 t ADT: 1,422

ST 1 A/& RP E-1AN

Good

Over: I 90 EB

SEGMENT 1, Suffolk, MA

Built 2002 Load: 42.3 t

I 90 EB & RP1ANB

Good

Over: COMB ST 1A NB & BLUE L

SEGMENT 2, Suffolk, MA

Built 2002 Load: 42.3 t

I 93 RAMP SN

Good

Over: US 1 RAMP TC

I93/US1 INTERCHANGE, Suffolk, MA

Built 1999 Load: 42.3 t ADT: 32,800

HWY LUNDBERG ST

Good

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

0.25 MI NE RT 3A & LNDBRG, Middlesex, MA

Built 1922 Load: 42.3 t ADT: 2,750

HWY RAMP K

Good

Over: OTHER RELIEF

MASS AVE. INT., Suffolk, MA

Built 2002 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 27,414

ST146 /ST122A/SB

Good

Over: WATER BLACKSTONE RIVER

MM 18.7, Worcester, MA

Built 1997 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 28,704

ST146 /ST122A/NB

Good

Over: WATER BLACKSTONE RIVER

.4 M. N. OF MILLBURY T.L., Worcester, MA

Built 1997 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 21,856

HWY SNDRSN BK RD

Good

Over: WATER SANDERSON BROOK

1000 FT SOUTH OF US 20, Hampden, MA

Built 1932 Load: 42.5 t

HWY BRIDGE RD

Good

Over: WATER BOAT MEADOW BROOK

1.9 MI FROM SAMOSET RD, Barnstable, MA

Built 1999 Load: 42.5 t ADT: 14,094

ST 38 MAIN ST

Good

Over: WATER SHAWSHEEN RIVER

.24 KM SELY SHAWSHEEN ST., Middlesex, MA

Built 1997 Load: 42.5 t ADT: 21,500

HWY NEWTON RD

Good

Over: WATER POWWOW RIVER

JUST SOUTH OF NH LINE, Essex, MA

Built 1994 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 1,163

HWY CHAPMAN ST

Good

Over: RR AMTRAK/MBTA

.32 KM.NE OF NEPONSET ST, Norfolk, MA

Built 1986 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 15,000

ST141 GRATTAN ST

Good

Over: RR GWRR

850 E OF INT MEADOW ST, Hampden, MA

Built 1979 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 9,633

HWY ALDRICH ST

Good

Over: WATER BATCHELOR BROOK

0.5 M E RT 116, Hampshire, MA

Built 1941 Load: 42.7 t ADT: 200

I 495 SB

Good

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

50 FT S OF WOBURN ST EXIT, Middlesex, MA

Built 2011 Load: 42.7 t ADT: 64,100

HWY SHAKER RD

Good

Over: WATER CATACUNEMAUG BROOK

@ INT. FREDONIAN ST., Middlesex, MA

Built 2011 Load: 42.7 t ADT: 600

ST140 FRANKLIN ST

Good

Over: WATER EAGLE BROOK

1 MI E OF FRANKLIN T.L., Norfolk, MA

Built 1983 Load: 42.7 t ADT: 18,400

HWY HIGH ST

Good

Over: WATER CHARLES RIVER

0.8 MI E. OF RTE. 126, Norfolk, MA

Built 2000 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 500

ST 1 A/RP 1ANB

Good

Over: COMB SR 14 & BLUE L

SEGMENT 1, Suffolk, MA

Built 2005 Load: 42.8 t

HWY GREEN RIV RD

Good

Over: WATER HINSDALE BROOK

425 N OF COLRAIN RD, Franklin, MA

Built 2001 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 1,164

HWY IDLEWELL ST

Good

Over: RR MBTA

.32 KM NW COMMERCIAL ST., Norfolk, MA

Built 2006 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 1,293

I 93 RAMP SN

Good

Over: TR MBTA ORANGE LINE

I93 US1 INTERCHANGE, Suffolk, MA

Built 1999 Load: 42.9 t ADT: 19,452

HWY HUNTS BRG RD

Good

Over: WATER ABBOTT RUN RIVER

.5MI E OF MENDON RD, Bristol, MA

Built 2007 Load: 42.9 t ADT: 3,500

US 20 SPRINGFLD RD

Good

Over: WATER POWDER MILL BROOK

W OF JCT WITH UNION ST., Hampden, MA

Built 2005 Load: 42.9 t ADT: 14,000

HWY THACHER ST

Good

Over: RR AMTRAK/MBTA

RR AMTRAK MP 196.36, Bristol, MA

Built 2006 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 13,578

HWY MECHANICS ST

Good

Over: WATER CANAL

.25 MI W OF RTE 152, Bristol, MA

Built 1921 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 3,620

ST 23 OTIS STGE RD

Good

Over: WATER BEDLAM BROOK

1.0 MI WEST OF NORTH ST., Hampden, MA

Built 1931 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 1,942

US 44 WB

Good

Over: HWY INDUSTRIAL PK RD

NEAR INDUSTRIAL PARK, Plymouth, MA

Built 2003 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 17,271

HWY CONGRESS ST

Good

Over: WATER SOUTH RIVER

AT SOUTH RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1917 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 12,900

ST103 WILBUR AVE

Good

Over: WATER LEES RIVER

AT SWANSEA T.L., Bristol, MA

Built 2009 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 27,300

HWY MOOSEBRK RD

Good

Over: WATER MOOSE BROOK

0.5M E OF RT10 BY CNT CLB, Hampshire, MA

Built 1956 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 259

HWY WEST ST

Good

Over: RR MBTA/CSX

AT JCT LINCON RD, Norfolk, MA

Built 1991 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 8,017

I 290 WB

Good

Over: COMB 4 CITY STS & CSX

I 290/RR & 4 CITY STS, Worcester, MA

Built 1958 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 76,700

Showing 4,101-4,150 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.