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 WAY

Good

Over: WATER TURTLE CROSSING

0.2 MI. NORTH OF ST-40, Middlesex, MA

Built 1997 Load: 67.8 t ADT: 857

US 20 W MAIN ST

Good

Over: WATER BR WALKER BROOK

MILE MARKER 33.9, Hampden, MA

Built 2013 Load: 68.0 t ADT: 2,008

ST 3 A/S ARTERY

Good

Over: WATER TOWN RIV BAY CANAL

.8 KM NW OF JCT SR 53, Norfolk, MA

Built 1994 Load: 68.0 t ADT: 40,300

HWY WICKABG VLLY

Good

Over: WATER SUCKER BROOK

0.1 MI S OF SNOW RD, Worcester, MA

Built 2018 Load: 68.0 t ADT: 517

US 1 RAMP TC

Good

Over: COMB US1NB & MILLERS RI

NORTH OF CANA TUNNEL, Suffolk, MA

Built 1989 Load: 68.2 t ADT: 45,517

US 5 /ST10/WEST

Good

Over: WATER MILL RIVER

100N JCT ON RAMP EXIT30, Hampshire, MA

Built 1963 Load: 68.4 t ADT: 10,086

ST109 HIGH ST

Good

Over: I 95 SB/128 SB

109 AT 95, Norfolk, MA

Built 2015 Load: 68.6 t ADT: 30,500

HWY FISHER ST

Good

Over: WATER THREE MILE RIVER

.4 MI FROM N WALKER ST, Bristol, MA

Built 2004 Load: 68.8 t ADT: 3,200

ST 62 /ST70/CHESNT

Good

Over: WATER NASHUA RIVER

0.5 MI BELOW WACH. RES, Worcester, MA

Built 2008 Load: 69.0 t ADT: 7,517

HWY COHANNET ST

Good

Over: WATER THREE MILE RIVER

JUST S OF JCT RTE 44, Bristol, MA

Built 2004 Load: 69.5 t ADT: 1,000

ST117 FITCHBRG TPK

Good

Over: WATER SUDBURY RIVER

0.8 KM E OF SUDBURY RD, Middlesex, MA

Built 2009 Load: 69.7 t ADT: 19,400

I 90 WB RAMP OFF

Good

Over: HWY ACCESS RD

AT INT 16 S16A, Middlesex, MA

Built 1964 Load: 70.1 t ADT: 8,634

HWY HENDRICK ST

Good

Over: WATER BROAD BROOK

.4 M SW OF RTE 141, Hampshire, MA

Built 1956 Load: 70.7 t ADT: 1,429

ST 12 ASHBURNHM ST

Good

Over: WATER PHILLIPS BROOK

.5 MI N OF FTCHBRG TL, Worcester, MA

Built 2010 Load: 70.8 t ADT: 3,122

ST 8 HINSDALE RD

Good

Over: WATER E BR HOUSATONIC R

500 N OF INT. W/ HOUSATO, Berkshire, MA

Built 2009 Load: 71.1 t ADT: 8,535

HWY RIVER RD

Good

Over: WATER WATER BACON BROOK

BTWN 146A&122 NR MILLVILL, Worcester, MA

Built 2011 Load: 71.3 t ADT: 1,977

HWY ROOSEVELT AV

Good

Over: RR CSX SPUR

0.5 MI S OF RTE 291, Hampden, MA

Built 2013 Load: 71.5 t ADT: 25,153

HWY WINTER ST

Good

Over: WATER BAKER BROOK

250 FT. S. OF MILL ST, Worcester, MA

Built 2012 Load: 71.6 t ADT: 800

HWY FERRY RD

Good

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

.1 MI. N ST125, Essex, MA

Built 2013 Load: 71.6 t ADT: 1,600

HWY REEDS BRG RD

Good

Over: WATER SOUTH RIVER

@ SHELBURNE FALLS RD INT, Franklin, MA

Built 2004 Load: 72.3 t ADT: 120

HWY DEPOT ST

Good

Over: WATER BLACKSTONE CANAL

.15 M W OF RTE 122, Worcester, MA

Built 1956 Load: 72.5 t ADT: 2,666

HWY RUSSELLS WAY

Good

Over: WATER GILSON BROOK

0.4 MI. NORTH OF ST-40, Middlesex, MA

Built 1997 Load: 72.6 t ADT: 857

HWY STOCKBDGE RD

Good

Over: WATER MILL RIVER

AT JCT OF SO. MILL RIV RD, Franklin, MA

Built 2006 Load: 73.0 t ADT: 20

HWY CONEY ST

Good

Over: WATER TRAPHOLE BROOK

.5 MI WEST OF RTE 1, Norfolk, MA

Built 1956 Load: 73.2 t ADT: 8,534

HWY OLD SMRST AV

Good

Over: WATER THREE MILE RIVER

JUST WEST ST 138, Bristol, MA

Built 2009 Load: 74.2 t ADT: 1,034

ST135 UNION ST

Good

Over: WATER SUDBURY RIVER

200 FT E. OF CHESTNUT ST, Middlesex, MA

Built 2012 Load: 74.5 t ADT: 11,728

HWY OLIVE ST

Good

Over: RR AMTRAK/MBTA

RR AMTRAK MP 196.72, Bristol, MA

Built 2013 Load: 74.5 t ADT: 6,077

HWY W DUDLEY RD

Good

Over: WATER QUINEBAUG RIVER

.2 MI. E. OF ST- 131, Worcester, MA

Built 2013 Load: 74.5 t ADT: 517

HWY PALMER AVE

Good

Over: OTHER SHINING SEA BIKEWY

.1M N OF SIPPEWISSETT RD, Barnstable, MA

Built 1896 Load: 74.5 t ADT: 3,929

HWY SADOGA RD

Good

Over: WATER BURRINGTON BROOK

600 W. OF INT. W/ RT 8A, Franklin, MA

Built 2017 Load: 74.5 t ADT: 129

HWY TAYLOR AVE

Good

Over: WATER BEAVER DAM BROOK

.1MI W OF SHORT ST, Plymouth, MA

Built 2019 Load: 74.5 t ADT: 3,800

HWY NORTHBORO RD

Good

Over: RR CSX

.1MI. E. OF I 495, Worcester, MA

Built 1900 Load: 74.5 t ADT: 6,000

HWY PINE ST

Good

Over: WATER ASSABET RIVER

1.6 KM S OF RTE 2 AND 2A, Middlesex, MA

Built 2009 Load: 74.7 t ADT: 6,600

HWY CEDAR ST EXT

Good

Over: WATER SUDBURY RIVER

.3 MI N OF ST-85, Middlesex, MA

Built 2002 Load: 75.0 t ADT: 776

HWY WEST ST

Good

Over: WATER RIDDLE BROOK

0.2 M W OF ST-16, Worcester, MA

Built 1956 Load: 75.5 t ADT: 3,000

ST 2

Good

Over: HWY S ATHOL RD

MM 72.7 ON ST 2, Worcester, MA

Built 1954 Load: 75.6 t ADT: 12,802

HWY WHITE POND

Good

Over: WATER WHITE POND OUT

0.1 M S OF KING ST, Worcester, MA

Built 2004 Load: 76.7 t ADT: 517

HWY E WSHNGTN RD

Good

Over: WATER BENNETT BROOK

100 S OF MIDDLEFIELD RD, Berkshire, MA

Built 1985 Load: 76.8 t ADT: 259

HWY LTTLE RIV RD

Good

Over: WATER LITTLE RIVER

1 M W OF SMITH NECK RD, Bristol, MA

Built 2004 Load: 77.3 t ADT: 258

HWY METNGHOUSE R

Good

Over: WATER HARRIS BROOK

.1 MILE N JCT AMHERST ROA, Hampshire, MA

Built 2015 Load: 77.8 t ADT: 300

US 20 BRIMFIELD RD

Good

Over: COMB ST67 NB & CSX

AT JCT OF ST 67 & US 20, Hampden, MA

Built 2008 Load: 78.7 t ADT: 13,577

HWY FOREST ST

Good

Over: WATER SALISBURY PLAIN R

.1 MI SOUTH OF PERKINS ST, Plymouth, MA

Built 1999 Load: 78.8 t ADT: 714

HWY CHESTFLD RD

Good

Over: WATER ROBERTS MEADOW BRK

AT INT MONTAGUE RD, Hampshire, MA

Built 2002 Load: 78.8 t ADT: 2,716

HWY WATER ST

Good

Over: WATER TRUMBLE BROOK

0.4 MI WEST OF RTE 189, Hampden, MA

Built 1938 Load: 79.1 t ADT: 259

HWY BROOK RD

Good

Over: WATER HINSDALE BROOK

.4 MI S OF WIL GRVS RD, Franklin, MA

Built 2004 Load: 79.2 t ADT: 960

HWY COUNTRY WAY

Good

Over: WATER BOUND BROOK

0.125 KM NW OF GANNETT RD, Plymouth, MA

Built 2008 Load: 79.6 t ADT: 5,560

HWY SOUTH ST

Good

Over: WATER SQUANNACOOK RIVER

150 FT. S. OF ST-119, Middlesex, MA

Built 2004 Load: 79.6 t ADT: 1,810

US 1 NB/NEWBRY ST

Good

Over: ST 62 MAPLE ST

1.6 MI N OF ST-114, Essex, MA

Built 1950 Load: 80.3 t ADT: 23,230

I 290

Good

Over: WATER KETTLE BROOK

1 MILE STH.OF WORC.C.L., Worcester, MA

Built 1965 Load: 81.0 t ADT: 80,982

I 90

Good

Over: WATER COOLEY BROOK

MM 50.2 ON I-90, Hampden, MA

Built 1957 Load: 81.0 t ADT: 56,582

Showing 4,701-4,750 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.