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 BRIDGE ST

Poor

Over: WATER TOWN BROOK

.1MI W OF INT W/ ROUTE 7, Berkshire, MA

Built 1945 Load: 4.7 t ADT: 517

ST 21 LUDLOW AVE

Poor

Over: WATER CHICOPEE RIVER

AT SPRINGFIELD CITY LINE, Hampden, MA

Built 1930 Load: 4.8 t ADT: 23,427

HWY CHURCH ST

Poor

Over: WATER KEYUP BROOK

0.2 MI N OF ST 2, Franklin, MA

Built 1940 Load: 5.5 t ADT: 905

HWY BIRNAM RD

Poor

Over: WATER MILL BROOK

900 N OF JCT WARWICK RD, Franklin, MA

Built 1937 Load: 5.8 t ADT: 258

HWY CYRUS STAGE

Poor

Over: WATER POTTER BROOK

.1 MI EAST OF POND RD, Franklin, MA

Built 1939 Load: 5.8 t ADT: 647

HWY POWDER PT AV

Poor

Over: WATER DUXBURY BAY

1 MI E OF WASHINGTON ST, Plymouth, MA

Built 1987 Load: 5.9 t ADT: 1,950

US 3 MEMORIAL DR

Poor

Over: HWY BROOKLINE ST

.2 MI FROM CITY LINE, Middlesex, MA

Built 1940 Load: 6.1 t ADT: 18,087

ST 28 MCGRATH HWY

Poor

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

.1 MI S OF PEARL ST, Middlesex, MA

Built 1926 Load: 6.4 t ADT: 32,000

HWY SOUTH RD

Poor

Over: WATER ELM BROOK

.6 MI S OF RT 4 & 225, Middlesex, MA

Built 1970 Load: 6.5 t ADT: 3,400

HWY WHITNEY ST

Poor

Over: RR CSX

.5 MI S OF SOLOMN PD RD, Worcester, MA

Built 1986 Load: 7.0 t ADT: 1,200

HWY CANTERBRY ST

Poor

Over: RR AMTRAK/MBTA

2.3 KM NW OFJCTSR28&SR138, Suffolk, MA

Built 1985 Load: 7.8 t ADT: 16,034

HWY KERNWOOD AVE

Poor

Over: WATER DANVERS RIVER

AT DANVERS RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1907 Load: 8.2 t ADT: 4,714

HWY KERNWOOD AVE

Poor

Over: WATER DANVERS RIVER

AT DANVERS RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1907 Load: 8.3 t ADT: 4,714

HWY BRANDON RD

Poor

Over: OTHER MILL RACE (DRY)

.3MI. EST. OF ST-12, Worcester, MA

Built 1937 Load: 8.6 t ADT: 2,260

HWY MILL ST

Poor

Over: WATER TOPHET BROOK

@ INT W/ JORDAN ST, Berkshire, MA

Built 1951 Load: 10.4 t ADT: 800

HWY BRDWL FER RD

Poor

Over: WATER DEERFIELD RIVER

@ SHELBURNE BORDER, Franklin, MA

Built 1882 Load: 10.5 t ADT: 650

HWY EMBKT WB ON

Poor

Over: HWY EMBANKMENT RD EB

CHARLES CIRCLE STORROW D, Suffolk, MA

Built 1951 Load: 10.7 t ADT: 14,483

US 1 NB/LOW DECK

Poor

Over: HWY CHELSEA LOCAL STRE

CHEL APPR LOW, Suffolk, MA

Built 1950 Load: 10.8 t ADT: 41,951

HWY BLACK BRK RD

Poor

Over: WATER BLACK BROOK

.25 MI SOUTH OF RT2, Berkshire, MA

Built 1939 Load: 10.8 t ADT: 120

ST 2 A/BRIDGE ST

Poor

Over: WATER DEERFIELD RIVER

AT BUCKLAND-SHELBRNE T.L., Franklin, MA

Built 1890 Load: 11.0 t ADT: 5,950

I 295 RAMP

Poor

Over: WATER TEN MILE RIVER

BASE OF RAMP TO 95 S, Bristol, MA

Built 1969 Load: 11.3 t ADT: 32,858

HWY COMM AV OFRP

Poor

Over: WATER MUDDY RIVER

.2 MI S OF ST RTE 2A, Suffolk, MA

Built 1965 Load: 11.7 t ADT: 7,300

ST112 ASHFIELD RD

Poor

Over: WATER CLESSON BROOK

.35 M N JCT PURINTON RD., Franklin, MA

Built 1938 Load: 11.9 t ADT: 2,451

US 3 /ST2&16/ALWF

Poor

Over: TR RED LINE

.4 MI N OF CONCORD AVE, Middlesex, MA

Built 1983 Load: 11.9 t ADT: 65,948

ST 28 MCGRATH HWY

Poor

Over: COMB SOM AVE EXT & MBTA

.1 MI S OF MEDFORD ST, Middlesex, MA

Built 1958 Load: 12.0 t ADT: 18,436

HWY POND ST

Poor

Over: WATER MONOOSNOC BROOK

200 FT EAST OF ELM STREET, Worcester, MA

Built 1900 Load: 12.6 t ADT: 4,300

HWY CROSS RD

Poor

Over: WATER HUDSON BROOK

BTWN STNY BR DR&MIDDL RD, Berkshire, MA

Built 1928 Load: 12.7 t ADT: 714

HWY FIRST ST

Poor

Over: WATER BROAD CANAL

.16 KM N OF LONGFELLOW BR, Middlesex, MA

Built 1924 Load: 12.9 t ADT: 17,844

HWY SCHOOL ST

Poor

Over: RR MBTA

.1 MI WEST ST 1A, Essex, MA

Built 1871 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 3,232

HWY S WILLOW ST

Poor

Over: WATER HOOSIC RIVER

.2 MI FROM INT W/ ROUTE 8, Berkshire, MA

Built 1951 Load: 13.4 t ADT: 129

HWY STORRW DR EB

Poor

Over: HWY BOWKR ON & OFF RPS

AT CHARLESGATE, Suffolk, MA

Built 1954 Load: 13.4 t ADT: 32,000

HWY COUNTY ST

Poor

Over: WATER IPSWICH RIVER

.48 KM S OF CENTRAL ST, Essex, MA

Built 1861 Load: 13.5 t ADT: 5,400

HWY MORRSSEY BLV

Poor

Over: WATER DORCHESTER BAY

.2 MI E OF I 93, Suffolk, MA

Built 1927 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 78,900

HWY STAFFORD HLW

Poor

Over: RR NECRR

.2 MI E OF ST 32, Hampden, MA

Built 1850 Load: 13.7 t ADT: 776

I 391

Poor

Over: ST116 CHICOPEE ST

MM 4.3 ON I-391, Hampden, MA

Built 1979 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 35,950

HWY MAIN ST

Poor

Over: WATER W BR WESTFIELD RIV

200 E. OF INT. W/ RTE 20, Hampden, MA

Built 1970 Load: 14.1 t ADT: 260

HWY BWKR SB ONRP

Poor

Over: HWY KENMORE OFF RMP

.2 MI S OF ST RTE 2A, Suffolk, MA

Built 1965 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 9,900

HWY HARRISON ST

Poor

Over: I 290

.1 MI. E. OF WATER ST., Worcester, MA

Built 1958 Load: 14.4 t ADT: 1,000

ST 16 REV BCH PKWY

Poor

Over: ST107 BROADWAY

.32 KM S OF BEACH ST, Suffolk, MA

Built 1931 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 36,500

HWY LOWER VALLEY

Poor

Over: WATER DEPOT BROOK

500N. OF INT. W/ ROUTE 8, Berkshire, MA

Built 1930 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 100

HWY S CHCKLEY RD

Poor

Over: WATER CHICKLEY RIVER

250W OF RT8A S OF TOWER, Franklin, MA

Built 1939 Load: 15.7 t ADT: 129

ST125 BRIDGE ST

Poor

Over: RR BMRR (ABANDONED)

.16 KM S MERRIMAC RIVER, Essex, MA

Built 1850 Load: 16.1 t ADT: 26,000

HWY BEACON ST

Poor

Over: COMB I 90 & MBTA/CSX

.1MI.W.BROOKLINE AVE S50, Suffolk, MA

Built 1965 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 26,911

HWY EASTHMPTN RD

Poor

Over: WATER N BR MANHAN RIVER

.9 MI NW OF NORTHAMPTON, Hampshire, MA

Built 1940 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 6,336

ST 62 MAPLE ST

Poor

Over: WATER IPSWICH RIVER

1.6 KM E ST114, Essex, MA

Built 1922 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 16,200

HWY MAIN ST

Poor

Over: WATER HEMLOCK BROOK

0.1 M WEST OF FIELD PARK, Berkshire, MA

Built 1976 Load: 16.9 t ADT: 517

HWY LAUREL ST

Poor

Over: I 290

.2 MI E OF SUMMER ST, Worcester, MA

Built 1958 Load: 17.1 t ADT: 500

HWY WINTHROP ST

Poor

Over: WATER MYSTIC RIVER

1.1 KM W OF JCT I93&SR60, Middlesex, MA

Built 1926 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 14,900

HWY CURTIS RD

Poor

Over: WATER KONKAPOT RIVER

0.2MI S OF RT23, Berkshire, MA

Built 1955 Load: 17.5 t ADT: 259

HWY WEBSTER AVE

Poor

Over: RR MBTA/BMRR

OVER RAILROAD, Middlesex, MA

Built 1911 Load: 17.6 t ADT: 27,350

Showing 4,851-4,900 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.