Massachusetts bridge conditions
5,311 inventoried bridges · 501 rated poor · county by county
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- 501 of Massachusetts's 5,311 inventoried bridges are rated in poor condition (9.4%) in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory, as of .
- 1,291 bridges (24.3%) are rated good and 3,519 (66.3%) fair.
- The national poor rate is about 6.7%; Massachusetts is above it (see all states ranked).
- The busiest poor-rated bridge in the state is St 3 over Hwy Union St N Rotary in Norfolk County, carrying about 204,310 vehicles a day.
By the measure that matters most - the most traffic on a poor rating - it is St 3 over Hwy Union St N Rotary in Norfolk County, built 1957, carrying about 204,310 vehicles a day. That is a repair-priority flag, not a collapse warning: what a poor rating does and does not mean. See the worst bridge in every state.
Good 24.3% · Fair 66.3% · Poor 9.4% of 5,311 bridges
Bridge conditions by county
Sorted by the number of poor-rated bridges. Click any county for its full bridge list.
| County | Bridges | Rated poor | Poor % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middlesex County | 821 | 91 | 11.1% |
| Worcester County | 1,020 | 78 | 7.6% |
| Essex County | 397 | 66 | 16.6% |
| Berkshire County | 450 | 52 | 11.6% |
| Suffolk County | 490 | 49 | 10.0% |
| Franklin County | 314 | 39 | 12.4% |
| Hampden County | 429 | 32 | 7.5% |
| Bristol County | 387 | 27 | 7.0% |
| Hampshire County | 258 | 25 | 9.7% |
| Norfolk County | 343 | 21 | 6.1% |
| Plymouth County | 288 | 17 | 5.9% |
| Barnstable County | 107 | 4 | 3.7% |
| Dukes County | 5 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Nantucket County | 2 | 0 | 0.0% |
The 25 busiest poor-rated bridges in Massachusetts
Frequently asked questions
How many bridges in Massachusetts are in poor condition?
501 of Massachusetts's 5,311 inventoried highway bridges are rated in poor condition (9.4%) in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory. 'Poor' is FHWA's classification for a bridge whose deck, superstructure, or substructure is rated 4 or lower on the 0-9 scale; it was formerly called 'structurally deficient'.
Are the poor-rated bridges in Massachusetts safe to drive on?
A poor rating flags advanced deterioration that needs repair or close monitoring; it does not by itself mean a bridge is unsafe. Bridges judged unsafe are closed or restricted to lighter loads by the owner. Inspections continue on all open bridges, generally at least every 24 months under the National Bridge Inspection Standards.
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 vintage, reported by the Massachusetts DOT.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.