National Bridge Inventory: Massachusetts



  • Of the 5,252 bridges in the state, 444, or 8.5 percent, are classified as structurally deficient. This means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition.
  • This is down from 481 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2018.
  • The deck area of structurally deficient bridges accounts for 10.8 percent of total deck area on all structures.
  • 71 of the structurally deficient bridges are on the Interstate Highway System. A total of 52.7 percent of the structurally deficient bridges are not on the National Highway System, which includes the Interstate and other key roads linking major airports, ports, rail and truck terminals.
  • 656 bridges are posted for load, which may restrict the size and weight of vehicles crossing the structure.
  • The state has identified needed repairs on 4,901 bridges at an estimated cost of $15.3 billion.
  • This compares to 4,768 bridges that needed work in 2018.

County Year Built Daily Crossings Type of Bridge Location
Norfolk 1958 193,356 Urban Interstate I 93 NB/US1SB over St 24 NB
Middlesex 1950 169,500 Urban Interstate I 95 /St128 over RR MBTA/BMRR
Suffolk 1970 159,624 Urban Interstate I 93 Bt SB4-N Abt over Hwy Connectors D & K
Middlesex 1962 132,500 Urban other principal arterial St 3 A/Gorham St over I 495
Essex 1959 129,908 Urban Interstate I 93 over Water Merrimack River
Essex 1963 128,520 Urban other principal arterial US 1 Newbrprt Tpk over I 95 /St128
Essex 1963 113,400 Urban Interstate I 495 over Hwy Massachusetts Ave
Plymouth 1954 112,606 Urban freeway/expressway St 24 over Hwy Torrey St
Essex 1962 106,800 Urban Interstate I 495 NB & On-Ramp over RR MBTA/BMRR
Plymouth 1954 105,251 Urban freeway/expressway St 24 over Hwy W Chestnut St
Middlesex 1962 96,637 Urban Interstate I 95 SB/St128 SB over Hwy Middlesex Tpk
Middlesex 1905 96,206 Urban other principal arterial St 9 Boylston St over Tr Green Line D
Essex 1962 95,100 Urban Interstate I 495 SB over St 28 SB/N Main St
Essex 1962 95,100 Urban Interstate I 495 NB over St 28 SB/N Main St
Middlesex 1962 94,875 Urban freeway/expressway I 95 NB/St128 NB over Hwy Middlesex Tpk
Essex 1961 93,469 Urban Interstate I 495 NB over Comb BMRR & Little Riv
Essex 1961 93,469 Urban Interstate I 495 SB over Comb BMRR & Little Riv
Essex 1962 90,200 Urban Interstate I 495 Upper Level over I 495 Lower Level
Middlesex 1965 86,300 Urban freeway/expressway St 2 EB over Hwy Pleasant St
Essex 1934 85,600 Urban other principal arterial St 1 A/Lynnway over Water Saugus River
Suffolk 1958 83,500 Urban freeway/expressway US 1 NE Xway over St 60 EB/Squire Rd
Middlesex 1957 80,100 Urban Interstate I 90 Ramps A & B over Water Charles River
Suffolk 1927 78,900 Urban other principal arterial Hwy Morrssey Blv over Water Dorchester Bay
Hampden 1967 78,178 Urban Interstate I 291 Conn B & C over Hwy Dwight St
Hampden 1970 77,100 Urban minor arterial I 291 Ramp P over I 291 /US20
Type of Bridge Number of Bridges Area of All Bridges
(sq. meters)
Daily Crossings on All Bridges Number of Structurally Deficient Bridges Area of Structurally Deficient Bridges
(sq. meters)
Daily Crossings on Structurally Deficient Bridges
Rural Interstate 90 54,606 2,654,751 1 890 24,667
Rural arterial 52 47,556 689,274 4 12,843 58,290
Rural minor arterial 109 41,465 544,109 10 2,541 59,143
Rural major collector 222 57,902 556,763 23 6,941 60,756
Rural minor collector 123 28,463 167,475 6 903 7,779
Rural local road 446 62,171 209,592 29 2,390 10,454
Urban Interstate 927 1,472,829 52,382,043 70 128,159 4,063,823
Urban freeway/expressway 462 471,786 18,405,166 48 73,844 1,710,533
Urban other principal arterial 729 820,112 17,556,296 90 118,356 2,546,875
Urban minor arterial 965 622,772 13,767,768 88 65,259 1,191,711
Urban collector 527 261,640 3,468,978 37 22,102 296,753
Urban local road 600 224,547 1,874,240 38 14,632 62,564
Total 5,252 4,165,849 112,276,455 444 448,862 10,093,348
Type of Work Number of Bridges Cost to Repair
(in millions)
Daily Crossings Area of Bridges
(sq. meters)
Bridge replacement 442 $1,808 5,020,405 307,036
Widening & rehabilitation 1,765 $3,976 29,800,961 991,511
Rehabilitation 2,372 $8,309 57,604,576 2,117,931
Deck rehabilitation/replacement 29 $147 1,227,906 38,652
Other structural work 293 $1,069 10,608,179 282,898
Total 4,901 $15,309 104,262,027 3,738,028

About the data:

Data and cost estimates are from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on February 1, 2023. Note that specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections.

Effective January 1, 2018, FHWA changed the definition of structurally deficient as part of the final rule on highway and bridge performance measures, published May 20, 2017 pursuant to the 2012 federal aid highway bill Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). Two measures that were previously used to classify bridges as structurally deficient are no longer used. This includes bridges where the overall structural evaluation was rated in poor or worse condition, or where the adequacy of waterway openings was insufficient.

The new definition limits the classification to bridges where one of the key structural elements—the deck, superstructure, substructure or culverts, are rated in poor or worse condition. During inspection, the conditions of a variety of bridge elements are rated on a scale of 0 (failed condition) to 9 (excellent condition). A rating of 4 is considered “poor” condition.

Cost estimates have been derived by ARTBA, based on 2021 average bridge replacement costs for structures on and off the National Highway System, published by FHWA. Bridge rehabilitation costs are estimated to be 68 percent of replacement costs. A bridge is considered to need repair if the structure has identified repairs as part of the NBI, a repair cost estimate is supplied by the bridge owner or the bridge is classified as structurally deficient. Please note that for a few states, the number of bridges needing to be repaired can vary significantly from year to year, and reflects the data entered by the state.

Bridges are classified by FHWA into types based on the functional classification of the roadway on the bridge. Interstates comprise routes officially designated by the Secretary of Transportation. Other principal arterials serve major centers of urban areas or provide mobility through rural areas. Freeways and expressways have directional lanes generally separated by a physical barrier, and access/egress points generally limited to on- and off-ramps. Minor arterials serve smaller areas and are used for trips of moderate length. Collectors funnel traffic from local roads to the arterial network; major collectors have higher speed limits and traffic volumes and are longer in length and spaced at greater intervals, while minor collectors are shorter and provide service to smaller communities. Local roads do not carry through traffic and are intended for short distance travel.

15
Compared to 15 in 2021

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridges

1. West Virginia 20.0%
14. Illinois 9.0%
15. Massachusetts 9.0%
16. Nebraska 8.0%

31
Compared to 31 in 2021

in the nation in # of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 4,604
30. North Dakota 449
31. Massachusetts 444
32. Washington 423

4
Compared to 4 in 2021

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridge deck area

1. Rhode Island 17.0%
3. Illinois 12.0%
4. Massachusetts 11.0%
5. New York 11.0%
Full State Ranking

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  • Source: Data is from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on February 1, 2023. Note that specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections.

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