About 15.4% of Maine bridges are rated “poor” by the Federal Highway Administration. Only three states had a higher share of poorly rated bridges: Iowa (18.6%), West Virginia (17.8%) and South Dakota (16.1%).
Under the administration’s scoring system, a bridge’s score is based on the lowest rating for its deck, superstructure, substructure or culvert. A rating of 0 to 4 is “poor,” 5 or 6 is “fair” and 7 to 9 is “good.” About 60% of Maine bridges were rated fair, and 25% were good.
The American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2024 report card gave Maine infrastructure an overall grade of C, including a D-plus for bridges. It noted that more than half of all Maine bridges are over 50 years old. The society’s updated national report card for 2025 — which doesn’t yet include state-specific scores — gave the United States a C grade overall, including a C for bridges.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- Federal Highway Administration: Bridge Condition by Highway System 2025
- American Society of Civil Engineers: 2024 Maine Infrastructure Report Card
- American Society of Civil Engineers: 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure
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