BIRCHWOOD AVE.
Carrying BIRCHWOOD AVE. over BUG LAKE OVERFLOW
JCT BIRCHWOOD/SQUALICUM, Whatcom, Washington
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: BIRCHWOOD AVE.
The BIRCHWOOD AVE. bridge in Whatcom, Washington carries BIRCHWOOD AVE. over BUG LAKE OVERFLOW. It was built in 1987, making it 39 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 3 sections, stretching 7.3 meters (24 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 6,200 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Washington bridges. It is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show culvert at 6/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. None of this bridge's reported major components fall into the Poor condition range. Its NBI inventory load rating is 26.2 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How BIRCHWOOD AVE. compares
Live comparison across Washington.
Historical Sufficiency Rating
PlainBridge-computedFHWA discontinued this calculated item; it does not determine current condition, funding eligibility, posting, or closure. How the historical reference is calculated.
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1987
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 7.3 m (24 ft)
- Owner
- City/Municipal Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 6,200 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 085824000000000
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether BIRCHWOOD AVE. is safe to cross today. Here is how to use it.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Learn how the 0–9 condition scale and Good/Fair/Poor categories are defined. How condition ratings work
- Compare BIRCHWOOD AVE. against other structures in Whatcom and across Washington. Washington bridges
- Noticed visible damage or a safety concern? Report it to the agency that owns the bridge, or call 911 in an emergency. How to report a bridge
Condition codes come straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory and are not a real-time safety judgment. Only the owning agency, a state DOT, county, or other owner, can post, restrict, or close a bridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the condition ratings mean for BIRCHWOOD AVE.?
BIRCHWOOD AVE. in Whatcom, Washington on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is BIRCHWOOD AVE. inspected?
BIRCHWOOD AVE.'s responsible agency sets its routine interval under FHWA's risk-based inspection rules; this page does not expose the scheduled interval. It carries about 6,200 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. BIRCHWOOD AVE. is currently shown as Fair condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for BIRCHWOOD AVE.?
BIRCHWOOD AVE. has an NBI inventory load rating of 26.2 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining BIRCHWOOD AVE.?
BIRCHWOOD AVE. is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
How old is BIRCHWOOD AVE. and does age affect safety?
BIRCHWOOD AVE. was built in 1987, making it 39 years old.
Disclaimer: Bridge condition data is from the FHWA NBI and reflects the last reported inspection. A Poor condition rating is not a live declaration that a bridge is closed or unsafe for travel. For current closure, posting, or safety information, contact the responsible transportation agency.
Every figure on PlainBridge is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.