State profile · Below national median SD

District of Columbia bridge safety

Condition ratings, load ratings, and structural-deficiency data for every public highway bridge in District of Columbia — drawn straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory.

159
Public bridges
15.1%
Good condition
1.3%
Poor condition
1.3%
Structurally deficient

Total Bridges

159

Public highway bridges in District of Columbia

Good Condition

15.1%

24 bridges rated 7-9

-34.9pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

1.3%

2 bridges rated 0-4

Structurally Deficient

1.3%

2 bridges flagged for repair priority

-5.7pp vs national avg 7.0%

District of Columbia vs national bridge condition

District of Columbia — Good condition share 15.1%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

District of Columbia — Structurally deficient share 4.2%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.0%.

Condition Distribution

Bridge inventory deck-condition mix — District of Columbia (FHWA NBI)

District of Columbia15.09433962264151%32.70440251572327%GoodFairPoorStructurally Deficient
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix — District of Columbia (FHWA NBI)

Counties (1)

District of Columbia 159

District of Columbia vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states on the structurally deficient leaderboard (lower share = better)

States are ranked by share of bridges flagged structurally deficient — the FHWA classification for any span where deck, superstructure, or substructure carries a condition rating of 4 or below. Lower percentages indicate stronger maintenance funding and inspection follow-through. States here sit immediately above and below District of Columbia on the same metric.

48

Texas

1.13% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$56,740

10

Delaware

1.25% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$878
Selected

11

District of Columbia

1.26% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$159

04

Arizona

1.44% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$5,640

13

Georgia

1.49% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$15,216

Bridges Needing Most Attention in District of Columbia

Six lowest-condition bridges in District of Columbia, ranked by composite NBI rating. Each is inspected at least every 24 months.

JOYCE ROAD

Poor

Over: LUZON BRANCH

0.3 MILES TO BEACH DRIVE., District of Columbia, DC

Built 1950 Load: 11.8 t ADT: 2,100

EDGEWATER STABLE A

Poor

Over: ROCK CREEK

0.3 MILES FROM CONNECTICU, District of Columbia, DC

Built 1958 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 50

Related

All states → | National rankings → | Understanding conditions → | SD bridges explained →
Data sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI), latest released cycle. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges Editorial.

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). A "structurally deficient" rating is a repair-priority signal, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult a qualified civil engineer before making decisions based on this data.

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.