State profile · Below median Poor share

Washington bridge safety

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, condition ratings, load ratings, and Poor-condition shares for every public highway bridge in Washington.

8,474
Public bridges
50.1%
Good condition
5.5%
Poor condition

Washington has 8,474 public highway bridges in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, and 462 of them are rated Poor.

That is 5.5% of the state's inventory, against an average of 7.5% across the 54 states and territories with Poor-rated bridges on file, which places it 24 of 54 ordered from the lowest Poor share upward. A bridge is rated Poor when its weakest applicable component scores 4 or below on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, so the category is a maintenance and funding signal rather than a closure order or a live crossing-safety verdict.

Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026

Total Bridges

8,474

Public highway bridges in Washington

Good Condition

50.1%

4,246 bridges rated 7-9

0.1pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

5.5%

462 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

-2.1pp vs national avg 7.5%

Washington vs national bridge condition

Washington - Good condition share 50.1%
National avg

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

Washington - Poor-condition share 18.2%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.5%.

Washington in the national condition pattern

Each point is a state or territory in the FHWA NBI; the highlighted point is this profile.

Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Washington has 8,474 bridges and a 5.5% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #24 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold. Scatter plot of 54 data points. 0%10%20%30%40% 0k20k40k60k Public bridges in inventory (thousands) Poor-condition share (%) WA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.45%AL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.35%AK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.89%AZ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.15%AR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.43%CA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 25.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.91%CO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.82%CT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.72%DE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.26%DC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.95%FL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.79%GA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.59%GU, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.77%HI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.53%ID, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.9%IL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.35%IN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.22%IA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 19.16%KS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.26%KY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.37%LA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 12.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.48%ME, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.41%MD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.56%MA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.88%MI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 11.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.27%MN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.44%MS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.03%MO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.95%MT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.81%NE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.9%NV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.14%NH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.51%NJ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 6.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.01%NM, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.51%NY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 17.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.43%NC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.76%ND, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 10.98%OH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.74%OK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 22.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.7%OR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.61%PA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.58%PR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 13.92%RI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.2%SC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.17%SD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 16.36%TN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 20.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.41%TX, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 56.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.23%UT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.91%VT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.9%VI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 29.17%VA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.39%WV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 7.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 18.64%WI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.52%WY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.51%
Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Washington has 8,474 bridges and a 5.5% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #24 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold.

Washington vs all states by public bridge inventory

Where this state's FHWA NBI public-highway bridge count sits among every state and territory on PlainBridges

8,474 29th of 54 higher than 25 of 54 states

States and territories, banded by public bridge inventory size

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · 2024

Read the rank neighborhood for Washington

The highlighted point is Washington: 8,474 bridges and 5.45% in Poor condition, rank #24 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below Washington on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • Kansas: 24,894 bridges · 5.26% Poor
  • Arkansas: 12,974 bridges · 5.43% Poor
  • Washington: 8,474 bridges · 5.45% Poor
  • California: 25,848 bridges · 5.91% Poor
  • New Jersey: 6,827 bridges · 6.01% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in Washington

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 8,474 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains Washington’s inventory

State agency holds 39.9% of the 8,474 public highway bridges filed under Washington in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When Washington’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 12.8% of the 8,474 bridges with a recorded original year in Washington. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

Washington50.1%44.4%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - Washington (FHWA NBI)

Counties (39)

Adams 187 Asotin 29 Benton 167 Chelan 149 Clallam 151 Clark 218 Columbia 86 Cowlitz 160 Douglas 40 Ferry 53 Franklin 134 Garfield 54 Grant 306 Grays Harbor 363 Island 7 Jefferson 99 King 1238 Kitsap 115 Kittitas 308 Klickitat 90 Lewis 419 Lincoln 180 Mason 133 Okanogan 161 Pacific 120 Pend Oreille 71 Pierce 472 San Juan 13 Skagit 254 Skamania 120 Snohomish 500 Spokane 307 Stevens 75 Thurston 205 Wahkiakum 36 Walla Walla 195 Whatcom 354 Whitman 347 Yakima 558

Washington vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states by Poor-condition share (lower share = better)

States are ranked by the share of bridges whose lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below. This describes recorded condition; it does not measure funding effectiveness or live crossing safety. States here sit immediately above and below Washington on the same metric.

KS

Kansas

5.26% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$24,894

AR

Arkansas

5.43% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$12,974
Selected

WA

Washington

5.45% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$8,474

CA

California

5.91% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$25,848

NJ

New Jersey

6.01% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$6,827

Bridges Needing Most Attention in Washington

Six lowest-condition bridges in Washington, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

STATE ROUTE 509

Poor

Over: PUYALLUP WATERWAY RR

2.5 N JCT I-5, Pierce, WA

Built 1911 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 2,400

I-82

Poor

Over: WASTEWATER NUMBER 3

8.4 E JCT US 97, Yakima, WA

Built 1980 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 28,146

Fish War Mem X-ing

Poor

Over: PUYALLUP RIVER

0.2 N JCT I-5, Pierce, WA

Built 1925 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 15,255

POST STREET

Poor

Over: SPOKANE RIVER

00.6 N OF I-90, Spokane, WA

Built 1917 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 1,685

W Galer Street

Poor

Over: Private Road

Magnolia Seattle, King, WA

Built 1929 Load: 0.0 t

SILVER CK RD 00670

Poor

Over: NINE MILE CREEK

19.05 E SR 21, Ferry, WA

Built 1958 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 47

All Bridges in Washington

PIONEER HIGHWAY

Good

Over: STILLIGUAMISH RIVER

5.9 E JCT SR 532, Snohomish, WA

Built 1979 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 2,426

SR 165

Good

Over: SO PRAIRIE CRK

18.8 N RAINIER PARK, Pierce, WA

Built 1981 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 4,411

SR 515

Good

Over: GARRISON CREEK

2.1 N JCT SR 516, King, WA

Built 1993 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 26,149

SR 509 RAMP

Good

Over: RAILROAD & EAST RIVER ST

0.7 N JCT I-705, Pierce, WA

Built 1996 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 3,733

SWEDE HEAVEN RD

Good

Over: BLACK CREEK

1.2 NW JCT SR 530, Snohomish, WA

Built 2002 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 746

N. BROOKS CR RD

Good

Over: BROOKS CREEK

0.7 NE JCT SR 530, Snohomish, WA

Built 1984 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 72

31 AV CT E

Good

Over: CLEAR CREEK

0.1 S JCT SR 410, Pierce, WA

Built 1971 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 430

FISH HATCHERY RD

Good

Over: CANYON CREEK

04.2 S JCT SR101, Clallam, WA

Built 1985 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 64

BRIM CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: STILLWATER CREEK

2.0 W VADER, Lewis, WA

Built 1960 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 95

ROUNDTOP ROAD

Good

Over: ROUND TOP CREEK

1.0 SW MINERAL, Lewis, WA

Built 1989 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 18

SOUTH MACHIAS RD

Good

Over: LITTLE PILCHUCK CREEK

3.0 S JCT SR92, Snohomish, WA

Built 2005 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 5,776

ROAD

Good

Over: LITTLE SANDY CREEK

MP16.8 ON RD 11, Whatcom, WA

Built 1964 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 382

US 730

Good

Over: SPRING GULCH

1.4 N OREGON, Walla Walla, WA

Built 1950 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 3,403

US 101

Good

Over: TEN OCLOCK CREEK

45.1 N JCT SR 109, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1958 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 1,153

OLD HWY 99 S

Good

Over: I-5

2.9 N JCT SR 534, Skagit, WA

Built 1972 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 1,887

EAST E ST

Good

Over: I-82

7.7 E JCT SR 22, Yakima, WA

Built 1981 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 1,109

SR 410

Good

Over: AMERICAN RIVER

7.4 E PIERCE CO, Yakima, WA

Built 1987 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 810

3 RD SE

Good

Over: WASTEWAY

3 SE .5 West of M SE, Grant, WA

Built 1987 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 78

DOERSCHLAG ROAD

Good

Over: NO NAME CREEK

0.48 W FAS J220, Lincoln, WA

Built 1915 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 153

HEINEMANN RD

Good

Over: FARRIER COULEE

00.24 MI E DEAL, Adams, WA

Built 1900 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 25

SUNSET/3360

Good

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

9.76 MI SE PNE CTY-MALDEN, Whitman, WA

Built 1978 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 70

SR 263

Good

Over: DRY GULCH

9.1 N JCT PORT WINDUST, Franklin, WA

Built 1952 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 356

KACKMAN/4210

Good

Over: PALOUSE RIVER

2.21 MI S LANCASTER, Whitman, WA

Built 1991 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 20

APP UNIONTN E/9410

Good

Over: THORN CREEK

1.65 MI NE SR 195, Whitman, WA

Built 1994 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 1

WARD ROAD

Good

Over: TOUCHET RIVER

0.081 MI NW SR 12, Columbia, WA

Built 1992 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 25

STEVICK/8220

Good

Over: UNION FLAT CREEK

0.05 MI W UPPER UNION FLT, Whitman, WA

Built 1997 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 20

108TH AVE SE

Good

Over: SE 274TH ST

27400 108TH AVE SE, King, WA

Built 1998 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 8,300

WINONA SOUTH/6000

Good

Over: UNION FLAT CREEK

8.18 MI SW ENDICOTT, Whitman, WA

Built 2005 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 282

PATTERSON 3220

Good

Over: KAMIACHE CREEK

1.87 MI NW STEPHENS RD, Whitman, WA

Built 2006 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 81

TOUCHET NORTH RD

Good

Over: TOUCHET RIVER

6.160 N SR 12, Walla Walla, WA

Built 2007 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 215

ELOCHOMAN VLY RD

Good

Over: ROCK CREEK

8.50 MILES NE OF SR4, Wahkiakum, WA

Built 2008 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 184

Riverside Road

Good

Over: Riverside Rd BNSF RR

0.1 NE Jct E. Marine View, Snohomish, WA

Built 1998 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 1,000

NW 195TH CT

Good

Over: BNSF RR

JCT RICH BEACH DR NW, King, WA

Built 2011 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 650

CHUTE ACCESS

Good

Over: ESQUATZEL DIVERS CHANNEL

NR PASCO WA, Franklin, WA

Built 1958 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 5

SR 112

Good

Over: E TWIN R

16.0 E JCT SR 113, Clallam, WA

Built 1952 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 825

I-5

Good

Over: GAGES SLOUGH

1.7 N JCT SR 538, Skagit, WA

Built 1954 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 31,499

I-5

Good

Over: GAGES SLOUGH

1.7 N JCT SR 538, Skagit, WA

Built 1954 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 31,499

OLIVE WAY

Good

Over: I-5

1.7 N JCT I-90, King, WA

Built 1962 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 10,759

I-90

Good

Over: E FK ISSAQUAH CR

5.6 E JCT SR 900, King, WA

Built 1975 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 32,820

I-82

Good

Over: BN RR

0.6 E JCT SR 14, Benton, WA

Built 1980 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 12,412

SR 129

Good

Over: RATTLESNAKE CREEK

5.8 N OREGON, Asotin, WA

Built 2015 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 282

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK TRIB.

.67 MILES FROM RD. #11, Whatcom, WA

Built 2003 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 50

ROAD

Good

Over: THOMPSON CREEK

MP 2.0 RD #3910, Whatcom, WA

Built 2003 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 2

LOWER WAITSBURG RD

Good

Over: SPRING VALLEY CREEK

09.06N SR 12, Walla Walla, WA

Built 1985 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 242

TUCANNON ROAD

Good

Over: TUCANNON RIVER

7.4 SE JCT SR 126, Columbia, WA

Built 1996 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 200

KNOX ROAD 3817

Good

Over: TUNK CREEK

2.7 MI.W.SYNAREP, Okanogan, WA

Built 1976 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 22

LESTER ROAD

Good

Over: SNIPES CANAL

00.01 N SNIPES CANL, Yakima, WA

Built 1958 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 580

MCBEE ROAD

Good

Over: KID CANAL

00.25 SW WEBER CAN., Benton, WA

Built 1991 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 85

BRANCH RD.

Good

Over: DRAIN

00.47 E RUPPLE ROAD, Yakima, WA

Built 1968 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 901

ALDER ST

Good

Over: TOWN CANAL

11TH & ALDER ST, Kittitas, WA

Built 1968 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 8,167

Showing 5,001-5,050 of 8,474 bridges

Related

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

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). Poor condition is an inspection-record category, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult the bridge owner for current status.

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.

What to do with this

Use Washington's inventory picture to drill to a county or a specific span.

  • Browse counties in Washington and open the highest-Poor shares first. County list
  • See where this state sits among peers on Poor-condition share. State rankings
  • Compare this state with another jurisdiction on the same measures. State compare

NBI condition ratings are inventory snapshots, not live crossing-safety verdicts.

Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Washington Good/Fair/Poor shares and county rollups on this page are computed from the same NBI extract as the national boards; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.