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

I-90

Fair

Over: CANYON RD & BNSF RR

3.3 E JCT US 97, Kittitas, WA

Built 1968 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 15,014

US 12

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

12.1 E JCT SR 125 SPUR, Walla Walla, WA

Built 1920 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 4,172

I-82

Fair

Over: LMUMA CREEK

11.7 E JCT SR 821, Kittitas, WA

Built 1970 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 9,724

I-90

Fair

Over: GARCIA INTERCHANGE

6.5 E JCT SR 202, King, WA

Built 1976 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 18,182

SR 20

Fair

Over: METHOW RIVER

22.1 E CHELAN CO, Okanogan, WA

Built 1984 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 1,584

COUNTY ARTERIAL

Fair

Over: POTHOLES EAST CANAL

0.63W JCT R 901, Franklin, WA

Built 1958 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 245

ARLT RD

Fair

Over: INTERMITTENT STREAM

00.15 MI W WELLSANDT RD., Adams, WA

Built 1900 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 17

MINA SMITH ROAD

Fair

Over: COLBY CREEK

00.70 NJCT CRN11200, Clallam, WA

Built 1980 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 247

NE HANTWICK RD

Fair

Over: E FORK LEWIS RIVER

0.1S LUCIA FALLS RD, Clark, WA

Built 1937 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 167

COUNTY ARTERIAL

Fair

Over: W B 3 B

1.47 S JCT SR 24, Franklin, WA

Built 1958 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 2,810

HILLIS RD

Fair

Over: GRANT CREEK

0.4 NW JCT SR 530, Snohomish, WA

Built 1978 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 348

LEWIS ROAD

Fair

Over: NACHES RIVER-SO. CHANNEL

00.50 E SO NACHES, Yakima, WA

Built 1953 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 143

NORTH RIVER ROAD

Fair

Over: NORTH RIVER

00.0 PACIFIC CO LIN, Pacific, WA

Built 1959 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 204

68th Ave NE

Fair

Over: SAMMAMISH RIVER

0.5 MI S OF SR 522, King, WA

Built 1970 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 24,000

BEHME RD

Fair

Over: DAKOTA CR

00.01 E VALLEY VIEW, Whatcom, WA

Built 1930 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 189

LYNCH CREEK RD E

Fair

Over: LYNCH CREEK

.57 N JCT SR161, Pierce, WA

Built 1954 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 150

COUNTY ROAD

Fair

Over: POTHOLES EAST CANAL

2.67 W GLADE N 901, Franklin, WA

Built 1958 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 165

POTTER RD

Fair

Over: SLOUGH

00.4 W VALLEY HWY, Whatcom, WA

Built 1934 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 575

SEVEN MILE ROAD

Fair

Over: DEEP CREEK

0.5 NW PINE BLUFF, Spokane, WA

Built 1958 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 2,901

FISH HATCHERY RD

Fair

Over: TOKUL CREEK

0.8 MI S OF SR-202, King, WA

Built 1950 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 120

GILLIES RD

Fair

Over: SUMAS RIVER

00.2 N OF ALM RD., Whatcom, WA

Built 1932 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 280

LIND RD

Fair

Over: SMITH CR

00.1 S LAWRENCE RD., Whatcom, WA

Built 1955 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 50

RUSH ROAD

Fair

Over: NEWAUKUM RIVER

0.10 N JCT 40028, Lewis, WA

Built 1953 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 5,801

Arcadia Rd.

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

4.72 E JCT SR 3, Mason, WA

Built 1971 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 879

HENDRICKSON ROAD

Fair

Over: STILLWATER CREEK

2.0 W VADER, Lewis, WA

Built 1927 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 78

CHERRY HILL ROAD

Fair

Over: GRANGER CANAL

00.24 S OF GAP ROAD, Yakima, WA

Built 1935 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 140

NORMAN RD

Fair

Over: STILLAGUAMISH RIVER

1.5 SW JCT SR 530, Snohomish, WA

Built 1963 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 459

NORTHPORT-BOUNDARY

Fair

Over: DEEP CREEK

01.98 NE JCT SR 25, Stevens, WA

Built 1962 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 262

ROSE VALLEY RD

Fair

Over: GOBLE CREEK

5.65 E OLD 99 S (MP 1.06), Cowlitz, WA

Built 1958 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 750

ROCK CREEK DRIVE

Fair

Over: ROCK CREEK

BY COUNTY SHOPS, Skamania, WA

Built 1921 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 1,670

ALBATROSS STREET

Fair

Over: DUCK LAKE

0.1 E DOLPHIN, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1970 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 2,143

FAUNTLEROY WAY

Fair

Over: ADMIRAL WAY AVALON WAY

FAUNTLEROY WAY & 35TH AVE, King, WA

Built 1963 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 55,000

W EMERSON PL

Fair

Over: RAILROAD

W EMERSON PL & GILMAN AVE, King, WA

Built 1986 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 21,000

NORTH PROCTOR

Fair

Over: PUGET GULCH N32 TO N 33S

3.5 NW JCT I-5, Pierce, WA

Built 1927 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 8,088

BLACK NUGGET RD

Fair

Over: N FORK ISSAQUAH CREEK

0.2 MI E OF HIGHLAND DR, King, WA

Built 1992 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 400

BALLFIELD ROAD

Fair

Over: TIBBETS CREEK

0.1 MI E OF SR-900, King, WA

Built 1975 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 20

HOLOCOMB ROAD

Fair

Over: Stearns Creek

2.3 West Napavine, Lewis, WA

Built 1940 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 163

STEVENS CANYON ROA

Fair

Over: RAVINE

12.6 MILES WEST OF JCT. U, Lewis, WA

Built 1955 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 1,500

BUNN ROAD

Fair

Over: CHANDLER CANAL

BUNN RD AT CHANDLER CANAL, Benton, WA

Built 1954 Load: 17.3 t ADT: 50

ROAD

Fair

Over: MISSION CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Chelan, WA

Built 1949 Load: 17.3 t ADT: 10

CLEAR LAKE ROAD

Fair

Over: CLEAR CREEK

CLEAR LAKE DAM, Yakima, WA

Built 1936 Load: 17.3 t ADT: 100

US 2

Fair

Over: PESHASTIN CREEK

0.3 E JCT US 97, Chelan, WA

Built 1940 Load: 17.5 t ADT: 7,134

BLACKBURN ST

Fair

Over: I-5

4.7 N JCT SR 534, Skagit, WA

Built 1954 Load: 17.5 t ADT: 4,314

US 12

Fair

Over: SYLVIA CR NP RY

9.7 E JCT US 101, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1968 Load: 17.5 t ADT: 10,767

I-5

Fair

Over: COWEEMAN RIVER

1.4 N JCT SR 432, Cowlitz, WA

Built 1979 Load: 17.5 t ADT: 28,653

I-5

Fair

Over: CW RY

6.5 N JCT SR 508, Lewis, WA

Built 1953 Load: 17.5 t ADT: 72,086

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK

0.1 MILE SOUTH OF JCT BS, Lewis, WA

Built 1958 Load: 17.5 t ADT: 16

JANTZ RD

Fair

Over: ROCKY COULEE

02.10 MI S DAVIS RD, Adams, WA

Built 1950 Load: 17.5 t ADT: 19

MOXEE DUMP ROAD

Fair

Over: ROZA CANAL

00.08 E KONNOWAC PS, Yakima, WA

Built 1964 Load: 17.5 t ADT: 15

TERRACE HTS DRIVE

Fair

Over: YAKIMA RIVER

0.18 W BUTTERFIELD, Yakima, WA

Built 1979 Load: 17.5 t ADT: 22,500

Showing 501-550 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.