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

U.7

Good

Over: USBR Lateral

U.7 .2 N of SR 28, Grant, WA

Built 1954 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 278

WORKMAN CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: WORKMAN CREEK

0.4 S JCT 9634, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1986 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 32

EAST HUMPTULIPS RD

Good

Over: ELWOOD CREEK

03.3 E JCT SR101, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 41

OLD HWY 410

Good

Over: PERRY CREEK

PARALLEL SR101, Thurston, WA

Built 1937 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 587

B ST E

Good

Over: NORTH FORK CLOVER CREEK

.23 E JCT SR7, Pierce, WA

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,250

LOWER BURNETT RD E

Good

Over: SOUTH PRAIRIE CREEK

00.42 W JCT SR162, Pierce, WA

Built 1986 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 550

SR 503 SPUR

Good

Over: SPEELYAI CREEK

1.2 N JCT SR 503, Cowlitz, WA

Built 1953 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,477

OHOP VALLEY RD E

Good

Over: OHOP CREEK

1.6 E JCT SR 7, Pierce, WA

Built 1988 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 145

GEISSLER ROAD

Good

Over: PETZEL CREEK

05.2 SW JCT 9519, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1978 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 20

NICHOLSON RD

Good

Over: CHILDS CREEK

0.1 S JCT SR 20, Skagit, WA

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 40

RIFFE ROAD

Good

Over: PUD TAILRACE

0.5 SW PACKWOOD, Lewis, WA

Built 1962 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6

BLACK CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: BLACK CREEK

02.9 NE JCT 9519, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1977 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 156

HAYWIRE ROAD

Good

Over: STEARNS CREEK

2.5 W NAPAVINE, Lewis, WA

Built 1963 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 168

HARRISON AVE

Good

Over: SKOOKUMCHUCK RIVER

00.0 JCT. W FIRST S, Lewis, WA

Built 1968 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 22,996

MONROE STREET

Good

Over: SPOKANE RIVER

00.60 N OF I-90, Spokane, WA

Built 1911 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 18,453

COSTLEY LANE

Good

Over: ASOTIN CREEK

JCT BAUMEISTER DR, Asotin, WA

Built 1978 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 264

4TH STREET

Good

Over: BRANCH OF MCCOY CREEK

0.01 N BARTLET ST, Whitman, WA

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 35

98TH AVE NW

Good

Over: IRVINE SLOUGH

0.1 S JCT SR 532, Snohomish, WA

Built 1991 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 175

RAILROAD AVE

Good

Over: HANGMAN CREEK

0.15 S SR 27, Whitman, WA

Built 1992 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 300

DEPOT RD

Good

Over: FISHTRAP CR

0.6 N FRONT ST, Whatcom, WA

Built 1992 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,187

S RD NE

Good

Over: EAST LOW CANAL

S NE 0.1 North of I-90, Grant, WA

Built 1995 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 133

OAKSHOTT ROAD

Good

Over: COLVILLE RIVER

.44 E JCT VALLEY-WESTSIDE, Stevens, WA

Built 1996 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,350

STORIE LANE

Good

Over: LITTLE CREEK

00.07 S NELSON SIDE, Kittitas, WA

Built 1996 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 76

P NW

Good

Over: LAT. BLK 73

P NW @ 12, Grant, WA

Built 1996 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 440

YARWOOD ROAD

Good

Over: COAL CREEK

0.01 S JCT SR 28, Lincoln, WA

Built 1998 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 60

Aaron Drive

Good

Over: FISHTRAP CREEK

0.3 S SR 546, Whatcom, WA

Built 1999 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,536

DAY USE ROAD

Good

Over: STREAM

DASH POINT STATE PARK, Pierce, WA

Built 1993 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50

PARK ENTRANCE

Good

Over: SMITH CREEK

SALTWATER STATE PARK, King, WA

Built 1992 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 850

CAMP LOOP

Good

Over: McSorley Creek

SALTWATER STATE PARK, King, WA

Built 1992 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50

CAMP LOOP

Good

Over: McSorley Creek

SALTWATER STATE PARK, King, WA

Built 1992 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50

CAMP LOOP

Good

Over: MCSORLEY CREEK

SALTWATER STATE PARK, King, WA

Built 1992 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50

PLYMOUTH ROAD

Good

Over: FOURMILE CANYON

1.693 mi N of SR 14, Benton, WA

Built 1993 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 560

SR 900

Good

Over: WETLANDS

8.4 E JCT I-405, King, WA

Built 2002 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,744

REECER CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: CURRIER CREEK

.07 SOUTH HUNGRY JCT. RD., Kittitas, WA

Built 2002 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,140

NEILSON ST

Good

Over: LIND COULEE

0.1 MI S JCT SR 21, Adams, WA

Built 2003 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

24TH DR SE

Good

Over: WETLAND

0.3 E JCT SR 527, Snohomish, WA

Built 2003 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 837

FULLBRIGHT RD.

Good

Over: AHTANUM CREEK

FULBRIGHT PARK, Yakima, WA

Built 1986 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 75

ANDERSON ROAD

Good

Over: OVERFLOW CHANNEL

0.15 N HOWANUT RD, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 2003 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,891

Gould City Mayview

Good

Over: Meadow Creek

5.20 miles north SR 12, Garfield, WA

Built 2003 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 526

BROWNSVILLE HWY

Good

Over: STEELE CREEK

0.42 N HWY 303, Kitsap, WA

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,305

BROWNSVILLE

Good

Over: STEELE CREEK

0.41 N HWY 303, Kitsap, WA

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,305

LEXINGTON BR.DRIV

Good

Over: COWLITZ R. AND BNSF RR

W OF I-5 EXIT 42, Cowlitz, WA

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 12,000

41st St.

Good

Over: Smith Avenue

0.01 Mi East Jct I-5, Snohomish, WA

Built 2006 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,328

304 ST E

Good

Over: SOUTH CREEK

.68 W JCT SR7, Pierce, WA

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,675

TRACYTON BLVD

Good

Over: BARKER CREEK

2.4 MI S OF BUCKLIN HILL, Kitsap, WA

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 7,255

TWISP RIVER ROAD

Good

Over: LITTLE BRIDGE CREEK

8.07 Mi West of Twisp, Okanogan, WA

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 321

WYNOOCHE VALLEY RD

Good

Over: SCHAFER CREEK TRIBUTARY

23.4 MILES N. SR12, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 228

WYNOOCHE VALLEY RD

Good

Over: SCHAFER CREEK

25.2 MILES N. SR12, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 209

BADGER POCKET ROAD

Good

Over: JOHNSON DRAINAGE

0.15 N SORENSON RD, Kittitas, WA

Built 2011 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 197

UPPER HOH ROAD

Good

Over: DISMAL CREEK

UPPER HOH ROAD, Jefferson, WA

Built 2011 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 877

Showing 5,451-5,500 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.