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

Spokane Street

Good

Over: Spokane Street

E Marginal and Spokane St, King, WA

Built 2012 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 10,000

KILE/3630

Good

Over: Thorn Creek

0.02 MI N Thorn Creek, Whitman, WA

Built 1988 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 25

SUNSET/3360

Good

Over: THORN CREEK

12.27 MI NE PNE CTY-MALDN, Whitman, WA

Built 2019 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 70

Forney Road

Good

Over: Cowiche Creek

0.02 E of Danner Road, Yakima, WA

Built 2019 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 1,034

SE 62ND STREET

Good

Over: ISSAQUAH CREEK

0.3 MI N OF I-90, King, WA

Built 2019 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 5,500

N-W RAMP

Good

Over: SR 520

3.7 N JCT I-90, King, WA

Built 1966 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 8,168

US 101

Good

Over: MCDONALD CREEK

11.9 E JCT SR 117, Clallam, WA

Built 2013 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 10,039

US 101

Good

Over: MCDONALD CREEK

11.9 E JCT SR 117, Clallam, WA

Built 2013 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 10,039

I-90 EB

Good

Over: PRICE CREEK

6.6 E JCT SR 906, Kittitas, WA

Built 2018 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 17,475

SR 21

Good

Over: W FK SAN POIL RIVER

39.0 N LINCOLN CO, Ferry, WA

Built 2020 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 409

SR 4

Good

Over: PETES CREEK

3.1 E JCT US 101, Pacific, WA

Built 2015 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 2,121

ROAD

Good

Over: MONEY CREEK

0.9 MILE FROM COUNTY ROAD, King, WA

Built 2011 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 5

GRAY RD

Good

Over: COW CREEK

00.42 MI S SR26, Adams, WA

Built 1995 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 33

ERICKSON ROAD

Good

Over: CID CANAL

00.50 E NINE CANYON, Benton, WA

Built 1982 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 80

S WILBUR AVENUE

Good

Over: RUSSELL CREEK

00.01 S RESER RD, Walla Walla, WA

Built 1989 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 462

SEVENTH STREET

Good

Over: PINE CREEK

0.15 W WHITMAN ST, Whitman, WA

Built 1982 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 500

14TH AVE

Good

Over: TOWN CANAL

14TH AVENUE & TOWN CANAL, Kittitas, WA

Built 1968 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 5,830

VALLEY ROAD

Good

Over: OTTER CREEK

01.5 E US 2, Spokane, WA

Built 1997 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 152

SPRING VALLEY RD

Good

Over: DRY RUN

4.3 N VALLEY GROVE, Walla Walla, WA

Built 1998 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 12

PINECTY-MALDN/3000

Good

Over: THORN CREEK

8.04 MI NE SR 23, Whitman, WA

Built 2000 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 175

SE JONES ROAD

Good

Over: CEDAR RIVER & TRAIL

0.01 MI E OF SR-169, King, WA

Built 2003 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 4,560

VALLEY CHAPEL RD

Good

Over: SPANGLE CREEK

1.0 S ELDER RD., Spokane, WA

Built 2008 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 411

S PALOUSE ST

Good

Over: MILL CREEK

PALOUSE ST at MILL CR, Walla Walla, WA

Built 2009 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 7,980

STEPTOE CAN 9280

Good

Over: STEPTOE CREEK

7.54 MI SE RD 9270, Whitman, WA

Built 2017 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 3

126th St SE

Good

Over: Unnamed Wetland

3.3 N JCT SR2, Snohomish, WA

Built 2020 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 100

Farm Access/Maint.

Good

Over: West Canal DW229 Waste

West Canal DW229 Wasteway, Grant, WA

Built 2010 Load: 34.1 t ADT: 10

Farm Access

Good

Over: West Canal W26C lateral

West Canal W26C Lateral a, Grant, WA

Built 2000 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 50

I-5 NB OFF RAMP

Good

Over: I-5 NB ON RAMP

0.8 N JCT SR14, Clark, WA

Built 1979 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 6,773

SR 16 RAMP

Good

Over: BURLEY CREEK

4.5 N PIERCE CO, Kitsap, WA

Built 1993 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 2,439

NE 12 ST

Good

Over: I-405

3.0 N JCT I-90, King, WA

Built 2011 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 20,700

SR 520

Good

Over: 108TH AVE NE

5.2 E JCT SR 513, King, WA

Built 2013 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 26,056

SR 16 W-S RAMP

Good

Over: CENTER STREET & STRR

0.3 W JCT I-5, Pierce, WA

Built 2013 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 6,062

I-90

Good

Over: TOWNSEND CREEK

5.8 E JCT SR 906, Kittitas, WA

Built 2016 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 34,949

GUNNING ROAD

Good

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

0.34 N SR 2, Lincoln, WA

Built 1968 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 110

RAMBO ROAD

Good

Over: DEEP CREEK

0.1 MI S. EUCLID RD, Spokane, WA

Built 1995 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 1,090

SPRING VALLEY ROAD

Good

Over: LATAH CREEK

0.0 W LATAH, Spokane, WA

Built 1998 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 165

BAUER RD

Good

Over: DRY WASH

02.27 MI N ROSENOFF, Adams, WA

Built 2000 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 15

Harting Grade

Good

Over: SOUTH TOUCHET RIVER

0.2 Miles W of Jct 13250, Columbia, WA

Built 2000 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 100

SW SPOKANE ST

Good

Over: RR

SW SPOKANE ST/HARBOR AVE, King, WA

Built 2001 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 8,297

PROVIDENCE RD

Good

Over: EAST LOW CANAL

02.00 MI E SR17, Adams, WA

Built 2004 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 10

Cresent Bar Rd

Good

Over: Wanapum Lake

Cresent Bar, Grant, WA

Built 2008 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 1,147

DIVISION ST

Good

Over: MILL CREEK

DIVISION AT MILL CR, Walla Walla, WA

Built 2007 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 4,170

Naneum Road

Good

Over: NANEUM CREEK

01.53 N CHARLTON ROAD, Kittitas, WA

Built 2008 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 97

N.W.DOGWOOD ST

Good

Over: ISSAQUAH CK

0.2W FRONT ST, King, WA

Built 2015 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 4,500

SAND CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: SAND CREEK

1.1 W JCT MOX CHEHALIS RD, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 2018 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 104

S Refuge Rd

Good

Over: Lake River and Railroad

0.8 MI S OF OFFICE, Clark, WA

Built 2019 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 140

US 12

Good

Over: LAKE CR

0.3 E JCT SR 7, Lewis, WA

Built 1952 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 4,992

I-5

Good

Over: LINWOOD AVE

4.0 N JCT SR 121, Thurston, WA

Built 1955 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 104,017

I-5

Good

Over: TERRAIN

3.0 N JCT I-90, King, WA

Built 1963 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 3,835

I-5 EXP RAMP

Good

Over: I-5 NB I-5 EXPRESS RAMP

6.2 N JCT I-90, King, WA

Built 1962 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 4,156

Showing 5,651-5,700 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.