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

SR 22

Good

Over: TOPPENISH CREEK

1.7 E JCT SR 223, Yakima, WA

Built 1976 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 1,624

SR 285

Good

Over: PENNY RD

2.0 N JCT SR 285COWENTCH, Chelan, WA

Built 1996 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 26,171

SR 105

Good

Over: NORRIS SLOUGH

16.5 N JCT US 101, Pacific, WA

Built 2011 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 1,095

COLORADO AVE

Good

Over: SR 99

3.9 N JCT SR 509, King, WA

Built 2013 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 8,000

I-5

Good

Over: PUYALLUP R/RR/SR 167

0.2 N JCT SR 167, Pierce, WA

Built 2017 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 89,223

SR 99 OFF RAMP

Good

Over: RAMP AND TERRAIN

4.3 N JCT SR 509, King, WA

Built 2019 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 13,058

BERKELEY AVE

Good

Over: I-5

7.7 N THURSTON CO, Pierce, WA

Built 2020 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 14,599

4600000

Good

Over: LAVA CREEK

7.39 MILES DOWN #46RD, Lewis, WA

Built 2020 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 50

TELECKY ROAD

Good

Over: CRAB CREEK

2.51 W SR 231, Lincoln, WA

Built 1982 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 40

RIDGETOP BLVD NW

Good

Over: CLEAR CREEK

0.2 E SILVERDALE WAY NW, Kitsap, WA

Built 1989 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 10,894

STEPTOE DRIVE

Good

Over: CID CANAL

0.7 mi North of Gage Blvd, Benton, WA

Built 1999 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 10,700

W Lk Sam Pkwy SE

Good

Over: Tibbetts Creek

NW Sam at State Park Ent, King, WA

Built 2001 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 12,000

VAN MARTER ST

Good

Over: Lind Coulee

0.1 MI S JCT SR 21, Adams, WA

Built 2007 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 392

244TH AVE NE

Good

Over: WETLAND

0.3 MI S OF NE 8TH ST, King, WA

Built 2010 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 2,700

DAYTON STREET

Good

Over: CID CANAL

.04 S JCT 1ST AVE, Benton, WA

Built 2014 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 5,000

NE 10TH AVE

Good

Over: WHIPPLE CREEK

0.6 N NE 146TH, Clark, WA

Built 2018 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 950

Pacific Avenue N.

Good

Over: BNSF railroad

1.15 SW I-5 Exit 42, Cowlitz, WA

Built 2023 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 1,300

US 101

Good

Over: SCHNEIDER CREEK

2.7 S MASON CO, Thurston, WA

Built 1958 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 13,023

I-5

Good

Over: WAPATO CREEK

1.4 N JCT SR 167, Pierce, WA

Built 1960 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 95,914

I-5

Good

Over: WAPATO CREEK

1.4 N JCT SR 167, Pierce, WA

Built 1960 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 95,914

PORTAL WAY

Good

Over: I-5

9.0 N JCT SR 539, Whatcom, WA

Built 1961 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 3,000

I-5

Good

Over: N-W RAMP I-5

8.2 N JCT SR 548, Whatcom, WA

Built 1962 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 1,336

N 85TH TO SB I-5

Good

Over: I-5 SB RAMP TO NE 80TH

0.7 N JCT SR 522, King, WA

Built 1964 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 7,194

SR 506

Good

Over: STILLWATER CR

3.7 E COWLITZ CO, Lewis, WA

Built 1963 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 972

I-405

Good

Over: SR 520

3.7 N JCT I-90, King, WA

Built 1966 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 65,986

SR 530

Good

Over: I-5

JCT I-5, Snohomish, WA

Built 1965 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 15,080

23RD ST

Good

Over: I-5 W-N RAMP

0.6 N JCT US 2, Snohomish, WA

Built 1967 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 2,123

I-5

Good

Over: ABANDONED RR

3.5 N JCT SR 527, Snohomish, WA

Built 1967 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 76,668

I-405

Good

Over: TERRAIN

8.7 N JCT SR 520, King, WA

Built 1968 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 10,673

I-405

Good

Over: DAMSON RD

2.2 N JCT SR 527, Snohomish, WA

Built 1968 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 60,143

I-182

Good

Over: N 4TH AVE

1.5 E JCT US 395, Franklin, WA

Built 1968 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 28,530

I-82

Good

Over: E POMONA RD

5.3 E KITTITAS CO, Yakima, WA

Built 1969 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 9,724

S 154TH ST

Good

Over: SR 518

1.6 E JCT SR 509, King, WA

Built 1971 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 8,626

SR 104

Good

Over: 3RD AVE

0.8 E JCT SR 524, Snohomish, WA

Built 1971 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 10,716

W-W & E-E RAMPS

Good

Over: SUNSET HWY

15.3 E LINCOLN CO, Spokane, WA

Built 1972 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 8,700

I-205

Good

Over: ST JOHNS RD

3.4 N JCT SR 500, Clark, WA

Built 1973 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 37,053

SR 3

Good

Over: NEWBERRY HILL RD

8.7 N JCT SR 304, Kitsap, WA

Built 1972 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 22,372

SR 706

Good

Over: GOAT CREEK

12.2 E JCT SR 7, Pierce, WA

Built 1979 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 2,222

SR 308

Good

Over: DOGFISH BAY

3.1 E JCT SR 3, Kitsap, WA

Built 1981 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 4,397

I-82

Good

Over: SR 397/LOCUST GROVE RD

1.6 E JCT US 395, Benton, WA

Built 1984 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 10,547

I-82

Good

Over: SR 397/LOCUST GROVE RD

1.6 E JCT US 395, Benton, WA

Built 1984 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 10,547

SR 203

Good

Over: SLOUGH

16.4 N JCT SR 202, King, WA

Built 1984 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 10,190

SR 161

Good

Over: MASHEL RIVER

2.5 N JCT SR 7, Pierce, WA

Built 1986 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 394

US 101

Good

Over: DUNGENESS RIVER

16.0 E JCT SR 117, Clallam, WA

Built 1989 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 27,141

SR 169

Good

Over: CEDAR RIVER

3.6 N JCT SR 516, King, WA

Built 1991 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 21,491

SR 520 E-N RAMP

Good

Over: NORTHUP WAY

JCT I-405, King, WA

Built 1993 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 8,270

I-90 RAMP

Good

Over: MERCER SLOUGH I-90

6.4 E JCT I-5, King, WA

Built 1995 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 2,421

SR 14

Good

Over: 164TH AVE

2.5 E JCT I-205, Clark, WA

Built 1996 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 48,321

E-N RAMP

Good

Over: SR 900

JCT SR 900, King, WA

Built 1997 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 8,589

SE 312TH WAY

Good

Over: SR 18

3.8 E JCT SR 164, King, WA

Built 1997 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 24

Showing 5,801-5,850 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.