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

BOWEN/4120

Good

Over: IMBLER CREEK

0.11 MI SE DAVIS, Whitman, WA

Built 2003 Load: 36.6 t ADT: 51

TONQUIN AVE

Good

Over: LAKE MINARD

00.1 N MARINE DRIVE, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 2011 Load: 36.6 t ADT: 587

NORTH RIVER ROAD

Good

Over: NORTH RIVER

8.7 E JCT US 101, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 2019 Load: 36.6 t ADT: 381

US 2

Good

Over: S-E RAMP

JCT I-5, Snohomish, WA

Built 1967 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 24,682

SR 21

Good

Over: US 395

JCT US 395, Adams, WA

Built 1995 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 296

SR 23

Good

Over: LORDS VALLEY CREEK

12.2 N JCT SR 231, Lincoln, WA

Built 1996 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 367

SR 16 HOV LANES

Good

Over: S TACOMA WAY

0.1 N JCT I-5, Pierce, WA

Built 2018 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 43,247

I-5 NB

Good

Over: FISHER CREEK

1.8 N SNOHOMISH CO, Skagit, WA

Built 2016 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 31,960

I-5 SB

Good

Over: FISHER CREEK

1.8 N SNOHOMISH CO, Skagit, WA

Built 2016 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 31,960

MAIN STREET

Good

Over: PALOUSE RIVER

0.30 MI SW SR 272, Whitman, WA

Built 1982 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 100

CO RD 45230

Good

Over: HIGHLINE CANAL

00.2 N EASY ST, Chelan, WA

Built 1987 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 1,931

MAXFIELD ROAD

Good

Over: SOL DUC RIVER

00.29 E JCT SR101, Clallam, WA

Built 1988 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 34

INDIAN CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: INDIAN CREEK

4.84 E FAS T222, Lincoln, WA

Built 1999 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 65

SHEFFELS ROAD 4405

Good

Over: CORBETT CREEK

1.95 MI S ST 174, Lincoln, WA

Built 2004 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 50

DEKAY ROAD

Good

Over: DEKAY CREEK

1.83 W JCT US 101, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 2006 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 192

BROOKLYN ROAD

Good

Over: UNNAMED CREEK

3.2 W JCT 6888, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 2006 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 150

LANDMARK DRIVE

Good

Over: UNNAMED CREEK

EAST OF JCT S WAUGH RD, Skagit, WA

Built 1994 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 500

McCOWN RD

Good

Over: COPPEI CREEK

0.458 E SR 12, Walla Walla, WA

Built 2009 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 85

County Road 1366

Good

Over: Cannawi Creek

1.52 W FAS A221, Lincoln, WA

Built 2006 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 23

NE SPRING BLVD

Good

Over: SOUND TRANSIT LIGHT RAIL

0.3 MI W OF SR-405, King, WA

Built 2017 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 2,206

ROCKPORT CASCADE

Good

Over: ILLABOT CREEK (MIDDLE)

4.2 E JCT SR 530, Skagit, WA

Built 2018 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 262

ROCKPORT CASCADE R

Good

Over: ILLABOT CREEK (WEST)

4.2 E JCT SR 530, Skagit, WA

Built 2018 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 262

55th Ave NE

Good

Over: Kackman Creek

4.2 E JCT I-5, Snohomish, WA

Built 2021 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 200

FORKER ROAD

Good

Over: DRAINAGE

0.3 MI E OF HWY 206, Spokane, WA

Built 2021 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 885

WALLIS ROAD

Good

Over: SOUTH FORK DEADMAN CREEK

1 MI E OF SR 206, Spokane, WA

Built 2021 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 24

SR 7

Good

Over: NISQUALLY R OVERFLOW

16.1 N JCT SR 508, Lewis, WA

Built 1945 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 2,818

I-90

Good

Over: S ALTAMONT ST

1.7 E JCT US 2, Spokane, WA

Built 1957 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 114,844

I-5

Good

Over: SR 11 (CONNELLY AVE)

8.1 N SKAGIT CO, Whatcom, WA

Built 1962 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 21,454

I-5

Good

Over: FRIDAY CREEK

11.1 N JCT SR 11, Skagit, WA

Built 1964 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 23,218

I-5

Good

Over: FRIDAY CREEK

11.1 N JCT SR 11, Skagit, WA

Built 1964 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 23,218

N-W RAMP

Good

Over: RAILROAD

4.1 N JCT SR 900, King, WA

Built 1967 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 3,978

SR 821

Good

Over: ROZA CANAL

0.1 N JCT SR 823, Yakima, WA

Built 1969 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 3,796

BROADWAY AVE

Good

Over: I-5 TO SR 526 RAMP

2.8 N JCT SR 96, Snohomish, WA

Built 1970 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 25,028

I-90

Good

Over: MOODY RD

2.9 E GRANT CO, Adams, WA

Built 1972 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 5,894

I-90

Good

Over: FARRIER COULEE

4.7 E GRANT CO, Adams, WA

Built 1972 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 5,807

SR 16

Good

Over: UNION AVE

1.1 N JCT I-5, Pierce, WA

Built 1972 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 68,072

US 195

Good

Over: PLAZA-CHENEY RD

4.3 N WHITMAN CO, Spokane, WA

Built 1973 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 4,652

US 195

Good

Over: DRAKE RD

5.8 N WHITMAN CO, Spokane, WA

Built 1973 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 4,652

US 101

Good

Over: STUART SL

20.9 N JCT SR 4, Pacific, WA

Built 1975 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 3,392

US 101

Good

Over: CARRUTHERS SL

21.4 N JCT SR 4, Pacific, WA

Built 1975 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 3,392

2nd AVE SW

Good

Over: US 101

1.2 S JCT SR 8, Thurston, WA

Built 1976 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 5,490

SR 241

Good

Over: SUNNYSIDE CANAL

2.7 N JCT I-82, Yakima, WA

Built 1977 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 3,031

US 97ALT

Good

Over: CHELAN RIVER

3.5 N JCT SR 971 END, Chelan, WA

Built 1978 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 5,569

US 395

Good

Over: NP UPRR & COLUMBIA CANAL

4.9 N JCT I-82, Benton, WA

Built 1980 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 24,266

I-82

Good

Over: THORP RD

2.5 E JCT US 97, Yakima, WA

Built 1980 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 13,802

I-405

Good

Over: I-5

3.3 N JCT SR 527, Snohomish, WA

Built 1981 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 17,572

CLEAR CREEK RD NW

Good

Over: SR 3 ACCESS - LUOTO ROAD

0.3 W SR 3, Kitsap, WA

Built 1981 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 3,389

SR 240

Good

Over: I-182

2.8 E JCT 224, Benton, WA

Built 1983 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 29,916

I-82

Good

Over: BADGER RD & BNSF RR

6.4 E JCT I-182, Benton, WA

Built 1984 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 6,986

SR 21

Good

Over: LIND COULEE

2.0 N JCT US 395, Adams, WA

Built 1986 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 716

Showing 6,001-6,050 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.