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

SE 304TH ST

Good

Over: SOOSETTE CREEK

0.1 E JCT SR 18, King, WA

Built 1997 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 11,963

HOV ON/OFF RAMPS

Good

Over: I-90

1.2 E JCT I-405, King, WA

Built 2006 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 1,266

SR 20

Good

Over: HIGGINS SLOUGH

0.1 E JCT SR 536, Skagit, WA

Built 2007 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 13,243

SR 539

Good

Over: NOOKSACK RIVER

2.0 N JCT SR 544, Whatcom, WA

Built 2009 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 8,300

SR 539

Good

Over: NOOKSACK R OVERFLOW

2.5 N JCT SR 544, Whatcom, WA

Built 2009 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 16,600

SB I-5 TO NB SR 16

Good

Over: S TACOMA WAY/STRR/CENTER

WB NALLEY VALLEY, Pierce, WA

Built 2011 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 39,113

I-5 S-E RAMP

Good

Over: TERRAIN

WB NALLEY VALLEY, Pierce, WA

Built 2011 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 3,842

SE GROUSE RIDGE RD

Good

Over: S FK SNOQUALMIE RIVER

0.4 N I-90, King, WA

Built 1982 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 45

ROAD #31

Good

Over: CANYON CREEK

7.5 MILES FROM SH 542, Whatcom, WA

Built 1996 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 50

ROAD

Good

Over: MARTIN CREEK

0.1 MI W OF 6710/230 JCT, King, WA

Built 1981 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 5

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: HAMMA HAMMA RIVER

NO DATA ENTERED, Mason, WA

Built 1968 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 25

ROAD

Good

Over: LOG CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Kittitas, WA

Built 1978 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 50

SEARS CREEK

Good

Over: WHITE RIVER

2.5 MI OFF HWY 207, Chelan, WA

Built 1965 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 50

LITTLE NACHES

Good

Over: LITTLE NACHES RIVER

BELOW TIMOTHY MEADOWS, Yakima, WA

Built 1967 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 80

NORTH VALLEY ROAD

Good

Over: DOG CREEK

2.9 E JCT 4 & 401, Pacific, WA

Built 1984 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 74

MUD BAY ROAD

Good

Over: MUD BAY

0.20 E Jct SR101, Thurston, WA

Built 1978 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 12,249

SMITH CREEK RD

Good

Over: SMITH CREEK

4.9 N JCT 101 & 105, Pacific, WA

Built 1993 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 86

BARBOUILLAT STREET

Good

Over: OVERFLOW

0.5 WEST MIMA ROAD, Thurston, WA

Built 1999 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 50

154TH PLACE SE

Good

Over: CEDAR RIVER

0.1 MILE N OF SR-169, King, WA

Built 2005 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 18,726

FLORENCE ACRES RD

Good

Over: WOODS CREEK

4.6 NE JCT SR 2, Snohomish, WA

Built 2007 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 2,087

COMPANY CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: STEHEKIN RIVER

1.2 Miles from Maintenanc, Chelan, WA

Built 2001 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 100

SR 522

Good

Over: 179TH SE & 154TH SE

10.1 E JCT SR 9, Snohomish, WA

Built 2013 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 10,512

SR 16 W-N RAMP

Good

Over: CENTER ST/STRR

0.3 N JCT I-5, Pierce, WA

Built 2013 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 2,113

SR 9

Good

Over: PILCHUCK CREEK

5.3 N JCT SR 530, Snohomish, WA

Built 2014 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 2,295

NW LA CENTER RD

Good

Over: I-5

2.6 N JCT SR 501, Clark, WA

Built 2017 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 7,400

ROAD

Good

Over: LITTLE TUCANNON RIVER

JUNC RD 47/4620, Columbia, WA

Built 2010 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 50

DYCK RD

Good

Over: ROCKY COULEE

02.02 MI S DAVIS, Adams, WA

Built 2002 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 7

CHESTNUT STREET

Good

Over: LATAH CREEK

00.53 N SR 195, Spokane, WA

Built 1911 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 182

LOOMIS TRAIL RD

Good

Over: SOUTH FORK DAKOTA CR

EAST OF N. ENTERPRISE RD, Whatcom, WA

Built 1950 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 1,500

S NW

Good

Over: IRRIGATION CANAL

S NW .4 S of SR 28, Grant, WA

Built 2004 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 663

S 277TH ST

Good

Over: GREEN RV & GREEN RV RD.

GREEN RIVER AT S 277TH ST, King, WA

Built 2000 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 21,300

WHELAN/5515

Good

Over: MISSOURI FLAT CREEK

1.90 MI E SR 27, Whitman, WA

Built 2005 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 278

G. KUNTZ ROAD 4690

Good

Over: SHERMAN CREEK

3.11 E FAS P221, Lincoln, WA

Built 2006 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 27

N. Front Street

Good

Over: W. Lincoln Avenue

.07 mi W of First Street, Yakima, WA

Built 2011 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 100

BRUCE ROAD

Good

Over: PEONE CREEK

1.0 N PEONE ROAD, Spokane, WA

Built 2014 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 6,713

SKAGIT KEY

Good

Over: COAL CREEK

0.1 N JCT NEWPORT KEY, King, WA

Built 2019 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 139

TUALCO RD.

Good

Over: RILEY SLOUGH-SKYKOMISH R

1.4 SW JCT SR 203, Snohomish, WA

Built 2020 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 1,136

FSR 4330

Good

Over: Big Boulder Creek

4.0 N of Salmon La Sac RD, Kittitas, WA

Built 2020 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 100

MUSE DRIVE

Good

Over: POTHOLES EAST CANAL

0.04 W KRUG RD 217, Franklin, WA

Built 2023 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 349

THREE LAKES RD

Good

Over: US 2

2.1 E JCT SR 9, Snohomish, WA

Built 1983 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 4,660

I-5 SB HOV LANE

Good

Over: INTERURBAN AVE

0.1 N JCT SR 599, King, WA

Built 1996 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 9,938

N-E RAMP

Good

Over: CD RAMP AND TERRAIN

2.8 N JCT I-90, King, WA

Built 2011 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 9,425

N-N RAMP

Good

Over: SR 515

JCT SR 515, King, WA

Built 2017 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 27,969

S-S RAMP

Good

Over: SR 515

JCT SR 515, King, WA

Built 2017 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 2,326

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: SILVER CREEK

TAKE RD 47 NORTH OF RANDL, Lewis, WA

Built 2010 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 75

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: WILLAME CREEK

2 1/2 MILES SOUTH OF FS R, Lewis, WA

Built 2010 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 2

ROAD

Good

Over: RANKIN CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Whatcom, WA

Built 2006 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 50

ROAD

Good

Over: PESHASTIN CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Chelan, WA

Built 1996 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 10

GOVAN SOUTH ROAD

Good

Over: WILSON CREEK

5.78 S SR 2, Lincoln, WA

Built 1998 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 35

ALMOTA/8000

Good

Over: UNION FLAT CREEK

7.05 MI SW SR 195, Whitman, WA

Built 2000 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 501

Showing 6,301-6,350 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.