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 504

Good

Over: COW CREEK

7.2 E JCT SR 504 SP, Cowlitz, WA

Built 1991 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 648

SR 503

Good

Over: SALMON CREEK

4.0 N JCT SR 500, Clark, WA

Built 1994 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 26,108

US 395 NB

Good

Over: N-N RAMP

13.0 N JCT SR 21, Adams, WA

Built 1996 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 4,127

US 97

Good

Over: FIRST CREEK

9.0 N JCT US 97 ALT, Chelan, WA

Built 1999 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 1,136

SR 20

Good

Over: DEBRIS CHANNEL

24.5 E JCT SR 9, Skagit, WA

Built 2000 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 2,925

WB I-90 RAMP

Good

Over: RELIEF

4.4 E JCT I-5, King, WA

Built 2007 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 434

SB I-5

Good

Over: PRAIRIE CREEK

2.4 N LEWIS CO, Thurston, WA

Built 2010 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 34,801

N-E RAMP

Good

Over: CENTER STREET

WB NALLEY VALLEY, Pierce, WA

Built 2011 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 9,600

I-90

Good

Over: WOLFE CREEK

2.5 E JCT SR 906, Kittitas, WA

Built 2011 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 17,475

I-90

Good

Over: WOLFE CREEK

2.5 E JCT SR 906, Kittitas, WA

Built 2012 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 17,475

SR 542

Good

Over: GALLUP CREEK

10.5 E JCT SR 547, Whatcom, WA

Built 2010 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 1,869

SR99 OFF RAMP

Good

Over: DETENTION VAULT

5.4 N JCT SR 509, King, WA

Built 2017 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 1,000

CUMMINS ROAD

Good

Over: US 12

11.6 E JCT US 730 SPUR, Walla Walla, WA

Built 2023 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 100

WOODWARD CANYON RD

Good

Over: US 12

15.2 E JCT US 730 SPUR, Walla Walla, WA

Built 2023 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 100

LOWER DRY CREEK RD

Good

Over: US 12

16.6 E JCT US 730 SPUR, Walla Walla, WA

Built 2023 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 100

SR 302

Good

Over: MINTER CREEK

6.3 E MASON CO, Pierce, WA

Built 2020 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 15,920

SR 164

Good

Over: PUSSYFOOT CREEK

7.9 E JCT SR 18, King, WA

Built 2021 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 10,456

BARKER RD

Good

Over: RR

.4 N GARLAND AVE, Spokane, WA

Built 2022 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 8,422

US 101

Good

Over: JIMMYCOMELATELY CREEK

24.4 E JCT SR 117, Clallam, WA

Built 2004 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 17,758

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: OTTER CREEK

3.6 MILES NW OF HWY. 508, Lewis, WA

Built 1977 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 20

ROAD # 3160

Good

Over: CANYON CREEK

RD 3160 MP 0.50, Whatcom, WA

Built 1985 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 10

RD. NO. 23

Good

Over: STUJACK CREEK

M.P. 3.5 RD. NO. 23, Snohomish, WA

Built 2011 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 50

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: NO NAME CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Jefferson, WA

Built 1966 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 35

POWERS CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: POWERS CREEK

1.5 NE JCT 7815, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1985 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 103

POWERS CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: POWERS CREEK

1.5 N JCT CR 7815, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1986 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 103

QUINAULT S SHORE

Good

Over: INNER CREEK

6.8 NE JCT US 101, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1982 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 193

AIRPORT WAY

Good

Over: SNOHOMISH R.

1.1 N JCT SR#9, Snohomish, WA

Built 1983 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 16,383

STEVENS ROAD

Good

Over: JOHNSON CREEK

00.03 S I-90, Kittitas, WA

Built 1968 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 62

Shelton Matlock Rd

Good

Over: GOLDSBOROUGH CREEK

1.38 W JCT SR 3, Mason, WA

Built 1977 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 8,200

HUTCHENS HILL RD

Good

Over: PATAHA CREEK

0.15 S JCT SR 12, Garfield, WA

Built 1989 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 53

SULTAN BASIN RD

Good

Over: OLNEY CREEK

7.2 NE JCT SR 2, Snohomish, WA

Built 1990 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 174

MCLANE DELPHI ROAD

Good

Over: MCLANE CREEK

50 yd S of Mckenz Rd intr, Thurston, WA

Built 1992 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 2,686

STEIN RD

Good

Over: DAKOTA CREEK

00.1 S. LOOMIS TRAIL ROAD, Whatcom, WA

Built 2000 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 720

O.K. MILL RD

Good

Over: PILCHUCK RIVER

3.5 S JCT SR92, Snohomish, WA

Built 2005 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 8,197

ORVILLE RD E

Good

Over: KAPOWSIN CREEK

5.0 E Jct SR 161, Pierce, WA

Built 2006 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 2,025

HOLE IN GRND/3300

Good

Over: PINE CREEK

1.05 MI SE BELSBY, Whitman, WA

Built 2008 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 25

D Street

Good

Over: Railroad

East D St., Pierce, WA

Built 2008 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 4,000

DEEP CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: DEEP CREEK

7.0 W Chehalis, Lewis, WA

Built 2007 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 10

UPPER HOH ROAD

Good

Over: POLE CREEK

8.30 W JCT SR101, Jefferson, WA

Built 2010 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 877

KOK ROAD

Good

Over: FISH TRAP CREEK

00.2 E GUIDE MERIDIAN, Whatcom, WA

Built 2012 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 6,791

NOON RD

Good

Over: TEN MILE CREEK

01.1 N E. SMITH ROAD, Whatcom, WA

Built 2012 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 645

MILES CRESTON ROAD

Good

Over: HAWK CREEK

11.65 NE SR 2, Lincoln, WA

Built 2016 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 740

Index-Galena Road

Good

Over: Howard Creek

9.0 NE JCT SR2, Snohomish, WA

Built 2017 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 31

DUPORTAIL STREET

Good

Over: YAKIMA RIVER

0.7 N JCT I-182, Benton, WA

Built 2020 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 8,300

I-5 RAMP

Good

Over: CMSTPP RR

0.2 N JCT I-5, Pierce, WA

Built 1964 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 17,238

US 12

Good

Over: DRY CREEK

16.1 E JCT US 730 SPUR, Walla Walla, WA

Built 2023 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 4,006

US 12

Good

Over: DRY CREEK

16.1 E JCT US 730 SPUR, Walla Walla, WA

Built 2023 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 4,006

OLD SR 26 RD

Good

Over: PALOUSE RIVER OVERRUN

00.03 MI SW GRAY RD, Adams, WA

Built 1944 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 96

YAKIMA VALLEY HWY

Good

Over: S.V.I.D. CANAL

00.06 SE PARKER HTS, Yakima, WA

Built 1953 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 2,260

WICKERSHAM RD

Good

Over: SAMISH RIVER

00.4 E of Valley HWY, Whatcom, WA

Built 1998 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 159

Showing 6,901-6,950 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.