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

ROAD

Good

Over: CLE ELUM RIVER

NEAR CAMPGROUND ENTRANCE, Kittitas, WA

Built 2008 Load: 59.9 t ADT: 99

FERRY LANDING

Good

Over: CORMORANT PASSAGE

0.1 NO STEILACOOM, Pierce, WA

Built 1998 Load: 59.9 t ADT: 515

Tacoma Creek Rd

Good

Over: Tacoma Creek

7 miles w/o Hwy 20, Pend Oreille, WA

Built 2007 Load: 59.9 t ADT: 75

7-MILE ROAD

Good

Over: COULEE CREEK

0.1 E COULEE-HITE, Spokane, WA

Built 2016 Load: 59.9 t ADT: 2,160

Rue Creek Road

Good

Over: West Fork Rue Creek

1.99 SE JCT SR 6, Pacific, WA

Built 2017 Load: 59.9 t ADT: 108

IRR BIA RTE 26

Good

Over: COOK CREEK

25.7 KM NE COPALIS X-ING, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 2002 Load: 60.3 t ADT: 605

I-5

Good

Over: PADDEN CREEK

7.6 N SKAGIT CO, Whatcom, WA

Built 2021 Load: 60.3 t ADT: 21,720

US 12

Good

Over: WHETSTONE CREEK

13.0 E WALLA WAL CO, Columbia, WA

Built 2021 Load: 60.3 t ADT: 1,983

120TH AVE NE

Good

Over: SOUND TRANSIT LIGHT RAIL

0.19 N NE 12TH ST, King, WA

Built 2017 Load: 60.3 t ADT: 5,298

TECUMSEH RD.

Good

Over: CANAL - HIGHLINE PUMP

00.16 N PUMPHOUSE, Yakima, WA

Built 1958 Load: 60.6 t ADT: 182

US 395

Good

Over: HATCH ROAD

1.7 N JCT US 395 SPUR, Spokane, WA

Built 2001 Load: 60.8 t ADT: 9,200

US 395

Good

Over: HATCH ROAD

1.7N JCT US 395 SPUR, Spokane, WA

Built 2001 Load: 60.8 t ADT: 9,200

I-82 US 12 US 97

Good

Over: VALLEY MALL BLVD

1.5 E JCT SR 24, Yakima, WA

Built 2011 Load: 60.8 t ADT: 15,351

EDISON ST

Good

Over: SR 240

4.4 E JCT I-182, Benton, WA

Built 1996 Load: 60.8 t ADT: 12,198

ROAD #39

Good

Over: FALLS CREEK

5.4 MILES FROM SH #542, Whatcom, WA

Built 1996 Load: 60.8 t ADT: 20

SR 303

Good

Over: RIDGETOP BLVD NW

7.8 N JCT SR 304, Kitsap, WA

Built 1982 Load: 60.8 t ADT: 14,273

SR 303

Good

Over: RIDGETOP BLVD NW

7.8 N JCT SR 304, Kitsap, WA

Built 1982 Load: 60.8 t ADT: 14,273

SR 303

Good

Over: SILVERDALE WAY NW

8.6 N JCT SR 304, Kitsap, WA

Built 1982 Load: 60.8 t ADT: 34,905

GOULD CITY-MAYVIEW

Good

Over: SOUTH DEADMAN CREEK

2, Garfield, WA

Built 1984 Load: 60.8 t ADT: 200

I-5

Good

Over: PADDEN CREEK

7.6 N SKAGIT CO, Whatcom, WA

Built 2021 Load: 60.9 t ADT: 21,720

ROAD

Good

Over: LOG CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Kittitas, WA

Built 1978 Load: 60.9 t ADT: 50

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: WOODS CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Lewis, WA

Built 2008 Load: 61.2 t ADT: 390

SOUTH POINT ROAD

Good

Over: SHINE CREEK

0.25 S. JCT. SR104, Jefferson, WA

Built 2005 Load: 61.6 t ADT: 1,215

364th Ave SE

Good

Over: Raging River

5.0 MI E OF ISSA-HO RD, King, WA

Built 2014 Load: 61.6 t ADT: 150

MORGAN LAKE ROAD

Good

Over: POTHOLES CANAL

11.5 MI NNW OF OFFICE, Grant, WA

Built 2002 Load: 61.7 t ADT: 150

US 2

Good

Over: STREAM

3.1 E SNOHOMISH CO, King, WA

Built 1988 Load: 61.7 t ADT: 5,562

256TH ST

Good

Over: SR 18

1.5 E JCT SR 516, King, WA

Built 2002 Load: 61.7 t ADT: 3,706

192ND AVE

Good

Over: SR 14

4.1 E JCT I-205, Clark, WA

Built 2002 Load: 61.7 t ADT: 11,220

SR 20

Good

Over: METHOW RIVER

39.6 E CHELAN CO, Okanogan, WA

Built 2002 Load: 61.7 t ADT: 4,614

I-205 W-N RAMP

Good

Over: I-205 N-W RAMP

1.4 N JCT SR 14, Clark, WA

Built 2009 Load: 61.7 t ADT: 13,781

MORNINGSIDE DRIVE

Good

Over: SCATTER CREEK

.2 W JCT SR 507, Thurston, WA

Built 1995 Load: 61.7 t ADT: 26

STANWOOD-BRYANT RD

Good

Over: PILCHUCK CREEK

2.0 E JCT I-5, Snohomish, WA

Built 1996 Load: 61.7 t ADT: 3,290

SKOOKUMCHUCK ROAD

Good

Over: SKOOKUMCHUCK RIVER

5.SE JCT SR507, Thurston, WA

Built 1996 Load: 61.7 t ADT: 246

VAIL ROAD

Good

Over: DESCHUTES RIVER

650 ft N. of Reichel Rd, Thurston, WA

Built 1997 Load: 61.7 t ADT: 2,194

GLEASON ROAD

Good

Over: SATSOP OVERFLOW CHANNEL

0.12 E JCT 9725, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 2001 Load: 61.7 t ADT: 35

66th ST NE

Good

Over: LITTLE PILCHUCK CREEK

0.5 N JCT SR 92, Snohomish, WA

Built 2006 Load: 61.7 t ADT: 289

SR 6

Good

Over: UNNAMED CREEK

21.7 E PACIFIC CO, Lewis, WA

Built 2021 Load: 61.9 t ADT: 5,690

W SNO VALLEY RD

Good

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

2.1 MI E OF SR-203, King, WA

Built 2016 Load: 61.9 t ADT: 660

SR 20

Good

Over: RED CABIN CREEK

9.7 E JCT SR 9, Skagit, WA

Built 2011 Load: 62.2 t ADT: 7,222

SR 9

Good

Over: TAWES CREEK

11.0 N SKAGIT CO, Whatcom, WA

Built 2019 Load: 62.2 t ADT: 3,307

FIRST ST

Good

Over: MAY CREEK

0.4 NE JCT US 2, Snohomish, WA

Built 2007 Load: 62.2 t ADT: 1,560

NORTHPORT-FLAT CRK

Good

Over: KETTLE RIVER

00.05 W JCT SR395, Stevens, WA

Built 2008 Load: 62.2 t ADT: 200

188 ST E

Good

Over: HORSEHAVEN CREEK

0.5 W ORT/KAP HWY, Pierce, WA

Built 2022 Load: 62.2 t ADT: 360

BUNKER CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: PRAIRIE CREEK

CHEHALIS, Lewis, WA

Built 2018 Load: 62.5 t ADT: 422

MOX CHEHALIS ROAD

Good

Over: MOX CHEHALIS CREEK

7.9 NE JCT SR12, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 2018 Load: 62.5 t ADT: 826

35TH AVE SE

Good

Over: PENNY CREEK

0.65 MI S OF SR 96, Snohomish, WA

Built 2019 Load: 62.5 t ADT: 100

SUNNYSIDE AVENUE

Good

Over: Canal

00.01 N. CRESCENT, Yakima, WA

Built 2019 Load: 62.5 t ADT: 2,050

SR 20

Good

Over: EARLY WINTERS CREEK

13.4 E CHELAN CO, Okanogan, WA

Built 1968 Load: 62.6 t ADT: 1,372

US 12

Good

Over: W-W RAMP

14.4 E JCT SR 410, Yakima, WA

Built 1970 Load: 62.6 t ADT: 6,839

SR 9

Good

Over: US 2

5.2 N JCT SR 96, Snohomish, WA

Built 1979 Load: 62.6 t ADT: 25,268

Showing 7,601-7,650 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.