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

WALDRICK ROAD

Good

Over: DESCHUTES RIVER

2.5 m E of Hwy 99, Thurston, WA

Built 1986 Load: 68.9 t ADT: 1,957

WALDRICK ROAD

Good

Over: RAILROAD

00.25E OLD HWY 99, Thurston, WA

Built 1995 Load: 68.9 t ADT: 2,391

SKOOKUMCHUCK ROAD

Good

Over: SKOOKUMCHUCK OVERFLOW

2.2 SE JCT SR507, Thurston, WA

Built 1996 Load: 68.9 t ADT: 981

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: MUELLER CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Clallam, WA

Built 1993 Load: 69.0 t ADT: 50

LONG LAKE ROAD SE

Good

Over: CURLEY CREEK

0.2 S JCT LAKE VALLEY RD, Kitsap, WA

Built 1993 Load: 69.3 t ADT: 1,362

NW ANDERSON HILL R

Good

Over: ANDERSON CREEK

1.0 E JCT SEABECK HWY NW, Kitsap, WA

Built 2002 Load: 69.3 t ADT: 5,136

20TH INFANTRY WAY

Good

Over: DRAINAGE CANAL

ET339079, Pierce, WA

Built 2003 Load: 69.3 t ADT: 10

MILLER BAY ROAD

Good

Over: GROVERS CREEK

0.02 S JCT INDIANOLA RD, Kitsap, WA

Built 2007 Load: 69.7 t ADT: 9,222

I-5

Good

Over: PACIFIC AVE.

3.3 N JCT US 101, Thurston, WA

Built 1988 Load: 69.8 t ADT: 6,399

MAIN STREET

Good

Over: I-5 N-N RAMP

0.8 N JCT SR 500, Clark, WA

Built 2001 Load: 69.8 t ADT: 7,950

CEDAR FLATS ROAD

Good

Over: SWIFT CREEK

1.28 m W of Delphi Rd, Thurston, WA

Built 2008 Load: 69.8 t ADT: 887

SE MAY VALLEY ROAD

Good

Over: MAY CREEK

0.1 MI E OF SR-900, King, WA

Built 2010 Load: 70.3 t ADT: 6,018

MIAMI BEACH RD. NW

Good

Over: SEABECK CREEK

0.11 W MIAMI BEACH RD. NW, Kitsap, WA

Built 2013 Load: 70.6 t ADT: 2,671

SR 18

Good

Over: TERRAIN

6.3 E JCT SR 169, King, WA

Built 2001 Load: 70.7 t ADT: 24,754

VAIL LOOP ROAD

Good

Over: DESCHUTES RIVER

.5 M. S. of Vail Cut Off, Thurston, WA

Built 1982 Load: 70.7 t ADT: 851

3rd Ave

Good

Over: Wide Hollow Creek

0.06 N Ahtanum Rd., Yakima, WA

Built 1999 Load: 71.0 t ADT: 5,673

BAIRD SPRINGS RD

Good

Over: Trinidad Creek

Baird Spring 1.7 N SR 28, Grant, WA

Built 2005 Load: 71.0 t ADT: 26

Roosevelt Grade Rd

Good

Over: Wood Gulch Haul Road

4.9 N JCT SR-14, Klickitat, WA

Built 2001 Load: 71.0 t ADT: 119

Greenacres Rd

Good

Over: Johnson Creek

4 miles west of Riverside, Okanogan, WA

Built 2023 Load: 71.3 t ADT: 265

HEATON GULCH RD

Good

Over: MEADOW CREEK

6.0 N JCT US 12, Garfield, WA

Built 2001 Load: 71.7 t ADT: 20

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: NORTH FORK CISPUS RIVER

SE OF RANDLE FOLLOWING R, Lewis, WA

Built 1991 Load: 72.1 t ADT: 40

I-90

Good

Over: GAME CROSSING

3.1 E JCT SR 18, King, WA

Built 1976 Load: 72.6 t ADT: 25,826

I-90

Good

Over: GAME CROSSING

3.1 E JCT SR 18, King, WA

Built 1976 Load: 72.6 t ADT: 25,826

SR 504

Good

Over: COLDWATER CR

24.0 E JCT SR 504 SP, Cowlitz, WA

Built 1994 Load: 72.6 t ADT: 586

179TH AV SE

Good

Over: PEDESTRIAN TUNNEL

0.1 N JCT SR2, Snohomish, WA

Built 1985 Load: 72.6 t ADT: 3,540

WHITE/1075

Good

Over: WILLOW CREEK

0.05 MI W FARMINGTON, Whitman, WA

Built 1998 Load: 72.6 t ADT: 3

MEAD ROAD

Good

Over: KELLOGG HOLLOW CREEK

0.014 MI E KELLOGG, Columbia, WA

Built 2006 Load: 72.6 t ADT: 35

MAIN STREET

Good

Over: SPANGLE CREEK

0.1 N OLD SR 195, Spokane, WA

Built 1975 Load: 73.2 t ADT: 184

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: ORR CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Lewis, WA

Built 1985 Load: 73.5 t ADT: 50

SWEDE HEAVEN RD

Good

Over: N.F.STILLAGUAMISH RIVER

0.8 N JCT SR 530, Snohomish, WA

Built 1991 Load: 73.5 t ADT: 986

CRYSTAL MNT BLVD

Good

Over: SILVER CREEK

5.85 E JCT 410, Pierce, WA

Built 2016 Load: 73.9 t ADT: 675

SR 112

Good

Over: COVILLE CREEK

34.8 E JCT SR 113, Clallam, WA

Built 2013 Load: 74.2 t ADT: 3,973

THIRD STREET

Good

Over: STOWE CREEK

2.5 BLKS S SR 6, Lewis, WA

Built 1994 Load: 74.2 t ADT: 600

SKAGIT HIGHLANDS

Good

Over: TRUMPETER CREEK

0.4 N JCT E DIVISION ST, Skagit, WA

Built 2003 Load: 74.2 t ADT: 800

ALDERWOOD MALL PKW

Good

Over: I-5

0.6 N JCT SR 524, Snohomish, WA

Built 1996 Load: 74.4 t ADT: 2,635

FOURTH PLAIN ROAD

Good

Over: SR 500

4.4 E JCT I-5, Clark, WA

Built 1974 Load: 74.4 t ADT: 18,150

I-705 SB

Good

Over: TERRAIN

0.1 N JCT I-5, Pierce, WA

Built 1988 Load: 74.4 t ADT: 19,848

SR 18

Good

Over: 244TH AVE SE

1.2 E JCT SR 169, King, WA

Built 2005 Load: 74.4 t ADT: 16,302

SARGENT BOULEVARD

Good

Over: WILSON CREEK

ENT MORRISON RIV PK, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1992 Load: 74.4 t ADT: 250

SR 504

Good

Over: WOOSTER CREEK

2.3 E JCT SR 505, Cowlitz, WA

Built 2018 Load: 74.5 t ADT: 956

SOUTH BANK ROAD

Good

Over: TAYLOR CREEK

4.2 E JCT 96540, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 2017 Load: 74.8 t ADT: 1,342

FRIDEGER ROAD

Good

Over: LITTLE SPOKANE RIVER

0.2 MI S CAMDEN, Spokane, WA

Built 2021 Load: 74.8 t ADT: 321

I-405 RAMP

Good

Over: SOUTHCENTER BLVD

0.9 N JCT I-5, King, WA

Built 1994 Load: 75.3 t ADT: 7,007

SR 509

Good

Over: WAPATO CREEK

3.0 E JCT I-705, Pierce, WA

Built 1995 Load: 75.3 t ADT: 13,609

RAMP

Good

Over: E ISSAQUAH CREEK

2.1 E JCT SR 900, King, WA

Built 2003 Load: 75.3 t ADT: 2,230

SR 27

Good

Over: N FK FOUR MILE CREEK

10.1 N JCT SR 270, Whitman, WA

Built 1983 Load: 76.1 t ADT: 2,811

I-90

Good

Over: CITY STREETS

0.2 W JCT I-5, King, WA

Built 1991 Load: 76.2 t ADT: 10,912

SR 112

Good

Over: FIELD CREEK

25.8 E JCT SR 113, Clallam, WA

Built 2000 Load: 76.2 t ADT: 825

I-5

Good

Over: KALAMA RIVER

10.8 N JCT SR 503, Cowlitz, WA

Built 1970 Load: 76.5 t ADT: 36,886

SR 202

Good

Over: LITTLE BEAR CREEK

0.1 E JCT SR 522, King, WA

Built 2017 Load: 76.5 t ADT: 39,506

Showing 7,751-7,800 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.