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

HANSEN RD

Poor

Over: I-90

22.8 E JCT SR 281, Grant, WA

Built 1958 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 4,835

SE 156TH ST

Poor

Over: ISSAQUAH CREEK

2 MI E OF SR-169, King, WA

Built 1952 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 230

SR 500

Poor

Over: HJF CANAL

13.8 E JCT SR 503, Clark, WA

Built 1915 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 7,340

148TH AVE SE

Poor

Over: MAY CREEK

0.8 MI N OF SR-900, King, WA

Built 1951 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 3,900

FRONTIER STREET

Poor

Over: CLALLAM SLOUGH

0.19 E SR112, Clallam, WA

Built 1959 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 400

OLD STATE ROUTE195

Poor

Over: N PINE CREEK WIR RR

0.3 N NORTH PINE, Spokane, WA

Built 1929 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 888

CRAMER RD NW

Poor

Over: LOCKEY CREEK

2.1 SW JCT SR 302, Pierce, WA

Built 1954 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 900

SCHAFER BOOM ROAD

Poor

Over: SMITH CANAL

0.4 S JCT 6292, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1978 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 43

NAFF ROAD

Poor

Over: CRAB CREEK

5.52 W SR 231, Lincoln, WA

Built 1936 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 50

JACKSON RD

Poor

Over: TERRELL CR

S OF BIRCH BAY DR., Whatcom, WA

Built 1975 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 1,037

SEVENTH STREET

Poor

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

0.01 S JCT US 2, Lincoln, WA

Built 1930 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 200

Harstine Bridge Rd

Poor

Over: PICKERING PASSAGE

3.4 E JCT SR3, Mason, WA

Built 1969 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 2,155

CHERRY CREEK/4150

Poor

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

0.16 MI S SR 23, Whitman, WA

Built 1964 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 80

LOCUST WAY

Poor

Over: SWAMP CREEK

1.1 N KING CO LINE, Snohomish, WA

Built 1960 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 7,454

OVERLAKE DR

Poor

Over: DEPRESSION

0.5 E JCT 84TH AVE, King, WA

Built 1951 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 1,050

GRIFFITH RD

Poor

Over: ROCKY COULEE

03.42 MI W SR21, Adams, WA

Built 1929 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 20

FURY LAKE RD.

Poor

Over: DEEP CREEK

13.7 MI N OF 1-90, King, WA

Built 1965 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 110

I-90

Poor

Over: SR 906 W-W RAMP

21.6 E JCT SR 202, King, WA

Built 1969 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 33,782

CASCADE AVE EXT.

Poor

Over: KANAKA CREEK

0.1 SOUTH FIRST ST. EAST, Skamania, WA

Built 1920 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 152

US 12

Poor

Over: RR & N GORDON RD

16.4 E JCT SR 410, Yakima, WA

Built 1971 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 20,818

SR 529

Poor

Over: SNOHOMISH RIVER

4.6 N JCT SR 529 SPUR, Snohomish, WA

Built 1927 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 15,905

NO DATA ENTERED

Poor

Over: LOST CREEK DITCH

7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MT., Skamania, WA

Built 1986 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 50

ROSS ROAD

Poor

Over: TURBINE CANAL

01.03 S 4TH PARALLE, Kittitas, WA

Built 1991 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 22

OAK STREET

Poor

Over: CID CANAL

185 S of BOWLES ROAD, Benton, WA

Built 1958 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 1,003

DEER PARK-MILAN RD

Poor

Over: LITTLE SPOKANE RIVER

00.2 W MILAN, Spokane, WA

Built 1954 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 2,046

SR 7

Poor

Over: S FK TILTON RIVER

2.8 N JCT SR 508, Lewis, WA

Built 1938 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 2,576

US 12

Poor

Over: SR 107 RR FLOOD PLAIN

10.3 E JCT US 101, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1969 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 8,348

CC LANDON ROAD

Poor

Over: YACOLT CREEK

0.3 W CO RD 16, Clark, WA

Built 1955 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 312

THIEL RD

Poor

Over: WOODWARD CANYON

02.05 N SUDBURY RD, Walla Walla, WA

Built 1953 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 9

US 2

Poor

Over: ANTHRACITE CREEK

9.8 E SNOHOMISH CO, King, WA

Built 1940 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 4,993

US 12

Poor

Over: RR & N GORDON RD

16.4 E JCT SR 410, Yakima, WA

Built 1971 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 20,818

M Road SE

Poor

Over: EL 29 Waste Way

M SE 0.01 N of 5 SE, Grant, WA

Built 1980 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 2,094

I-90

Poor

Over: LAKE WASHINGTON

1.9 E JCT I-5, King, WA

Built 1940 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 63,053

SR 26 SPUR

Poor

Over: PALOUSE RIVER

JCT US 195, Whitman, WA

Built 1938 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 3,213

SR 153

Poor

Over: METHOW RIVER

14.0 N JCT US 97, Okanogan, WA

Built 1939 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 1,621

US 101

Poor

Over: INDIAN CREEK

33.8 N JCT SR 113, Clallam, WA

Built 1927 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 4,013

CHENEY-SPOKANE RD

Poor

Over: UP&BN RR & MARSHALL CR

0.2 NE MARSHALL, Spokane, WA

Built 1949 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 2,238

15TH ST NORTHWEST

Poor

Over: UPRR

0.3 MI E JCT SR 167, King, WA

Built 1972 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 31,879

9TH STREET

Poor

Over: PATAHA CREEK

0.1 S US 12 ON 9TH, Garfield, WA

Built 1955 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 278

ROAD

Poor

Over: TUCANNON RIVER

NO DATA ENTERED, Columbia, WA

Built 1964 Load: 17.3 t ADT: 60

NO DATA ENTERED

Poor

Over: E. BRANCH LECLERC CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Pend Oreille, WA

Built 1960 Load: 17.5 t ADT: 8

SR 7

Poor

Over: ABANDONED RAILROAD

2.0 N JCT SR 508, Lewis, WA

Built 1944 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 2,576

I-5

Poor

Over: LACAMAS CR DREWS PR RD

0.4 N JCT SR 506, Lewis, WA

Built 1953 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 41,665

OLD NACHES HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: PPL PIPELINES

00.88 S LOCUST LANE, Yakima, WA

Built 1922 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 281

Fish War Mem X-ing

Poor

Over: RAILROAD

0.2 N JCT I-5, Pierce, WA

Built 1925 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 15,256

SR 26

Poor

Over: PALOUSE RIVER

16.1 E JCT SR 127, Whitman, WA

Built 1937 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 3,142

I-5

Poor

Over: LEWIS RIVER

5.8 N JCT SR 501, Clark, WA

Built 1940 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 41,367

SR 20

Poor

Over: PUGET SND @ PT TOWNSEND

12.9 E JCT US 101, Jefferson, WA

Built 1955 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 63

TUCANNON ROAD

Poor

Over: TUCANNON RIVER

2.86 SE JCT SR126, Columbia, WA

Built 1968 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 200

JORDAN RD

Poor

Over: JORDAN CREEK

5.9 NW JCT SR 92, Snohomish, WA

Built 1981 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,145

Showing 8,101-8,150 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.