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

MILL CREEK

Poor

Over: MILL CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Chelan, WA

Built 1979 Load: 18.2 t ADT: 25

NO DATA ENTERED

Poor

Over: RUBY CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Pend Oreille, WA

Built 1970 Load: 18.2 t ADT: 1

US 195

Poor

Over: S FK PALOUSE RIVER

0.3 N JCT SR 272, Whitman, WA

Built 1923 Load: 18.5 t ADT: 9,699

102ND AVE

Poor

Over: STATE ROUTE 522

0.2 E JCT SR 527, King, WA

Built 1950 Load: 18.5 t ADT: 8,021

GILLILAND ROAD

Poor

Over: CRAB CREEK

2.74 E FAS G221, Lincoln, WA

Built 1959 Load: 18.5 t ADT: 17

GOSHEN RD

Poor

Over: ANDERSON CR

00.4 W. SAND RD, Whatcom, WA

Built 1973 Load: 18.5 t ADT: 1,114

SR 20

Poor

Over: CHEWUCH RIVER

30.2 E CHELAN CO, Okanogan, WA

Built 1961 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 3,748

I-82

Poor

Over: SELAH CREEK

4.0 E KITTITAS CO, Yakima, WA

Built 1969 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 9,724

COUNTY ROAD 2850

Poor

Over: TEN MILE CREEK

1.05 MI SW JCT RD 2090, Asotin, WA

Built 1972 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 2

STATELINE RD (2)

Poor

Over: PINE CREEK

02.27E BURLINGAME, Walla Walla, WA

Built 1964 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 545

MAD RIVER ROAD

Poor

Over: ENTIAT RIVER

00.4N ARDENVOIR, Chelan, WA

Built 1957 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 246

MARINE DR

Poor

Over: ACCESS RD CREEK OLD RR

0.3 S BENNETT DR., Whatcom, WA

Built 1933 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 7,694

I-5

Poor

Over: E FORK LEWIS RIVER

4.1 N JCT SR 501, Clark, WA

Built 1939 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 41,367

US 101

Poor

Over: SOL DUC RIVER

10.5 N JCT SR 110, Clallam, WA

Built 1941 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 3,352

SR 504

Poor

Over: N FK TOUTLE RIVER

2.6 E JCT SR 505, Cowlitz, WA

Built 1965 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 956

AMES LK-CARNATION

Poor

Over: AMES CREEK

.2 S OF W SNOQ. RD, King, WA

Built 1924 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 1,988

GARRARD CREEK ROAD

Poor

Over: GARRARD CREEK

03.6 SW JCT 9641, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1969 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 207

LOWELL-LARIMER RD

Poor

Over: CATTLE PASS

2.4 NW JCT SR 9, Snohomish, WA

Built 1972 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 5,643

EAST 34TH STREET

Poor

Over: PACIFIC TO A ST

0.2 S JCT I-5, Pierce, WA

Built 1937 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 4,700

NORTH SHORE ROAD

Poor

Over: FINLEY CREEK

6.6 Mi. NE of Jct. Hwy. 1, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 2001 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 200

I-90

Poor

Over: MERCER SLOUGH

6.4 E JCT I-5, King, WA

Built 1940 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 68,450

I-82

Poor

Over: MILITARY RD

8.4 E JCT SR 821, Kittitas, WA

Built 1971 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 9,633

SR 113

Poor

Over: BEAVER CREEK

1.9 N JCT US 101, Clallam, WA

Built 1966 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 1,420

US 2

Poor

Over: WENATCHEE RIVER

1.3 E JCT US 97, Chelan, WA

Built 1929 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 8,342

MEINBURG RD

Poor

Over: COPPEI CREEK

00.10E SR 12, Walla Walla, WA

Built 1971 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 80

REECER CREEK ROAD

Poor

Over: TOWN DITCH

00.09 N BENDER ROAD, Kittitas, WA

Built 1924 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 1,825

SR 14

Poor

Over: HAMILTON CREEK

15.7 E CLARK CO, Skamania, WA

Built 1978 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 4,327

SR 167

Poor

Over: BNSF RR

0.6 N JCT I-5, Pierce, WA

Built 1934 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 28,423

US 12

Poor

Over: WISHKAH RIVER

0.2 W JCT US 12, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1925 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 15,634

PESHASTIN MAIN ST

Poor

Over: WENATCHEE RIVER

0.01 NE OF SR 2, Chelan, WA

Built 1931 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 3,489

DOUGLAS FALLS ROAD

Poor

Over: MILL CREEK

.20 N OF JCT ALADDIN RD., Stevens, WA

Built 1960 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 672

US 195

Poor

Over: SPRING FLAT CREEK

12.4 N JCT SR 270, Whitman, WA

Built 1920 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 8,908

SR 153

Poor

Over: METHOW RIVER

15.5 N JCT US 97, Okanogan, WA

Built 1939 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 1,621

SR 20

Poor

Over: METHOW RIVER

30.8 E CHELAN CO, Okanogan, WA

Built 1929 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 4,749

NB SR 539

Poor

Over: NOOKSACK R

2.0 N JCT SR 544, Whatcom, WA

Built 1950 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 8,300

MILL CREEK RD

Poor

Over: MILL CREEK

0.19 N OF SR 4 (MP 47.64), Cowlitz, WA

Built 1958 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 700

201st AVE

Poor

Over: INDEPENDENCE CREEK

0.4 W THURSTON CO., Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1975 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 9

WEBER RD.

Poor

Over: CANAL

00.28 N OF EVANS RD, Yakima, WA

Built 1976 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 40

Little Egypt Rd.

Poor

Over: NO. FK. GOLDSBOROUGH CK.

0.33 S JCT SHELTONMATLOC, Mason, WA

Built 1958 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 191

SR 547

Poor

Over: SAAR CREEK

8.8 N JCT SR 542, Whatcom, WA

Built 1970 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 1,485

OCEAN BEACH ROAD

Poor

Over: HUMPTULIPS RIVER OVERFLO

06.6 NW JCT US 101, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1966 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 2,633

MARINE DR

Poor

Over: G.N. RR

00.2 E WYNN RD, Whatcom, WA

Built 1940 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 5,805

WALLULA AVE

Poor

Over: MILL CREEK

00.10 E SR 12, Walla Walla, WA

Built 1947 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 948

US 101

Poor

Over: CHEHALIS RIVER

0.2 N JCT SR 105, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1955 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 25,602

I-90

Poor

Over: HOMESTEAD VALLEY RD

7.5 E JCT SR 202, King, WA

Built 1974 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 18,182

SR 542

Poor

Over: BELL CREEK

3.1 E JCT SR 9, Whatcom, WA

Built 1951 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 5,182

BARCLAY CREEK ROAD

Poor

Over: BARCLAY CREEK TRIB

ROAD 6024 MP 0.2, King, WA

Built 2006 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 50

OCEAN BEACH ROAD

Poor

Over: HUMPTULIPS RIVER OVERFLO

06.8 NW JCT US 101, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1964 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 2,622

OLD 99 SOUTH

Poor

Over: OWL CREEK

1.00 S KELSO DR (LV WYE), Cowlitz, WA

Built 1922 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 6,500

SR 285

Poor

Over: WENATCHEE RIVER & GNRR

1.5 N JCT SR 285COWENTCH, Chelan, WA

Built 1954 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 19,498

Showing 8,151-8,200 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.