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

US 101

Poor

Over: GREENHEAD SLOUGH

7.0 N JCT SR 103, Pacific, WA

Built 1934 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 1,852

US 2

Poor

Over: STREAM

7.2 E SNOHOMISH CO, King, WA

Built 1937 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 5,562

SR 162

Poor

Over: S PRAIRIE CR

15.3 E JCT SR 410, Pierce, WA

Built 1956 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 9,533

SR 902

Poor

Over: I-90

JCT I-90, Spokane, WA

Built 1966 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 1,703

WYNOOCHE WISHKAH

Poor

Over: WYNOOCHEE RIVER SLOUGH

0.6 W JCT 9519, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1973 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 728

ELMA MCCLEARY ROAD

Poor

Over: MIDDLE FORK WILDCAT CREE

5.0 NE JCT SR 8, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1921 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 1,325

CHIWAWA LOOP ROAD

Poor

Over: CHIWAWA RIVER

03.8 N PLAIN, Chelan, WA

Built 1977 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 658

RAY SYMMONDS ROAD

Poor

Over: SELAH-MOXEE CANAL

00.28 E EAST SELAH, Yakima, WA

Built 1961 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 95

SR 23

Poor

Over: IMBLER CREEK

27.7 N JCT US 195, Whitman, WA

Built 1946 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 262

Cedar Creek Rd

Poor

Over: Cedar Creek

NW of Ione Town Limits, Pend Oreille, WA

Built 1985 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 119

SR 24

Poor

Over: SAGEHILL WASTEWAY

8.9 E GRANT CO, Adams, WA

Built 1965 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 4,788

KELLOG HOLLOW RD.

Poor

Over: TUCANNON RIVER

0.2 SW JCT SR 261, Columbia, WA

Built 1962 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 350

US 97

Poor

Over: SR 155

0.2 N JCT SR 155, Okanogan, WA

Built 1964 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 8,488

US 101

Poor

Over: MATLOCK RD

3.4 S JCT SR 102, Mason, WA

Built 1973 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 17,635

SACKMAN RD

Poor

Over: EAST LOW CANAL

00.05 MI E FOX RD, Adams, WA

Built 1953 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 6

SR 21

Poor

Over: SINKING CREEK

29.3 N JCT SR 28, Lincoln, WA

Built 1950 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 257

SR 21

Poor

Over: SAN POIL R

24.2 N LINCOLN CO, Ferry, WA

Built 1931 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 711

KOONTZ RD

Poor

Over: I-5

1.0 N JCT US 12, Lewis, WA

Built 1976 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 603

FS ROUTE NO. 659

Poor

Over: UPPER W. BRANCH

UPPER WEST BRANCH FORK, Pend Oreille, WA

Built 1954 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 50

US 2

Poor

Over: BNRR

23.7 E JCT SR 203, Snohomish, WA

Built 1936 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 5,659

SR 203

Poor

Over: SLOUGH

0.5 N JCT SR 202, King, WA

Built 1945 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 7,622

SR 203

Poor

Over: SLOUGH

1.4 N JCT SR 202, King, WA

Built 1945 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 7,622

SR 9

Poor

Over: SKAGIT RIVER

4.7 N JCT SR 538, Skagit, WA

Built 1959 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 10,545

NORTH RIVER ROAD

Poor

Over: NORTH RIVER

9.8 E JCT US 101, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1951 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 303

KENT-BLK DIAMOND

Poor

Over: BNSF RR

AT SE 291ST, King, WA

Built 1931 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 7,700

I-5

Poor

Over: SAMISH RIVER PVT RD

2.9 N JCT SR 11, Skagit, WA

Built 1963 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 26,524

I-90

Poor

Over: WILSON CREEK

3.1 E JCT US 97, Kittitas, WA

Built 1967 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 15,014

SR 503

Poor

Over: N BRANCH CHELATCHIE CR

13.5 N JCT SR 502, Clark, WA

Built 1953 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 818

SR 529

Poor

Over: STEAMBOAT SLOUGH

6.2 N JCT SR 529 SPUR, Snohomish, WA

Built 1927 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 16,203

US 101

Poor

Over: ELWHA RIVER

35.6 N JCT SR 113, Clallam, WA

Built 1926 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 4,372

I-90

Poor

Over: COAL CREEK

0.5 E JCT SR 906, Kittitas, WA

Built 1956 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 17,475

I-90

Poor

Over: BNSF RAILROAD

15.4 E JCT SR 261, Adams, WA

Built 1968 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 10,407

I-90

Poor

Over: YELLOWSTONE RD

0.3 E KING CO, Kittitas, WA

Built 1969 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 33,042

US 2

Poor

Over: COLUMBIA RIVER

0.3 E JCT US 97 ALT, Chelan, WA

Built 1975 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 25,688

GAP ROAD

Poor

Over: I-82

4.6 E YAKIMA CO LN, Benton, WA

Built 1978 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 6,869

TACOMA-VASHON TRAF

Poor

Over: PUGET SOUND

PT DEFIANCE-TACOMA, Pierce, WA

Built 1958 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 2,330

STEVENS CANYON ROA

Poor

Over: RAVINE

5.5 miles southwest of jc, Lewis, WA

Built 1952 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 1,375

SR 10

Poor

Over: SWAUK CR

7.3 E JCT SR 970, Kittitas, WA

Built 1930 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 1,478

RD. NO. 49

Poor

Over: LOST CREEK

M.P. 4.5 RD. NO. 49, Snohomish, WA

Built 1959 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 37

F&S GRADE ROAD

Poor

Over: SAMISH RIVER

0.14 S JCT PRAIRIE RD, Skagit, WA

Built 1974 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 630

MANSFIELD NORTH RD

Poor

Over: FOSTER CREEK DRAINAGE

1.11 SE JCT BDGPRT HILL R, Douglas, WA

Built 1961 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 55

BIA 80940

Poor

Over: OVERFLOW CHANNEL

AT FISH HATCHERY, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1970 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 500

SR 14

Poor

Over: HALF BRIDGE

3.2 E CLARK CO, Skamania, WA

Built 1930 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,835

SR 10

Poor

Over: ABANDONED CASCADE RR

7.4 E JCT SR 970, Kittitas, WA

Built 1947 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,478

US 101

Poor

Over: MILL CREEK

4.4 N JCT SR 107, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1949 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,220

SR 26

Poor

Over: DRY WASH

4.3 E JCT US 395, Adams, WA

Built 1960 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,345

US 97

Poor

Over: WANITY SLOUGH

1.5 N JCT SR 22, Yakima, WA

Built 1964 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,048

I-90

Poor

Over: BNSF RAILROAD

15.4 E JCT SR 261, Adams, WA

Built 1968 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,407

US 195

Poor

Over: BN RY & OLD SR 195

3.5 N JCT SR 271, Whitman, WA

Built 1975 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,652

I-82

Poor

Over: YAKIMA RIVER

6.7 E YAKIMA CO LN, Benton, WA

Built 1977 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,597

Showing 8,301-8,350 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.