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

SR 109

Fair

Over: JESSIE SLOUGH

10.8 N JCT US 101, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1952 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 6,338

SR 500

Fair

Over: WASHOUGAL RIVER

14.4 E JCT SR 503, Clark, WA

Built 1954 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 3,501

I-90

Fair

Over: HANGMAN CREEK

0.4 E JCT US 195, Spokane, WA

Built 1963 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 44,287

US 12

Fair

Over: SATSOP R OVERFLOW

5.1 E JCT SR 107, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1965 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 11,538

I-5 SB

Fair

Over: TERRAIN

5.6 N JCT SR 900, King, WA

Built 1967 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 94,901

SR 530

Fair

Over: SQUIRE CREEK

24.2 E JCT SR 9, Snohomish, WA

Built 1972 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 3,267

CANYON CREEK RD

Fair

Over: WASHOUGAL RIVER

1.1 E CLARK CO, Skamania, WA

Built 1982 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 1,249

196TH AVE NE

Fair

Over: EVANS CREEK

0.9 MI N OF SR-202, King, WA

Built 1913 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 500

CONC SAUK VALLEY R

Fair

Over: SKAGIT RIVER

1.5 S JCT SR 20, Skagit, WA

Built 1952 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 2,562

LAKE CAVANAUGH RD

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

8.0 E JCT SR 9, Skagit, WA

Built 1967 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 578

20 ROAD NE

Fair

Over: EAST LOW CANAL

20 NE @ EAST LOW CANAL, Grant, WA

Built 1947 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 317

FAIRGROUNDS/6290

Fair

Over: REBEL FLAT CREEK

0.10 MI S ENDICOTT, Whitman, WA

Built 1917 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 430

BONGARTS/0080

Fair

Over: PINE CREEK

0.01 MI W ENGEL, Whitman, WA

Built 1963 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 61

DUCK LAKE RD

Fair

Over: DUCK CREEK

04.30 NE SR 21, Lincoln, WA

Built 1972 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 186

COUNTY ROAD 1050

Fair

Over: ASOTIN CREEK

0.1S JCT CO RD 1100, Asotin, WA

Built 1951 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 230

SAXON RD

Fair

Over: SKOOKUM CR

03.42 E OF SR 9, Whatcom, WA

Built 1980 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 256

CHELAN FALLS ROAD

Fair

Over: CHELAN RIVER

00.20N CHELAN FALLS, Chelan, WA

Built 1976 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 1,089

SOUTH PASS RD

Fair

Over: SWIFT CR

00.2 E NOOKSACK RD., Whatcom, WA

Built 1935 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 2,340

LINCOLN CREEK RD

Fair

Over: LINCOLN CR.

1.01 W JCT 91000, Lewis, WA

Built 1976 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 710

BAUER/9440

Fair

Over: UNION FLAT CREEK

0.14 MI N SR 195, Whitman, WA

Built 1971 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 30

GRADY WAY

Fair

Over: UPRR & BNRR

0.1 MI E OF INTERURBAN, King, WA

Built 1986 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 26,000

N WINNIFRED ST

Fair

Over: BNSF RAILROAD

51. N WINNIFRED ST, Pierce, WA

Built 1942 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 1,000

DEPOT STREET

Fair

Over: UNION FLAT CREEK

0.30 E STEPTOE ST, Whitman, WA

Built 1977 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 50

DISHMAN-MICA RD

Fair

Over: CHESTER CREEK

0.1 S CHESTER, Spokane, WA

Built 1999 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 5,800

MID SALMON/BOULDER

Fair

Over: N. FK BOULDER CR

NO DATA ENTERED, Okanogan, WA

Built 1960 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 35

SR 11

Fair

Over: JOE LEARY SLOUGH

0.7 N JCT I-5, Skagit, WA

Built 1922 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 4,809

SR 21

Fair

Over: SAN POIL RIVER

41.1 N LINCOLN CO, Ferry, WA

Built 1932 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 409

SR 26

Fair

Over: EAST LOW CANAL

6.5 E JCT SR 17, Adams, WA

Built 1959 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 2,222

10TH AVE

Fair

Over: SR 520

0.1 E JCT I-5, King, WA

Built 1962 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 13,800

LAKE WASHINGTON BV

Fair

Over: I-405

3.8 N JCT SR 900, King, WA

Built 1965 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 3,937

I-5 SBCD

Fair

Over: TERRAIN

JCT I-90, King, WA

Built 1967 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 24,462

144TH ST NW

Fair

Over: SR 16

1.2 N JCT SR 302, Pierce, WA

Built 1977 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 7,775

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: BEAVER CREEK TRIB.

.18 MILES FROM RD. #1122, Whatcom, WA

Built 2003 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 50

ROAD

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Chelan, WA

Built 1984 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 25

GENE NELSON/3390

Fair

Over: THORN CREEK

0.06 MI SW THORN CREEK, Whitman, WA

Built 1966 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 25

GALLAHER ROAD

Fair

Over: TOUCHET RIVER

0.4 S JCT SR 12, Columbia, WA

Built 1965 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 125

WATERMAN/0015

Fair

Over: CABBAGE CREEK

0.34 MI NE WILHELM, Whitman, WA

Built 1973 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 79

SWAN ROAD

Fair

Over: NOOKACHAMPS CREEK

0.37W JCT BABCOCK/MUDLAKE, Skagit, WA

Built 1976 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 1,100

SE AUB-BLK DIA RD

Fair

Over: GREEN RIVER

0.2 MI NE OF SR-18, King, WA

Built 1970 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 8,871

SE 416TH ST

Fair

Over: NEWAUKUM CREEK

0.9 MI E OF SR-169, King, WA

Built 1958 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 1,874

PLEASANT VALLEY RD

Fair

Over: STEARNS CREEK

2.64 SE 24021, Lewis, WA

Built 1975 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 474

HATTON RD

Fair

Over: EAST LOW CANAL

00.30 MI E FOX ROAD, Adams, WA

Built 1953 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 100

LIND-HATTON RD

Fair

Over: PROVIDENCE COULEE

00.58 MI SE HATTON, Adams, WA

Built 1939 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 106

SHAWNEE/5250

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK PALOUSE RIVER

2.53 MI NE SR 195, Whitman, WA

Built 1975 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 62

AUBURN STREET

Fair

Over: CID CANAL

.24 S JCT 1ST AVE, Benton, WA

Built 1969 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 3,000

WELLS AVENUE

Fair

Over: CEDAR RIVER

0.4 MI W OF I-405, King, WA

Built 1987 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 2,200

HEWITT AVENUE

Fair

Over: BURLINGTON NORTHERN RR

0.1 MI E OF BROADWAY, Snohomish, WA

Built 1989 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 7,565

SQUIRES/3580

Fair

Over: CACHE CREEK

0.02 MI W CACHE CREEK, Whitman, WA

Built 1999 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 25

BIG BEEF CROSSING

Fair

Over: BIG BEEF CREEK OUTFALL

0.04 W JCT REDWING TRAIL, Kitsap, WA

Built 1964 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 1,042

SR 530

Fair

Over: WHITE CREEK

7.8 N SNOHOMISH CO, Skagit, WA

Built 1974 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,439

Showing 1,601-1,650 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.