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 27

Fair

Over: CEDAR CREEK

4.9 N JCT SR 272, Whitman, WA

Built 1923 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,215

SR 202

Fair

Over: KIMBALL CR

4.5 E JCT SR 203, King, WA

Built 1924 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 11,250

US 101

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

2.2 N JCT SR 113, Clallam, WA

Built 1930 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 2,945

US 2

Fair

Over: SKYKOMISH R

15.4 E JCT SR 203, Snohomish, WA

Built 1932 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 9,355

US 101

Fair

Over: DUCKABUSH SLOUGH

25.0 S JCT SR 104, Jefferson, WA

Built 1934 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 2,604

SR 20

Fair

Over: LOST CREEK

5.3 E JCT SR 31, Pend Oreille, WA

Built 1934 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,052

SR 202

Fair

Over: S FK SNOQUALMIE R

7.7 E JCT SR 203, King, WA

Built 1936 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 11,250

US 2

Fair

Over: S FK SKYKOMISH RIVER

8.9 E SNOHOMISH CO, King, WA

Built 1938 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 5,198

HWY 603

Fair

Over: OLEQUA CR

3.7 N JCT SR 5, Lewis, WA

Built 1945 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 2,472

SR 169

Fair

Over: CEDAR RIVER

0.8 N JCT SR 18, King, WA

Built 1950 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 21,491

US 97

Fair

Over: OKANOGAN RIVER

15.6 N JCT SR 20, Okanogan, WA

Built 1951 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 3,220

SR 108

Fair

Over: SKOOKUM CREEK

6.9 E GRAYS HBR CO, Mason, WA

Built 1952 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 3,852

I-5

Fair

Over: SR 536 KINCAID ST

5.3 N JCT SR 534, Skagit, WA

Built 1953 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 58,820

SR 99

Fair

Over: DUWAMISH RIVER

0.1 N JCT SR 509, King, WA

Built 1956 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 44,083

SR 28

Fair

Over: ROCK ISLAND CR

14.4 E JCT US 2, Douglas, WA

Built 1955 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 9,567

SR 112

Fair

Over: FALLS CREEK

14.9 E MAKAH RES, Clallam, WA

Built 1957 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,687

SR 165

Fair

Over: GULCH NO 3

11.9 N RAINIER PARK, Pierce, WA

Built 1957 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 267

SR 20

Fair

Over: HARNEY CHANNEL

ON ORCAS ISLAND, San Juan, WA

Built 1959 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 2,322

SR 9

Fair

Over: LAKE CREEK

2.8 N JCT SR 534, Skagit, WA

Built 1966 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,540

113TH AVE SW

Fair

Over: I-5

2.0 N JCT SR 121, Thurston, WA

Built 1968 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,076

I-182

Fair

Over: NP RY

1.6 E JCT US 395, Franklin, WA

Built 1968 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 26,482

SR 241

Fair

Over: ROSA CANAL

5.2 N JCT I-82, Yakima, WA

Built 1977 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,961

US 2

Fair

Over: BN RR (GN) SCENIC

18.5 E SNOHOMISH CO, King, WA

Built 1990 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 4,827

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: JOHNSON CREEK

8 MILES SE OF HWY 12 (MP, Lewis, WA

Built 1950 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 141

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: GREEN FORK CREEK

15.7 MILES WEST OF THE WI, Skamania, WA

Built 1958 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 30

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: CANYON CREEK

5.8 MILES NW OF HWY 12 (M, Skamania, WA

Built 1957 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 129

ROAD

Fair

Over: WARM CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Whatcom, WA

Built 1968 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 25

RD. NO. 2820

Fair

Over: CREVICE CREEK

M.P. 0.1 RD. NO. 2820, Skagit, WA

Built 1966 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 62

RD. NO. 26

Fair

Over: DOWNEY CREEK

M.P. 21.9 RD. NO. 26, Snohomish, WA

Built 1962 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 79

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1971 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 25

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: STEVENS CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1954 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 150

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: RAMPAGE CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1961 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 50

ROAD

Fair

Over: FORTUNE CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Kittitas, WA

Built 1958 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 50

ROAD

Fair

Over: CLE ELUM

17.6 MI NORTH OF CLE, Kittitas, WA

Built 1994 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 100

LAKE SAMISH RD

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

2.0 NW JCT I-5, Skagit, WA

Built 1959 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 491

M RD SW

Fair

Over: IRRIGATION LATERAL

M SW 0.4 S of 12 SW, Grant, WA

Built 1958 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 239

K SW S of 7 SW

Fair

Over: WEST CANAL

K SW .01 S of Frenchmen, Grant, WA

Built 1951 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 49

300TH AVE SE

Fair

Over: PATTERSON CREEK

0.1 MI S OF SR-202, King, WA

Built 1951 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 10

SMOKEY POINT BLVD

Fair

Over: SOUTH SLOUGH

0.3 S JCT SR 530, Snohomish, WA

Built 1918 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 5,680

UMPTANUM ROAD

Fair

Over: WILSON CREEK

00.41 E I-90, Kittitas, WA

Built 1966 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 5,039

148TH AVE SE

Fair

Over: SOOS CREEK

2.5 MI N OF SR-516, King, WA

Built 1971 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 4,306

SKATE CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: COWLITZ

0.5 NW PACKWOOD, Lewis, WA

Built 1953 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,331

LIND-RALSTON RD

Fair

Over: INTERMITTENT STREAM

1.3 MI E THIEL RD, Adams, WA

Built 1916 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 55

16 AV S

Fair

Over: LACAMAS CREEK

8. SO JCT SR 507, Pierce, WA

Built 1960 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 275

SMOKEY POINT BLVD

Fair

Over: PORTAGE CREEK

0.7 S JCT SR 530, Snohomish, WA

Built 1922 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 5,900

HATTON RD

Fair

Over: WASTEWAY PE 16.4 WW

02.80 MI W SR24, Adams, WA

Built 1952 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 127

M RD SW

Fair

Over: WEST CANAL

M SW 1.2 North of 11 SW, Grant, WA

Built 1958 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 239

HATTON RD

Fair

Over: INTERMITTENT STREAM

02.86 MI E SR395, Adams, WA

Built 1915 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 25

DELPHI ROAD SW

Fair

Over: MCLANE CREEK

.15 m S of Cedar Flats Rd, Thurston, WA

Built 1924 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 2,612

WIEST RD

Fair

Over: WIEST CREEK

0.70 N ABERNATHY RD (3.22, Cowlitz, WA

Built 1972 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 10

Showing 1,651-1,700 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.