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

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: SULLIVAN CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Pend Oreille, WA

Built 1956 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 88

SWEDE HEAVEN RD

Fair

Over: TRIB.N.F.STILLAGUAMISH R

2.1 NW JCT SR 530, Snohomish, WA

Built 1985 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 529

SULLIVAN ROAD

Fair

Over: BNSF RAILROAD

0.05 S TRENT RD, Spokane, WA

Built 1960 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 21,500

N RD NW

Fair

Over: IRRIGATION LATERAL

N NW 0.3 N of 11 NW, Grant, WA

Built 1952 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 158

S BOEING ACCESS RD

Fair

Over: BNRR

0.3 MI W OF E MARGINAL WY, King, WA

Built 1945 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 32,504

AHTANUM ROAD

Fair

Over: BACHELOR CREEK

00.08 W SO 38TH AVE, Yakima, WA

Built 1992 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 9,000

BILLINGTON RD

Fair

Over: EL81 WASTEWAY 67+12.23

01.19 MI N SR26, Adams, WA

Built 1952 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 196

SR 116

Fair

Over: PORTAGE CANAL

2.7 E JCT SR 19, Jefferson, WA

Built 1951 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 2,692

OLD HWY 99 NORTH

Fair

Over: SILVER CREEK

0.4 SE JCT LAKE SAMISH RD, Skagit, WA

Built 1934 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 1,687

ELK CREEK RD.

Fair

Over: ELK CREEK

0.85 W 27092, Lewis, WA

Built 1951 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 325

THORN CREEK/3380

Fair

Over: THORN CREEK

2.97 MI SE PNE CTY-MALDEN, Whitman, WA

Built 1964 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 121

HAY-LACROSSE/7000

Fair

Over: MUD FLAT CREEK

6.64 MI S SR 26, Whitman, WA

Built 1970 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 183

SOUTH BANK ROAD

Fair

Over: DELEZENNE CREEK

0.1 MI. NW DELEZENNE RD, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1971 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 1,007

Middle Frk Mill Cr

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK MILL CREEK

.12 NE SOUTH FORK MILL CR, Stevens, WA

Built 1974 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 35

236TH AVE SE

Fair

Over: NEWAUKUM CREEK

0.5 MI N OF SR-164, King, WA

Built 1927 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 520

12TH ST NE

Fair

Over: LITTLE PILCHUCK CREEK

2.0 S JCT SR 92, Snohomish, WA

Built 1985 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 27

BENZEL RD

Fair

Over: DRY WASH

00.01N RALSTON-BNGE, Adams, WA

Built 1952 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 3

SR 131

Fair

Over: COWLITZ RIVER

1.8 N JCT NATL FOREST BD, Lewis, WA

Built 1949 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 1,096

PETERSON RD E

Fair

Over: OHOP CREEK OVERFLOW

.3 E JCT SR 7, Pierce, WA

Built 1919 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 85

SR 548

Fair

Over: CALIFORNIA CR

10.3 W JCT I-5, Whatcom, WA

Built 1924 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 3,717

SANDERS RD

Fair

Over: CARPENTER CREEK

8.1 E JCT SR 9, Snohomish, WA

Built 1984 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 15

AIRPORT ROAD

Fair

Over: SALZER CREEK

0.5 NW CHEHALIS, Lewis, WA

Built 1952 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 7,230

SCHMIT ROAD

Fair

Over: CEDAR CREEK

6.0 E TOLEDO, Lewis, WA

Built 1953 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 10

BEAVER LAKE RD

Fair

Over: NOOKACHAMPS CREEK

3.0 SE JCT SR 9, Skagit, WA

Built 1977 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 186

O RD SW

Fair

Over: WEST CANAL

O SW 1.2 N of 11, Grant, WA

Built 1958 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 257

NEMAH VALLEY ROAD

Fair

Over: NEMAH RIVER

8.1 N JCT 4 & 101, Pacific, WA

Built 1981 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 74

WILDWOOD ROAD

Fair

Over: S.FORK CHEHALIS RIVER

3.0 S BOISTFORT, Lewis, WA

Built 1955 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 284

CARLON LOOP RD

Fair

Over: COAL CREEK

0.07 S COAL CRK RD (3.62), Cowlitz, WA

Built 1963 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 88

ONEILL ROAD

Fair

Over: NEWMAN CREEK

00.8 N JCT 9710, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1979 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 126

Greenwood Loop Rd

Fair

Over: COLVILLE RIVER

1.02 S JCT SR395, Stevens, WA

Built 1963 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 527

COUNTY ROAD 9221

Fair

Over: SALMON CREEK

12.7 MI NW OKANOGAN, Okanogan, WA

Built 1969 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 20

ROBE-MENZEL RD

Fair

Over: PILCHUCK RIVER

2.2 S JCT SR 92, Snohomish, WA

Built 1978 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 2,124

K RD SW

Fair

Over: IRRIGATION LATERAL

K SW 0.9 South of 11 SW, Grant, WA

Built 1958 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 85

BLUE CREEK-WEST

Fair

Over: COLVILLE RIVER

00.01 W JCT SR 395, Stevens, WA

Built 1957 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 971

Fifth Ave (Usk)

Fair

Over: Pend Oreille River

0.70 E JCT SR20, Pend Oreille, WA

Built 1964 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 1,900

HINING ROAD

Fair

Over: OLEQUA CREEK

S. C/L WINLOCK, Lewis, WA

Built 1957 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 29

OCEAN BEACH ROAD

Fair

Over: HUMPTULIPS RIVER

9.0 NW JCT SR 101, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1980 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 2,649

MANDY ROAD

Fair

Over: FOSTER CREEK

3.0 SW TOLEDO, Lewis, WA

Built 1953 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 142

COVINGTON-SWYR RD

Fair

Over: JENKINS CREEK

0.7 MI SE OF SR-516, King, WA

Built 1929 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 15,015

Mission Creek Road

Fair

Over: BIG MISSION CREEK

0.79 N JCT SR 300, Mason, WA

Built 1968 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 671

FAS 1027

Fair

Over: CHINA CREEK

1.1 E. END FAS1027, Lewis, WA

Built 1911 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 8,788

15TH AVE NW

Fair

Over: NW LEARY WAY

15th Ave NW & NW Leary Wy, King, WA

Built 1958 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 60,000

W HOWE ST

Fair

Over: 32ND AVE W RAVINE

3200 W Howe St, King, WA

Built 1946 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 2,300

1ST AVE S

Fair

Over: ARGO RR YARD

4500 1st Ave S, King, WA

Built 1935 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 19,000

KELSO STREET

Fair

Over: STOWE CREEK

0.5 BLK E MAIN ST, Lewis, WA

Built 1950 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 355

20TH STREET NE

Fair

Over: LAKE STEVENS OUTFLOW

0.01 E JCT HARTFORD DR, Snohomish, WA

Built 1993 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 5,300

ELKHORN ROAD

Fair

Over: ELKHORN CREEK

1.0 S GRAY HAR. CO., Pacific, WA

Built 1996 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 74

PARKER BRIDGE RD

Fair

Over: YAKIMA RIVER

0.07 SW OF YVH, Yakima, WA

Built 1999 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 860

STEVENS CANYON ROA

Fair

Over: FALLS CREEK

0.48 MILES WEST OF JCT. U, Lewis, WA

Built 1956 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 1,375

UPPER HOH ROAD

Fair

Over: SNIDER CREEK

16.2 MI. E. OF JCT. HWY., Jefferson, WA

Built 1993 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 692

Showing 1,901-1,950 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.