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

WAPATO ROAD SOUTH

Fair

Over: MARION DRAIN

00.01 N MARIONDRAIN, Yakima, WA

Built 1974 Load: 12.6 t ADT: 69

16TH AVE S

Fair

Over: MCSORLEY CREEK

0.1 MI S.OF S 250TH, King, WA

Built 1951 Load: 12.6 t ADT: 10,000

SR 99

Fair

Over: LAKE UNION

7.7 N JCT SR 509, King, WA

Built 1931 Load: 12.7 t ADT: 53,501

MACK RD

Fair

Over: SUMAS RIVER

00.2 W OAT COLES RD, Whatcom, WA

Built 1932 Load: 12.7 t ADT: 106

JAY AVENUE

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE

COUNTRY HOMES, Spokane, WA

Built 1963 Load: 12.7 t ADT: 159

I RD SW

Fair

Over: WEST CANAL

I SW .7 North of 11, Grant, WA

Built 1956 Load: 12.7 t ADT: 71

E BOSTON TERRACE

Fair

Over: RAVINE

1660 E BOSTON TERRACE, King, WA

Built 1948 Load: 12.7 t ADT: 160

ALLENDER RD

Fair

Over: STILLWATER CREEK

0.97 W SR 506 (MP 0.86), Cowlitz, WA

Built 1955 Load: 12.7 t ADT: 20

I-5

Fair

Over: 52ND AVE W

2.3 N JCT SR 104, Snohomish, WA

Built 1963 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 96,309

I-5

Fair

Over: MARTIN WAY

5.0 N JCT US 101, Thurston, WA

Built 1967 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 47,337

FRANKLIN ROAD

Fair

Over: GREEN RIVER

4.0 MI E OF SR-169, King, WA

Built 1914 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 350

NE 182ND AVE

Fair

Over: MORGAN CREEK

0.2 S JCT NE174 ST, Clark, WA

Built 1956 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 9,692

UNION VALLEY ROAD

Fair

Over: WILSON CREEK

5.93 SW SR 21, Lincoln, WA

Built 1900 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 14

WATER STREET

Fair

Over: TOWN DITCH

00.24 SOUTH HELENA STREET, Kittitas, WA

Built 2003 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 6,556

SR 169

Fair

Over: NP RY

10.4 N JCT SR 164, King, WA

Built 1939 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 15,203

SR 153

Fair

Over: METHOW RIVER

18.9 N JCT US 97, Okanogan, WA

Built 1939 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 1,363

I-5

Fair

Over: N-W RAMP

3.9 N JCT SR 900, King, WA

Built 1966 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 95,134

I-90 EB

Fair

Over: I-90 WB

0.2 E JCT I-5, King, WA

Built 1988 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 9,982

WASHINGTON ST

Fair

Over: ROCK CREEK

0.04 W SR 231, Lincoln, WA

Built 1972 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 43

15TH ST. N.

Fair

Over: CREEK

00.09 N HARTFORD RD, Yakima, WA

Built 1959 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 177

NE 159TH ST

Fair

Over: COTTAGE LAKE CREEK

0.1 MI W OF AVONDALE RD, King, WA

Built 1987 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 1,097

FAS ROUTE U243

Fair

Over: SIMILKAMEEN RIVER

.NESWS28T40NR27E, Okanogan, WA

Built 1950 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 985

CHAMBERS CK RD W

Fair

Over: CHAMBERS CREEK

1.0 SO JCT 64 ST W, Pierce, WA

Built 1946 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 7,275

MOORE ROAD

Fair

Over: TAMARACK CREEK

1.80 SW SR 231, Lincoln, WA

Built 1936 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 20

WESTSIDE RD

Fair

Over: HILINE CANAL

00.03 S GOLF COURSE, Kittitas, WA

Built 1930 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 1,028

ELOIKA ROAD

Fair

Over: LITTLE SPOKANE RIVER

1.1 MI E OF US 2, Spokane, WA

Built 1989 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 271

MAINTENANCE ROAD

Fair

Over: WEST CANAL

West Canal Lateral 35.9D, Grant, WA

Built 1968 Load: 13.5 t ADT: 30

US 395

Fair

Over: EAST DEER CR

17.1 N JCT SR 20, Ferry, WA

Built 1900 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 712

US 395

Fair

Over: LITTLE BOULDER CR

21.8 N JCT SR 20, Ferry, WA

Built 1900 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 321

SR 11

Fair

Over: HALF BRIDGE

13.1 N JCT I-5, Skagit, WA

Built 1920 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 2,412

SR 6

Fair

Over: HALF MOON CREEK

14.6 E JCT US 101, Pacific, WA

Built 1917 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 1,561

US 2

Fair

Over: ICICLE DITCH SPILLWAY

16.3 E JCT SR 207, Chelan, WA

Built 1940 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 12,506

US 395

Fair

Over: GN RY

2.2 N JCT SR 25, Stevens, WA

Built 1941 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 5,371

SR 7

Fair

Over: CLOVER CREEK

3.7 N JCT SR 507, Pierce, WA

Built 1929 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 31,249

I-90

Fair

Over: I-5

JCT I-5, King, WA

Built 1966 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 19,194

THORP PRAIRIE RD

Fair

Over: I-90

3.9 E JCT SR 970, Kittitas, WA

Built 1965 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 565

NB I5 OFF RAMP

Fair

Over: W-S I5 EB W SEA FRWY

5.4 N JCT SR 900, King, WA

Built 1967 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 15,286

I-5

Fair

Over: SR 529 NB RAMP

4.4 N JCT US 2, Snohomish, WA

Built 1968 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 63,840

I-90 WB ON RAMP

Fair

Over: 224TH AVE NW & TRAIL

1.0 E JCT SR 900, King, WA

Built 1971 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 13,808

I-90 RAMP

Fair

Over: E 2ND AVE

0.8 E JCT US 2, Spokane, WA

Built 1974 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 8,531

DEWALD RD

Fair

Over: INTERMITTENT STREAM

2.11 MI N of Hiller Rd., Adams, WA

Built 1957 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 23

6 RD NE

Fair

Over: ROCKY COULEE

6 NE 0.1 W of W NE, Grant, WA

Built 1914 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 71

NE 67TH AVE

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

0.2S NE219ST(SR502, Clark, WA

Built 1957 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 141

COAL COULEE 22250

Fair

Over: COAL CREEK

5.13 S SR 23, Lincoln, WA

Built 1917 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 35

DONALD-WAPATO RD.

Fair

Over: DRAIN

01.98 S YAK VAL HWY, Yakima, WA

Built 1960 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 5,040

SOUTH THORP HWY

Fair

Over: WESTSIDE DITCH

00.10 N THORP CEM R, Kittitas, WA

Built 1926 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 853

BAUMAN RD.

Fair

Over: INTERMITTENT STREAM

00.24 MI N DANEKAS RD, Adams, WA

Built 1900 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 80

WREN LOOP RD

Fair

Over: ARKANSAS CREEK

0.02 S DELAMETER RD (0.17, Cowlitz, WA

Built 1960 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 195

ELMA MCCLEARY ROAD

Fair

Over: WEST FORK WILDCAT CREEK

4.1 NE JCT SR 8, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1921 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 2,267

LK CAVANAUGH ROAD

Fair

Over: PILCHUCK CREEK

8.7 E JCT SR 9, Skagit, WA

Built 1970 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 578

Showing 151-200 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.