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

Park Access Road

Fair

Over: Snake River

Chief Timothy Park, Asotin, WA

Built 1975 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 150

US 12

Fair

Over: SLOUGH

1.5 E GRAYS HBR CO, Thurston, WA

Built 1926 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 9,817

SR 17

Fair

Over: E FOSTER CREEK

8.5 N JCT SR 174, Douglas, WA

Built 1950 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 1,189

SR 9

Fair

Over: JOHNSON CREEK

3.8 N JCT SR 546, Whatcom, WA

Built 1961 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 3,202

I-90

Fair

Over: SR 281 SPUR

14.0 E JCT SR 26, Grant, WA

Built 1962 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 6,513

SR 167

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE

0.2 E JCT I-5, Pierce, WA

Built 1963 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 12,184

I-90

Fair

Over: YAKIMA RIVER

16.7 E JCT SR 970, Kittitas, WA

Built 1967 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 15,317

I-90

Fair

Over: YAKIMA RIVER

16.7 E JCT SR 970, Kittitas, WA

Built 1967 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 15,317

I-90

Fair

Over: BROWN ROAD

3.8 E JCT SR 23, Lincoln, WA

Built 1967 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 10,436

WALNUT-E RAMP

Fair

Over: PARKING AREA

1.1 E JCT US 195, Spokane, WA

Built 1967 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 12,701

I-5

Fair

Over: 41ST DIVISION DRIVE

6.1 N THURSTON CO, Pierce, WA

Built 1969 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 59,615

I-5

Fair

Over: COWEEMAN RIVER

1.4 N JCT SR 432, Cowlitz, WA

Built 1979 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 28,653

LATERAL B RD.

Fair

Over: USIS CANAL

00.01 S LATERAL 1, Yakima, WA

Built 1956 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 480

BAKER LAKE RD

Fair

Over: W FORK GRANDY CK

2. NE JCT SR 20, Skagit, WA

Built 1968 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 725

GRAYS RIV. LOOP RD

Fair

Over: HULL CREEK

0.2 S JCT SR 4, Wahkiakum, WA

Built 1973 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 360

FAS ROUTE T242

Fair

Over: OKANOGAN RIVER

.SENWS14T38NR27E, Okanogan, WA

Built 1961 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 848

OLSON ROAD

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

1.4 S JCT SR 142, Klickitat, WA

Built 1959 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 107

148TH AVE SE

Fair

Over: SOOS CREEK

0.25 MI N OF SE 256TH ST, King, WA

Built 1971 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 2,300

ODONNELL/5570

Fair

Over: MISSOURI FLAT CREEK

0.98 MI NE PULLMAN AIRPRT, Whitman, WA

Built 1976 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 84

FAS ROUTE L242

Fair

Over: LOST RIVER

.NESE S25 T36 R19, Okanogan, WA

Built 1972 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 1,057

Gold Creek Loop Rd

Fair

Over: COLVILLE RIVER

00.13 S JCT SR 395, Stevens, WA

Built 1960 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 928

POSTMA ROAD

Fair

Over: ROZA CANAL

00.17 E WALTERS RD, Yakima, WA

Built 1969 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 1,158

MILAN ROAD

Fair

Over: LITTLE SPOKANE RIVER

0.75 E PSH NO 195, Spokane, WA

Built 1964 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 218

FRONT ST N.

Fair

Over: E.FK.ISSAQUAH CK.

0.3 MI S OF I-90, King, WA

Built 1970 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 30,000

CORNWALL AVENUE

Fair

Over: BURLINGTON NORTHERN

0.06 NE JCT W LAUREL ST, Whatcom, WA

Built 1964 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 3,100

3RD STREET

Fair

Over: SILVER CREEK

0.06 S SR 27, Whitman, WA

Built 1980 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 500

ROCKCUT ROAD

Fair

Over: KETTLE RIVER

00.3 E JCT SR395, Stevens, WA

Built 1995 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 155

CLEMAN ROAD

Fair

Over: PARKE CREEK

00.12 S TJOSSEM RD, Kittitas, WA

Built 2003 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 2,105

Redmond Way

Fair

Over: SAMMAMISH R

2.5 MI E JCT I-405, King, WA

Built 1972 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 27,000

US 12

Fair

Over: SURREY CREEK

2.5 E JCT SR 131, Lewis, WA

Built 1958 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 2,648

I-5

Fair

Over: 6TH-S RAMP BR

5.5 N JCT SR 900, King, WA

Built 1967 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 6,076

I-405 NB HOV

Fair

Over: I-90 FACTORIA

5.7 N JCT SR 900, King, WA

Built 1969 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 9,877

I-90

Fair

Over: E FK ISSAQUAH CREEK

2.4 E JCT SR 900, King, WA

Built 1976 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 29,843

MCDONALD ROAD

Fair

Over: ROZA CANAL

0.5 N HANKS ROAD, Benton, WA

Built 1981 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 103

URQUHART AVE(X NE)

Fair

Over: CRAB CREEK

0.03 S OF BURN ST, Grant, WA

Built 1972 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 170

BONAPARTE AVE.

Fair

Over: BONAPARTE CREEK

0.1 S.SEVENTH ST., Okanogan, WA

Built 1972 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 100

DOWNS ROAD 20790

Fair

Over: CRAB CREEK

3.50 N FAS B220, Lincoln, WA

Built 1973 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 53

CHASTEEN RD

Fair

Over: TEN MILE CR

00.1 N TEN MILE RD., Whatcom, WA

Built 1946 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 68

CRESCENT BAR ROAD

Fair

Over: TRINIDAD SPRINGS

1.8S SR 28, Grant, WA

Built 1962 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 1,422

DOLE VALLEY ROAD

Fair

Over: EAST FORK LEWIS RIVER

JCT OF CO RD 12, Clark, WA

Built 1961 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 350

JACKSON HWY SOUTH

Fair

Over: SALMON CREEK

1.0 S. S.R. 505, Lewis, WA

Built 1923 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 1,368

WYNOOCHE VALLEY RD

Fair

Over: BLACK CREEK

03.1 N JCT SR 12, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1967 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 1,064

BEAM ROAD

Fair

Over: ROZA CANAL

00.20 S HOUGHTON RD, Yakima, WA

Built 1971 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 485

COUNTY ROAD 9221

Fair

Over: SALMON CREEK

NWNWS31T34NR26E, Okanogan, WA

Built 1949 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 430

THIRD STREET

Fair

Over: PATIT CREEK

0.25 N JCT US 12, Columbia, WA

Built 1915 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 100

LADIGES RD

Fair

Over: BIRD CREEK

1.0 S YAKIMA CO, Klickitat, WA

Built 1997 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 38

Farm Access

Fair

Over: West Canal DW224 Wastewa

West Canal DW224 Wasteway, Grant, WA

Built 2006 Load: 28.0 t ADT: 5

SR 17

Fair

Over: COLUMBIA RIVER

0.1 N JCT SR 173, Douglas, WA

Built 1950 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 2,594

US 101

Fair

Over: TEAL SLOUGH

12.2 N JCT SR 103, Pacific, WA

Built 1934 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 1,852

SR 508

Fair

Over: TILTON RIVER

32.4 E JCT I-5, Lewis, WA

Built 1947 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 2,178

Showing 1,951-2,000 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.