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

YOUNG/6170

Fair

Over: UNION FLAT CREEK

0.26 MI S UNION FLAT CRK, Whitman, WA

Built 1966 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 62

FAS ROUTE Z240

Fair

Over: OKANOGAN RIVER

.SWNWS27T40NR27E, Okanogan, WA

Built 1971 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 1,527

NE 195TH STREET

Fair

Over: NORTH CREEK

0.1 E SR 405, King, WA

Built 1984 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 26,236

SW MT SI BLVD

Fair

Over: RIBARY CREEK

0.1 MI E OF SR-202, King, WA

Built 1989 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 1,900

SR 97

Fair

Over: WAPATO CANAL

12.8 N JCT SR 22, Yakima, WA

Built 1948 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 8,324

BARKER RD

Fair

Over: I-90

4.0 E JCT SR 27, Spokane, WA

Built 1956 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 13,085

SR 9

Fair

Over: HARTS SLOUGH

4.9 N JCT SR 538, Skagit, WA

Built 1959 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 10,545

SR 18 RAMP

Fair

Over: HOLDER CR

0.2 N JCT SR 18, King, WA

Built 1960 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 4,899

BEAVER VALLEY ROAD

Fair

Over: WENATCHEE R

14.4 N JCT SR 2, Chelan, WA

Built 1966 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 2,018

SR 18 W-S RAMP

Fair

Over: I-5 & SR 18

JCT I-5, King, WA

Built 2012 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 27,620

MOX CHEHALIS ROAD

Fair

Over: MOX CHEHALIS CREEK

3.4 NE JCT SR12, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1965 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 573

ELMER HUNTLEY/3425

Fair

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

0.07 MI S SUNSET, Whitman, WA

Built 1971 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 21

2ND STREET

Fair

Over: SLOUGH

2.39 W JCT SR 101, Pacific, WA

Built 1981 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 457

MCGREEVY/5370

Fair

Over: MISSOURI FLAT CREEK

0.05 MI N WHELAN, Whitman, WA

Built 1978 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 50

DAVIS/4015

Fair

Over: WASSUM CREEK

1.14 MI SW SR 23, Whitman, WA

Built 1964 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 33

GARNER ROAD

Fair

Over: SWALE CREEK

0.6 S JCT CR 22000, Klickitat, WA

Built 1977 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 42

MEADOW CREEK RD

Fair

Over: MEADOW CREEK

2.2 E JCT SR 127, Garfield, WA

Built 1961 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 520

HAWK CREEK RD 5554

Fair

Over: HAWK CREEK

1.23 SE FAS T222, Lincoln, WA

Built 1978 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 125

GARFLD-FRMGTN/1300

Fair

Over: SILVER CREEK

5.29 MI S FARMINGTON, Whitman, WA

Built 1974 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 238

WIDE HOLLOW ROAD

Fair

Over: WIDE HOLLOW CREEK

00.47 E SO 96TH AVE, Yakima, WA

Built 1961 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 5,000

ALBION-PARVIN/5260

Fair

Over: FOUR MILE CREEK

1.63 MI SE PARVIN, Whitman, WA

Built 1975 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 55

ALDER STREET

Fair

Over: PARKER HORN

MOSES LAKE CITY, Grant, WA

Built 1958 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 29,630

ALLEN STREET

Fair

Over: COWLITZ R BNRR CITY ST

ALLEN ST OVER COWLITZ R, Cowlitz, WA

Built 2000 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 10,700

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: W FK SATSOP RIVER

NO DATA ENTERED, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1951 Load: 28.7 t ADT: 10

US 195

Fair

Over: S FK PALOUSE RIVER

0.5 N JCT SR 272, Whitman, WA

Built 1934 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 9,699

I-5

Fair

Over: SR 528 4TH ST

5.3 N JCT US 2, Snohomish, WA

Built 1952 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 59,434

S-S RAMP

Fair

Over: 1ST AVE S

4.0 N JCT SR 518, King, WA

Built 1968 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 8,511

I-5

Fair

Over: SR 532 / 268TH ST NE

4.0 N JCT SR 530, Snohomish, WA

Built 1971 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 31,972

HART RD

Fair

Over: TOUCHET RIVER

08.39N LW WAITSBURG, Walla Walla, WA

Built 1965 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 190

DELONG/4340

Fair

Over: UNNAMED DRAINAGE

1.27 MI SE MULKEY, Whitman, WA

Built 1978 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 50

8TH STREET NE

Fair

Over: GREEN RIVER

0.4 MI E OF HARVEY RD, King, WA

Built 1973 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 21,100

56TH AVE SO

Fair

Over: DUWAMISH RIVER

0.1E INTERURBAN AVE, King, WA

Built 1985 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 2,900

GRAHAM ROAD

Fair

Over: KID CANAL

00.10 N SR 12, Benton, WA

Built 1981 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 285

WYNOOCHE VALLEY RD

Fair

Over: CARTER CREEK

14.2 N JCT SR12, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1963 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 219

CAPE HORN ROAD

Fair

Over: GRANDY CREEK

2.25 W JCT SR 20, Skagit, WA

Built 1967 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 391

HUNTZINGER ROAD

Fair

Over: WANAPUM RESERVOIR

04.34 S I-90, Kittitas, WA

Built 1962 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 676

BRANCH RD.

Fair

Over: CANAL - MAIN

00.13 E BATALI ROAD, Yakima, WA

Built 1962 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 1,000

NORTH TOUCHET ROAD

Fair

Over: NORTH TOUCHET RIVER

10.5 SE JCT SR 12, Columbia, WA

Built 1965 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 350

MOX CHEHALIS ROAD

Fair

Over: MOX CHEHALIS CREEK

4.7 NE JCT SR 12, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1966 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 685

WAHL RD

Fair

Over: BAUER COULEE

00.04MI S SCHRAG RD, Adams, WA

Built 1940 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 37

LOWE ROAD

Fair

Over: COAL CREEK

0.14 S SR 28, Lincoln, WA

Built 1917 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 87

NE 12TH ST

Fair

Over: BNRR

NE 12TH& 118TH NE, King, WA

Built 1970 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 15,309

SR 508

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

18.3 E JCT I-5, Lewis, WA

Built 1937 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 1,171

SR 821

Fair

Over: LMUMA CREEK

7.9 N YAKIMA CO, Kittitas, WA

Built 1924 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 1,339

SR 22

Fair

Over: YAKIMA R

0.4 E JCT I-82, Yakima, WA

Built 1935 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 9,070

US 2

Fair

Over: STREAM

5.6 E SNOHOMISH CO, King, WA

Built 1937 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 5,562

US 2

Fair

Over: STREAM

6.0 E SNOHOMISH CO, King, WA

Built 1937 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 5,562

SR 4

Fair

Over: TERRAIN FLOOD PLAIN

14.6 E JCT SR 401, Wahkiakum, WA

Built 1938 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 1,124

SR 4

Fair

Over: CNTRY RD KLINTS SLOUGH

14.7 E JCT SR 401, Wahkiakum, WA

Built 1938 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 1,124

SR 4

Fair

Over: KLINTS SLOUGH

14.8 E JCT SR 401, Wahkiakum, WA

Built 1938 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 1,124

Showing 2,051-2,100 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.