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: NORTH FORK CISPUS RIVER

12 MILES SE OF RANDLE (MP, Lewis, WA

Built 1951 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 372

ROAD

Fair

Over: GLACIER CREEK

MP 2.9 RD #39, Whatcom, WA

Built 1966 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 64

ROAD

Fair

Over: CLEARWATER CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Whatcom, WA

Built 1968 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 50

RD. NO. 26

Fair

Over: TENAS CREEK

M.P. 0.0 RD. NO. 26, Skagit, WA

Built 1963 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 79

ROAD

Fair

Over: RAPID RIVER

1.2 MI NE OF 65/6530 JCT, Snohomish, WA

Built 1966 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 8

ROAD

Fair

Over: 28 MILE CREEK

4.5 MI E OF HY 410/70 JCT, Pierce, WA

Built 1963 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 278

ROAD

Fair

Over: CARBON RIVER

.1 MI N OF 78 / 7810 JCT., Pierce, WA

Built 2001 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 95

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: RING CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1971 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 50

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: N FK SKOKOMISH RIVER

NO DATA ENTERED, Mason, WA

Built 1929 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 50

ROAD

Fair

Over: ICICLE CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Chelan, WA

Built 1966 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 300

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: SHEEP CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Stevens, WA

Built 1952 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 5

SR 823

Fair

Over: BN RR

0.4 N JCT I-82, Yakima, WA

Built 1947 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 17,558

US 101

Fair

Over: BEAR RIVER

5.2 N JCT SR 103, Pacific, WA

Built 1956 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 1,852

I-5

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

2.4 N JCT SR 11, Skagit, WA

Built 1964 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 26,524

I-5

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

2.4 N JCT SR 11, Skagit, WA

Built 1964 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 26,524

US 12

Fair

Over: LAKE CREEK

10.0 E JCT SR 122, Lewis, WA

Built 1966 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 4,729

FRENCH CORRAL

Fair

Over: MAD RIVER

NO DATA ENTERED, Chelan, WA

Built 1957 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 100

PROVIDENCE RD

Fair

Over: DRY WASH

00.59 MI E JOHNSON, Adams, WA

Built 1900 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 10

FAIRBANKS/0160

Fair

Over: HANGMAN CREEK

0.11 MI SW SR 27, Whitman, WA

Built 1970 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 112

LITTLE WENATCHE RD

Fair

Over: WHITE RIVER

01.26W END OF SR207, Chelan, WA

Built 1962 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 241

SPINNING ROAD

Fair

Over: CRAB CREEK

1.98 E SR 28, Lincoln, WA

Built 1916 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 103

SCHMIDLEKOFER RD

Fair

Over: COLVILLE RIVER

.96 W of Heine Rd., Stevens, WA

Built 1975 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 85

SE 66TH ST

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK ISSAQUAH CRK

0.2 MI N OF I-90, King, WA

Built 1973 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 2,350

BAY VIEW-EDISON RD

Fair

Over: STATE PARK ROAD

3.5 N JCT SR 20, Skagit, WA

Built 1969 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 751

GLENWOOD/2450

Fair

Over: PALOUSE RIVER

2.66 MI NW SR 272, Whitman, WA

Built 1967 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 75

UPPER PRESTON RD

Fair

Over: RAGING RIVER

0.2 MI N OF I-90, King, WA

Built 1974 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 1,138

TRUAX ROAD

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK ROCK CREEK

0.6 W STARR ROAD, Spokane, WA

Built 1964 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 343

SR 821

Fair

Over: LOWER WILSON CREEK

19.2 N YAKIMA CO, Kittitas, WA

Built 1932 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 1,437

US 2

Fair

Over: ANDERSON CREEK

19.3 E JCT SR 203, Snohomish, WA

Built 1933 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 6,381

SR 290

Fair

Over: RAILROAD

6.8 E JCT I-90, Spokane, WA

Built 1964 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 9,818

US 12

Fair

Over: SATSOP R OVERFLOW

5.0 E JCT SR 107, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1965 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 11,538

US 12

Fair

Over: SATSOP R OVERFLOW

5.0 E JCT SR 107, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1965 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 11,538

W-N RAMP

Fair

Over: I-82

0.2 E JCT US 97, Yakima, WA

Built 1967 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 1,937

39TH ST

Fair

Over: I-5

0.1 N JCT SR 500, Clark, WA

Built 1980 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 14,876

I-82

Fair

Over: RAILROAD

0.6 E JCT SR 14, Benton, WA

Built 1980 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 12,412

FS ROUTE NO. 1075

Fair

Over: UPPER W. BRANCH

UPPER WEST BRANCH, Pend Oreille, WA

Built 1979 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 40

TEXAS LAKE/4140

Fair

Over: ROCK CREEK

0.72 MI S WAGNER, Whitman, WA

Built 1963 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 34

MITCHUM ROAD

Fair

Over: COAL CREEK

3.93 SW SR 28, Lincoln, WA

Built 1912 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 10

LAKE SAMISH RD

Fair

Over: FRIDAY CREEK

0.25 E JCT INTERSTATE 5, Skagit, WA

Built 1965 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 5,124

WHISKEY CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: WHISKY CREEK

3.3 S JCT 9106, Columbia, WA

Built 1974 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 50

BAKER LAKE ROAD

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

9.5 NE JCT SR 20, Skagit, WA

Built 1966 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 714

WILLOW CR. ROAD

Fair

Over: WILLOW CREEK

3.9 E JCT SR 12, Columbia, WA

Built 1967 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 35

GREENWOOD

Fair

Over: COLVILLE RIVER

00.15 S JCT SR 395, Stevens, WA

Built 1972 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 499

CEDAR VALLEY ROAD

Fair

Over: BOWMAN CREEK

7.1 N JCT CR 26600, Klickitat, WA

Built 1987 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 8

FAS ROUTE L242

Fair

Over: GOAT CREEK

1.5 MI SE MAZAMA, Okanogan, WA

Built 1971 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 338

W KENNEWICK AVE

Fair

Over: C.I.D. CANAL

.52 E JCT OLYMPIA, Benton, WA

Built 1959 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 4,291

FOREST DR

Fair

Over: COAL CREEK

FOREST DR & 152ND, King, WA

Built 1989 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 3,505

US 12

Fair

Over: TOUCHET RIVER

0.1 E JCT SR 124, Walla Walla, WA

Built 1931 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 4,888

SR 9

Fair

Over: SAMISH RIVER

6.4 N JCT SR 20, Skagit, WA

Built 1947 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 3,638

I-90

Fair

Over: PELICAN HORN

0.9 E JCT SR 171, Grant, WA

Built 1957 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 10,515

Showing 2,151-2,200 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.