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

NORTH MEADOW GULCH

Fair

Over: SOUTH MEADOW CREEK

4.5 MI N POMEROY, Garfield, WA

Built 1979 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 25

KIRKPATRICK RD.

Fair

Over: STEVENS CREEK

01.4 W JCT SR 101, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1961 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 439

ROCKPORT CASCADE

Fair

Over: JORDAN CREEK

0.71 SW JCT N CASCADE HW, Skagit, WA

Built 1969 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 304

RD 3 SW

Fair

Over: DOUGLAS CREEK

0.12 N JCT 4 SW, Douglas, WA

Built 1961 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 56

PING GULCH RD

Fair

Over: PING GULCH

6.0 MI E SR 127, Garfield, WA

Built 1975 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 100

CLYDE STORY ROAD

Fair

Over: SWALE CREEK

0.4 N JCT CR 33000, Klickitat, WA

Built 1981 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 54

NULLE RD

Fair

Over: FRIDAY CR

00.4 E W LK SAMISH, Whatcom, WA

Built 1934 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 851

NORTHUP WAY

Fair

Over: EASTSIDE RAIL CORRIDOR

NORTHUP & 116TH, King, WA

Built 1987 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 14,250

Ingalls Creek Road

Fair

Over: Ingalls Creek

MP 1.4 Ingalls Creek Road, Chelan, WA

Built 1968 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 4

IRR BIA RTE 98

Fair

Over: SAN POIL RIVER

16 KM SOUTH OF REPUBLIC, Ferry, WA

Built 1959 Load: 31.3 t ADT: 50

US 101

Fair

Over: KALALOCH CREEK

5.8 N GRAYS HBR CO, Jefferson, WA

Built 1930 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 1,092

I-90

Fair

Over: SR 261

1.5 E JCT US 395, Adams, WA

Built 1952 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 8,200

SR 290

Fair

Over: RR SPOKANE RIVER CITY ST

0.4 E JCT I-90, Spokane, WA

Built 1984 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 14,815

SR 507

Fair

Over: NISQUALLY RIVER

2.4 N JCT SR 510, Thurston, WA

Built 1987 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 21,833

SIX PRONG ROAD

Fair

Over: ALDER CREEK

1.8 N JCT SR 14, Klickitat, WA

Built 1986 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 141

CAMPBELL ROAD

Fair

Over: UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD

03.0 E FREEMAN, Spokane, WA

Built 1927 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 20

CRICK ROAD 1901

Fair

Over: GOOSE CREEK

7.94 SW SR 21, Lincoln, WA

Built 1959 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 17

NORTH TOUCHET ROAD

Fair

Over: NORTH TOUCHET RIVER

11.18 SE JCT SR 12, Columbia, WA

Built 1973 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 350

FRONT STREET

Fair

Over: NO NAME CREEK

0.1 W OF D STREET, Lincoln, WA

Built 1990 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 50

COAL CREEK PARKWAY

Fair

Over: COAL CREEK

1.3 MI E OF SR-405, King, WA

Built 2014 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 31,258

SR 203

Fair

Over: SLOUGH

0.7 N JCT SR 202, King, WA

Built 1945 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 7,622

I-5

Fair

Over: 41ST DIVISION DR

6.1 N THURSTON CO, Pierce, WA

Built 1954 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 59,615

US 12

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

11.5 E JCT SR 125 SPUR, Walla Walla, WA

Built 1954 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 4,414

US 12

Fair

Over: NACHES RIVER

13.2 E JCT SR 410, Yakima, WA

Built 1958 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 9,227

SR 23

Fair

Over: KAMIACHE CREEK

22.0 N JCT US 195, Whitman, WA

Built 1958 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 686

I-82

Fair

Over: OVERFLOW CHANNEL

0.6 E JCT US 12, Yakima, WA

Built 1960 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 24,642

I-5

Fair

Over: RAVENNA BLVD

2.3 N JCT SR 520, King, WA

Built 1961 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 88,792

I-5

Fair

Over: DAKOTA CR & WEST RD

7.9 N JCT SR 548, Whatcom, WA

Built 1961 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 7,554

I-5

Fair

Over: DAKOTA CR & WEST RD

7.9 N JCT SR 548, Whatcom, WA

Built 1961 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 7,554

US 395

Fair

Over: COLVILLE R

3.6 N JCT SR 231, Stevens, WA

Built 1963 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 8,380

I-405

Fair

Over: SR 181

1.0 N JCT I-5, King, WA

Built 1964 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 153,756

SR 167

Fair

Over: 84TH AVE SOUTH

1.7 N JCT SR 516, King, WA

Built 1967 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 52,291

I-5

Fair

Over: SNOHOMISH RIVER RR

1.0 N JCT US 2, Snohomish, WA

Built 1968 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 63,840

I-5

Fair

Over: SNOHOMISH R GN RY

1.0 N JCT US 2, Snohomish, WA

Built 1968 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 63,840

US 2

Fair

Over: SNOHOMISH RIVER

0.2 E JCT I-5, Snohomish, WA

Built 1968 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 39,701

I-405

Fair

Over: SR 522 SAMMAMISH R

8.7 N JCT SR 520, King, WA

Built 1968 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 55,071

I-405

Fair

Over: SR 522 SAMMAMISH R

8.7 N JCT SR 520, King, WA

Built 1968 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 55,071

SR 261

Fair

Over: SNAKE RIVER

14.8 N JCT US 12, Columbia, WA

Built 1927 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 474

I-5

Fair

Over: 300TH ST NW/FREEBORN RD

2.4 N JCT SR 532, Snohomish, WA

Built 1971 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 31,489

SR 202

Fair

Over: SNOQUALMIE RIVER

14.0 E JCT SR 520, King, WA

Built 1980 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 12,373

SR 504

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

14.3 E JCT SR 504 SP, Cowlitz, WA

Built 1990 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 648

TONO ROAD

Fair

Over: SKOOKUMCHUCK RIVER

0.4 m E of Hwy 507, Thurston, WA

Built 1972 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 333

NISQUALLY CUTOFF

Fair

Over: OVERFLOW CHANNEL

.2 E JCT I5, Thurston, WA

Built 1936 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 5,226

INDEX-GALENA RD

Fair

Over: S. BITTER CR (dry)

4.1 NE JCT SR 2, Snohomish, WA

Built 1967 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 132

INDEX-GALENA RD

Fair

Over: BITTER CREEK

4.1 NE JCT SR 2, Snohomish, WA

Built 1967 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 132

BARR ROAD

Fair

Over: GRAYS RIVER

0.6 S JCT SR 4, Wahkiakum, WA

Built 1967 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 266

WILDWOOD ROAD

Fair

Over: S.FORK CHEHALIS RIVER

11.5 S CURTIS, Lewis, WA

Built 1970 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 174

LARCH WAY

Fair

Over: SWAMP CREEK

1.4 SW INT I-405, Snohomish, WA

Built 1963 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 10,030

VAN ESS FARM RD

Fair

Over: WOODS CREEK

2.7 NE JCT SR 2, Snohomish, WA

Built 1989 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 66

HANSEN RD

Fair

Over: OUTLET CREEK

0.55 S SR 504 (MP 9.94), Cowlitz, WA

Built 1969 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 87

Showing 2,351-2,400 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.