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

FLESHMAN WAY

Fair

Over: SNAKE RIVER

0.1 E JCT SR 129, Asotin, WA

Built 1982 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 21,000

L GREEN CANYON RD

Fair

Over: HILINE CANAL

00.12 N SMITHSON RD, Kittitas, WA

Built 1931 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 135

NEWMAN CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: NEWMAN CREEK

01.1 N JCT 9710, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1976 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 184

STAN WILLCOX/1580

Fair

Over: DUFFIELD CREEK

0.90 MI N SR 272, Whitman, WA

Built 1978 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 53

FRIDAY CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: FRIDAY CREEK

0.4 N JCT OLD 99, Skagit, WA

Built 1961 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 184

FRIDAY CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: FRIDAY CREEK

0.3 N. of JCT w/ Old 99, Skagit, WA

Built 1961 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 165

CURTIS HILL RD.

Fair

Over: LAKE CR.

3. SW ADNA, Lewis, WA

Built 1960 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 642

FRIDAY CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: FRIDAY CREEK

0.45 N JCT OLD HWY 99 N, Skagit, WA

Built 1962 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 165

MILLTOWN RD

Fair

Over: BIG DITCH

0.02 E JCT SR 530, Skagit, WA

Built 1957 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 413

KING ROAD

Fair

Over: LAKE CREEK

0.62 E JCT 92006, Lewis, WA

Built 1960 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 148

4TH PARALLEL ROAD

Fair

Over: TURBINE CANAL

00.06 W ROSS RD, Kittitas, WA

Built 1955 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 54

FALLERT RD

Fair

Over: KALAMA RIVER

0.03 E KAL RIV RD (4.41), Cowlitz, WA

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 200

SLIDE CREEK RD

Fair

Over: SLIDE CREEK

1.19 N ABERNATHY RD (1.13, Cowlitz, WA

Built 1978 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 60

OSBORN ROAD

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK

11.0 E ELBE, Lewis, WA

Built 1968 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 301

SPRING ST

Fair

Over: S FORK PALOUSE RIVER

0.1 N JCT SR 270, Whitman, WA

Built 1915 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,034

W 45TH AVENUE

Fair

Over: KID CANAL

00.70 W OLYMPIA ST, Benton, WA

Built 1955 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,011

SW SPOKANE ST

Fair

Over: DUWAMISH RIVER E WATERWY

800 SW Spokane St, King, WA

Built 1976 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,800

SW SPOKANE ST

Fair

Over: E MARGINAL WAY S

1200 SW Spokane St, King, WA

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,000

FRONT STREET

Fair

Over: FISHTRAP CREEK

0.3 E SR539, Whatcom, WA

Built 1947 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,187

GRAND AVENUE

Fair

Over: WHATCOM CREEK

GRAND & WHATCOM CRK, Whatcom, WA

Built 1949 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,800

COLUMBIA STREET

Fair

Over: PATAHA CREEK

0.1E 20STR ON COL, Garfield, WA

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 75

12TH AVE SW

Fair

Over: CLARKS CREEK

1 MI WEST OF SR 512, Pierce, WA

Built 1972 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 245

CALLOWAY RD

Fair

Over: INTERMITTENT STREAM

0.34 E. DEAL, Adams, WA

Built 1962 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10

DUBUQUE RD

Fair

Over: PILCHUCK RIVER

4.0 N JCT SR2, Snohomish, WA

Built 1991 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,682

LEARY WAY

Fair

Over: SAMMAMISH RIVER

0.4 MILES S JCT SR 908, King, WA

Built 1992 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 30,000

HWY 603

Fair

Over: CHEHALIS RIVER

0.15 S.E. SR 6, Lewis, WA

Built 1991 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,697

SE 216TH WAY

Fair

Over: CEDAR RIVER TRAIL

0.05 MI E OF SR-169, King, WA

Built 1994 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,082

BERRY ROAD

Fair

Over: STEARNS CREEK

4.0 W NAPAVINE, Lewis, WA

Built 1994 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 20

EB I-90

Fair

Over: OLALLIE CREEK

18.2 E JCT SR 202, King, WA

Built 1972 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 18,185

IRR VALLEY AVENUE

Fair

Over: UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD

2.2 E JCT SR 5, Pierce, WA

Built 1995 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 18,765

GUERRIER ROAD

Fair

Over: S FK NEWAUKUM RIVER

2.0 SE FOREST, Lewis, WA

Built 1996 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 261

OLD CREAMERY RD

Fair

Over: TROUT CREEK

1.0 E Jct SR141 N 0.13, Klickitat, WA

Built 1997 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 22

HORRIGAN ROAD

Fair

Over: E BRANCH of GLADE CREEK

0.911 mi E of SW DAVIS RD, Benton, WA

Built 1995 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 16

164TH ST SW

Fair

Over: SWAMP CREEK

1.0 W JCT I-5, Snohomish, WA

Built 1960 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 29,286

FALLS ROAD

Fair

Over: LAMBERT CREEK

8.19 SW RANDLE, Lewis, WA

Built 2004 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 99

GORGE POWERHOUSE R

Fair

Over: SKAGIT RIVER

Gorge Powerhouse, King, WA

Built 1937 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 145

DIABLO ACCESS RD

Fair

Over: WINDY CREEK

Diable Access Bridge, King, WA

Built 1955 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 40

ROSS DAM ROAD

Fair

Over: SKAGIT RIVER

Ross Dam, King, WA

Built 1940 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5

ROSS DAM ROAD

Fair

Over: SKAGIT RIVER

Ross Dam, King, WA

Built 1940 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5

8th Street

Fair

Over: Valley St & Valley Crk

0.4 W Lincoln St (US101), Clallam, WA

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 15,584

8th Street

Fair

Over: Tumwater Crk & SR117

0.8 W Lincoln St (US1010, Clallam, WA

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 14,212

HEMLICK ROAD

Fair

Over: RED CREEK

1.1 N JCT SR 20, Skagit, WA

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 642

KLICKITAT DRIVE

Fair

Over: SB SOUTHCENTER PKWY

AT SOUTHCENTER PARKWAY, King, WA

Built 2012 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 14,024

Cecil Creek Rd

Fair

Over: Sinlahekin Creek

2 miles south of Loomis, Okanogan, WA

Built 1975 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 20

B STREET

Fair

Over: CLOVER CREEK

GRID COORD ET384211, Pierce, WA

Built 1950 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50

LEVITOW BLVD

Fair

Over: CLOVER CREEK

GRID COORD ET385210, Pierce, WA

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,000

WHARF ROAD

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE CANAL

GRID COORD ET275180, Pierce, WA

Built 1950 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 200

SOLO POINT ROAD

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE CANAL

GRID COORD ET274191, Pierce, WA

Built 1954 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 200

33RD DIV & TANK TR

Fair

Over: MUCK CREEK

GRID COORD ET338057, Pierce, WA

Built 1994 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 500

I STREET

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE CANAL

GRID COORD ET287177, Pierce, WA

Built 1950 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

Showing 2,551-2,600 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.