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

CATHERINE DR

Fair

Over: CATHERINE CREEK

0.7 S JCT SR92, Snohomish, WA

Built 1998 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 1,000

W GALER ST

Fair

Over: ELLIOTT AVE W RR

W Galer St & Elliott Ave, King, WA

Built 2000 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 10,000

LITTLE NACHES ROAD

Fair

Over: LITTLE NACHES RIVER

BELOW SALMON FALLS, Yakima, WA

Built 1972 Load: 34.2 t ADT: 100

US 101

Fair

Over: CREEK/RR/STREET

3.1 S JCT SR 102, Mason, WA

Built 1973 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 17,635

I-90

Fair

Over: 424TH AVE SE

1.5 E JCT SR 202, King, WA

Built 1976 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 23,108

I-90

Fair

Over: 424TH AVE SE

1.5 E JCT SR 202, King, WA

Built 1976 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 23,108

74TH - 72ND ST

Fair

Over: S-W RAMP

2.1 N JCT SR 512, Pierce, WA

Built 1988 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 31,732

SE GREEN VALLEY RD

Fair

Over: BURNS CREEK

4.1 MI E OF SR-18, King, WA

Built 1926 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 1,847

CHARLEY CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: CHARLEY CREEK

01.09 S JCT SR112, Clallam, WA

Built 1948 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 20

SW SPOKANE ST

Fair

Over: DUWAMISH RIVER W WATERWY

1200 SW Spokane St, King, WA

Built 1983 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 108,179

LAKESIDE RD

Fair

Over: OUTLET CREEK

2.0 S JCT CR16000, Klickitat, WA

Built 1991 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 62

HAMPTON RD

Fair

Over: KAMM SLOUGH

01.6 W Northwood Road, Whatcom, WA

Built 2010 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 2,400

I-82

Fair

Over: COLUMBIA RIVER

1.0 E JCT SR 14, Benton, WA

Built 1955 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 12,412

US 101

Fair

Over: SCHNEIDER CREEK

2.7 S MASON CO, Thurston, WA

Built 1958 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 13,023

I-82

Fair

Over: YAKIMA RIVER

0.4 E JCT SR 823, Yakima, WA

Built 1960 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 12,714

I-82

Fair

Over: NACHES RIVER

0.5 E JCT SR 823, Yakima, WA

Built 1960 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 23,751

COLUMBIA CNTR BLVD

Fair

Over: SR 240

2.8 E JCT I-182, Benton, WA

Built 1960 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 10,770

I-5 RAMP

Fair

Over: PEDESTRIAN PATH

3.1 N JCT I-90, King, WA

Built 1963 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 5,002

US 2

Fair

Over: I-90

16.3 E LINCOLN CO, Spokane, WA

Built 1962 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 10,192

8TH AVE N TO I-5 N

Fair

Over: I-5 N RAMP TO SR 522 E

2.2 N JCT SR 520, King, WA

Built 1963 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 5,197

SAMISH WAY

Fair

Over: I-5

3.6 N SKAGIT CO., Whatcom, WA

Built 1962 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 3,304

I-5

Fair

Over: SB VIADUCT STA 2195

1.2 N JCT I-90, King, WA

Built 1964 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 69,913

UNIV-N RAMP

Fair

Over: I-5

1.2 N JCT I-90, King, WA

Built 1965 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 7,599

I-90

Fair

Over: TANEUM CR

11.4 E JCT SR 970, Kittitas, WA

Built 1965 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 14,344

SPOKANE ST EB LANE

Fair

Over: I-5

5.5 N JCT SR 900, King, WA

Built 1966 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 28,260

SR 599

Fair

Over: 42ND AVE S

0.7 N JCT I-5, King, WA

Built 1968 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 22,020

195TH ST

Fair

Over: I-405

0.8 N JCT SR 522, King, WA

Built 1968 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 19,064

US 12

Fair

Over: AIRPORT RD

4.5 E JCT SR 125 SPUR, Walla Walla, WA

Built 1971 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 4,745

SR 432

Fair

Over: COWLITZ RIVER & BNSF

2.0 E JCT SR 411, Cowlitz, WA

Built 1973 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 19,031

I-82

Fair

Over: SR 224

JCT SR 224, Benton, WA

Built 1973 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 9,569

I-82

Fair

Over: SR 224

JCT SR 224, Benton, WA

Built 1973 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 9,569

SR 167

Fair

Over: FIRST AVE N

1.5 N PIERCE CO, King, WA

Built 1977 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 92,898

ACCESS RD

Fair

Over: PESHASTIN CREEK

18.0 N KITTITAS CO, Chelan, WA

Built 1979 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 100

164TH ST SW

Fair

Over: I-5

1.3 N JCT I-405, Snohomish, WA

Built 1963 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 44,483

SR 500 WB

Fair

Over: I-5

JCT I-5, Clark, WA

Built 1983 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 16,812

US 395

Fair

Over: I-82

JCT I-82, Benton, WA

Built 1984 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 8,753

SR 96(128TH ST SW)

Fair

Over: I-5

JCT I-5, Snohomish, WA

Built 1987 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 42,869

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: COYOTE CREEK

ABOUT 9 MILES SOUTHWEST O, Skamania, WA

Built 1962 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 118

ROAD

Fair

Over: CUMBERLAND CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Skagit, WA

Built 1966 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 25

ARTERIAL ROAD

Fair

Over: RAFT RIVER

1.8 MILE NORTH OF SR 101, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1975 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 124

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: HOOK BRANCH CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Jefferson, WA

Built 1977 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 15

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: TEA CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1961 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 50

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: RAINBOW CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Clallam, WA

Built 1977 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 50

LITTLE NACHES ROAD

Fair

Over: MID. FORK LITTLE NACHES

NEAR END OF ASPHALT, Yakima, WA

Built 1969 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 60

86 AV NW

Fair

Over: LAY INLET / NELYAL CREEK

3.0 W JCT SR16, Pierce, WA

Built 1941 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 900

RUTTER PARKWAY

Fair

Over: LITTLE SPOKANE RIVER

0.5 N INDIAN TRAIL, Spokane, WA

Built 1960 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 2,317

WENZEL SLOUGH ROAD

Fair

Over: NEWMAN CREEK

04.1 W JCT 9641, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1971 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 102

HERMAN RD

Fair

Over: BRANCH CANAL EL68

00.50 MI W SR17, Adams, WA

Built 1952 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 140

TAYLOR ROAD

Fair

Over: BRANCH NEWAUKUM RIVER

2.5 NE NAPAVINE, Lewis, WA

Built 1954 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 80

BUNKER ROAD

Fair

Over: BUNKER CREEK

9.0 NW ADNA, Lewis, WA

Built 1955 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 25

Showing 2,701-2,750 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.