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

WAREHOUSE ROAD

Fair

Over: EAST LATERAL 85

0.25 N SETTLER 218, Franklin, WA

Built 1958 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 124

TERRACE HEIGHTS DR

Fair

Over: 18TH STREET

00.04 E OF N18TH ST, Yakima, WA

Built 1979 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 28,500

NILE ROAD

Fair

Over: NACHES RIVER

00.19 W OF SR 410, Yakima, WA

Built 1965 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 600

PAT OLD/5630

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK PALOUSE RIVER

0.46 MI S PULLMAN-ALBION, Whitman, WA

Built 1963 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 10

NE Old Cascade Hwy

Fair

Over: TYE RIVER

0.1 MI S OF SR-2, King, WA

Built 1960 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 40

STATELINE/1070

Fair

Over: HANGMAN CREEK

2.62 MI S SR 274, Whitman, WA

Built 1963 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 20

CEDARDALE RD

Fair

Over: CARPENTER CREEK

0.75 S JCT SR 534, Skagit, WA

Built 1934 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 613

CONC SAUK VALLEY R

Fair

Over: SAUK RIVER

0.14 NW JCT SR 530, Skagit, WA

Built 1930 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 158

UNIVERSITY WAY

Fair

Over: B.N. RAILROAD

00.09 S REECER CR RD, Kittitas, WA

Built 1966 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 8,962

SR 278

Fair

Over: ROCK CREEK

2.2 E JCT SR 27, Spokane, WA

Built 1950 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 3,143

COUNTY ROAD 2361

Fair

Over: SALMON CREEK

0.1 MI N JCT.4015, Okanogan, WA

Built 1976 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 235

EAST 34TH STREET

Fair

Over: B STREET TO D STREET-SR7

0.25 S JCT I5, Pierce, WA

Built 1947 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 4,617

US 12

Fair

Over: WALLA WALLA RIVER

12.0 E JCT SR 124, Walla Walla, WA

Built 1953 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 8,399

FERRY TRAFFIC

Fair

Over: BLIND BAY

BLIND BAY-SAN JUAN, San Juan, WA

Built 1973 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 308

SWAMP CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: NACHES RIVER

ABOVE WHISTLING JACK, Yakima, WA

Built 1960 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 40

TURKINGTON RD

Fair

Over: JONES CR

00.5 W VALLEY HWY, Whatcom, WA

Built 1951 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 338

MOUNTAIN LOOP HWY.

Fair

Over: PERRY CREEK

26.2 E JCT SR 92, Snohomish, WA

Built 1958 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 444

MOUNTAIN LOOP HWY.

Fair

Over: WISCONSIN CREEK

14.7 E JCT SR 92, Snohomish, WA

Built 1960 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 1,118

LINCOLN CREEK RD

Fair

Over: LINCOLN CREEK

9.0 NW CENTRALIA, Lewis, WA

Built 1977 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 266

W DRAVUS ST

Fair

Over: 15TH AVE W

W Dravus St & 15th Ave W, King, WA

Built 1959 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 21,000

HOLLY STREET

Fair

Over: WHATCOM CREEK

.3 W OF CITY HALL, Whatcom, WA

Built 1922 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 8,700

ELM STREET

Fair

Over: CORBETT CREEK

0.1 E THIRD ST, Lincoln, WA

Built 1940 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 50

DIABLO ACCESS ROAD

Fair

Over: SKAGIT RIVER

Diable Dam, King, WA

Built 1930 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 220

DIABLO DAM ACCESS

Fair

Over: SKAGIT RIVER

Diablo Dam, King, WA

Built 1930 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 220

FARM ACCESS

Fair

Over: East Low 68 Mile Lateral

EL 68 Mile Lateral Statio, Adams, WA

Built 1953 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 5

I-90

Fair

Over: RICHARDS RD

0.2 E JCT I-405, King, WA

Built 1940 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 63,853

I-5 S-W RAMP

Fair

Over: HENDERSON BLVD RR

1.2 N JCT US 101, Thurston, WA

Built 1957 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 4,151

I-5

Fair

Over: 212TH ST SW

2.2 N JCT SR 104, Snohomish, WA

Built 1963 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 96,309

SPOKANE ST WB LANE

Fair

Over: I-5

5.5 N JCT SR 900, King, WA

Built 1967 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 13,457

I-5

Fair

Over: SMITH AVE

3.7 N JCT SR 527, Snohomish, WA

Built 1967 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 88,747

I-90

Fair

Over: SR 23

6.2 E ADAMS CO, Lincoln, WA

Built 1967 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 9,943

SR 520

Fair

Over: 124 AVE NE - NW RAMP

0.6 E JCT I-405, King, WA

Built 1971 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 43,146

W.B. & REV I-90

Fair

Over: LAKE WASHINGTON

2.6 E JCT I-5, King, WA

Built 1989 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 63,053

Lyons Hill Road

Fair

Over: CHAMOKANE CREEK

0.14 S SPRINGDALE-HUNTERS, Stevens, WA

Built 1969 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 50

KEEVY ROAD

Fair

Over: LATAH CREEK

06.0 E SPANGLE, Spokane, WA

Built 1976 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 15

LATERAL C ROAD

Fair

Over: USIS CANAL

00.46 S W WAPATO RD, Yakima, WA

Built 1962 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 375

GRAVELLE ROAD

Fair

Over: CRAB CREEK

3.80 W SR 231, Lincoln, WA

Built 1942 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 51

MOUNTAIN LOOP HWY.

Fair

Over: S.F. STILLAGUAMISH RIVER

12.1 E JCT SR 92, Snohomish, WA

Built 1954 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 1,756

OIEH

Fair

Over: CHANDLER CANAL

1.44 mi W of RAYHILL ROAD, Benton, WA

Built 1953 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 867

ALDRICH RD

Fair

Over: TEN MILE CR.

0.2 S W HEMMI RD, Whatcom, WA

Built 1924 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 1,192

CRICK ROAD 19010

Fair

Over: WILSON CREEK

2.25 SE SR 2, Lincoln, WA

Built 1900 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 17

FIRING CENTER ROAD

Fair

Over: ROZA CANAL

00.16 W OF TP ROAD, Yakima, WA

Built 1960 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 2,950

CRESCENT ROAD

Fair

Over: DRAGOON CREEK

1.0 S CHATTEROY, Spokane, WA

Built 1986 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 92

NE 3 AVE.

Fair

Over: WASHOUGAL RIVER

1.4 E JCT. SR 500, Clark, WA

Built 1947 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 9,924

STATE ROUTE 181

Fair

Over: MILL CR

0.1 MI N OF S 277TH ST, King, WA

Built 1954 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 20,000

E-N RAMP

Fair

Over: CITY STREET NPRR

2.4 N JCT SR 509, King, WA

Built 1959 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 10,336

I-5 SB OFF RAMP

Fair

Over: S-E RAMP TO COLUMBIA WAY

5.6 N JCT SR 900, King, WA

Built 1967 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 24,104

I-5

Fair

Over: SR529 RR EBEY SL 60TH PL

4.6 N JCT US 2, Snohomish, WA

Built 1969 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 63,840

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: CISPUS RIVER

9 MILES SOUTH OF HWY 12 J, Lewis, WA

Built 1955 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 650

NE 232ND AVE

Fair

Over: MATNEY CREEK

0.2N JCT NE58 ST, Clark, WA

Built 1930 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 814

Showing 251-300 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.