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

5TH AVE NE

Fair

Over: I-5 I-5 EXPRESS LANES

0.2 N JCT SR 522, King, WA

Built 1964 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 11,036

S178TH ST

Fair

Over: I-5

4.0 N JCT SR 516, King, WA

Built 1964 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 13,400

OAKES AVE

Fair

Over: I-90

29.5 E JCT SR 906, Kittitas, WA

Built 1965 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 895

E 38TH STEET

Fair

Over: SR 7

4.8 N JCT SR 512, Pierce, WA

Built 1967 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 21,040

I-82

Fair

Over: EAST SELAH

2.4 E JCT SR 821, Yakima, WA

Built 1967 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 11,466

I-82

Fair

Over: EAST SELAH

2.4 E JCT SR 821, Yakima, WA

Built 1967 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 11,466

SR 112

Fair

Over: CLALLAM RIVER

17.9 E MAKAH RES, Clallam, WA

Built 1971 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 1,752

US 12

Fair

Over: BORELSKE STAD MAINT RD

1.7 E JCT SR 125 SPUR, Walla Walla, WA

Built 1971 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 13,909

I-90

Fair

Over: W SPARKS RD

14.3 E JCT SR 906, Kittitas, WA

Built 1975 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 16,546

SR 27

Fair

Over: I-90

17.7 N JCT SR 278, Spokane, WA

Built 1956 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 14,755

US 395 SB

Fair

Over: N-N RAMP

13.0 N JCT SR 21, Adams, WA

Built 1996 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 4,127

I-90 EB

Fair

Over: BUS DEPOT PED PATH BLDNS

0.2 W JCT I-5, King, WA

Built 2003 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 19,194

LABREE ROAD

Fair

Over: NEWAUKUM RIVER

1.0 S CHEHALIS, Lewis, WA

Built 1970 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 750

NEWMAN MID BR ROAD

Fair

Over: NEWMAN CREEK

02.1 N JCT 9710, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1976 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 41

LITTLE SPOKANE DR.

Fair

Over: LITTLE SPOKANE RIVER

1.2 E PSH NO 395, Spokane, WA

Built 1961 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 2,456

LOWE ROAD

Fair

Over: COAL CREEK

0.29 E SR28, Lincoln, WA

Built 1917 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 50

S LUCILE ST

Fair

Over: RR TRACKS

S Lucile St & Airport Way, King, WA

Built 1981 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 10,511

S-W RAMP

Fair

Over: AIRPORT WAY S

JCT I-90, King, WA

Built 1966 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 5,379

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: TRIBUTARY TO QUARTZ CK

NO DATA ENTERED, Skamania, WA

Built 2004 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 50

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: WYNOOCHEE RIVER

NO DATA ENTERED, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1956 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 50

76 ST SW

Fair

Over: TAYLOR BAY

0.6 W JCT K PENNINSULA HW, Pierce, WA

Built 1957 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 75

BAY VIEW-EDISON RD

Fair

Over: BIG INDIAN SLOUGH

0.4 N JCT SR20, Skagit, WA

Built 1992 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 1,176

NE 185TH ST

Fair

Over: I-5

2.1 N JCT SR 523, King, WA

Built 1964 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 9,704

S-S RAMP

Fair

Over: SR 16 EB/SB I-5 RAMPS

4.9 N JCT SR 512, Pierce, WA

Built 2013 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 9,320

MASSEY RD

Fair

Over: SUMAS RIVER

00.2 E NOOKSACK RD., Whatcom, WA

Built 1950 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 326

GILES RD

Fair

Over: DAKOTA CR

.10 MI S OF MCGEE, Whatcom, WA

Built 1995 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 275

SR 223

Fair

Over: YAKIMA RIVER

2.5 N JCT SR 22, Yakima, WA

Built 1967 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 7,292

GLADE NORTH

Fair

Over: ESQUATZEL CANAL

0.74S JCT R 916, Franklin, WA

Built 1964 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 2,331

EVANS RD.

Fair

Over: WAPATO CANAL

00.12 W N HARRAH RD, Yakima, WA

Built 1968 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 239

STARFIRE WAY

Fair

Over: GREEN RIVER

0.1 MI NW FORT DENT WAY, King, WA

Built 1975 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 1,150

PRAIRIE RD

Fair

Over: SAMISH RIVER

0.5 W JCT SR 9, Skagit, WA

Built 1956 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 894

HIAWATHA RD NE

Fair

Over: I-90

17.9 E JCT SR 281, Grant, WA

Built 1958 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 566

WELLSANDT RD

Fair

Over: I-90

0.9 E JCT SR 261, Adams, WA

Built 1958 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 272

I-5

Fair

Over: MILITARY RD

2.6 N JCT SR 18, King, WA

Built 1959 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 94,670

I-5

Fair

Over: MILITARY RD

4.4 N JCT SR 18, King, WA

Built 1960 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 94,670

US 12

Fair

Over: JOHNSON CR

13.3 E JCT SR 131, Lewis, WA

Built 1962 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 2,593

I-405

Fair

Over: SUNSET BLVD (OLD SR 900)

0.5 N JCT SR 169, King, WA

Built 1963 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 135,651

I-5

Fair

Over: S-S RAMP I-705 TO SR 7

1.4 N JCT SR 16, Pierce, WA

Built 1965 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 4,393

I-90

Fair

Over: WEBER COULEE

10.7 E JCT SR 17, Grant, WA

Built 1967 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 5,894

I-90

Fair

Over: WEBER COULEE

10.7 E JCT SR 17, Grant, WA

Built 1967 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 5,894

SR 162

Fair

Over: S PRAIRIE CREEK

11.6 E JCT SR 410, Pierce, WA

Built 1969 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 8,532

SR 272

Fair

Over: BNRR (ABANDONED)

16.4 E JCT US 195, Whitman, WA

Built 1972 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 614

I-82

Fair

Over: BN RY

13.7 E JCT SR 22, Benton, WA

Built 1973 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 11,474

I-82

Fair

Over: BN RY

13.6 E JCT SR 22, Benton, WA

Built 1973 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 11,474

I-90

Fair

Over: S FK SNOQUALMIE R

6.3 E JCT SR 202, King, WA

Built 1974 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 18,182

SR 504

Fair

Over: I-5

JCT I-5, Cowlitz, WA

Built 1975 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 9,133

W-S RAMP I-90

Fair

Over: I-90

2.2 E JCT SR 900, King, WA

Built 1976 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 3,818

ELM ST

Fair

Over: I-82

5.3 E JCT SR 241, Yakima, WA

Built 1980 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 1,463

SR 525

Fair

Over: MAPLE RD & ASH WAY

0.4 N JCT I-5, Snohomish, WA

Built 1983 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 32,482

BECK RD

Fair

Over: I-82

7.4 E JCT US 395, Benton, WA

Built 1983 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 25

Showing 3,251-3,300 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.