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

FACTORY ROAD

Good

Over: SVID CANAL

00.41 W BETHANY RD, Yakima, WA

Built 1969 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 1,050

FLETCHER LANE

Good

Over: WENAS CREEK

00.16 S WENAS ROAD, Yakima, WA

Built 1977 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 254

OCEAN LAKE WAY

Good

Over: GRAND CANAL

0.1 E POINT BROWN AVE, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 2005 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 2,258

US 12

Good

Over: WOODWARD CR

15.2 E JCT US 730 SPUR, Walla Walla, WA

Built 1919 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 8,012

US 12

Good

Over: SMITH CR

12.9 E JCT SR 131, Lewis, WA

Built 1962 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,593

I-5

Good

Over: I-405 & RAMPS

1.1 N JCT SR 524, Snohomish, WA

Built 1964 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 75,171

SR 18

Good

Over: UP RR

0.6 E JCT SR 167, King, WA

Built 1972 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 49,308

NE 119TH ST

Good

Over: I-205

4.7 N JCT SR 500, Clark, WA

Built 1972 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 6,173

US 101

Good

Over: WALLICUT RIVER

8.7 N JCT SR 401, Pacific, WA

Built 1979 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 7,107

EAGER ROAD

Good

Over: WHETSTONE CREEK

2.0 N JCT 9218, Columbia, WA

Built 1925 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 250

FERNDALE RD

Good

Over: SLOUGH

01.7 S. SLATER RD., Whatcom, WA

Built 1979 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,643

GOODMAN RD. - IRR

Good

Over: AHTANUM CREEK

00.47 N MEADOWBROOK, Yakima, WA

Built 1960 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,700

SO 48TH AVENUE

Good

Over: WIDE HOLLOW CREEK

00.57 NO WASHINGTON, Yakima, WA

Built 1984 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 4,000

MCFARLANE ROAD

Good

Over: DEEP CREEK

0.5 MI E ESPANOLA R, Spokane, WA

Built 1988 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 59

KRUG ROAD

Good

Over: E L 85 M 5

0.31 S. COYAN 200, Franklin, WA

Built 1996 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 77

KNIGHT HILL RD.

Good

Over: SVID CANAL

0.24 S OF GILBERT RD., Yakima, WA

Built 2000 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 800

Roza Hill Drive

Good

Over: Roza Canal

00.03 W. of Panorama Dr., Yakima, WA

Built 2002 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 6,470

SR 160

Good

Over: PUGET SOUND @ PT VASHON

N END VASHON ISLAND, King, WA

Built 1997 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 4,675

SR 160

Good

Over: PUGET SOUND @ SOUTHWORTH

11.2 E JCT SR 16, Kitsap, WA

Built 2003 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 3,681

SR 160

Good

Over: PUGET SOUND @ FAUNTLEROY

3.0 W SR 509, King, WA

Built 1984 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 9,721

SR 20 EXTENSION

Good

Over: FRIDAY HBR-SAN JUAN CHAN

NE END SAN JUAN ISL, San Juan, WA

Built 2005 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 2,587

FAS 1027

Good

Over: BN RR TOWER AVE NORTHUP

00.0 S JCT. CHESTNU, Lewis, WA

Built 1971 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 5,740

FAS 1027

Good

Over: BN RR GOLD ST NORTHUP S

00.0 N JCT. SUMMA S, Lewis, WA

Built 1971 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 5,843

PIONEER AVENUE SW

Good

Over: CLARKS CREEK

0.15 E FRUITLAND, Pierce, WA

Built 1980 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 13,160

US 101

Good

Over: HAMMA HAMMA RIVER

5.3 S JEFFERSON CO, Mason, WA

Built 1924 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 2,489

SWAN BAY ROAD

Good

Over: BIG RIVER

00.13 S JCT CR91460, Clallam, WA

Built 1983 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 33

U ROAD SE

Good

Over: WEBER COULEE

U SE at 1 SE, Grant, WA

Built 1954 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 1,086

JENSEN RD.

Good

Over: DRAIN

00.01 W MCKINLEY RD, Yakima, WA

Built 1977 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 48

TROUT CREEK RD

Good

Over: TROUT CREEK

MP 0.55 Trout Creek Road, Skamania, WA

Built 1972 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 205

U ROAD SE

Good

Over: LIND COULEE

U SE .7 South of 4, Grant, WA

Built 1954 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 1,136

MEEKER DR

Good

Over: KALAMA RIVER

0.46 S KAL RIV RD (0.08), Cowlitz, WA

Built 1952 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 975

HITCHINGS/3550

Good

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

0.09 MI SW SUNSET, Whitman, WA

Built 1976 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 25

COUNTY LINE ROAD

Good

Over: ROZA CANAL

00.45 N ALEXANDER, Yakima, WA

Built 1978 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 808

328 WAY SE

Good

Over: RAGING RIVER

300 FT N OF FALL CITY RD, King, WA

Built 1998 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 1,563

US 2

Good

Over: TUNNEL CREEK

19.8 E SNOHOMISH CO, King, WA

Built 1941 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 2,414

SR 542

Good

Over: GALENA CREEK

27.5 E JCT SR 547, Whatcom, WA

Built 1945 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 621

SR 401

Good

Over: NASELLE R

11.4 N JCT US 101, Pacific, WA

Built 1953 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 2,897

SR 283

Good

Over: WINCHESTER WASTEWAY

9.2 N JCT SR 281, Grant, WA

Built 1953 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 2,499

I-5

Good

Over: US 2 EB/HEWITT AVE

1.1 N JCT SR 529, Snohomish, WA

Built 1966 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 61,062

I-205

Good

Over: LP&N RY

3.1 N JCT SR 500, Clark, WA

Built 1973 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 37,053

168TH WAY SE

Good

Over: COVINGTON CREEK

2.7 MI E OF SR-18, King, WA

Built 1964 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 1,080

BETTERIDGE ROAD

Good

Over: COLVILLE RIVER

00.46 W JCT SR 231, Stevens, WA

Built 1974 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 25

COUNTY ROAD

Good

Over: P-E-41-2-C

0.31 W R-170 608, Franklin, WA

Built 1956 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 39

COLE

Good

Over: MILL CREEK

.07 E OF ALADDIN RD., Stevens, WA

Built 1974 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 45

LUNDBERG RD.

Good

Over: USIS CANAL

00.01 E LATERAL "A", Yakima, WA

Built 2001 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 295

11 & V NE

Good

Over: FIELD RUNOFF

11 & V NE, Grant, WA

Built 1978 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 10

172nd Ave

Good

Over: NE Ward Road

0.1 miles west of NE Ward, Clark, WA

Built 2009 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 1,790

Greenhead Slough R

Good

Over: Greenhead Slough

Milepost 19.9 on US-101, Pacific, WA

Built 2015 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 10

US 2

Good

Over: NP RY

4.0 E LINCOLN CO, Spokane, WA

Built 1938 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 6,825

S 144TH ST

Good

Over: I-5 SOUND TRANSIT RR

0.9 N JCT I-405, King, WA

Built 1965 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 10,356

Showing 3,951-4,000 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.