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

COWICHE MILL RD.

Good

Over: COWICHE CREEK

03.01 W SUNSET WAY, Yakima, WA

Built 1977 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 202

OKLAHOMA ROAD

Good

Over: LAVA CREEK

0.23 N JCT WILLARD, Skamania, WA

Built 1965 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 46

R RD NW

Good

Over: LAT. BLK 73

13 th Avenue N, Grant, WA

Built 1995 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 385

P NW

Good

Over: CANAL W26A BLK 73

P NW .4 N of 11 NW, Grant, WA

Built 1993 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 546

Road 14.3 NW

Good

Over: WEST CANAL

14.3 NW 0.1 W of SR 28, Grant, WA

Built 1999 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 65

HILLAIRE RD

Good

Over: RED RIVER

0.01 S of N Red River RD, Whatcom, WA

Built 1997 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 284

SPRING VALLEY RD

Good

Over: DRY RUN

0.013 E of SR 125, Walla Walla, WA

Built 2008 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 50

US 12

Good

Over: LACAMAS CREEK

6.7 E JCT I-5, Lewis, WA

Built 1921 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 10,017

SR 22

Good

Over: DRAIN CANAL

4.8 E JCT SR 223, Yakima, WA

Built 1956 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 1,624

SR 22

Good

Over: SATUS CREEK

5.7 E JCT SR 223, Yakima, WA

Built 1956 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 1,624

SR 18

Good

Over: BNRR AUBURN-BLK DIAMOND

2.3 E JCT SR 164, King, WA

Built 1959 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 26,676

I-82

Good

Over: BEECH ST

2.5 E JCT US 12, Yakima, WA

Built 1962 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 25,128

I-5

Good

Over: E-N RAMP

5.2 N JCT SR 516, King, WA

Built 1965 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 112,452

I-90 W-S RAMP

Good

Over: I-5

JCT I-5, King, WA

Built 1965 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 19,205

SR 520

Good

Over: PEDESTRIAN TRAIL

0.2 E JCT I-405, King, WA

Built 1966 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 43,146

US 395

Good

Over: DRY GULCH

0.9 N JCT SR 260, Franklin, WA

Built 1966 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 4,861

US 195 PRVT APPR

Good

Over: UNION FLAT CREEK

7.5 N JCT US 195 SP, Whitman, WA

Built 1966 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 20

I-82

Good

Over: ROZA CANAL

6.3 E KITTITAS CO, Yakima, WA

Built 1969 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 9,724

I-82

Good

Over: ROZA CANAL

6.3 E KITTITAS CO, Yakima, WA

Built 1969 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 9,724

I-5

Good

Over: HUNTINGTON AVE

8.1 N JCT SR 4, Cowlitz, WA

Built 1975 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 25,718

SR 202

Good

Over: TOKUL CREEK

2.7 E JCT SR 203, King, WA

Built 1984 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 9,502

US 97

Good

Over: BNRR

3.5 N JCT SR 150, Chelan, WA

Built 1985 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 3,091

BETHANY ROAD

Good

Over: SVID CANAL

00.59 N WOODWORTH, Yakima, WA

Built 1967 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 210

BEANE ROAD

Good

Over: MOXEE DRAIN

00.06 S. OF S.R. 24, Yakima, WA

Built 1971 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 412

42ND AVE. S.

Good

Over: AHTANUM CREEK

00.01 SO EMMA LANE, Yakima, WA

Built 1979 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 333

SATUS RD. W.

Good

Over: CREEK

00.10 E SPENCER RD, Yakima, WA

Built 1961 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 81

SEVEN MILE ROAD

Good

Over: SPOKANE RIVER

0.5 MI. NE SR 291, Spokane, WA

Built 1992 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 4,341

US 12

Good

Over: CREEK

15.7 E JCT US 730 SPUR, Walla Walla, WA

Built 1919 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 8,012

SR 17

Good

Over: E FOSTER CREEK

7.4 N JCT SR 174, Douglas, WA

Built 1950 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 1,189

SR 503

Good

Over: CEDAR CREEK

12.6 N JCT SR 502, Clark, WA

Built 1958 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 3,910

I-705

Good

Over: 15TH ST VACATED RR

1.1 N JCT I-5, Pierce, WA

Built 1987 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 25,711

SR 104

Good

Over: APPLE TREE COVE

9.1 E JCT SR 3, Kitsap, WA

Built 1986 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 13,866

SR 122

Good

Over: TILTON RIVER

3.6 E JCT US 12, Lewis, WA

Built 1961 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 739

311 TH AVE SE

Good

Over: SO SLOUGH SKYKOMISH RIVE

0.8 S JCT SR 2, Snohomish, WA

Built 1984 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 2,323

INDEPENDENCE ROAD

Good

Over: INDEPENDENCE CREEK

0.23 N JCT 10000, Lewis, WA

Built 1956 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 523

ALDER CUTOFF RD E

Good

Over: LITTLE MASHEL RIVER

3.2 E JCT SR 161, Pierce, WA

Built 1978 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 2,725

PARADISE CONNECTIO

Good

Over: PARADISE RIVER

18.2 miles northeast of N, Pierce, WA

Built 1926 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 500

US 12

Good

Over: TERRAIN

1.1 E JCT US 101, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1933 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 23,074

WASHOUGAL RIVER RD

Good

Over: LITTLE WASHOUGAL RIVER

2.3 E JCT SR 14, Clark, WA

Built 1949 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 5,017

SR 109

Good

Over: MOCLIPS RIVER

15.4 N JCT SR 115, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1955 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 2,052

SR 22

Good

Over: WASTEWATER SL

6.5 E JCT SR 223, Yakima, WA

Built 1956 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 1,624

SR 181

Good

Over: SLOUGH

2.8 N JCT SR 516, King, WA

Built 1922 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 30,041

I-90

Good

Over: HOMESTEAD VALLEY RD

7.5 E JCT SR 202, King, WA

Built 1974 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 18,182

SR 167

Good

Over: STEWART ST E

3.6 N JCT SR 410, Pierce, WA

Built 1987 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 42,516

MARINE DR

Good

Over: MARIETTA SLOUGH

.3 E NOOKSACK R, Whatcom, WA

Built 1978 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 4,009

COUNTY ROAD

Good

Over: POTHOLES EAST CANAL

0.01E JCT R 965, Franklin, WA

Built 1954 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 300

CO RD 29970

Good

Over: PESHASTIN CREEK

02.6 MI W DRYDEN, Chelan, WA

Built 1976 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 64

WHITE TRAIL

Good

Over: LAT 39.9 BLK 75

5 NW @ R NW, Grant, WA

Built 1994 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 5,333

NE 72ND AVE

Good

Over: SALMON CREEK

0.5N OF NE139TH ST, Clark, WA

Built 1994 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 15,818

Napoleon Bridge Rd

Good

Over: KETTLE RIVER

.65 W SR395, Stevens, WA

Built 1998 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 63

Showing 4,151-4,200 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.