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

Farm Access

Good

Over: West Canal W26C Lateral

West Canal W26C Lateral, Grant, WA

Built 2007 Load: 20.8 t ADT: 20

SR 509

Good

Over: 1ST AVE S

5.0 N PIERCE CO, King, WA

Built 1961 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 12,030

42 ROAD

Good

Over: PASS CREEK

N OF WIND RIVER WORK CENT, Skamania, WA

Built 2000 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 70

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: SOREHEAD CREEK

3.1 MILES SOUTHEAST OF JC, Skamania, WA

Built 1963 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 207

ROAD

Good

Over: FINNEY CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Skagit, WA

Built 2005 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 50

ROAD

Good

Over: EVERGREEN CREEK

1.7 MI E OF 6554/110 JCT, Snohomish, WA

Built 1994 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 2

ROAD

Good

Over: PYRAMID CREEK

0.1 MI S OF 70/7033 JCT, Pierce, WA

Built 2004 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 47

W. TWISP RIVER RD

Good

Over: TWISP RIVER

NO DATA ENTERED, Okanogan, WA

Built 1958 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 30

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: N FK CALAWAH RIVER

NO DATA ENTERED, Clallam, WA

Built 1950 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 50

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: N FK CALAWAH RIVER

NO DATA ENTERED, Clallam, WA

Built 1955 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 50

N. FRK. TIETON RD

Good

Over: MIRIAM CREEK

W OF NACHES HWY 12 1200, Yakima, WA

Built 2017 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 50

SE NORTH BEND WAY

Good

Over: KIMBALL CREEK

0.5 MI N OF I-90, King, WA

Built 1941 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 5,809

Deckerville Road

Good

Over: DRY BED CREEK

0.59 W JCT Matlock, Mason, WA

Built 1963 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 149

PARPALA ROAD

Good

Over: ELLSWORTH SLOUGH

3.3 SW JCT 4 & 101, Pacific, WA

Built 1969 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 562

LAUREL RD W

Good

Over: TEN MILE CR

0.3 E.OF N.W. RD., Whatcom, WA

Built 1933 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 961

NW 57TH ST

Good

Over: RR TRACK

NW 57th Pl & NW 57th St, King, WA

Built 1986 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 730

W FORT ST

Good

Over: RAILROAD

W FORT ST & GILMAN AVE W, King, WA

Built 1986 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 1,600

MOSQUITO LK RD

Good

Over: JOHNSON CR

4.6 NE VALLEY HWY, Whatcom, WA

Built 2004 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 337

US 2

Good

Over: NASON CR

16.3 E KING CO, Chelan, WA

Built 1953 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 4,515

SR 174

Good

Over: CORBETT DRAW

14.1 E GRANT CO, Lincoln, WA

Built 1952 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 1,759

SR 22

Good

Over: KINNY WAY

4.4 E YAKIMA CO, Benton, WA

Built 1953 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 1,974

I-90

Good

Over: N PAHA PACKARD RD

8.4 E JCT SR 21, Adams, WA

Built 1972 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 5,765

SR 411

Good

Over: ARKANSAS CREEK

11.3 N JCT SR 432, Cowlitz, WA

Built 1981 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 4,206

16TH AVE. S.

Good

Over: AHTANUM CREEK

00.11 N GILBERT RD, Yakima, WA

Built 1957 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 1,650

LITTLE/9170

Good

Over: UNION FLAT CREEK

3.10 MI SW SR 195, Whitman, WA

Built 1980 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 10

CEMETARY ROAD

Good

Over: SVID CANAL

00.49 N VAN BELLE, Yakima, WA

Built 1960 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 310

BARKES RD.

Good

Over: DRAIN

00.50 N BRANCH ROAD, Yakima, WA

Built 1958 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 480

UNIONTWN EAST/9410

Good

Over: UNION FLAT CREEK

3.41 MI NE SR 195, Whitman, WA

Built 1976 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 564

INDIAN CHURCH-IRRI

Good

Over: TOPPENISH CREEK

00.27 N SCHUSTER RD, Yakima, WA

Built 1964 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 823

HARVEY SHAW RD

Good

Over: DRY CREEK

03.397 N SR 125, Walla Walla, WA

Built 1966 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 504

LOCHER

Good

Over: BURLINGAME DITCH

0.226 N of STATELINE RD, Walla Walla, WA

Built 2002 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 720

Valley Mall Blvd.

Good

Over: BNSF Railroad

.35 mi W of 5th. St., Yakima, WA

Built 2003 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 10,000

BRIDGE CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: CORNSTALK CREEK

25.25 E SR21, Ferry, WA

Built 2000 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 1,493

JONES/4270

Good

Over: EAST FORK DOWNING CREEK

0.06 S. 4280, Whitman, WA

Built 2003 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 65

FIBRE WAY

Good

Over: Port of Longview RR

0.36 S INDUSTRIAL (SR 432, Cowlitz, WA

Built 2002 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 4,250

BABBIT8450

Good

Over: SPRING FLAT CREEK

0.04 MI S SR 195, Whitman, WA

Built 2005 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 40

US 2

Good

Over: TYE RIVER

18.1 E SNOHOMISH CO, King, WA

Built 1947 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 4,827

SR 22

Good

Over: MARION DRAIN CANAL

1.1 E JCT SR 223, Yakima, WA

Built 1956 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 1,624

EXP N TO 42ND RAMP

Good

Over: PASADENA PL NE

4.6 N JCT I-90, King, WA

Built 1962 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 2,542

MAIN STREET

Good

Over: I-5

6.3 N JCT SR 539, Whatcom, WA

Built 1968 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 21,793

US 12

Good

Over: SR 823 (N 1ST ST)

16.9 E JCT SR 410, Yakima, WA

Built 1969 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 15,672

BENSTON DRIVE E

Good

Over: SR 512

2.8 E JCT SR 161, Pierce, WA

Built 1972 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 2,250

US 2

Good

Over: BNRR

2.3 E SNOHOMISH CO, King, WA

Built 1986 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 5,562

ROAD

Good

Over: ICICLE RIVER

NO DATA ENTERED, Chelan, WA

Built 2005 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 10

SUDBURY RD

Good

Over: DRY CREEK

4.604 N SR 12, Walla Walla, WA

Built 1973 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 206

BELSBY/3250

Good

Over: ROCK CREEK

2.41 MI SW SIEGEL, Whitman, WA

Built 1970 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 14

COUNTY ROAD

Good

Over: ELTOPIA BRANCH CANAL

0.66 S PHEND 880, Franklin, WA

Built 1965 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 135

LATERAL A RD.

Good

Over: USIS CANAL

00.08 N LUNDBERG RD, Yakima, WA

Built 1978 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 6,073

LARKIN ROAD

Good

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

3.7 S GRAY HAR CO, Pacific, WA

Built 1986 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 58

GASHOUS/3680

Good

Over: PINE CREEK

2.70 MI E SQUAW, Whitman, WA

Built 1988 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 250

Showing 4,251-4,300 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.