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

COLLIN/5290

Good

Over: ROSE CREEK

2.5 MI NE ALBION, Whitman, WA

Built 1999 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 3

FAUCHER ROAD

Good

Over: ROZA CANAL

0.53 MI. S. OF MIERAS RD., Yakima, WA

Built 2001 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 390

LAWSON/5220

Good

Over: FOUR MILE CREEK

3.00 MI S MADER, Whitman, WA

Built 2003 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 50

GOBLE CR LOOP RD S

Good

Over: GOBLE CREEK SOUTH FORK

1.48 N ROSE VLY (MP 5.14), Cowlitz, WA

Built 1949 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 410

East 32nd Street

Good

Over: Lister Gulch

East 32nd Street, Pierce, WA

Built 2005 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 2,200

CARR ROAD

Good

Over: CARR CREEK

2.74 MILES S. US HWY 12, Lewis, WA

Built 2009 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 10

180th St. SE

Good

Over: Thompson Creek

0.3 E SR527, Snohomish, WA

Built 2021 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 11,759

GEISSLER ROAD

Good

Over: GEISSLER CREEK

0.9 W JCT 95190, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 2022 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 300

GRAVES CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: UNNAMED TRIBUTARY TO QUI

15.29 MI. NE OF JCT. HWY., Jefferson, WA

Built 2009 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 25

GRAVE CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: UNNAMED TRIBUTARY TO QUI

15.31 MI. NE OF JCT. HWY., Jefferson, WA

Built 2009 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 25

SR 17

Good

Over: CANAL

8.3 N JCT SR 170, Grant, WA

Built 1954 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 8,845

I-405

Good

Over: NORTHUP WAY

0.1 N JCT SR 520, King, WA

Built 1954 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 65,986

SR 109

Good

Over: CONNER CREEK

0.8 N JCT SR 115, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1955 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 2,687

US 395 (SB ONLY)

Good

Over: LIND COULEE

15.6 N JCT SR 26, Adams, WA

Built 1956 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 4,441

I-405 NBCD

Good

Over: NE 85TH ST

3.3 N JCT SR 520, King, WA

Built 1970 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 5,387

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: THETIS CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Kittitas, WA

Built 1983 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 100

FRENCHMAN HILLS RD

Good

Over: WEST CANAL

Frenchmen .2 E of Adams, Grant, WA

Built 1987 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 557

COUNTY ROAD

Good

Over: P-E-41-2-H

0.85EJCT R 507, Franklin, WA

Built 1956 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 30

ENTIAT RIVER ROAD

Good

Over: ENTIAT RIVER

03.9W JCT SR 97, Chelan, WA

Built 1974 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 1,274

MAPLE STREET

Good

Over: WILSON CREEK

.1 MI E OF FOURTH, Grant, WA

Built 1979 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 30

KLEMGARD/9480

Good

Over: UNION FLAT CREEK

0.12 MI SW WAWAWAI-PULLMN, Whitman, WA

Built 1973 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 407

HESS ROAD

Good

Over: CHANDLER CANAL

00.10 S OIEH, Benton, WA

Built 1952 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 127

MAKI ROAD

Good

Over: MIDDLE VALLEY CREEK

0.1 E MID. VAL. RD, Wahkiakum, WA

Built 1967 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 51

CASCADE AVE

Good

Over: HAMILTON CREEK

0.3 M S SR 14, Skamania, WA

Built 1980 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 402

WHITE SWAN RD. W.

Good

Over: SIMCOE CREEK W. FORK

0.14 E HAWK RD, Yakima, WA

Built 1966 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 480

IRR VALLEY AV E

Good

Over: WAPATO CREEK

2.2 E JCT SR 5, Pierce, WA

Built 1994 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 18,700

N.E. DOGWOOD ST.

Good

Over: E.FK. ISSAQUAH CK.

0.1 MI W OF I-90, King, WA

Built 1996 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 1,200

Jennings Road

Good

Over: Bear Creek

0.07 S JCT SR 141, Klickitat, WA

Built 2001 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 89

NE 119TH AVENUE

Good

Over: LA LONDE CREEK

0.1 MI E SALMON CREEK AVE, Clark, WA

Built 2003 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 6,839

FREMONT AVE N

Good

Over: ACCESS RD PARKING

3400 Fremont Ave N, King, WA

Built 2009 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 34,000

Elwha River Road

Good

Over: ELWHA RIVER

00.86 SE JCT SR112, Clallam, WA

Built 2009 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 747

SR 20

Good

Over: THORNTON CREEK

0.6 E SKAGIT CO, Whatcom, WA

Built 1980 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 1,971

SR 142

Good

Over: SNYDER CREEK

13.4 E JCT SR 14, Klickitat, WA

Built 1950 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 518

US 101

Good

Over: DOSEWALLIPS OVERFLOW

21.3 S JCT SR 104, Jefferson, WA

Built 1959 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 3,222

US 101

Good

Over: DOSEWALLIPS OVERFLOW

21.4 S JCT SR 104, Jefferson, WA

Built 1959 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 3,222

SR 432

Good

Over: 3RD AVE / SR 411

1.5 E JCT SR 433, Cowlitz, WA

Built 1961 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 8,396

236TH ST SW

Good

Over: I-5

0.4 N JCT SR 104, Snohomish, WA

Built 1963 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 9,426

US 101

Good

Over: COLUMBIA R MEGLER

OREGON LINE, Pacific, WA

Built 1965 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 6,800

SR 20

Good

Over: JONES CREEK

8.6 E JCT SR 9, Skagit, WA

Built 1966 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 7,222

MERIDIAN RD

Good

Over: I-5

1.2 N JCT SR 510, Thurston, WA

Built 1968 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 7,124

US 2

Good

Over: DRY WASH

0.7 E JCT US 97 ALT, Douglas, WA

Built 1974 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 25,688

ARTIC ROAD

Good

Over: SALMON CREEK

1.9 E JCT US 101, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1982 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 66

WARNER/1100

Good

Over: WILLOW CREEK

5.73 MI NE SR 27, Whitman, WA

Built 1981 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 389

COWICHE CANYON RD

Good

Over: COWICHE CREEK

01.15 W COW CAN LN, Yakima, WA

Built 1979 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 208

PIONEER ROAD

Good

Over: SVID CANAL

00.60 N KING TULL, Benton, WA

Built 1961 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 220

KING TULL ROAD

Good

Over: SVID CANAL

00.20 E CROSBY ROAD, Benton, WA

Built 1955 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 1,050

DAZET ROAD

Good

Over: WIDE HOLLOW CREEK

00.20 S WIDE HOLLOW, Yakima, WA

Built 1970 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 1,859

WALKER ROAD

Good

Over: HANSEN CREEK

0.8 S JCT SR 101, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1989 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 235

GEORGE SOUTH ROAD

Good

Over: WEST CANAL BLK 78

Q SW 1.3 South of 3, Grant, WA

Built 1993 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 831

M Road SE

Good

Over: WW RCD BLK 42

M SE 0.1 S of 5.5 SE, Grant, WA

Built 1996 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 1,184

Showing 4,401-4,450 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.