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

OLD THORNTON/3910

Fair

Over: THORN CREEK

0.68 MI NW SR 195, Whitman, WA

Built 1930 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 130

S QUINAULT ROAD

Fair

Over: FLETCHER CREEK

11.2NE JCT SR101, Jefferson, WA

Built 1974 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 100

HARBOR AVE SW

Fair

Over: SW Avalon Way & Railroad

SW Spokane St & Harbor Av, King, WA

Built 2001 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 1,100

GOLD CREEK RD

Fair

Over: WEST FORK SANPOIL RIVER

2.5 W SR 21, Ferry, WA

Built 1962 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 18

SR 206

Fair

Over: DEADMAN CR NO 1

6.7 E JCT US 2, Spokane, WA

Built 1954 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,446

SR 22

Fair

Over: SLOUGH OF YAKIMA R

0.7 E JCT I-82, Yakima, WA

Built 1935 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 9,070

East 11th Street

Fair

Over: HYLEBOS WATERWAY

4.2 N JCT I-5, Pierce, WA

Built 1939 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,000

ARGONNE RD

Fair

Over: I-90

6.5 E JCT US 2, Spokane, WA

Built 1954 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 17,996

SR 21

Fair

Over: DRY COULEE

1.9 N JCT SR 260, Franklin, WA

Built 1950 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 161

SR 7 NB

Fair

Over: SR 7 SB RAILROAD

5.5 N JCT SR 512, Pierce, WA

Built 1966 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 13,479

I-5 S-E RAMP

Fair

Over: I-5 RAMPS RAILROAD

7.1 N JCT SR 900, King, WA

Built 1965 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 30,627

S-ALBRO RAMP

Fair

Over: TERRAIN

3.9 N JCT SR 900, King, WA

Built 1966 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 8,293

I-5

Fair

Over: MARTIN WAY

5.0 N JCT US 101, Thurston, WA

Built 1967 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 47,337

CARPENTER RD

Fair

Over: I-5

6.4 N JCT US 101, Thurston, WA

Built 1967 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 4,466

I-90

Fair

Over: HIGH POINT RD

4.4 E JCT SR 900, King, WA

Built 1975 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 32,655

NE RISTO ROAD

Fair

Over: SALMON CREEK

INT OF NE227 AVE, Clark, WA

Built 1941 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,946

COUNTY ROAD 3797

Fair

Over: TUNK CREEK

4.7 MI.N.RIVERSIDE, Okanogan, WA

Built 1973 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 76

OLD HWY 99 NORTH

Fair

Over: SAMISH RIVER

2.6 N JCT COOK RD., Skagit, WA

Built 1934 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 3,113

EAST CC ST

Fair

Over: LEWIS RIVER

0.14 E SR 503 (MP 54.31), Cowlitz, WA

Built 1966 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 6,628

CLEARWATER ROAD

Fair

Over: HURST CREEK

2.7N JCT SR101, Jefferson, WA

Built 1969 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 60

BELL PLAIN RD

Fair

Over: SOUTH MEADOW CREEK

3.6 N JCT SR 12, Garfield, WA

Built 1958 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 80

TUMWATER STREET

Fair

Over: THIRD STREET

0.7 W DOWNTOWN, Clallam, WA

Built 1980 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 4,300

DIVISION ST

Fair

Over: GEE CREEK

0.25 E OF N 5TH, Clark, WA

Built 1975 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 150

GOLF COURSE ROAD

Fair

Over: DRY WASH

00.02 W GOLF COURSE, Yakima, WA

Built 1918 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 500

SR 20 EXTENSION

Fair

Over: KEYSTONE HARBOR

3.4 W JCT SR 525, Island, WA

Built 1979 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 1,863

EXTENSION OF SR 20

Fair

Over: UPRIGHT CHANNEL

N END LOPEZ ISLAND, San Juan, WA

Built 1981 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 1,349

SR 304

Fair

Over: SINCLAIR INLET

0.4 E JCT SR 303, Kitsap, WA

Built 1990 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 3,600

SR104

Fair

Over: APPLE TREE COVE

9.1 E JCT SR 3, Kitsap, WA

Built 1952 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 3,866

SR 104

Fair

Over: PUGET SOUND @ EDMONDS

0.1 W JCT SR 524, Snohomish, WA

Built 1995 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 5,870

FERRY TRAFFIC

Fair

Over: BLIND BAY

BLIND BAY-SAN JUAN, San Juan, WA

Built 2004 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 308

SR 305

Fair

Over: PUGET SOUND @ EAGLE HRBR

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, Kitsap, WA

Built 2006 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 3,052

TACOMA-VASHON TRAF

Fair

Over: PUGET SOUND

PT DEFIANCE-TACOMA, Pierce, WA

Built 1994 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 2,330

FERRY TRAFFIC

Fair

Over: PUGET SOUND @ TAHLEQUAH

SO. END VASHON IS, King, WA

Built 1994 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 1,106

NORTHWESTERN LK RD

Fair

Over: WHITE SALMON RIVER

00.29 W JCT SR141, Klickitat, WA

Built 1957 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 524

BARNES DR

Fair

Over: HILL CREEK

4.10 N of I-5 Exit 32, Cowlitz, WA

Built 1923 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 300

ASSINK RD

Fair

Over: FISHTRAP CR

00.1 MI N PANGBORN, Whatcom, WA

Built 1949 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 195

CLARKE ROAD

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

00.23 E US 97, Kittitas, WA

Built 1960 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 58

GLENWOOD ROAD

Fair

Over: WHITE SALMON RIVER

0.1 E JCT SR 141, Klickitat, WA

Built 1957 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 278

LOOMIS TRAIL RD

Fair

Over: BERTRAND CR

00.6 W BERTHUSEN RD, Whatcom, WA

Built 1938 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 1,839

GARRISON RD

Fair

Over: SUMAS RIVER

00.2 N LINDSAY RD., Whatcom, WA

Built 1935 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 252

VAN BUREN RD

Fair

Over: JOHNSON CR

0.6 mi. N LINDSAY RD, Whatcom, WA

Built 1950 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 1,031

E.2 RD SW

Fair

Over: WEST CANAL

E.3 .3 S of Frenchman, Grant, WA

Built 1959 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 59

8 AV S

Fair

Over: MUCK CREEK

2.8 S JCT SR 507, Pierce, WA

Built 1947 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 4,450

HOLMES ISD RD

Fair

Over: LONG LAKE

OVER LONG LAKE, Thurston, WA

Built 1962 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 177

8 RD NW

Fair

Over: WEST CANAL

8 NW .7 W of R NW, Grant, WA

Built 1953 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 253

NORTH RIVER VALLEY

Fair

Over: FALL RIVER

2.6 S GRAY HAR CO, Pacific, WA

Built 1953 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 128

THOMAS ROAD

Fair

Over: NANEUM CREEK

00.57 W NANEUM ROAD, Kittitas, WA

Built 1955 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 276

STEILACOOM BLVD SW

Fair

Over: CHAMBERS CREEK

1.0 W BRIDGEPORT, Pierce, WA

Built 1939 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 24,453

YEW ST

Fair

Over: CHINA CREEK

.3 N JCT. SR 507, Lewis, WA

Built 1944 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 4,563

WILLIAMS AVE

Fair

Over: CEDAR RIVER

0.2 M N OF SR 900, King, WA

Built 1954 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 1,825

Showing 401-450 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.