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

NE HAZEL DELL AVE

Good

Over: BURLINGTON NORTHERN RR

0.01S INT NE 59 ST, Clark, WA

Built 1996 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 2,841

COYOTE/4230

Good

Over: PLEASANT VALLEY CREEK

00.14 W SR 23, Whitman, WA

Built 1998 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 20

WIEST RD

Good

Over: ABERNATHY CREEK

0.01 N ABERNATHY RD (3.2), Cowlitz, WA

Built 1993 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 15

SILVERDALE WAY

Good

Over: CLEAR CREEK

0.1 N JCT SR 303, Kitsap, WA

Built 2006 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 15,355

EAST L STREET

Good

Over: EAST 25TH STREET

0.1 N JCT I-5, Pierce, WA

Built 2007 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 1,521

SR 26

Good

Over: UNION FLAT CREEK

8.1 E JCT SR 127, Whitman, WA

Built 1938 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 2,946

US 101

Good

Over: LAKE CRESCENT

25.8 N JCT SR 113, Clallam, WA

Built 1949 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 2,898

US 101

Good

Over: OYSTER BED CREEK

20.7 S JCT SR 104, Jefferson, WA

Built 1952 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 3,121

US 101

Good

Over: PRAIRIE CR

41.7 N JCT SR 109, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1954 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 1,444

SR 6

Good

Over: WILLAPA RIVER

14.0 E JCT US 101, Pacific, WA

Built 1957 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 1,561

SR 167

Good

Over: SR 18

2.8 N PIERCE CO, King, WA

Built 1973 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 43,163

SR 504

Good

Over: CREEK

6.4 E JCT SR 504 SP, Cowlitz, WA

Built 1991 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 648

ROAD

Good

Over: SULPHUR CR

NO DATA ENTERED, Whatcom, WA

Built 1954 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 30

ROAD

Good

Over: FOSS RIVER

5.7 MI S OF HWY 2/68 JCT, King, WA

Built 1962 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 156

MEADOWS/TOATS RD

Good

Over: TOATS COULEE CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Okanogan, WA

Built 1949 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 153

ROAD

Good

Over: LAKE CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Chelan, WA

Built 1960 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 50

OLD GUIDE RD

Good

Over: TEN MILE CR

00.1 N W.HEMMI RD, Whatcom, WA

Built 1933 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 887

138 ST S

Good

Over: SPANAWAY CREEK

1.1 W JCT SR7, Pierce, WA

Built 1952 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 3,400

SE 261ST STREET

Good

Over: LITTLE SOOS CREEK

0.5 MI N OF SR-18, King, WA

Built 2006 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 350

SPILLWAY ACCESS

Good

Over: WINCHESTER WASTEWAY

NR WINCHESTER WA, Grant, WA

Built 1948 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 5

US 97

Good

Over: DRY GULCH

3.9 N JCT US 97 SPUR, Douglas, WA

Built 1933 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 5,539

SR 155

Good

Over: NORTHRUP CR

19.1 N JCT US 2, Grant, WA

Built 1949 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 1,142

US 12

Good

Over: SATSOP R OVERFLOW

5.1 E JCT SR 107, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1965 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 11,538

I-5

Good

Over: NORFOLK ST SEWER

1.0 N JCT SR 900, King, WA

Built 1966 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 101,485

MULLAN RD

Good

Over: I-90

6.5 E 3CT US 2, Spokane, WA

Built 1975 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 14,544

US 101 N-W RAMP

Good

Over: US 101

0.2 N JCT SR 105, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1985 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 4,081

PATTERSON ROAD

Good

Over: SANDERS CREEK

0.1 MI S SHERMAN ROAD, Spokane, WA

Built 1959 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 36

DODSON ROAD

Good

Over: CANAL LATERAL

Dodson 1.3 N of 9 NW, Grant, WA

Built 1981 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 1,567

DUCK LAKE RD 92310

Good

Over: DUCK CREEK

7.04 NE JCT SR 21, Lincoln, WA

Built 1972 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 106

COUNTY ROAD 1029

Good

Over: GOLD CREEK

0.61 N.JCT.SR153, Okanogan, WA

Built 1972 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 90

SOUTH FORK RD.

Good

Over: AHTANUM CREEK N. FORK

00.27 SW AHTANUM RD, Yakima, WA

Built 1966 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 210

L ROAD SW

Good

Over: LAT. W61C BLK 81

Adams .4 South of 9 SW, Grant, WA

Built 1964 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 1,412

COUNTY ROAD 2090

Good

Over: GRANDE RONDE RIVER

2.5MI SW ROGERSBURG, Asotin, WA

Built 1983 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 73

WIDE HOLLOW RD.

Good

Over: WIDE HOLLOW CREEK

00.27 W DOUGLAS RD, Yakima, WA

Built 1956 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 1,579

SUNSET HIGHWAY

Good

Over: GEIGER RD

.8 E of HIGHWAY 2, Spokane, WA

Built 1944 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 3,426

PALISADES RD

Good

Over: DOUGLAS CREEK

28.22N23E, Douglas, WA

Built 1957 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 358

SUNSET/3360

Good

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

8.34 MI SE PNE CTY-MALDEN, Whitman, WA

Built 1980 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 70

CO RD 43710

Good

Over: HIGHLINE CANAL

01.00 NW CASHMERE, Chelan, WA

Built 1973 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 268

NE 45TH ST

Good

Over: 25TH AVE NE

NE 45th St & 25th Ave NE, King, WA

Built 1976 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 25,001

LOWER DRY CREEK RD

Good

Over: MUD CREEK

05.831 E SR 12, Walla Walla, WA

Built 1991 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 508

ADAMS ROAD

Good

Over: WEST CANAL BLK 78

Adams .1 N of Frenchmen, Grant, WA

Built 1994 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 1,237

12 RD NW

Good

Over: WEST CANAL

Martin Rd 0.1 W of SR 28, Grant, WA

Built 1994 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 825

Q SW

Good

Over: WEST CANAL BLK 78

Q SW .1 South of 1.5, Grant, WA

Built 1993 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 877

UNIONTOWN EAST

Good

Over: THORN CREEK

2.19 MI NE SR 195, Whitman, WA

Built 2011 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 564

STEPTOE STREET

Good

Over: BRANCH SPRING CREEK

0.40 MI W SR 27, Whitman, WA

Built 2013 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 200

PLEASANT VALLEY RD

Good

Over: UNNAMED TRIBUTARY

2.5 NW JCT SR 7, Lewis, WA

Built 2017 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 13

NORTH SHORE ROAD

Good

Over: BIG CREEK

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

Built 1990 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 250

SR 410

Good

Over: NACHES-SELAH CANAL

46.7 E PIERCE CO, Yakima, WA

Built 1932 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 2,176

US 12

Good

Over: COWLITZ R OVERFLOW

8.5 E JCT SR 131, Lewis, WA

Built 1958 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 2,648

E-N RAMP

Good

Over: I-5

JCT I-5, King, WA

Built 1965 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 5,684

Showing 4,451-4,500 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.