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

US 97

Good

Over: PESHASTIN CREEK

12.2 N KITTITAS CO, Chelan, WA

Built 1958 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 5,791

US 97

Good

Over: PESHASTIN CREEK

12.3 N KITTITAS CO, Chelan, WA

Built 1958 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 5,791

US 97

Good

Over: PESHASTIN CREEK

10.0 N KITTITAS CO, Chelan, WA

Built 1958 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 5,791

SR 271

Good

Over: BOX CREEK

4.7 N JCT SR 27, Whitman, WA

Built 1960 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,016

E WELLESLEY AVE

Good

Over: RAILROAD

4.4 E JCT SR 27, Spokane, WA

Built 1963 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 5,807

SR 20

Good

Over: HIGGINS SLOUGH

1.2 E JCT SR 536, Skagit, WA

Built 1968 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 14,246

SR 522

Good

Over: 179TH SE & 154TH SE

10.1 E JCT SR 9, Snohomish, WA

Built 1970 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 10,512

SR 202

Good

Over: BEAR CREEK

7.6 E JCT SR 522, King, WA

Built 1978 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 35,875

SR 500

Good

Over: 39TH ST NE

0.2 E JCT I-5, Clark, WA

Built 1984 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 16,812

SR 500

Good

Over: NE 39TH ST

0.2 E JCT I-5, Clark, WA

Built 1984 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 16,812

SR 161

Good

Over: TANWAX CR

10.2 N JCT SR 7, Pierce, WA

Built 1900 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 6,916

SR 195

Good

Over: SPRING FLAT CREEK

7.2 N JCT SR 270, Whitman, WA

Built 1960 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 7,964

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: W FK SATSOP RIVER

NO DATA ENTERED, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1966 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 10

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: W FK SATSOP RIVER

NO DATA ENTERED, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1966 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 10

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: CHESTER CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Grays Harbor, WA

Built 1957 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 50

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: N FK CALAWAH RIVER

NO DATA ENTERED, Clallam, WA

Built 1975 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 100

N RD SW

Good

Over: IRRIGATION LATERAL

N SW @ 12.5, Grant, WA

Built 1958 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 74

HEGLAR ROAD

Good

Over: DEADMAN CREEK

0.4 MI E OF HWY 206, Spokane, WA

Built 1950 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 196

WEST TANEUM ROAD

Good

Over: HILINE SPILLWAY

00.30 W THORP CEM R, Kittitas, WA

Built 1964 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 128

SR 241

Good

Over: SULPHER CREEK WASTEWAY

6.6 N JCT SR 22, Yakima, WA

Built 1980 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,863

WEBSTER RD E

Good

Over: SOUTH CREEK

1.33 NE JCT SR161, Pierce, WA

Built 1954 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 475

Skokomish Valley R

Good

Over: VANCE CREEK

4.58 W JCT SR101, Mason, WA

Built 1959 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 494

LIND-RALSTON RD

Good

Over: LIND COULEE

4.0 E US395, Adams, WA

Built 1993 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 103

SELAH RD. E.

Good

Over: SELAH-MOXEE CANAL

00.02 S. RAY SYMMONDS RD, Yakima, WA

Built 1973 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,090

GARRARD CREEK RD.

Good

Over: INDEPENDENCE CREEK

0.23 W JCT 91008, Lewis, WA

Built 1965 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 192

MAIN STREET

Good

Over: DAVIS CREEK

0.3 NW JCT US 2, Lincoln, WA

Built 1940 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 500

SW 16TH STREET

Good

Over: SPRINGBROOK CREEK

0.2 MI S OF I-405, King, WA

Built 1991 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 2,250

BOYLSTON ROAD

Good

Over: GROUND RELIEF

03.08 E PRATER ROAD, Kittitas, WA

Built 1968 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 155

DESCHUTES PARKWAY

Good

Over: PERCIVAL CREEK

1.2 M N US 101, Thurston, WA

Built 1952 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 8,500

OSO LOOP RD

Good

Over: FRY CREEK

0.8 SW JCT SR 530, Snohomish, WA

Built 2003 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 135

HAYWIRE ROAD

Good

Over: STEARNS CREEK

2.65 West Of Napavine, Lewis, WA

Built 1940 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 238

BISHOP ROAD

Good

Over: DILLENBAUGH CREEK

1.11 SW CHEHALIS, Lewis, WA

Built 1955 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 3,654

ARNIE RD

Good

Over: CALIFORNIA CR

00.1 E. VALLEY VIEW, Whatcom, WA

Built 2004 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 190

JACKSON ROAD

Good

Over: RATTLERS RUN CREEK

1.1 N FAIRFIELD, Spokane, WA

Built 1915 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 85

SR 281

Good

Over: WEST CANAL

9.9 N JCT I-90, Grant, WA

Built 1950 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 8,193

MAIN ST UNION GAP

Good

Over: WIDE HOLLOW CREEK

15.0 N JCT SR 22, Yakima, WA

Built 1941 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 11,558

SR 9

Good

Over: SMITH CREEK

0.5 N JCT SR 542, Whatcom, WA

Built 1946 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 3,984

I-5 RAMPS

Good

Over: HENDERSON BLVD UPRR

1.2 N JCT US 101, Thurston, WA

Built 1957 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 12,207

75TH ST SE

Good

Over: I-5

0.9 N JCT SR 527, Snohomish, WA

Built 1966 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 3,051

SR 203

Good

Over: CLEMONS CREEK

14.6 N JCT SR 202, King, WA

Built 2015 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 12,744

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: WHITE MAN CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Pend Oreille, WA

Built 2008 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 50

White Trail Rd

Good

Over: WINCHESTER WW

5 NW 0.05 W of G.9, Grant, WA

Built 1953 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 558

Cemetery Road

Good

Over: CHAMOKANE CREEK

03.66 SW JCT SR 231, Stevens, WA

Built 1974 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 100

A NE

Good

Over: WEST CANAL BLK 70

A NE 1.23 N of SR 28, Grant, WA

Built 1988 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 226

G RD SW

Good

Over: WAHLUKE BRANCH CANAL

G SW .4 N of Wahluke Rd, Grant, WA

Built 1969 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 772

GROSSCUP ROAD

Good

Over: CID CANAL

0.15 N HARRINGTON, Benton, WA

Built 1960 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 250

KELLY RD

Good

Over: ANDERSON CR

00.4 W SAND RD, Whatcom, WA

Built 1939 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 450

L ROAD SW

Good

Over: LAT. RB5 BLK 82

Adams Rd 0.9 S of 12 SW, Grant, WA

Built 1990 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 875

CLEMAN DRIVE

Good

Over: WAPATOX CANAL

00.04 E OLD NACHES, Yakima, WA

Built 1976 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 75

ST.HILAIRE ROAD

Good

Over: ROZA CANAL

00.11 S of East DUFFIELD, Yakima, WA

Built 1985 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 567

Showing 4,551-4,600 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.