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

TOKIO ROAD 93250

Good

Over: CRAB CREEK

2.73N ADAMS FAS 723, Lincoln, WA

Built 1957 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 622

ALTERGOTT/2420

Good

Over: PALOUSE RIVER

0.68 MI NE SR 272, Whitman, WA

Built 1990 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 39

PINTO RIDGE ROAD

Good

Over: MAIN CANAL

Pinto Ridge .5 N of SR 28, Grant, WA

Built 1992 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 530

3RD STREET

Good

Over: BRANCH OF MCCOY CREEK

0.10 MI N STEPTOE ST, Whitman, WA

Built 1992 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 60

JORDAN-KNOTT/4010

Good

Over: ROCK CREEK

0.48 MI S DAVIS, Whitman, WA

Built 1995 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 15

29 NE

Good

Over: WILSON CREEK

29 NE 4.02 East of R NE, Grant, WA

Built 1998 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 24

ROBINSON FORK ROAD

Good

Over: ROBINSON FORK

1.564 MI S RD#13890, Columbia, WA

Built 1998 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 25

CAMERON CREEK RD

Good

Over: CAMERON CREEK

1.28 N OF SR 4 (MP 48.13), Cowlitz, WA

Built 1997 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 3

US 2

Good

Over: TYE RIVER

17.5 E SNOHOMISH CO, King, WA

Built 1947 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 4,871

SR 543

Good

Over: I-5

JCT I-5, Whatcom, WA

Built 1971 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 4,420

US 12

Good

Over: 9TH AVE

0.9 E JCT SR 125 SPUR, Walla Walla, WA

Built 1972 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 13,009

SR 127

Good

Over: REBEL FLAT CR

12.7 E JCT SR 127, Whitman, WA

Built 1977 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 3,082

GAP ROAD

Good

Over: I-82

6.5 E JCT SR 223, Yakima, WA

Built 1981 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 400

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: BUTTER CREEK

4.2 MILES NW FROM HWY12 O, Lewis, WA

Built 1963 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 8

ROAD

Good

Over: N FK RAPID RIVER

5.0 MI E OF 65/6530 JCT, Snohomish, WA

Built 1969 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 6

ORTELL ROAD

Good

Over: EIGHTMILE CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Okanogan, WA

Built 1955 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 25

FALLS CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: FALLS CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Okanogan, WA

Built 1950 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 25

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: ICICLE CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Chelan, WA

Built 1960 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 10

CLEAR LAKE ROAD

Good

Over: CLEAR CREEK

AT CLEAR CR. SPILLWAY, Yakima, WA

Built 1964 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 100

SWEDE HEAVEN RD

Good

Over: SEGELSON CREEK

1.7 NW JCT SR 530, Snohomish, WA

Built 1981 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 629

HOKO OZETTE ROAD

Good

Over: UMBRELLA CREEK

18.65 S JCT SR112, Clallam, WA

Built 1971 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 34

96 ST E

Good

Over: PUYALLUP RIVER

0.66 E JCT SR 162, Pierce, WA

Built 1985 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 5,000

PARPALA ROAD

Good

Over: DELL CREEK

1.3 SW JCT 4 & 401, Pacific, WA

Built 1972 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 740

Skokomish Valley R

Good

Over: VANCE CREEK

6.19 m W SR 101, Mason, WA

Built 1986 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 110

Shelton Matlock Rd

Good

Over: BINGHAM CREEK

1.3 E MATLOCK, Mason, WA

Built 1960 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,437

E RD SE

Good

Over: IRRIGATION LATERAL

E SE at 14.8, Grant, WA

Built 1959 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 80

ALVORD ROAD

Good

Over: SALZER CREEK

0.5 E CENTRALIA, Lewis, WA

Built 1964 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 25

CHENEY-SPANGLE RD

Good

Over: COLUMBIA PLATEAU TRAIL

0.9 SE PSH NO 904, Spokane, WA

Built 1950 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,963

D RD SW

Good

Over: IRRIGATION LATERAL

D SW 0.7 S of Frenchmen, Grant, WA

Built 1959 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 214

9 RD NW

Good

Over: IRRIGATION LATERAL

9 NW 0.3 E of S NW, Grant, WA

Built 1952 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 265

A RD SW

Good

Over: IRRIGATION LATERAL

A SW 0.5 N of 11 SW, Grant, WA

Built 1954 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 264

Beeville Road

Good

Over: DRY BED CREEK

4 Miles N of Matlock, Mason, WA

Built 1984 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 16

KALAMA RIVER RD

Good

Over: GOBAR CREEK

16.67 E OF I-5 EXIT 32, Cowlitz, WA

Built 1975 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 146

PARK ROAD

Good

Over: LATAH CREEK

ENTRANCE OFF MED.LN, Spokane, WA

Built 1992 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 450

GIBSON RD.

Good

Over: SWAMP CREEK

1.0 W JCT I-5, Snohomish, WA

Built 1995 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 9,000

W. Maple St

Good

Over: China Creek

W.of Tower Ave, Lewis, WA

Built 2003 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,414

US 97

Good

Over: PESHASTIN CREEK

17.0 N KITTITAS CO, Chelan, WA

Built 1956 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 6,648

SR 21

Good

Over: DRY RUN

10.0 N JCT I-90, Adams, WA

Built 1965 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 175

SR 142

Good

Over: LITTLE KLICKITAT RIVER

33.5 E JCT SR 14, Klickitat, WA

Built 1982 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 2,068

HINZERLING ROAD

Good

Over: ROZA CANAL

00.45 N HANKS ROAD, Benton, WA

Built 1979 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 153

248 TH AVE SE

Good

Over: NEWAUKUM CREEK

0.2 MI N OF SR-164, King, WA

Built 1939 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 394

RALSTON-BENGE RD

Good

Over: DRY WASH

00.65 MI E SR261, Adams, WA

Built 1956 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 62

RIVERWAY ROAD

Good

Over: LITTLE SPOKANE RIVER

1.0 N CHATTAROY, Spokane, WA

Built 1984 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 109

DEAL RD

Good

Over: FARRIER COULEE

00.22 MI N KOCH RD, Adams, WA

Built 1989 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 133

1 SE RD

Good

Over: ROCKY COULEE DRAIN

1 SE 0.8 West of M SE, Grant, WA

Built 2000 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 292

SATUS LONGHOUSE RD

Good

Over: SATUS CREEK

00.25 N OF SR 22, Yakima, WA

Built 2003 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 92

CROWN CAMP ROAD

Good

Over: DUCK CREEK

MP 0.57 CROWN CAMP RD., Wahkiakum, WA

Built 2007 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 63

FERRY RAMP

Good

Over: COLUMBIA R/SR 409

0.0 S SR 409, Wahkiakum, WA

Built 2010 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 200

SR 9

Good

Over: OVERFLOW CHANNEL

0.1 N JCT SR 542, Whatcom, WA

Built 1945 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 3,984

I-5

Good

Over: COLONY RD

8.8 N JCT SR 11, Skagit, WA

Built 1963 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 23,247

Showing 4,651-4,700 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.