State profile · Near median Poor share

Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin.

14,446
Public bridges
51.0%
Good condition
6.5%
Poor condition

Wisconsin holds 14,446 public highway bridges (#19 of 52 by inventory) with a 6.52% Poor share (#23 of 52 by Poor share).

That is 6.5% 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 30 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

14,446

Public highway bridges in Wisconsin

Good Condition

51.0%

7,368 bridges rated 7-9

1.0pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

6.5%

942 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

-1.0pp vs national avg 7.5%

Wisconsin vs national bridge condition

Wisconsin - Good condition share 51.0%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

Wisconsin - Poor-condition share 21.7%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.5%.

Wisconsin 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: Wisconsin has 14,446 bridges and a 6.5% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #30 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 (%) WI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.52%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%WA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.45%WV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 7.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 18.64%WY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.51%
Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Wisconsin has 14,446 bridges and a 6.5% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #30 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.

Wisconsin 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

14,446 19th of 54 higher than 35 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 Wisconsin

The highlighted point is Wisconsin: 14,446 bridges and 6.52% in Poor condition, rank #30 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below Wisconsin on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • South Carolina: 9,490 bridges · 6.17% Poor
  • Wyoming: 3,136 bridges · 6.51% Poor
  • Wisconsin: 14,446 bridges · 6.52% Poor
  • Hawaii: 1,195 bridges · 6.53% Poor
  • North Carolina: 19,210 bridges · 6.76% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in Wisconsin

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 14,446 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains Wisconsin’s inventory

State agency holds 37.0% of the 14,446 public highway bridges filed under Wisconsin in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When Wisconsin’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 8.5% of the 14,446 bridges with a recorded original year in Wisconsin. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

Wisconsin51%42.5%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - Wisconsin (FHWA NBI)

Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin on the same metric.

SC

South Carolina

6.17% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$9,490

WY

Wyoming

6.51% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$3,136
Selected

WI

Wisconsin

6.52% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$14,446

HI

Hawaii

6.53% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$1,195

NC

North Carolina

6.76% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$19,210

Bridges Needing Most Attention in Wisconsin

Six lowest-condition bridges in Wisconsin, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

All Bridges in Wisconsin

CTH K

Fair

Over: WILSON CREEK

0.2M S JCT USH 12, Dunn, WI

Built 1991 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 318

USH 53 NB

Fair

Over: EAU CLAIRE R

.3 MI. EAST OF USH 12, Eau Claire, WI

Built 2006 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 22,550

USH 53 SB

Fair

Over: EAU CLAIRE R

.3M S CTH QQ, Eau Claire, WI

Built 2006 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 22,550

STH 37-STH 85

Fair

Over: TAYLOR CREEK

1.0M N JCT STH 85 TO W, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1933 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 8,400

LRD WINNEBAGO DR

Fair

Over: DE NEVEU CREEK

1.6M W USH 151 0.8M N O, Fond du Lac, WI

Built 1955 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 7,600

LRD PROSPECT AVENU

Fair

Over: SUPPLE CREEK

0.5M N SCOTT ST., Fond du Lac, WI

Built 2001 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 6,500

LRD CTH RP

Fair

Over: VAN DYNE CREEK

0.8M N JCT LINCOLN RD, Fond du Lac, WI

Built 2006 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 1,400

LRD HILL CLIMB ROA

Fair

Over: MCADAM BRANCH

1.8M N JCT USH 61 TO N, Grant, WI

Built 1986 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 824

STH 11

Fair

Over: MENOMONIE CREEK

0.6M E JCT USH 61, Grant, WI

Built 1997 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 5,300

LRD DUBUQUE ROAD

Fair

Over: BR ROUNDTREE BRANCH

0.8M N JCT CTH D TO S, Grant, WI

Built 1937 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 3,800

CTH H

Fair

Over: NORTH BR HEFTY CREEK

1.0M E JCT CTH J, Green, WI

Built 1991 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 580

CTH J

Fair

Over: BUSHNELL CREEK

1.8M N JCT STH 81, Green, WI

Built 2000 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 801

CTH B

Fair

Over: BELLE FOUNTAIN CREEK

1.0M W JCT CTH FFF, Green Lake, WI

Built 2006 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 390

USH SB USH 151

Fair

Over: STH 39

3.0M S JCT STH 23 TO W, Iowa, WI

Built 2001 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 4,550

CTH FF

Fair

Over: PIGEON CREEK

0.2M N JCT STH 121, Jackson, WI

Built 1988 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 215

STH 95

Fair

Over: CURRAN CREEK

0.3M E JCT CTH G, Jackson, WI

Built 1996 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 3,600

CTH P

Fair

Over: DUCK CREEK

0.6M S JCT USH 18, Jefferson, WI

Built 1998 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 274

LRD 7TH ST W

Fair

Over: NEAL LATERAL

1.9M E JCT STH 173, Juneau, WI

Built 1989 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 35

USH12-STH16

Fair

Over: WEBSTER CREEK

CITY OF NEW LISBON, Juneau, WI

Built 1920 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 4,500

USH 12-STH 16

Fair

Over: BREWER CREEK

5.2M E JCT STH 80 TO S, Juneau, WI

Built 1932 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 4,500

LRD 50TH ST

Fair

Over: PIKE CREEK LAGOON

0.2M E JCT STH 32, Kenosha, WI

Built 1986 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 1,600

IH 41 SB/94 EB

Fair

Over: CTH C

1.9 MI S JCT STH 50, Kenosha, WI

Built 2009 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 49,450

IH 41 NB/94 WB

Fair

Over: CTH C

1.0 MI N JCT STH 165, Kenosha, WI

Built 2010 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 49,450

IH 41 SB/94 EB

Fair

Over: DES PLAINES RIVER

1.2M S JCT STH 50 TO E, Kenosha, WI

Built 2009 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 49,450

USH 53 SB

Fair

Over: CTH S/SAND LAKE RD

1.9M S JCT CTH OT, La Crosse, WI

Built 1990 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 19,200

STH 162

Fair

Over: DUTCH CREEK

0.8M N JCT STH 33 TO E, La Crosse, WI

Built 1990 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 1,600

STH 162

Fair

Over: LA CROSSE RIVER

1.5M N JCT IH 90 TO E, La Crosse, WI

Built 1938 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 1,900

LRD POLIFKA RD

Fair

Over: IH 43

3.0M E JCT CTH H, Manitowoc, WI

Built 1977 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 200

LRD ZANDER RD

Fair

Over: IH 43

1.9M E JCT CTH T, Manitowoc, WI

Built 1979 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 120

STH 310 MADISON

Fair

Over: W TWIN RIVER

4.6M E JCT CTH B, Manitowoc, WI

Built 2008 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 8,800

LRD PLEASANT ROAD

Fair

Over: BULL JUNIOR CREEK

0.7M S JCT CTH X, Marathon, WI

Built 1995 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 60

CTH N (17TH AVE.)

Fair

Over: BIG RIB RIVER

0.6M N JCT CTH NN, Marathon, WI

Built 2004 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 14,200

LRD 10TH LANE

Fair

Over: WESTFIELD CREEK

0.4M N JCT CTH B, Marquette, WI

Built 1982 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 100

LRD W ATKINSON AVE

Fair

Over: IH 43 (N-S FREEWAY)

0.9M S JCT STH 190, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1960 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 9,400

IH 94 EB-IH 43 SB

Fair

Over: LRD W PIERCE ST

0.8M S JCT IH 794, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1968 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 78,000

LRD MILL ROAD

Fair

Over: MENOMONEE RIVER

0.1M E JCT STH 100, Milwaukee, WI

Built 2006 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 3,500

IH-794 WB-LAKE INT

Fair

Over: IH-794 EB ENTRANCE RAMP

2.3 MI W JCT CARFERRY DR, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1975 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 39,850

IH RAMP BROADWAY

Fair

Over: LAND

1.1 MI E JCT IH 43, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1974 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 4,910

LRD W BLUE MOUND R

Fair

Over: MENOMONEE RIVER

0.1M W JCT USH 18, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1985 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 1,700

LRD W COLD SPRING

Fair

Over: ROOT RIVER

0.2M E JCT STH "100", Milwaukee, WI

Built 1994 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 3,700

STH 27

Fair

Over: SOPER CREEK

1.8M N JCT STH 71 TO W, Monroe, WI

Built 1949 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 3,300

LRD N GLENDALE AVE

Fair

Over: LEMONWEIR RIVER

0.7M E JCT USH 12, Monroe, WI

Built 1994 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 2,710

LRD COURT ST

Fair

Over: LA CROSSE RIVER

0.2M S JCT STH 16, Monroe, WI

Built 1994 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 4,558

CTH F

Fair

Over: LITTLE LA CROSSE RIVER

0.1M E JCT STH 27, Monroe, WI

Built 2002 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 139

CTH N

Fair

Over: LEMONWEIR CR

1.3M S STH 21, Monroe, WI

Built 2004 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 305

CTH EE

Fair

Over: PENSAUKEE RIVER

0.3M S JCT CTH E, Oconto, WI

Built 1987 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 778

CTH C

Fair

Over: PENSAUKEE RIVER

1.8M S JCT CTH E, Oconto, WI

Built 1995 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 720

IH RAMP STH 441 NB

Fair

Over: IH 41

1.0M N JCT CTH OO, Outagamie, WI

Built 1993 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 10,900

LRD PARK LANE

Fair

Over: BR BLACK CREEK

0.25M S OF CTH G, Outagamie, WI

Built 2006 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 1

IH 43 SB

Fair

Over: STH 57 NB

3.3M S JCT STH 32, Ozaukee, WI

Built 1974 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 15,400

Showing 5,601-5,650 of 14,446 bridges

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.

What to do with this

Use Wisconsin's inventory picture to drill to a county or a specific span.

  • Browse counties in Wisconsin 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. Wisconsin 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.