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)

Counties (72)

Adams 41 Ashland 84 Barron 319 Bayfield 103 Brown 466 Buffalo 238 Burnett 67 Calumet 62 Chippewa 359 Clark 296 Columbia 183 Crawford 211 Dane 590 Dodge 212 Door 32 Douglas 135 Dunn 245 Eau Claire 236 Florence 20 Fond du Lac 251 Forest 53 Grant 383 Green 244 Green Lake 48 Iowa 209 Iron 48 Jackson 218 Jefferson 182 Juneau 172 Kenosha 109 Kewaunee 93 La Crosse 249 Lafayette 217 Langlade 78 Lincoln 157 Manitowoc 269 Marathon 530 Marinette 135 Marquette 81 Menominee 25 Milwaukee 893 Monroe 374 Oconto 149 Oneida 61 Outagamie 290 Ozaukee 105 Pepin 57 Pierce 248 Polk 73 Portage 182 Price 104 Racine 133 Richland 298 Rock 304 Rusk 151 Sauk 271 Sawyer 97 Shawano 160 Sheboygan 240 St. Croix 298 Taylor 176 Trempealeau 260 Vernon 333 Vilas 29 Walworth 206 Washburn 49 Washington 162 Waukesha 369 Waupaca 169 Waushara 53 Winnebago 263 Wood 239

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.

LRD CASBERG COULEE

Poor

Over: LONG COULEE CREEK

0.2M E JCT CTH V, La Crosse, WI

Built 1984 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 265

LRD IRR (ENSINGER

Poor

Over: BRUNSWEILER RIVER

0.7M E JCT STH 13, Ashland, WI

Built 1920 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 20

LRD N 50TH ST (DEA

Poor

Over: MENOMONEE RIVER

0.2M S JCT STATE ST, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1976 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 1

LRD PEDESTRIAN (WO

Poor

Over: MILWAUKEE RIVER

0.5M E JCT USH 45, Washington, WI

Built 1891 Load: 0.0 t

LRD ACCESS RD

Poor

Over: MENASHA CHANNEL

ACCESS TO PARKING LOT BY, Winnebago, WI

Built 1960 Load: 1.6 t ADT: 20

LRD MARKET RD

Poor

Over: BEAR CREEK

1.2M N JCT STH 76, Outagamie, WI

Built 1958 Load: 1.6 t ADT: 1,175

All Bridges in Wisconsin

STH 30 WB

Good

Over: LRD FAIR OAKS AVE

0.9M W JCT USH 51 TO N, Dane, WI

Built 1964 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 18,650

USH 12/14 EB-W BEL

Good

Over: LRD GAMMON RD

4.0M E JCT USH 14 TO W, Dane, WI

Built 1968 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 30,850

STH 69

Good

Over: BADGER MILL CREEK

3.1M N JCT CTH PB TO S, Dane, WI

Built 1989 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 6,200

LRD LUNDE LANE

Good

Over: USH 18-USH 151

0.3M S JCT HALLS RD, Dane, WI

Built 1991 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 90

IH 39 SB/90 EB

Good

Over: RAMP IH 39NB/90WB-USH 12

4.2M E JCT IH 94 (A), Dane, WI

Built 1997 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 13,540

LRD POPLAR GROVE R

Good

Over: UNION PACIFIC RR

2.2M N JCT CTH O, Dodge, WI

Built 1996 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 109

CTH TT

Good

Over: CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY

0.3M N JCT STH 16, Dodge, WI

Built 2000 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 376

USH 53 SB

Good

Over: MIDDLE RIVER

2.5M S JCT USH 2, Douglas, WI

Built 1980 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 3,850

CTH E

Good

Over: MIDDLE RIVER

1.0M S JCT CTH V, Douglas, WI

Built 1981 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,073

LRD MEADOW HILL DR

Good

Over: WILSON CREEK

0.1M S JCT USH 12, Dunn, WI

Built 1996 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 545

CTH Q

Good

Over: GILBERT CREEK

0.1M S JCT CTH N, Dunn, WI

Built 1978 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 268

LRD 770TH ST

Good

Over: LOWER PINE CREEK

0.3M N JCT CTH V, Dunn, WI

Built 1984 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 87

LRD 1020TH AVE

Good

Over: TIFFANY CREEK

1.3M E JCT STH 170, Dunn, WI

Built 1986 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 50

LRD 1330TH AVE

Good

Over: HAY RIVER

0.3M W JCT CTH K, Dunn, WI

Built 1987 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 50

LRD HASTINGS WAY N

Good

Over: EAU CLAIRE RIVER

1.7M N JCT USH 12 TO E, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1970 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 48,063

USH 12

Good

Over: UNION PACIFIC RR

0.4M E JCT CTH R, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1988 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 5,200

IH 41 SB

Good

Over: W BR FOND DU LAC RIVER

1.4M S JCT STH 23 TO E, Fond du Lac, WI

Built 1961 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 21,450

LRD CTH RP

Good

Over: CN RR

2.2 M N JCT CTH N, Fond du Lac, WI

Built 1987 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,400

STH 35-STH 133

Good

Over: BLAKE FORK CREEK

1.3M N JCT STH 133 TO S, Grant, WI

Built 1980 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,800

LRD KANSAS ST

Good

Over: SAUNDERS CREEK

0.3M E JCT USH 61, Grant, WI

Built 1990 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 281

CTH A

Good

Over: LITTLE GRANT RIVER

5.1M W JCT USH 61, Grant, WI

Built 1992 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 477

CTH U

Good

Over: GRANT RIVER

2.7M W JCT CTH N (TO SOUT, Grant, WI

Built 2000 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 678

CTH C MAIN ST

Good

Over: W BR LITTLE SUGAR RIVER

0.1M N JCT STH 39, Green, WI

Built 1994 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,900

LRD FREIDIG ROAD

Good

Over: GILL CREEK

1.3M E JCT CTH X, Green, WI

Built 1994 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 82

LRD SECTION LINE R

Good

Over: USH 151

0.5M E JCT STH 191, Iowa, WI

Built 1980 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 270

CTH P

Good

Over: SMOKEY HOLLOW CREEK

0.7M S JCT CTH I, Iowa, WI

Built 1986 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 312

LRD PRAY RD

Good

Over: E FK BLACK RIVER

4.5M N JCT STH 54, Jackson, WI

Built 1982 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 128

CTH J

Good

Over: STH 26

0.8 MI S JCT USH 18, Jefferson, WI

Built 2010 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,000

CTH H

Good

Over: BR SHERMAN CREEK

0.9M W JCT STH 80, Juneau, WI

Built 2004 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 274

STH 29/42-MILWAUKE

Good

Over: KEWAUNEE RIVER

0.2M E JCT STH 42 TO S, Kewaunee, WI

Built 1985 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 5,700

LRD NORMAN RD

Good

Over: E BR EAST TWIN RIVER

INT. OF CTH BB & NORMAN R, Kewaunee, WI

Built 1998 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 86

LRD GILLS COULEE R

Good

Over: GILLS COULEE CREEK

0.5M N JCT STH 16, La Crosse, WI

Built 1980 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 117

LRD CRAIG RD

Good

Over: BURNS CREEK

0.3M E JCT STH 162, La Crosse, WI

Built 1986 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 46

LRD LANGREHR RD (K

Good

Over: FISH CREEK

0.3M E JCT CTH J, La Crosse, WI

Built 1986 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 92

LRD AMES BRANCH RD

Good

Over: BR AMES BRANCH

0.9M E JCT CTH U, Lafayette, WI

Built 1983 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 46

LRD WILDCAT ROAD

Good

Over: OTTER CREEK

0.6M W JCT STH 81, Lafayette, WI

Built 1985 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 28

CTH K

Good

Over: THUNDER BRANCH

4.5M E JCT STH 23, Lafayette, WI

Built 1986 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 360

USH 151 NB

Good

Over: LRD PRIVATE DRIVE/PECATO

6.9M N JCT STH 126, Lafayette, WI

Built 2002 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 5,250

LRD MARTIN RD (DEA

Good

Over: BIG SOMO RIVER

0.3M S JCT USH 8, Lincoln, WI

Built 1987 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 5

LRD BRIDGE RD

Good

Over: SPIRIT RIVER

0.3M S JCT STH 86, Lincoln, WI

Built 1987 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 151

USH 10/WALDO BLVD

Good

Over: WISCONSIN CENTRAL RR

2.3M E JCT IH 43 TO N, Manitowoc, WI

Built 1975 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 11,500

CTH LS

Good

Over: PINE CREEK

0.8M N JCT CTH F, Manitowoc, WI

Built 1975 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 855

LRD WESTVIEW ST

Good

Over: CENTERVILLE CREEK

0.3M S JCT CTH XX, Manitowoc, WI

Built 1996 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 744

LRD VILLAGE DRIVE

Good

Over: BRANCH RIVER

0.2M W JCT USH 10, Manitowoc, WI

Built 2005 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 105

IH USH 51 -IH 39 S

Good

Over: JOHNSON CREEK

3.2M S JCT STH 34 TO S, Marathon, WI

Built 1972 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 11,157

USH 51 NB

Good

Over: LRD DECATOR DR

3.1M N JCT STH 29 TO W, Marathon, WI

Built 1975 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 19,000

LRD MEADOW RD

Good

Over: BR SANDY CREEK

1.8M E JCT STH 52, Marathon, WI

Built 1985 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 66

STH 29 WB

Good

Over: RANDALL CREEK

1.0M W JCT CTH E TO S, Marathon, WI

Built 1999 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 5,800

LRD BALSAM RD

Good

Over: EAU PLEINE FLOWAGE

1.8M E JCT CTH M, Marathon, WI

Built 2005 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 136

IH USH51-IH39 NB

Good

Over: NEENAH CREEK

4.8M N JCT STH 78 TO S, Marquette, WI

Built 1984 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 15,800

Showing 6,951-7,000 of 14,446 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 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.