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

LRD RIVER ROAD

Good

Over: COLDWATER CANYON

2.0M S JCT STH 13, Adams, WI

Built 1997 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 1,300

CTH C

Good

Over: BIG ROCHE A CRI CREEK

2.7M E JCT STH 13, Adams, WI

Built 1999 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 860

LRD 11TH AVE

Good

Over: BINGHAM CREEK

1.4M S JCT STH 21, Adams, WI

Built 2001 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 182

STH 21

Good

Over: CARTER CREEK

0.6M E JCT STH 13, Adams, WI

Built 2013 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 3,800

LRD SOSIN ROAD

Good

Over: BRUNSWEILER RIVER

1.0M E JCT STH 13, Ashland, WI

Built 1990 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 86

LRD CAYUGA ROAD

Good

Over: BAD RIVER

0.2M W JCT STH 13, Ashland, WI

Built 1990 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 56

LRD 1ST AVE

Good

Over: DEVILS CREEK

0.2M S JCT STH 77, Ashland, WI

Built 1993 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 236

LRD THOMAS ST

Good

Over: BAD RIVER

0.2M S JCT CTH GG, Ashland, WI

Built 1993 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 352

STH 13

Good

Over: WHITE RIVER

5.1M N JCT STH 112 (C), Ashland, WI

Built 2003 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 2,100

STH 25

Good

Over: UPPER PINE CREEK

4.2M N JCT CTH A TO E, Barron, WI

Built 1976 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 2,500

CTH F

Good

Over: HAY RIVER

0.9M N JCT CTH A TO W, Barron, WI

Built 1979 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 926

CTH P

Good

Over: LIGHTNING CREEK

0.8M N JCT USH 8, Barron, WI

Built 1986 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 1,635

LRD 12 3/4 AVE

Good

Over: POKEGAMA CREEK

0.3M W JCT CTH M, Barron, WI

Built 1997 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 43

LRD 16TH ST

Good

Over: UPPER PINE CREEK

0.5M S JCT CTH U, Barron, WI

Built 2000 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 53

LRD 11TH AVE

Good

Over: FOUR MILE CREEK

0.7M W JCT STH 25, Barron, WI

Built 2002 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 85

LRD 18TH AVE

Good

Over: YELLOW RIVER

1.6M E JCT CTH T, Barron, WI

Built 2010 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 412

LRD 17TH AVE

Good

Over: HAY RIVER

1.2M E JCT CTH P, Barron, WI

Built 2020 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 49

STH 13

Good

Over: ONION RIVER

6.8M N JCT CTH C, Bayfield, WI

Built 1977 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 3,900

USH 63

Good

Over: WHITE RIVER

1.1M N JCT CTH E TO E, Bayfield, WI

Built 1987 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 2,000

LRD FLAG RD

Good

Over: FLAG RIVER

2.2M E JCT STH 13, Bayfield, WI

Built 1995 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 55

STH 13

Good

Over: BARK RIVER

3.7M N JCT CTH C TO S, Bayfield, WI

Built 2000 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 1,100

CTH B

Good

Over: MUSKEG CR

3.3 M W OF JCT CTH A, Bayfield, WI

Built 2005 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 341

STH 32- ASHLAND AV

Good

Over: LRD 5TH ST

2.1M N JCT STH 172, Brown, WI

Built 1955 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 27,772

STH 172 EB

Good

Over: USH STH 32-USH B41(ASHLA

1.1M E JCT USH 41, Brown, WI

Built 1975 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 42,350

CTH S

Good

Over: IH 41

AT IH 41, Brown, WI

Built 1999 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 5,500

IH 41 NB

Good

Over: LRD LITTLE RAPIDS RD

6.6M N JCT CTH JJ, Brown, WI

Built 2000 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 28,200

STH 96

Good

Over: BRANCH RIVER

2.3M E JCT CTH W, Brown, WI

Built 1983 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 1,500

LRD NORFIELD ROAD

Good

Over: USH 41 - USH 141

TOWN OF SUAMICO, Brown, WI

Built 2000 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 600

STH 57 NB

Good

Over: STH 54

3.5M N JCT CTH A TO N, Brown, WI

Built 1999 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 18,900

USH 141-STH 29-MAI

Good

Over: BAIRD CREEK

5.5M N JCT STH 29 TO E, Brown, WI

Built 1998 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 22,037

LRD BAY SETTLEMENT

Good

Over: STH 57

LOCATION UNKNOWN PLEASE, Brown, WI

Built 2005 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 6,200

LRD CTH "EA" / HUR

Good

Over: MAHON CREEK

0.5M S. JCT STH 54/57, Brown, WI

Built 2005 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 6,200

LRD ST. PATS ROAD

Good

Over: SUAMICO RIVER

1.5MI WEST AND SOUTH OF R, Brown, WI

Built 2016 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 393

LRD COUNTY LINE RO

Good

Over: GOLDEN CREEK

0.8M S JCT CTH ZZ, Brown, WI

Built 2020 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 160

CTH HS

Good

Over: SUAMICO RIVER

0.1M S JCT CTH B, Brown, WI

Built 2019 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 6,100

LRD TAYLOR STREET

Good

Over: BEAVER DAM CREEK

.2 MILES S OF JUNCTION WI, Brown, WI

Built 2022 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 5,735

IH 41 SB

Good

Over: CTH EE

2.8M S JCT STH 172, Brown, WI

Built 2013 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 29,050

STH 29 WB

Good

Over: CTH PACKERLAND DRIVE (CT

PACKERLAND DRIVE (CTH EB), Brown, WI

Built 2014 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 16,900

STH 29 EB

Good

Over: CTH PACKERLAND DRIVE (CT

AT STH 29/CTH EB INTERSEC, Brown, WI

Built 2014 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 16,900

USH 41 SB OFF-RAMP

Good

Over: LRD WIETOR WHARF DRIVE &

LOCATION UNKNOWN PLEASE, Brown, WI

Built 2016 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 2,200

STH 88

Good

Over: SCREECH OWL CREEK

0.4M N JCT CTH O, Buffalo, WI

Built 1953 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 600

LRD BUEHLER VALLEY

Good

Over: BR TREMPEALEAU RIVER

2.1M E JCT STH 95, Buffalo, WI

Built 1987 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 34

LRD LITTLE BEAR CR

Good

Over: LITTLE BEAR CREEK

0.4M S JCT CTH K, Buffalo, WI

Built 1990 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 22

STH 25-STH 35

Good

Over: BY GOLLY CREEK

0.8M N JCT STH 35 TO S, Buffalo, WI

Built 1994 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 3,900

LRD REISCH VALLEY

Good

Over: REISCH CREEK

1.0M S JCT CTH S, Buffalo, WI

Built 1991 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 11

CTH CC

Good

Over: BR OF DANUSER CREEK

4.1M E JCT CTH U, Buffalo, WI

Built 1994 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 130

LRD CTH WW

Good

Over: SESSIONS VALLEY CREEK

0.7M N JCT USH 10, Buffalo, WI

Built 1995 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 22

CTH C

Good

Over: BR WAUMANDEE CREEK

0.2M W JCT CTH CC, Buffalo, WI

Built 1998 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 174

LRD CTH I

Good

Over: TROUT CREEK

0.1 M S JCT CTH II, Buffalo, WI

Built 2002 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 213

STH 88

Good

Over: ELK CREEK

0.1M N JCT STH 121, Buffalo, WI

Built 2004 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 800

Showing 10,101-10,150 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.