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

LRD GROSSE RD

Good

Over: LITTLE SUAMICO RIVER

0.4M S JCT CTH J, Oconto, WI

Built 2019 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 70

LRD OLD HWY 47

Good

Over: TOAD CREEK

.1M N JCT STH 47, Outagamie, WI

Built 2021 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 99

STH 125-W COLLEGE

Good

Over: MUD CREEK

0.3M E USH 41, Outagamie, WI

Built 2023 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 30,100

LRD STONEY HILL RO

Good

Over: FLUME CREEK

0.7 MILES WEST OF CTH A, Portage, WI

Built 2017 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 102

IH 39NB/90 WB

Good

Over: CPRR / SPRING BROOK

1.9M W ILL STATE LINE, Rock, WI

Built 2020 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 29,550

IH 39 SB / IH 90 E

Good

Over: LRD RUGER AVE

2.2M E JCT USH 14 TO E, Rock, WI

Built 2019 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 29,500

IH 39 NB / IH 90 W

Good

Over: LRD RUGER AVE

1.1M W JCT STH 11 TO E, Rock, WI

Built 2018 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 29,500

CTH V

Good

Over: ONION RIVER

0.6M E JCT STH 57, Sheboygan, WI

Built 2022 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 2,075

LRD TAYLOR ROAD

Good

Over: BR COOLEY CREEK

1.4 MI SOUTH OF STH 82, Vernon, WI

Built 2009 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 146

LRD PETERSON LANE

Good

Over: COON CREEK

0.1M S JCT STH 162, Vernon, WI

Built 2015 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 10

LRD OLD LINE RD

Good

Over: BR N FK BAD AXE RIVER

1.0M S JCT USH 14, Vernon, WI

Built 2023 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 110

LRD MOHAWK RD

Good

Over: NIPPERSINK CREEK

1.7M S JCT CTH B, Walworth, WI

Built 2011 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 92

LRD MOHAWK RD

Good

Over: NIPPERSINK CREEK

2.2M S JCT CTH B, Walworth, WI

Built 2010 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 92

USH 53 NB

Good

Over: POTATO CREEK

2.69 MI N CTH A, Washburn, WI

Built 2022 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 8,500

IH 43 NB

Good

Over: STH 164

6.8 MI N JCT STH 83, Waukesha, WI

Built 2010 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 21,900

IH 43 SB

Good

Over: STH 164

3.4 MI S JCT CTH Y, Waukesha, WI

Built 2010 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 21,900

CTH Y (LANNON RD)

Good

Over: FOX RIVER

0.1M N JCT CTH VV, Waukesha, WI

Built 2013 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 3,800

LRD PINE RIVER ST

Good

Over: WILLOW CREEK

0.4M N JCT STH 21, Waushara, WI

Built 2018 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 2,000

IH 41 NB

Good

Over: LAKE BUTTE DES MORTS

1.3M N JCT STH 21 TO E, Winnebago, WI

Built 2013 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 39,050

CTH N

Good

Over: TRIB. TO YELLOW RIVER

2.9M E JCT STH 80, Wood, WI

Built 2019 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 620

LRD NORTH WILLIAMS

Good

Over: WOOD RIVER

0.8M N JCT STH 70, Burnett, WI

Built 1977 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 205

LRD 155TH AVENUE

Good

Over: LITTLE DRYWOOD CREEK

0.9 M W JCT STH 27, Chippewa, WI

Built 2023 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 130

LRD DUTCH RIDGE RO

Good

Over: LITTLE KICKAPOO CREEK

5.4 M E JCT RHIEN HOLLOW, Crawford, WI

Built 2016 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 100

IH 94 EB

Good

Over: LRD GASTON ROAD

2.26 MI. E OF IH 39/90, Dane, WI

Built 2012 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 23,600

IH 94 WB

Good

Over: LRD GASTON ROAD

2.6 W JCT CTH N, Dane, WI

Built 2011 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 23,600

CTH M

Good

Over: WSOR RR

2.3M E JCT CTH D, Dane, WI

Built 2012 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 5,300

CTH F

Good

Over: RYAN CREEK

1.0M N JCT CTH J, Dane, WI

Built 2015 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 360

LRD ELDER LANE NB

Good

Over: MAUNESHA RIVER

0.6M W JCT USH 151, Dane, WI

Built 2016 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 100

IH 39 SB / IH 90 E

Good

Over: CTH W

4.9M E JCT CTH N TO W, Dane, WI

Built 2019 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 28,325

LRD EAGLE POINT RO

Good

Over: BNSF RAILWAY COMPANY NB

1.3 MI W. JCT USH 61, Grant, WI

Built 2016 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 240

CTH G

Good

Over: PECATONICA RIVER

0.2M N JCT CTH E, Iowa, WI

Built 2012 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 721

IH 41 SB/IH 94 EB

Good

Over: CTH KR

1.8 MI E JCT STH 11, Kenosha, WI

Built 2019 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 45,300

IH 41NB/IH 94 WB

Good

Over: CTH KR

3.7 MI N JCT STH 142, Kenosha, WI

Built 2018 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 43,950

CTH KR EB

Good

Over: UPRR

3.4 MI EAST OF IH 41/94, Kenosha, WI

Built 2022 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 7,100

LRD FOX GLOVE RD

Good

Over: IH 39 NB

1.2 MILE N. OF BUS 51, Marathon, WI

Built 2011 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 230

LRD STETTIN DR

Good

Over: ARTUS CREEK

1.0M E JCT STH 107, Marathon, WI

Built 2023 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 310

STH 24 EB - JANESV

Good

Over: NW BR WHITNALL PARK CREE

0.1 MI W JCT STH 100, Milwaukee, WI

Built 2014 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 6,350

STH 24 WB - JANESV

Good

Over: NW BR WHITNALL PARK CREE

0.1M W JCT STH 100, Milwaukee, WI

Built 2014 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 6,350

IH RAMP I-94 WB -

Good

Over: LRD SERVICE RD

0.3 MI W JCT USH 45, Milwaukee, WI

Built 2015 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 6,700

CTH F

Good

Over: KINNICKINNIC RIVER

AT KINNICKINNIC STATE PA, Pierce, WI

Built 2012 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 2,987

IH 41 NB/94 WB

Good

Over: STH 20

2.3 MI N JCT STH 11, Racine, WI

Built 2014 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 48,000

LRD E MAIN ST

Good

Over: ALLEN CR

0.1M W JCT USH 14, Rock, WI

Built 2011 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 6,967

IH 39 SB / IH 90 E

Good

Over: LRD MT ZION AVE

1.1M E JCT USH 14 TO E, Rock, WI

Built 2019 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 29,500

IH 39 NB / IH 90 W

Good

Over: LRD MT ZION AVE

2.2M W JCT STH 11 TO E, Rock, WI

Built 2018 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 29,500

IH 39 NB/ IH 90 WB

Good

Over: WSOR RAILROAD

4.6M W JCT STH 26 TO N, Rock, WI

Built 2020 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 26,750

CTH M

Good

Over: SKINNER CREEK

5.3 MILES N JCT USH 8, Rusk, WI

Built 2022 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 340

USH 12 WB

Good

Over: LRD TERRYTOWN ROAD

AT TERRYTOWN ROAD, Sauk, WI

Built 2010 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 8,900

USH 12 EB

Good

Over: LRD TERRYTOWN ROAD

AT TERRYTOWN RD, Sauk, WI

Built 2010 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 8,900

USH 53-MAIN ST

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

0.5M N JCT STH 54 TO E, Trempealeau, WI

Built 2011 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 8,400

CTH D

Good

Over: BEAR CREEK

0.09 M S JCT STH 82 (AT B, Vernon, WI

Built 2014 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 542

Showing 11,601-11,650 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.