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 WRIGLEY DR

Good

Over: WHITE RIVER

2.6M N JCT CTH BB, Walworth, WI

Built 2012 Load: 46.7 t ADT: 6,600

East Maneuver Road

Good

Over: Tarr Creek

E Mnvr/N of HWY21, Monroe, WI

Built 2002 Load: 46.7 t ADT: 200

CTH T

Good

Over: VERMILLION RIVER

4.2M E JCT CTH P, Barron, WI

Built 1991 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 872

LRD 16TH AVE

Good

Over: BARKER CREEK

.2M E OF 17TH STREET, Barron, WI

Built 2006 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 116

LRD ALTAMONT RD

Good

Over: MARENGO RIVER

5.6M S JCT CTH E, Bayfield, WI

Built 1999 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 51

CTH V

Good

Over: BAIRD CREEK

0.6M E JCT CTH QQ, Brown, WI

Built 1994 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 2,600

STH 57 NB

Good

Over: WEQUIOCK CREEK

1.6M N JCT STH 54 TO E, Brown, WI

Built 2002 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 9,050

CTH G

Good

Over: DUTCHMANS CREEK

0.2M E JCT CTH GE, Brown, WI

Built 2009 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 1,900

STH 35

Good

Over: DEER CREEK

3.0M N JCT CTH I, Buffalo, WI

Built 1988 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 2,400

LRD BAECKER RD

Good

Over: WAUMANDEE CREEK

0.1M W JCT CTH U, Buffalo, WI

Built 2002 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 31

LRD CENTER CREEK R

Good

Over: CENTER CREEK

1.5M S JCT CTH KK, Buffalo, WI

Built 2002 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 37

LRD BUELLS VALLEY

Good

Over: WAUMANDEE CREEK

3.0M N JCT CTH X, Buffalo, WI

Built 2005 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 28

LRD BALK ROAD

Good

Over: LITTLE WAUMANDEE CREEK

0.1M N JCT STH 88, Buffalo, WI

Built 2005 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 14

STH 70

Good

Over: ST CROIX RIVER 08

AT MINNESOTA STATE LINE, Burnett, WI

Built 1991 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 3,800

LRD SAND ROAD

Good

Over: N. FORK OF CLAM RIVER

1.5M W JCT CTH H, Burnett, WI

Built 1994 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 111

LRD HEART LAKE ROA

Good

Over: N FK CLAM RIVER

0.5M E JCT CTH H, Burnett, WI

Built 1994 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 100

LRD 80TH AVENUE

Good

Over: LOTZ CREEK

0.3 M E 290TH STREET, Chippewa, WI

Built 1991 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 100

LRD 80TH AVENUE

Good

Over: HAY CREEK

0.3 M E 320TH STREET, Chippewa, WI

Built 1991 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 90

LRD 10TH AVENUE

Good

Over: BR LITTLE OTTER CREEK

0.1 M E CTH H, Chippewa, WI

Built 1998 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 585

LRD 295TH ST GIEBE

Good

Over: BRANCH JUMP RIVER

0.2 M S 300TH AVE, Chippewa, WI

Built 1998 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 75

LRD 250TH STREET

Good

Over: PAINT CREEK

1.2 M N 20TH AVENUE, Chippewa, WI

Built 2006 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 180

CTH K

Good

Over: CRAWFISH R

0.2 MILE EAST OF CTH A, Columbia, WI

Built 2008 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 488

LRD SUNNY RIDGE RO

Good

Over: TRIB TO KICKAPOO RIVER

0.1 MI E JCT STH 131, Crawford, WI

Built 2008 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 93

LRD GRAHAM HOLLOW

Good

Over: E BR RICHLAND CREEK

1.7M S JCT CTH W, Crawford, WI

Built 1991 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 47

LRD RUSH CREEK RD

Good

Over: COOLEY CREEK

2.4M N JCT STH 35, Crawford, WI

Built 1992 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 90

LRD SPRING VALLEY

Good

Over: BR RICHLAND CREEK

2.7M W JCT USH 61, Crawford, WI

Built 2004 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 106

USH 18/STH 35/STH

Good

Over: VINEYARD VALLEY COULEE D

3.0M E JCT STH 35 TO N, Crawford, WI

Built 2016 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 6,600

LRD ALBION RD

Good

Over: SAUNDERS CREEK

0.1M S JCT EDGERTON RD, Dane, WI

Built 1994 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 1,900

USH 12-MAIN ST

Good

Over: KOSHKONONG CREEK

0.4M E JCT STH 134, Dane, WI

Built 1998 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 8,000

IH 90 EB

Good

Over: CNW RR

3.0M E JCT IH 94 TO E, Dane, WI

Built 1997 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 48,700

IH 39 NB/90 WB

Good

Over: CNW RR

1.6M W JCT USH 12 TO E, Dane, WI

Built 1997 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 48,700

LRD KITTLESON RD

Good

Over: PLEASANT VALLEY BRANCH

0.2M E JCT CTH H, Dane, WI

Built 1998 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 146

LRD BUCKEYE RD

Good

Over: IH 39/90

1.6 MI N OF USH 12/18, Dane, WI

Built 2008 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 4,800

STH 113

Good

Over: TRIB TO SPRING CR

TRIB TO SPRING CR, Dane, WI

Built 2003 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 5,900

LRD DEMING WAY

Good

Over: PHEASANT BRANCH CREEK

PHEASANT BR, Dane, WI

Built 2003 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 6,800

LRD PARMENTER STRE

Good

Over: PHEASANT BRANCH CREEK

0.4M S. JCT CTH M, Dane, WI

Built 2006 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 10,400

LRD PARMENTER ST S

Good

Over: PHEASANT BR CR

0.4M S JCT CTH M, Dane, WI

Built 2006 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 10,400

CTH S & P

Good

Over: SUGAR RIVER

1.0M S JCT CTH J, Dane, WI

Built 2007 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 6,886

STH 26 NB

Good

Over: CANADIAN PACIFIC RR

1.1 MI. N STH 19, Dodge, WI

Built 2012 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 10,200

STH 26 SB

Good

Over: CANADIAN PACIFIC RR

0.6 MI. S JCT STH 16, Dodge, WI

Built 2012 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 10,200

CTH G MILL ST

Good

Over: BEAVER DAM RIVER

0.1M W JCT CTH KW, Dodge, WI

Built 2008 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 1,600

USH 151 SB

Good

Over: E BR FOND DU LAC R

AT E BR FOND DU LAC R, Fond du Lac, WI

Built 2008 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 5,750

LRD CTH RP

Good

Over: ANDERSON CREEK

1.5M N JCT CTH OO, Fond du Lac, WI

Built 2006 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 1,800

CTH Q

Good

Over: S BR MANITOWOC RIVER

0.1M S JCT CTH W, Fond du Lac, WI

Built 2006 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 1,567

STH 175

Good

Over: USH 151

AT, Fond du Lac, WI

Built 2008 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 3,900

STH 133-MAIN ST

Good

Over: POTOSI BRANCH

3.0M N JCT STH 32/USH 61, Grant, WI

Built 1997 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 810

LRD WISCONSIN VALL

Good

Over: TRIB. TO BIG GREEN RIVER

0.3 MI N JCT CTH T, Grant, WI

Built 2008 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 102

CTH FF

Good

Over: BELLE FOUNTAIN CREEK

0.1M N JCT STH 44, Green Lake, WI

Built 1985 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 470

STH 73

Good

Over: BLACK CREEK

1.7M N JCT CTH Y, Green Lake, WI

Built 2001 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 2,600

LRD BYRN GRWYNN RD

Good

Over: BR TROUT CREEK

1.0M E JCT CTH T, Iowa, WI

Built 2001 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 83

Showing 13,051-13,100 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.