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

CTH MM

Poor

Over: HAY CREEK

0.2 M E CTH D, Chippewa, WI

Built 1945 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 410

LRD FREMONT RD

Poor

Over: S BR ONEILL CREEK

2.0M W JCT USH 10, Clark, WI

Built 1976 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 116

LRD MILL ST

Poor

Over: UNION PACIFIC RR

0.1M W JCT STH 60, Columbia, WI

Built 1900 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 79

LRD W MAIL RD

Poor

Over: ST CROIX RIVER 13

2.9M S JCT CTH M, Douglas, WI

Built 1963 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 107

CTH VV

Poor

Over: BEARGRASS CREEK

0.1M E CTH V, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1924 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 160

LRD RATTLESNAKE RD

Poor

Over: BEETOWN BRANCH

1.8M S JCT STH 81, Grant, WI

Built 1950 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 37

LRD SLEEPY HOLLOW

Poor

Over: SAUNDERS CREEK

0.6M E JCT CTH S, Grant, WI

Built 1920 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 53

LRD MIDDLE JUDA RD

Poor

Over: RICHLAND CREEK

1.5M E JCT CTH K, Green, WI

Built 1975 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 158

LRD LAKEVIEW RD

Poor

Over: SNEAD CREEK

3.5M W JCT STH 23, Iowa, WI

Built 1945 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 52

LRD DROGSETH RD (D

Poor

Over: BOSTWICK CREEK

0.1M N JCT CTH I, La Crosse, WI

Built 1965 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 40

CTH T

Poor

Over: BIG SOMO RIVER

1.3M S JCT USH 8, Lincoln, WI

Built 1971 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 86

LRD 1ST AVE

Poor

Over: BIG HAY MEADOW CREEK

1.0M E JCT CTH X, Lincoln, WI

Built 1917 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 75

LRD PLEASANT RD

Poor

Over: E BR YELLOW RIVER

1.5M S JCT STH 13, Marathon, WI

Built 1947 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 132

LRD W WISCONSIN AV

Poor

Over: HONEY CREEK

0.1M E JCT STH 181, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1934 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 7,600

LRD DIXIE RD

Poor

Over: SAUK CREEK

0.1M W JCT CTH KW, Ozaukee, WI

Built 1951 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 58

CTH D

Poor

Over: EAU GALLE RIVER

1.3M W JCT STH 25, Pepin, WI

Built 1971 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 83

LRD DORWINS MILL

Poor

Over: BEAR CREEK

0.3M N JCT USH 10, Pepin, WI

Built 1973 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 87

LRD GLADE AVE

Poor

Over: BR BURGHARDT CREEK

0.1M W JCT CTH B, Pierce, WI

Built 1934 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 40

CTH E

Poor

Over: HONEY CREEK

0.6M N JCT CTH O, Sauk, WI

Built 1969 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 270

LRD OLD HIGHWAY 47

Poor

Over: HERMAN CREEK

0.1M S JCT STH 156, Shawano, WI

Built 1920 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 101

LRD SCHOOL HOUSE R

Poor

Over: N BR EMBARRASS RIVER

1.7 M E JCT CTH D, Shawano, WI

Built 1920 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 120

CTH OO

Poor

Over: ONION RIVER

0.3M E JCT STH 32, Sheboygan, WI

Built 1931 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 270

LRD RIVERVIEW RD

Poor

Over: MULLET RIVER

0.8M W JCT STH 67, Sheboygan, WI

Built 1919 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 47

CTH JJ

Poor

Over: LATCH VALLEY CREEK

1.8M N JCT CTH J, Trempealeau, WI

Built 1930 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 65

LRD SMIKRUD RD

Poor

Over: GRANT CREEK

1.8M N JCT STH 54, Trempealeau, WI

Built 1940 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 23

CTH S

Poor

Over: BR W FK KICKAPOO RIVER

0.1M S JCT CTH P, Vernon, WI

Built 1960 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 651

CTH P

Poor

Over: WARNER CREEK

2.3M W JCT CTH V, Vernon, WI

Built 1960 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 292

LRD PETERS RD

Poor

Over: CMSTPP RR

4.6M N JCT STH 67, Walworth, WI

Built 1939 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 150

LRD TOWNLINE RD

Poor

Over: TRIB. TO MILWAUKEE R

TOWN OF KEWASKUM, Washington, WI

Built 1930 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 219

LRD QUIGLEY RD

Poor

Over: LAKE POYGAN TRIB

0.2M S JCT CTH B, Winnebago, WI

Built 1920 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 40

TRNG/LOGGING TRAIL

Poor

Over: SILVER CREEK

TRNG AREA B4-MGRS 840686, Monroe, WI

Built 1999 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 2

IRR BIA RTE 10

Poor

Over: FLAMBEAU BEAR RIVER

6KM NW OF LAC DU FLAMBEAU, Iron, WI

Built 1932 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 50

FR 2169

Poor

Over: MEADOWBROOK CREEK

3.8 MI E OF JCT STH 55, Forest, WI

Built 1980 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 50

CTH D

Poor

Over: NAMEKAGON LAKE

4.0M N JCT CTH M, Bayfield, WI

Built 1971 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 575

LRD MAIN ST

Poor

Over: SPRING CREEK

3.7M N JCT CTH JJ, Calumet, WI

Built 1935 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 5,900

CTH N

Poor

Over: SOO LINE

0.6 M W CTH F, Chippewa, WI

Built 1960 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 815

LRD BLACKHAWK AVE

Poor

Over: LAND

0.7M W JCT STH 35, Crawford, WI

Built 1916 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 1,300

CTH G

Poor

Over: MT VERNON CREEK

0.2M S JCT STH 92, Dane, WI

Built 1950 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 2,189

LRD TECUMSEH AVE

Poor

Over: LAGOON DU NORD

1.6M N JCT USH 12, Dane, WI

Built 1957 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 215

CTH MN

Poor

Over: DOOR CREEK

2.7M S JCT USH 12, Dane, WI

Built 1921 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 2,600

CTH O

Poor

Over: ROCK RIVER

1.6M W JCT STH 67, Dodge, WI

Built 1952 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 770

LRD POND RD

Poor

Over: RUBICON RIVER

1.5M E JCT CTH P, Dodge, WI

Built 1954 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 264

CTH V

Poor

Over: SAND CREEK

0.1M N JCT CTH M, Dunn, WI

Built 1934 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 700

CTH MM

Poor

Over: WOLF RIVER

0.4M W CTH H, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1953 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 270

LRD LAKE MARIA RD

Poor

Over: BR ROCK RIVER

0.8M W JCT CTH EE, Fond du Lac, WI

Built 1962 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 540

CTH FF

Poor

Over: TURTLE RIVER

5.5M S JCT USH 51, Iron, WI

Built 1967 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 780

CTH H

Poor

Over: LITTLE LEMONWEIR RIVER

0.7M N JCT CTH A, Juneau, WI

Built 1959 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 873

CTH H

Poor

Over: PRAIRIE RIVER

1.4M S JCT CTH Q, Langlade, WI

Built 1963 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 246

CTH O

Poor

Over: LITTLE EAU PLEINE RIVER

1.2M S JCT CTH C, Marathon, WI

Built 1959 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 458

LRD NORDALE AVE

Poor

Over: KICKAPOO RIVER

0.3M E JCT STH 131, Monroe, WI

Built 1929 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 470

Showing 13,651-13,700 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.