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 BB

Poor

Over: BORST VALLEY CREEK

0.2M E JCT CTH V, Trempealeau, WI

Built 1940 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 21

CTH Y

Poor

Over: SOUTH SQUAW CREEK

1.5M W JCT CTH M, Wood, WI

Built 1938 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 120

LRD DEWEY ST

Poor

Over: EAU CLAIRE RIVER

0.1M E JCT USH B12, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1931 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 1,400

CTH X

Poor

Over: EAST RIVER

0.8M W JCT CTH GV, Brown, WI

Built 1982 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 6,800

LRD 5TH STREET

Poor

Over: BLACK RIVER

1.4M E JCT USH 10, Clark, WI

Built 1977 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 3,751

IH 94 WB

Poor

Over: LRD ROCK LAKE RD

1.4M W JCT STH 89 TO N, Jefferson, WI

Built 1965 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 19,150

IH 90 WB

Poor

Over: CTH M

1.4M W JCT CTH C TO N, La Crosse, WI

Built 1968 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 13,200

CTH II

Poor

Over: BOSTWICK CREEK

0.2M N JCT CTH I, La Crosse, WI

Built 1976 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 214

LRD N 35TH ST

Poor

Over: IH 94-E-W FREEWAY

0.7M N JCT STH 59, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1961 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 16,500

LRD S 92ND ST

Poor

Over: IH 41/43/894

0.2 MI N JCT CTH Y, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1964 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 6,000

LRD W LEON TERRACE

Poor

Over: LITTLE MENOMONEE RIVER

0.2 MI W JCT MILL RD, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1965 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,500

STH 100 SB-MAYFAIR

Poor

Over: MENOMONEE RIVER

0.3M S JCT STH 190, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1968 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 11,300

IH 41/USH 45/STH 1

Poor

Over: CTH W MILL RD (CTH S)

0.9 MI S JCT CTH PP, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1967 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 58,500

IH 41/USH 45/STH 1

Poor

Over: CTH W MILL RD (CTH S)

1.2 MI N JCT CTH E, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1967 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 58,500

LRD S 43RD ST

Poor

Over: KINNICKINNICK RIVER

0.4M N JCT STH 24, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1987 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 19,025

LRD HEMLOCK ST

Poor

Over: PIGEON RIVER

0.1M N JCT USH 45, Waupaca, WI

Built 1958 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,500

USH 10 WB

Poor

Over: STH 49S - STH 54W

1.2M W JCT STH 22 TO S, Waupaca, WI

Built 1965 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 10,350

LRD TAYLOR ST

Poor

Over: BEAVER CREEK

0.2M N JCT STH 54, Brown, WI

Built 1970 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 9,300

CTH G

Poor

Over: PECATONICA RIVER

1.7 MN JCT CTH E, Iowa, WI

Built 1973 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 327

CTH E

Poor

Over: BR AMES BRANCH

2.1M W JCT CTH K, Lafayette, WI

Built 1966 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 282

CTH O

Poor

Over: MINERAL POINT BRANCH

2.0M N JCT CTH C, Lafayette, WI

Built 1970 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 199

LRD BEVENT RD (DEA

Poor

Over: LITTLE EAU CLAIRE RIVER

1.5M W JCT CTH J, Marathon, WI

Built 1964 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 90

CTH B MAIN ST

Poor

Over: BR HONEY CREEK

0.2M E JCT STH 23, Sauk, WI

Built 1969 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,500

LRD NICHOLS DR

Poor

Over: PENSAUKEE RIVER

2.7M E JCT CTH C, Shawano, WI

Built 1915 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

LRD SKUNK COULEE R

Poor

Over: GRANT CREEK

0.9M N JCT STH 54, Trempealeau, WI

Built 1928 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 58

LRD TWINDE LANE (D

Poor

Over: BEAR CREEK

0.1M W JCT USH 53, Trempealeau, WI

Built 1968 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 20

CTH N

Poor

Over: S FK BAD AXE RIVER

3.3M S JCT STH 56, Vernon, WI

Built 1951 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 162

CTH HH

Poor

Over: BR HEMLOCK CREEK

2.5M S JCT CTH N, Wood, WI

Built 1914 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 480

LRD STADT RD

Poor

Over: SQUAW CREEK

0.6M N JCT CTH Y, Wood, WI

Built 1950 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 47

STH 13

Poor

Over: SAND RIVER

2.6M N JCT CTH K TO E, Bayfield, WI

Built 1956 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 880

CTH EE

Poor

Over: ASHWAUBENON CREEK

0.2M W JCT USH 41, Brown, WI

Built 1965 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 8,200

CTH D

Poor

Over: BR PLUM CREEK

1.3M S JCT CTH Z, Brown, WI

Built 1986 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,600

CTH D

Poor

Over: NORWEGIAN VALLEY CREEK

0.1M N JCT CTH KK, Buffalo, WI

Built 1928 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 303

CTH M

Poor

Over: CAMERON CREEK

0.3M S JCT CTH GG, Clark, WI

Built 1975 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 336

LRD JOHN NOLEN DR

Poor

Over: LAKE MONONA

1.1M N JCT CTH MC, Dane, WI

Built 1968 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 21,600

CTH N

Poor

Over: MENOMINEE RIVER

2.0M E JCT CTH B, Florence, WI

Built 1973 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,500

CTH Q

Poor

Over: FENNIMORE CREEK

3.5M W JCT CTH G, Grant, WI

Built 1984 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 519

STH 54

Poor

Over: WILSON CREEK

0.2M E JCT CTH V TO N, Jackson, WI

Built 1936 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 640

USH STH 52 EB-USH

Poor

Over: WISCONSIN RIVER 31

0.4M S JCT STH 52 TO W, Marathon, WI

Built 1915 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 28,144

LRD W HOWARD AVE

Poor

Over: IH 41/ IH 894/ USH 45

0.4 MI E JCT STH 100, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1964 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,000

STH 181 SB-N 76TH

Poor

Over: STH 145-W FOND DU LAC AV

2.3M S JCT CTH PP, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1964 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 13,600

LRD N 16TH ST

Poor

Over: MENOMONEE RIVER

0.8M N JCT STH 59, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1929 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 9,300

LRD KEMP STREET

Poor

Over: WISCONSIN RIVER 46

0.8M E JCT STH 47 TO N, Oneida, WI

Built 1956 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 8,213

CTH W

Poor

Over: FOX RIVER

0.1M N JCT CTH A, Racine, WI

Built 1955 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 5,900

STH 213-4TH ST

Poor

Over: ROCK RIVER

0.1M N JCT USH 51, Rock, WI

Built 1962 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 5,700

CTH N

Poor

Over: OTTER CREEK

0.1M W JCT STH 26, Rock, WI

Built 1964 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,461

LRD 22ND AVENUE

Poor

Over: SPRING CREEK

0.2M W JCT CTH NN, Barron, WI

Built 1968 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 47

CTH F

Poor

Over: DORITS CREEK

2.6M N JCT CTH A TO W, Barron, WI

Built 1950 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 926

LRD 15TH AVE

Poor

Over: RICE CREEK

1.9M E JCT CTH SS, Barron, WI

Built 1973 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 94

LRD BLOCK RD (DEAD

Poor

Over: LITTLE WAUMANDEE CREEK

0.2M W JCT STH 88, Buffalo, WI

Built 1926 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 10

Showing 14,201-14,250 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.