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 W

Poor

Over: HARVEY CREEK

1.4 N JCT STH 10, Pepin, WI

Built 1977 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 150

LRD 5TH STREET

Poor

Over: APPLE RIVER

0.7M E JCT CTH T, Polk, WI

Built 1977 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 43

CTH BB

Poor

Over: BORST VALLEY CREEK

0.1M N JCT STH 121, Trempealeau, WI

Built 1968 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 50

STH 169

Poor

Over: BAD RIVER

0.4M N JCT STH 13, Ashland, WI

Built 1987 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 500

CTH S

Poor

Over: DUNCAN CREEK

0.5 M E CTH Q, Chippewa, WI

Built 1978 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 5,515

STH 98-ELM DR

Poor

Over: BEAR CREEK

0.5M E JCT CTH K TO S, Clark, WI

Built 1920 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 3,300

CTH E

Poor

Over: N. FK. POPPLE RIVER

0.3M N JCT CTH A, Clark, WI

Built 1995 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 979

LRD JOHN NOLEN DR

Poor

Over: LAKE MONONA

0.7M N JCT CTH MC, Dane, WI

Built 1975 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 43,200

CTH HH

Poor

Over: SPRING CREEK

0.22M E OF CTH H-NORTH, Dunn, WI

Built 1937 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 50

CTH BB

Poor

Over: N BR E TWIN RIVER

0.8M W JCT CTH B, Kewaunee, WI

Built 1978 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 1,200

LRD LINCOLN DR

Poor

Over: LITTLE RIB RIVER

1.3M W JCT CTH O, Marathon, WI

Built 1991 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 63

STH 181 NB-N 76TH

Poor

Over: CNW RR

1.2M N JCT CTH PP, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1969 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 11,750

STH 38-CHASE AVE

Poor

Over: CNW RR

3.7M N JCT CTH ZZ, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1939 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 11,000

STH 181-S 84TH ST

Poor

Over: HONEY CREEK

0.2M N JCT IH 94 TO E, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1934 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 13,800

LRD TOWN ST

Poor

Over: S FK JUMP RIVER

0.4M S JCT USH 8, Price, WI

Built 2005 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 120

LRD RIVER STREET

Poor

Over: TREMPEALEAU RIVER

0.1M E JCT STH 93, Trempealeau, WI

Built 1984 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 231

USH 10-USH 53-10TH

Poor

Over: BUFFALO RIVER

0.9M E JCT CTH K, Trempealeau, WI

Built 1937 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 4,400

CTH C

Poor

Over: GREEN CREEK

1.1M N JCT CTH H TO N, Vernon, WI

Built 1932 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 325

LRD EVERGREEN RD

Poor

Over: KOLIN CREEK

2.6M W JCT CTH A, Bayfield, WI

Built 1950 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 65

LRD JOHN NOLEN DR

Poor

Over: LAKE MONONA

0.7M N JCT CTH MC, Dane, WI

Built 1966 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 36,900

LRD JOHN NOLEN DR

Poor

Over: LAKE MONONA

0.1 M S JCT USH 151, Dane, WI

Built 1968 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 36,900

LRD NEFF RD

Poor

Over: FENNIMORE CREEK

0.1M W JCT CTH Q, Grant, WI

Built 1973 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 102

CTH A

Poor

Over: PIKE RIVER

0.1M E JCT STH 31, Kenosha, WI

Built 1978 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 2,600

LRD N 25TH STREET

Poor

Over: MENOMONEE RIVER

0.8M S JCT USH 18, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1980 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 8,800

CTH I

Poor

Over: S FK JUMP RIVER

2.0M W JCT CTH M, Price, WI

Built 1969 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 180

LRD WALRATH RD

Poor

Over: S BEAR CREEK

0.3M E JCT CTH B-86, Rusk, WI

Built 1964 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 108

LRD PLEASANT VALLE

Poor

Over: BR CEDAR CREEK

0.3M W JCT CTH G, Washington, WI

Built 1930 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 205

CTH MM DUTCHMAN R

Poor

Over: SORENSONS CREEK

0.6M S JCT USH 141, Brown, WI

Built 2004 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 3,000

LRD BRIDGEWATER AV

Poor

Over: DUNCAN CREEK

0.3 M W STH 124, Chippewa, WI

Built 1934 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 2,855

CTH T

Poor

Over: ELK CREEK

0.2 M N CTH N, Chippewa, WI

Built 1994 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 420

CTH A

Poor

Over: DRY HOLLOW CREEK

0.1M S JCT CTH P, Grant, WI

Built 1963 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 830

LRD 6TH AVE

Poor

Over: LITTLE SUGAR RIVER

0.1M E JCT STH 69, Green, WI

Built 1976 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 590

LRD STETTIN DRIVE

Poor

Over: LITTLE RIB RIVER

2.3M W JCT STH 52, Marathon, WI

Built 1985 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 1,100

CTH K

Poor

Over: PIKE RIVER

4.1M E JCT USH 141, Marinette, WI

Built 1978 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 512

LRD W LAYTON AVE

Poor

Over: STH 24-FOREST HOME AVE

0.3M W JCT CTH U, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1963 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 26,700

CTH V

Poor

Over: OCONTO RIVER

0.2M E JCT CTH VV, Oconto, WI

Built 1979 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 580

LRD UNION ST

Poor

Over: FLUME CREEK

0.1M N JCT STH 66, Portage, WI

Built 1992 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 962

CTH K

Poor

Over: WIND LAKE DR CANAL

1.4M W JCT CTH S, Racine, WI

Built 1975 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 2,300

LRD N

Poor

Over: WILLOW CREEK

0.1M N JCT STH 58, Richland, WI

Built 1984 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 80

LRD POLLEY LANE

Poor

Over: HAY CREEK

0.1M E JCT CTH B, Taylor, WI

Built 1981 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 92

CTH F

Poor

Over: CLAM RIVER

5.2M W JCT CTH FF, Burnett, WI

Built 1972 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 228

CTH S

Poor

Over: LITTLE DRYWOOD CREEK

0.3 M E 245TH STREET, Chippewa, WI

Built 1947 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 840

CTH CM

Poor

Over: FOX RIVER

0.1M E JCT CTH T, Columbia, WI

Built 1958 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 500

LRD COLUMBUS ST

Poor

Over: PLOVER RIVER

0.7M N JCT STH 29, Marathon, WI

Built 1958 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 391

CTH C

Poor

Over: N BR HONEY CREEK

0.3M N JCT CTH PF, Sauk, WI

Built 1964 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 230

LRD LOGA RD

Poor

Over: ELK CREEK

0.3M N JCT CTH E, Trempealeau, WI

Built 1964 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 293

LRD WOODENSHOE RD

Poor

Over: NEENAH SLOUGH

1.2M S JCT CTH G, Winnebago, WI

Built 1925 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 38

LRD TOWN ROAD WREN

Poor

Over: E BR YELLOW RIVER

0.1M N JCT CTH H, Wood, WI

Built 1915 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 60

STH 131-RAILROAD S

Poor

Over: BR KICKAPOO RIVER

0.2M N JCT CTH E, Crawford, WI

Built 1941 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 600

USH 12

Poor

Over: OTTER CREEK

0.4M E JCT USH 53 TO N, Eau Claire, WI

Built 1988 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 20,800

Showing 14,351-14,400 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.