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

STH 29

Fair

Over: ELM BROOK

TOWN OF HULL, Marathon, WI

Built 1998 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 9,200

STH 153

Fair

Over: JOHNSON CREEK

2.5M E JCT CTH X, Marathon, WI

Built 1998 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,600

STH 29 EB SYSTEM R

Fair

Over: LRD STEWART AVE

AT STEWERT AVE, Marathon, WI

Built 2010 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,200

STH 49

Fair

Over: COMET CREEK

3.8M N JCT CTH C, Marathon, WI

Built 1941 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,900

CTH DB

Fair

Over: LAKE DU BAY

0.5M S JCT CTH C, Marathon, WI

Built 1942 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,803

USH 8-USH 141

Fair

Over: S BR PEMEBONWON RIVER

1.0M E JCT CTH OO, Marinette, WI

Built 1970 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,600

CTH Z

Fair

Over: MENOMINEE RIVER

AT MICHIGAN STATE LINE, Marinette, WI

Built 1972 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 603

USH 8-USH 141

Fair

Over: S BR PEMEBONWON RIVER

0.5M E JCT USH 141 TO S, Marinette, WI

Built 1975 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 5,200

CTH C

Fair

Over: EAGLE CREEK

4.1M W JCT CTH A, Marinette, WI

Built 1935 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 710

CTH K

Fair

Over: MENOMINEE RIVER

TOWN OF AMBERG, Marinette, WI

Built 2002 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 170

LRD CALDRON FALLS

Fair

Over: N FK THUNDER RIVER

2.3M N JCT CTH W, Marinette, WI

Built 1995 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 175

IH USH51-IH39 NB

Fair

Over: STH 23

2.0M N JCT CTH O, Marquette, WI

Built 1984 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 8,900

IH USH 51-IH 39

Fair

Over: CHAPMAN CREEK

2.5M N JCT STH 23 TO W, Marquette, WI

Built 1985 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 17,800

LRD FOX RD

Fair

Over: NEENAH CREEK

0.5M W JCT CTH A, Marquette, WI

Built 1986 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 110

STH 22-MAIN ST

Fair

Over: FOX RIVER

0.3M N JCT CTH K, Marquette, WI

Built 1997 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 5,300

STH 82

Fair

Over: NEENAH CR

0.9M E JCT CTH EE, Marquette, WI

Built 2003 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,100

CTH BB E RAWSON A

Fair

Over: BR OAK CREEK

0.8M E JCT STH 38, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1955 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 17,100

LRD S SHEPARD AVE

Fair

Over: OAK CREEK

0.1M N JCT STH 100, Milwaukee, WI

Built 2001 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,200

STH 57-GREEN BAY A

Fair

Over: LRD W. SILVER SPRING DRI

2.1M N JCT STH 190 TO E, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1957 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 13,600

LRD N 25TH ST

Fair

Over: IH 94-E-W FREEWAY

0.6M S JCT USH 18, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1957 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 12,700

STH 175 SB

Fair

Over: IH RAMP STH 175 NB - IH

0.2M S JCT IH 94 TO W, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1959 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 24,650

STH 175 SB

Fair

Over: LAND

0.2M S JCT IH 94 TO W, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1959 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 24,650

STH 175 SB

Fair

Over: IH 94-STADIUM INTRCHNG

0.1M S JCT IH 94 TO W, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1959 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 12,600

IH RAMP IH 94 WB -

Fair

Over: LAND

0.2M S JCT IH 94 TO W, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1959 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,500

IH RAMP IH 94 WBL

Fair

Over: IH 94 EB-STADIUM INTRCH

STADIUM INTERCHANGE, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1959 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 15,800

STH 190-CAPITOL DR

Fair

Over: IH 43-N-S FREEWAY

0.7M E JCT STH 57 TO S, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1960 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 25,700

STH 100 SB-S 108TH

Fair

Over: HAST (ABANDONED CMSTPP R

0.5 MI S JCT USH 18, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1961 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 12,650

LRD S 76TH ST

Fair

Over: STH 24-FOREST HOME AVE

0.2M N JCT CTH Y, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1963 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 22,100

IH 41 SB/43 NB/894

Fair

Over: LRD S 51ST ST

3.2M N JCT USH 45 TO S, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1966 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 64,000

IH 94 EB-IH 43 SB

Fair

Over: MENOMONEE CANAL

0.4M S JCT IH 794, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1968 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 78,000

STH 38 SB-HOWELL A

Fair

Over: OAK CREEK

2.7M S JCT CTH BB (RAWSON, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1968 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 12,050

STH 38 NB-HOWELL A

Fair

Over: OAK CREEK

0.3M N JCT STH 100, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1968 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 12,050

IH 43 SB-USH 45 SB

Fair

Over: STH 100 - S 108TH ST

0.8 MI S JCT IH 894, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1965 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 38,250

STH 100-N 108TH ST

Fair

Over: WILDCAT CREEK

0.8M N JCT USH 45 TO N, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1968 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 23,900

IH 41/43/894

Fair

Over: HONEY CREEK

2.9M N JCT USH 45 TO S, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1966 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 128,000

LRD H DAVIDSON ACC

Fair

Over: STH 190 (CAPITOL DR)

0.06 MI W JCT STH 190/USH, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1967 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 720

IH 41/USH 45 SB

Fair

Over: RAMP IH 41/USH 45 - STH

2.1M S JCT STH 100 TO S, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1967 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 75,500

STH 190 EB-CAPITOL

Fair

Over: LRD MENOMONEE RIVER PARK

0.3M E JCT IH 41/USH 45 T, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1967 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 19,500

STH 59-GREENFIELD

Fair

Over: UNDERWOOD CREEK

1.1M E JCT CTH MM, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1972 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 17,000

IH 41/USH 45/STH 1

Fair

Over: STH 145

2.5 MI S JCT STH 74, Milwaukee, WI

Built 2000 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 51,000

IH RAMP IH-794 WB

Fair

Over: PARKING LOT

1.3 MI E JCT IH-43, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1975 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 16,150

IH RAMP IH-794 WB

Fair

Over: LRD N HARBOR DR

.5M N CHICAGO ST., Milwaukee, WI

Built 1975 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 16,150

IH 794 WB-E-W FREE

Fair

Over: IH RAMP IH 794WB-MILW ST

0.9 MI E JCT IH-43, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1975 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 39,850

IH 794 EB-LAKE FRE

Fair

Over: LAND

1.6 MI E JCT IH 94, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1974 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 25,200

IH 794 EB - LAKE F

Fair

Over: LAND

1.4 MI E JCT IH 94, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1974 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 25,200

IH 794 EB-LAKE FRE

Fair

Over: LAND

2.1 MI E JCT IH 94, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1974 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 25,200

IH 794 EB-LAKE FRE

Fair

Over: DOCK RR

2.2 MI E JCT IH 94, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1974 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 25,200

IH 794 EB-LAKE FRE

Fair

Over: DOCK RR

2.3 MI E JCT IH 94, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1974 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 25,200

STH 100-BROWN DEER

Fair

Over: BEAVER CREEK

0.5M N JCT STH 181 TO N, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1969 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 27,900

STH 100-BROWN DEER

Fair

Over: BEAVER CREEK

0.9M E JCT STH 181, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1969 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 27,900

Showing 3,201-3,250 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.