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 BRIDGE ST

Fair

Over: CMSTPP RR

0.2M W JCT STH 52, Marathon, WI

Built 1987 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 27,748

LRD PINERY RD

Fair

Over: PLOVER RIVER

1.0M W JCT CTH Y, Marathon, WI

Built 1989 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 95

CTH W

Fair

Over: TRAPPE RIVER

2.9M N JCT CTH WW, Marathon, WI

Built 1992 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 1,906

LRD DRAPER RD

Fair

Over: E BR BIG EAUPLEINE RIVER

0.7M W JCT CTH F, Marathon, WI

Built 1992 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 90

STH 29 WB SYSTEM R

Fair

Over: STH 52

2.1M N CTH NN, Marathon, WI

Built 2008 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 4,400

CTH RR

Fair

Over: MENOMINEE RIVER

5.3M N JCT STH 180, Marinette, WI

Built 1991 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 331

CTH R

Fair

Over: S BR PEMEBONWON RIVER

1.9M E JCT USH 8, Marinette, WI

Built 1993 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 351

CTH X

Fair

Over: PESHTIGO RIVER FLOWAGE

5.3M W JCT CTH A, Marinette, WI

Built 1998 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 1,000

IH 39 SB-USH 51 SB

Fair

Over: NEENAH CREEK

1.8M S JCT CTH O, Marquette, WI

Built 1959 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 15,000

IH USH51-IH39 SB

Fair

Over: STH 23

4.2M S JCT CTH D, Marquette, WI

Built 1984 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 8,900

IH39 SB-USH51 SB-S

Fair

Over: CTH CX

2.9M S JCT CTH D, Marquette, WI

Built 1984 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 8,255

IH USH51-IH39 SB

Fair

Over: CTH Z

5.9M S JCT STH 21, Marquette, WI

Built 1987 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 6,500

CTH A

Fair

Over: NEENAH CREEK

2.4M S JCT CTH D, Marquette, WI

Built 1989 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 210

CTH N

Fair

Over: MECAN RIVER

1.9M N JCT STH 23, Marquette, WI

Built 1989 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 150

IH 94 EB-STADIUM I

Fair

Over: LRD 44TH ST

2.6M E JCT STH 181 TO N, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1959 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 62,900

IH 94 WB-E-W FREEW

Fair

Over: LRD 44TH ST/ CP RAILWAY

2.4M W JCT IH 43 TO N, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1959 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 81,200

LRD W MCKINLEY AVE

Fair

Over: MILWAUKEE R

0.7M W JCT STH 32, Milwaukee, WI

Built 2004 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 16,012

STH 175 SB - STADI

Fair

Over: LRD W STATE ST

.6M N JCT IH 94, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1960 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 35,500

IH 94-E-W FREEWAY

Fair

Over: LRD HAWLEY RD

1.6 MI E JCT STH 181, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1960 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 161,000

STH 24 EB

Fair

Over: IH 41/43/894

2.4M E JCT USH 45, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1963 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 4,400

STH 24-JANESVILLE

Fair

Over: BR ROOT RIVER

1.3M E JCT CTH HH, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1963 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 12,900

IH 41 SB/894 EB/US

Fair

Over: LRD W COLD SPRING RD

3.6M E JCT STH 59 TO E, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1964 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 65,000

IH 94 WB-IH 43 NB

Fair

Over: LRD CANAL ST

5.7M N JCT IH 894 TO W, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1968 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 78,000

IH INTERCHANGE RD

Fair

Over: STH 190 (CAPITOL DR)

0.4 MI W JCT STH 190/124T, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1967 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 10,200

IH INTERCHANGE RD

Fair

Over: STH 190 (CAPITOL DR)

0.43 MI E JCT STH 190/124, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1967 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 8,200

IH 41/USH 45 NB

Fair

Over: RAMP IH 41/USH 45 - STH

5.0M N JCT IH 894 TO W, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1967 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 75,500

STH 100 NB-N LOVER

Fair

Over: LITTLE MENOMONEE RIVER

1.2M N JCT STH 190 (G), Milwaukee, WI

Built 1968 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 6,250

STH 100 SB-LOVERS

Fair

Over: LITTLE MENOMONEE RIVER

0.7M S JCT CTH E (G), Milwaukee, WI

Built 1968 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 6,250

IH 794 EB - LAKE I

Fair

Over: LRD N VAN BUREN ST / E S

1.2M E JCT IH 94, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1974 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 39,850

IH 794 EB - LAKE I

Fair

Over: LRD CHICAGO STREET

1.4 MI E JCT IH 94, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1974 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 39,850

IH RAMP LINCOLN M

Fair

Over: LRD CHICAGO ST

1.4 MI E JCT IH 94, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1974 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 8,800

IH RAMP LINCOLN M

Fair

Over: LAND

1.2 MI E JCT IH 94, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1985 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 16,150

LRD N 12TH STREET

Fair

Over: STH 145

0.1 M N JCT W VLIET ST, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1983 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 8,900

LRD WATERTOWN PLAN

Fair

Over: UNDERWOOD CREEK

0.1 MI W JCT STH 100, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1972 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 5,550

STH 57-27TH ST

Fair

Over: CMSTPP RR

0.3M N JCT STH 59, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1981 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 26,328

STH 57-27TH ST

Fair

Over: MENOMONEE RIVER

0.4M N JCT STH 59, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1981 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 26,328

STH 57-27TH ST

Fair

Over: CMSTPP RR & CANAL ST.

0.5M N JCT STH 59, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1981 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 26,328

LRD W GRANGE AVE

Fair

Over: ROOT RIVER

0.2M W JCT CTH U, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1979 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 10,680

STH 190-CAPITOL DR

Fair

Over: MILWAUKEE RIVER

1.1M E JCT IH 43 TO N, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1984 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 20,400

LRD S 16TH ST

Fair

Over: UP RR

1.9M S JCT STH 59, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1986 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 6,500

LRD S 20TH ST

Fair

Over: UP RR

0.3M N JCT OKLAHOMA AVE, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1987 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 6,100

STH 24-FOREST HOME

Fair

Over: LRD W PABST AVE

3.9M E JCT IH 894 TO E, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1996 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 5,150

STH 24-FOREST HOME

Fair

Over: LRD W PABST AVE

0.4M W JCT STH 241, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1996 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 5,150

LRD GRANGE AVENUE

Fair

Over: IH 41/94

0.7 M E JCT STH 241 27TH, Milwaukee, WI

Built 2009 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 2,400

IH 94 EB/WB

Fair

Over: IH 43 NB

0.5 MI E JCT STH 241, Milwaukee, WI

Built 2011 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 91,000

IH RAMP IH 41/USH

Fair

Over: STH 175 SB

0.2 MI N JCT IH 41, Milwaukee, WI

Built 1953 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 8,300

IH 794 EB

Fair

Over: LRD S 13TH ST

2.7 MI E JCT STH 175, Milwaukee, WI

Built 2006 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 50,600

CTH B

Fair

Over: SOPER CREEK

0.2M S JCT CTH II, Monroe, WI

Built 1997 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 436

STH 27

Fair

Over: DUSTIN CREEK

0.1M N JCT CTH I, Monroe, WI

Built 1938 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 3,300

CTH S COLLINS AV

Fair

Over: OCONTO RIVER

0.1M S JCT CTH Y, Oconto, WI

Built 1992 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 1,900

Showing 3,851-3,900 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.