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 VALLEY VIEW RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE SUGAR RIVER

0.5M E JCT STH 69, Green, WI

Built 1951 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 105

LRD SUNSET RD

Fair

Over: JORDAN CREEK

1.3M S JCT CTH C, Green, WI

Built 1956 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 105

CTH D

Fair

Over: GAVIN COULEE

2.1M W JCT STH 108, La Crosse, WI

Built 1980 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 850

CTH E

Fair

Over: S BR NEW WOOD RIVER

2.5M N JCT CTH M, Lincoln, WI

Built 1973 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 107

LRD CORLAD RD

Fair

Over: POTATO CREEK

1.1M N JCT CTH A, Marathon, WI

Built 1957 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 138

LRD PLOVER RIVER R

Fair

Over: PLOVER RIVER

1.4M W JCT CTH Y, Marathon, WI

Built 1980 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 188

LRD SILVER LEAF RD

Fair

Over: RANDALL CREEK

1.9M S JCT CTH A, Marathon, WI

Built 1930 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 81

LRD INTERIOR RD

Fair

Over: BR LEMONWEIR CREEK

2.5M S JCT STH 16, Monroe, WI

Built 1970 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 47

LRD INDIGO AVE

Fair

Over: LEMONWEIR CREEK

0.3M W JCT CTH M, Monroe, WI

Built 1925 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 47

CTH CA

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

1.2M W JCT CTH N, Monroe, WI

Built 1994 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 795

CTH M

Fair

Over: BR LEMONWEIR CREEK

1.2M S JCT STH 16, Monroe, WI

Built 1991 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 700

LRD ELM ST

Fair

Over: FOX RIVER

0.3M N JCT CTH Z, Outagamie, WI

Built 1956 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 1,793

LRD ELM ST

Fair

Over: FOX RIVER

0.4M N JCT CTH Z, Outagamie, WI

Built 1956 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 1,793

CTH EE

Fair

Over: BR ISABELLE CREEK

2.1M N JCT STH 35, Pierce, WI

Built 1917 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 484

LRD 140TH AVE

Fair

Over: N BR BEAVER BROOK

0.9M E JCT CTH V, Polk, WI

Built 1969 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 43

LRD 90TH AVE

Fair

Over: BEAVER BROOK

0.7M W JCT CTH JJ, Polk, WI

Built 1971 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 954

CTH I

Fair

Over: S FK JUMP RIVER

1.5M W JCT CTH M, Price, WI

Built 1968 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 176

LRD WILLOWBROOK RD

Fair

Over: SPRING BROOK

0.6M N JCT COLLEY RD, Rock, WI

Built 1989 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 4,000

CTH M

Fair

Over: S FK MAIN CREEK

1.3M S JCT USH 8--28, Rusk, WI

Built 1981 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 379

LRD WENZEL RD

Fair

Over: E BR HONEY CREEK

0.6M N JCT CTH PF, Sauk, WI

Built 1981 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 88

LRD STETSON AVE

Fair

Over: DEER CREEK

2.0M E JCT STH 13, Taylor, WI

Built 1971 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 58

CTH G

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

0.7M S JCT CTH M, Taylor, WI

Built 1960 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 200

LRD FULLER COULEE

Fair

Over: PIGEON CREEK

0.1M W JCT USH 53, Trempealeau, WI

Built 1969 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 94

LRD RONGNLIEN RD (

Fair

Over: TROUT CREEK

0.5M S JCT STH 93, Trempealeau, WI

Built 1966 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 20

CTH D

Fair

Over: BR BUFFALO RIVER

0.1M W JCT CTH H TO E, Trempealeau, WI

Built 1979 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 813

CTH W

Fair

Over: BR SEYMOUR CREEK

0.1M E JCT CTH WW, Vernon, WI

Built 1963 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 282

LRD BLUEBERRY RD

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

0.8M S JCT CTH H, Wood, WI

Built 1940 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 50

LRD RANGE LINE RD

Fair

Over: TEN MILE CREEK

3.3M S JCT STH 73, Wood, WI

Built 1922 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 160

IRR BIA RTE 3

Fair

Over: WOLF RIVER

5 KM SOUTH OF LANGLADE, Menominee, WI

Built 2005 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 214

CTH S

Fair

Over: W BR KNAPP CR

2 MI EAST OF USH 61, Crawford, WI

Built 2011 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 195

LRD RANGELINE RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE EAU PLEINE RIVER

2.6M S JCT CTH C, Marathon, WI

Built 2023 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 270

FR 2141

Fair

Over: RAT RIVER

5.2 MI N OF JCT C, Forest, WI

Built 1951 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 50

USH 151 NB

Fair

Over: CNW RR

0.7M N JCT CTH DE, Dodge, WI

Built 1976 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 10,000

HOOVER ROAD/COUNTR

Fair

Over: WISCONSIN CENTRAL LTD. R

1 MI SW JCT STH 66/MAIN S, Portage, WI

Built 2017 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 9,420

LRD HART RD

Fair

Over: IH 39/90

.75 M E JCT CTH S, Rock, WI

Built 2016 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 2,700

LRD EAST MAIN STRE

Fair

Over: BEAVER CREEK

0.1 MI E JCT STH 21, Monroe, WI

Built 2017 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 839

LRD MORSE RD

Fair

Over: SPILLERBERG CREEK

SPILLERBERG CR, Ashland, WI

Built 1998 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 108

CTH SS S/B

Fair

Over: MEADOWS CREEK

3.3M N JCT USH 8, Barron, WI

Built 1952 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 9,745

USH 53 SB

Fair

Over: CTH W

7.2M S JCT STH 48 TO E, Barron, WI

Built 1973 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 5,900

LRD ALLEN ST

Fair

Over: USH 53

1.1M W JCT MAIN AVE, Barron, WI

Built 1977 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 3,700

USH 53 SB

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

4.0M S JCT CTH V, Barron, WI

Built 1976 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 5,150

USH 8

Fair

Over: LIGHTNING CREEK

0.8M E JCT CTH P, Barron, WI

Built 1979 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 6,600

CTH M

Fair

Over: POKEGAMA CREEK

2.5M N JCT USH 8, Barron, WI

Built 1983 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 1,000

STH 48

Fair

Over: STUMP CREEK

1.4M E JCT CTH SS TO N, Barron, WI

Built 1996 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 4,200

LRD BEACH RD

Fair

Over: LAGOON

1.4M N JCT STH 13, Bayfield, WI

Built 1990 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 69

LRD QUARRY RD

Fair

Over: BIBON LAKE

0.8M N JCT STH 13, Bayfield, WI

Built 1988 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 56

USH 2-STH 13

Fair

Over: FISH CREEK

1.1M E JCT STH 13 TO N, Bayfield, WI

Built 1991 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 11,300

STH 13

Fair

Over: CRANBERRY RIVER

8.2M N JCT CTH C TO S, Bayfield, WI

Built 1992 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 800

STH 13

Fair

Over: FLAG RIVER

14.5M N JCT CTH C TO S, Bayfield, WI

Built 1992 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 720

LRD CHEESE FACTORY

Fair

Over: IRON RIVER

0.5M W JCT CTH A, Bayfield, WI

Built 2004 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 54

Showing 4,901-4,950 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.