Bridge conditions in Whatcom County, Washington
355 inventoried bridges · 20 rated poor · 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
20 of the 355 bridges the federal inventory lists in Whatcom County are rated poor; the rest split 157 good and 178 fair.
- 20 of the 355 bridges in Whatcom County, Washington, are rated in poor condition (5.6%) in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory, as of .
- 157 bridges (44.2%) are rated good and 178 (50.1%) fair.
- The median Whatcom County bridge was built in 1963.
- The busiest poor-rated bridge is SR 544 over Nooksack R Overflow (built 1994), carrying about 10,205 vehicles a day.
Good 44.2% · Fair 50.1% · Poor 5.6% of 355 bridges
Bridges rated poor
Every bridge in the county with a poor rating, busiest first. Poor means a major component is rated 4 or lower on FHWA's 0-9 scale; it is a repair flag, not a closure notice.
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| SR 544 over Nooksack R Overflow | 1994 | 10,205 | Poor |
| SR 542 over Overflow Channel No 2 | 1948 | 10,027 | Poor |
| Electric Avenue over Whatcom Creek | 1959 | 8,500 | Poor |
| NB SR 539 over Nooksack R | 1950 | 7,931 | Poor |
| Marine Dr over Access Rd Creek Old RR | 1933 | 7,694 | Poor |
| Marine Dr over BNSF RR | 1940 | 6,344 | Poor |
| SR 542 over Bell Creek | 1951 | 5,312 | Poor |
| Meador Avenue over Whatcom Creek | 1936 | 3,700 | Poor |
| SR 542 over Cornell Creek | 1931 | 1,951 | Poor |
| SR 547 over Saar Creek | 1970 | 1,522 | Poor |
| SR 542 over Fossil Creek | 1934 | 1,283 | Poor |
| SR 542 over Glacier Creek | 1956 | 1,283 | Poor |
| SR 542 over Chain UP Creek | 2010 | 1,283 | Poor |
| Goshen Rd over Anderson CR | 1973 | 1,114 | Poor |
| Jackson Rd over Terrell CR | 1975 | 1,037 | Poor |
| Lake Samish Dr N over Lake Samish | 1953 | 955 | Poor |
| SR 542 over Bagley Creek | 1946 | 636 | Poor |
| Martin Rd over Anderson CR | 1958 | 80 | Poor |
| Road over Thompson Creek | 1966 | 64 | Poor |
| Salakanum Wy over Anderson Creek | 1954 | 50 | Poor |
Busiest bridges in the county
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-5 over Orchard Dr/squalicum CR | 1958 | 39,925 | Fair |
| I-5 over Orchard Dr/squalicum CR | 1958 | 39,925 | Fair |
| I-5 over Meador Ave | 1957 | 38,169 | Fair |
| I-5 over Meador Ave | 1957 | 38,169 | Fair |
| I-5 over Iowa St | 1957 | 33,565 | Fair |
| I-5 over Whatcom Creek | 1957 | 33,565 | Fair |
| I-5 over Whatcom Creek | 1957 | 33,565 | Fair |
| I-5 over Kentucky St | 1958 | 33,565 | Good |
| I-5 over Lakeway Drive | 1958 | 32,863 | Fair |
| I-5 over Lakeway Drive | 1958 | 32,863 | Fair |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025. Counts cover inventoried highway bridges over 20 feet; ratings are reported by the state DOT.
All of Washington: Washington bridge conditions by county · every download on the data page.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.