KY-72
Carrying KY-72 over MARTINS FK CUMBERLAND RV
.05 MI SW OF S-JCT US 421, Harlan, Kentucky
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
KY-72 in Harlan, Kentucky sits above 39% of rated Kentucky bridges on inventory load rating (36 t), while its 1970 build year is earlier than 70% of Harlan's recorded-year cohort (252 bridges).
KY-72 in Harlan, Kentucky is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1970, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 4. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Poor result describes the weakest reported component rather than the structure as a whole. No NBI category is a closure decision or a live crossing-safety verdict.
NBI record plate
Structure KY:048B00040N
INTERSTATE-ERA · PRESTRESS · MULTI-SPAN · DECK-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- PRESTRESS Prestressed concrete
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- DECK-LED Deck-led
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard load
- CAT-POOR Poor
Inspection-sheet codes from this record’s year, material family, spans, controlling component, ADT, inventory load, and NBI category, not a live closure verdict.
Bridge Snapshot: KY-72
The KY-72 bridge in Harlan, Kentucky carries KY-72 over MARTINS FK CUMBERLAND RV. It was built in 1970, making it 56 years old today. The structure is built primarily of prestressed concrete and spans 3 sections, stretching 54.9 meters (180 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 2,881 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Kentucky bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure at 6/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. Because at least one major component scores 4 or lower, this bridge falls in FHWA's Poor condition category. That category is not a closure order.
How KY-72 compares
Age against the county: built in 1970, earlier than 176 of Harlan's 252 bridges with a recorded construction year (70%), against a county median build year of 1976. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across Kentucky bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (14,532 of 14,548 rated).
KY-72 vs every rated Kentucky bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
36 Top 61% higher than 39% of 14,532 bridges
rated Kentucky bridges, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more bridges. 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 · August 2026
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Reported 0–9 component ratings from the FHWA NBI. The highlighted component is the lowest reported input to this record’s current condition category; it is not a closure or live crossing-safety decision.
Harlan inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 252 bridges in this county. Orthogonal to this structure's component profile above: a county catalog share, not a live crossing-safety verdict.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1970
- Material
- Prestressed Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 54.9 m (180 ft)
- Deck Width
- 11.0 m (36 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 2,881 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 048B00040N
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in poor condition (4/9), showing advanced deterioration on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in fair condition (6/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
KY-72 is in the federal Poor condition category. That is a component-based result, not a closure order.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Understand what Poor condition does and does not mean before drawing conclusions. Poor condition explained
- Compare KY-72 against other structures in Harlan and across Kentucky. Kentucky bridges
- Noticed visible damage or a safety concern? Report it to the agency that owns the bridge, or call 911 in an emergency. How to report a bridge
Condition codes come straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory and are not a real-time safety judgment. Only the owning agency, a state DOT, county, or other owner, can post, restrict, or close a bridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the condition ratings mean for KY-72?
KY-72 in Harlan, Kentucky has a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure rating of 6/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is KY-72 inspected?
KY-72's responsible agency sets its routine interval under FHWA's risk-based inspection rules; this page does not expose the scheduled interval. It carries about 2,881 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. KY-72 is currently shown as Poor condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for KY-72?
KY-72 has an NBI inventory load rating of 35.7 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining KY-72?
KY-72 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is KY-72 and does age affect safety?
KY-72 was built in 1970, making it 56 years old.
Disclaimer: Bridge condition data is from the FHWA NBI and reflects the last reported inspection. A Poor condition rating is not a live declaration that a bridge is closed or unsafe for travel. For current closure, posting, or safety information, contact the responsible transportation agency.
Share this inspection record
Send this source-bounded record or download its data card. An NBI condition category is not a closure or live crossing-safety verdict.
Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Component ratings, ADT, and condition category on this page are copied from the NBI record for this structure; 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.