State profile · Below median Poor share

Arkansas 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 Arkansas.

12,974
Public bridges
45.8%
Good condition
5.4%
Poor condition

Arkansas holds 12,974 public highway bridges (#23 of 52 by inventory) with a 5.43% Poor share (#30 of 52 by Poor share).

That is 5.4% 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 23 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

12,974

Public highway bridges in Arkansas

Good Condition

45.8%

5,940 bridges rated 7-9

-4.2pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

5.4%

704 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

-2.1pp vs national avg 7.5%

Arkansas vs national bridge condition

Arkansas - Good condition share 45.8%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

Arkansas - Poor-condition share 18.1%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.5%.

Arkansas 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: Arkansas has 12,974 bridges and a 5.4% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #23 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 (%) AR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.43%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%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%WI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.52%WY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.51%
Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Arkansas has 12,974 bridges and a 5.4% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #23 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.

Arkansas 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

12,974 23rd of 54 higher than 31 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 Arkansas

The highlighted point is Arkansas: 12,974 bridges and 5.43% in Poor condition, rank #23 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below Arkansas on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • Indiana: 19,495 bridges · 5.22% Poor
  • Kansas: 24,894 bridges · 5.26% Poor
  • Arkansas: 12,974 bridges · 5.43% Poor
  • Washington: 8,474 bridges · 5.45% Poor
  • California: 25,848 bridges · 5.91% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in Arkansas

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 12,974 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains Arkansas’s inventory

State agency holds 57.1% of the 12,974 public highway bridges filed under Arkansas in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When Arkansas’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 13.5% of the 12,974 bridges with a recorded original year in Arkansas. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

Arkansas45.8%48.8%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - Arkansas (FHWA NBI)

Counties (75)

Arkansas 154 Ashley 106 Baxter 91 Benton 410 Boone 98 Bradley 105 Calhoun 114 Carroll 119 Chicot 88 Clark 202 Clay 200 Cleburne 53 Cleveland 79 Columbia 131 Conway 122 Craighead 442 Crawford 248 Crittenden 235 Cross 129 Dallas 103 Desha 83 Drew 149 Faulkner 219 Franklin 143 Fulton 105 Garland 319 Grant 119 Greene 251 Hempstead 174 Hot Spring 222 Howard 116 Independence 184 Izard 105 Jackson 136 Jefferson 336 Johnson 162 Lafayette 72 Lawrence 126 Lee 94 Lincoln 110 Little River 83 Logan 152 Lonoke 187 Madison 149 Marion 65 Miller 216 Mississippi 309 Monroe 85 Montgomery 199 Nevada 133 Newton 65 Ouachita 162 Perry 118 Phillips 101 Pike 95 Poinsett 194 Polk 221 Pope 188 Prairie 88 Pulaski 721 Randolph 151 Saline 231 Scott 198 Searcy 65 Sebastian 331 Sevier 164 Sharp 110 St. Francis 202 Stone 73 Union 289 Van Buren 98 Washington 449 White 322 Woodruff 79 Yell 227

Arkansas 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 Arkansas on the same metric.

IN

Indiana

5.22% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$19,495

KS

Kansas

5.26% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$24,894
Selected

AR

Arkansas

5.43% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$12,974

WA

Washington

5.45% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$8,474

CA

California

5.91% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$25,848

Bridges Needing Most Attention in Arkansas

Six lowest-condition bridges in Arkansas, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

CR 870-H OLD US 63

Poor

Over: DITCH 123

.10 MI E JCT SH 14, Poinsett, AR

Built 1933 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 667

SH 140-02- LM 9.08

Poor

Over: NATIONAL DITCH

1.7 MI E JCT SH 77, Mississippi, AR

Built 1967 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 2,900

Bucklake/Z-Ew/3.10

Poor

Over: Ditch Number 21

3.1 Miles West Of Sh 50, Crittenden, AR

Built 1955 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 360

CR20 -G 911- 108

Poor

Over: Union Pacific Railroad

0.91 M E Jct. SH 349, Craighead, AR

Built 1957 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 174

Cr74/Fulton Co.

Poor

Over: SPRING RIVER

2 M SE MAMMOTH SPRINGS, Fulton, AR

Built 1916 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 779

BOWEN BR. C.R. 244

Poor

Over: LITTLE MO RIVER

.75 M S SH 301, Hempstead, AR

Built 1944 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 9

All Bridges in Arkansas

SH 246 SEC.02-2.59

Fair

Over: SALINE RIVER

2.59 MI E POLK CO LN, Howard, AR

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 141

SH 74 Searcy

Fair

Over: LONG CREEK

10 MI E JCT SH 27-74, Searcy, AR

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 380

Us-79B/Sec14/L0.19

Fair

Over: UPRR

.14Mi E Of Jct Us 79B &79, Monroe, AR

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,600

SH 16-Wash Co.

Fair

Over: Fletcher Creek

3.97 NW OF MADISON CO, Washington, AR

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,700

SH 16-Wash Co.

Fair

Over: Snake Creek

2.38 NW OF MADISON CO, Washington, AR

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,700

SH 16-Wash Co.

Fair

Over: Schumate Creek

.90 NW OF MADISON CO, Washington, AR

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,700

SH 90- 01 LM 0.0

Fair

Over: St. Francis River

MO Border, Clay, AR

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,200

Union Co HINSON RD

Fair

Over: US 82-SEC 5 LM18.96

1.8 MI E JCT US 82 & 82B, Union, AR

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,100

SH 300 Log 16.96

Fair

Over: BIG MAUMELLE RIVER

3.3 MI N JCT SH 10, Pulaski, AR

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,400

Sh 300 Log 18.22

Fair

Over: LITTLE MAUMELLE RIVER

1.9 MI N JCT SH 10, Pulaski, AR

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,800

SH 25-06- LM 8.78

Fair

Over: STRAWBERRY RIVER

2.5 MI NE STRAWBERRY, Lawrence, AR

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,500

SH 265-Wash Co.

Fair

Over: US 71 Sec 16

0.07 SO JCT US71/I540, Washington, AR

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,500

US 270B-7 Log 2.07

Fair

Over: TOWN CREEK

.52MI N JCT OF US 67, Hot Spring, AR

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 18,000

SH 86 Log 8.56

Fair

Over: SHORT CREEK

8.5 MI SO JCT SH 38-86, Prairie, AR

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 290

SH 86 Log 7.99

Fair

Over: BUCK CREEK

7.97 MI S JCT SH 38-86, Prairie, AR

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 290

SH 86 Log 7.12

Fair

Over: FARAS RUN

7.12 MI S JCT 38-86, Prairie, AR

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 290

SH 247

Fair

Over: W Point Remove Cr Relief

5.2 MI NE SH 105, Pope, AR

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 404

SH 9/Fulton County

Fair

Over: STRAWBERRY RIVER

8.6 SW JCT US 62, Fulton, AR

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,200

SH 293-03 LM 4.77

Fair

Over: Panther Creek

0.4 Mi N SH138-PineHill, Drew, AR

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 510

SH 36 White Co.

Fair

Over: BLACK CREEK

.7 MI S JCT SH 38-36, White, AR

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,400

Sh-1/Sec-6/L-2.97

Fair

Over: Waters Bayou

3.1 Mi E Of White River, Monroe, AR

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 940

Sh-1/Sec-6/L-3.45

Fair

Over: Indian Bayou

3.45 Mi E Of White River, Monroe, AR

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 940

SH 69/Independ Co.

Fair

Over: SULPHUR SPRINGS CREEK

.7 MI SO SH 233 & 69, Independence, AR

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,500

SH 27 SEC 2 -11.93

Fair

Over: MINE CREEK

1.5 MI SO OF NASHVILLE, Howard, AR

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,100

SH 27- 02 - 12.47

Fair

Over: SANDY BRANCH

1 MI SE OF NASHVILLE, Howard, AR

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,100

US 270 -7 Log 0.55

Fair

Over: TIGRE CREEK

.55 E OF GARLAND CO LN, Hot Spring, AR

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 13,000

US HWY 71-Logan Co

Fair

Over: Little Petit Jean River

0.65 MI N. OF Scott Co, Logan, AR

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,700

WHITE CO RD 86-B

Fair

Over: US 67 OP WHITE

5.86 MI NE JCT US 167, White, AR

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 103

Southland Drive/zD

Fair

Over: 10 Mile Bayou

.8 M NE I55 & N.INGRAM, Crittenden, AR

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,545

RODNEY PARHAM ROAD

Fair

Over: GRASSY FLAT CREEK

ROD PAR&BROOKSIDE, Pulaski, AR

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 26,000

US 70

Fair

Over: LAKE HAMILTON

2 SW JCT SH 270, Garland, AR

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 34,000

SH 9

Fair

Over: Cypress Creek

11.75 MI N Morrilton, Conway, AR

Built 1982 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,200

SH 19 - 05 - 0.30

Fair

Over: GARLAND CREEK

.32 MI NO OF JCT SH 24, Nevada, AR

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,604

State Highway 248

Fair

Over: Cross Creek-Scott Co.

2.7 MI WEST OF WINFIELD, Scott, AR

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 360

SH 105

Fair

Over: Galla Creek

4.94 M S of Atkins, Pope, AR

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 150

US 82-District 2

Fair

Over: OUACHITA RIVER

9.1 MI W SH 133, Ashley, AR

Built 1986 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,800

SH 112-Wash Co.

Fair

Over: Brush Creek

0.5 MI SO BENTON CO LN, Washington, AR

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 11,000

SH 112 Benton 2

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

2.32 MI N WASHINGTON CO L, Benton, AR

Built 1982 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,000

SH 112 Benton 2

Fair

Over: OSAGE CREEK

5.06 MI N WASHINGTON CO L, Benton, AR

Built 1982 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 9,698

US 67- Jackson Co.

Fair

Over: White River - District 5

1.5 MI SO OF JCT SH 224, Jackson, AR

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,000

I-555 FRTG RD/ACCE

Fair

Over: Union Pacific R/R

2.26 MI E JCT SH 18, Craighead, AR

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,791

I49 NB MN LN RAMP

Fair

Over: US 71B Mn Lns-Wash. Co.

I49 & US 71B, Washington, AR

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 68,000

Watkins Avenue

Fair

Over: I-49 - Washington Co.

4.6 MI N Jct 71B-17B, Washington, AR

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,500

SH 7

Fair

Over: Mccoy Creek

9.89 M N Jct US 64, Pope, AR

Built 1982 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,500

SH 16 Madison Co.

Fair

Over: DELANEY CREEK

NE OUTSKIRTS OF DELANEY, Madison, AR

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,100

SH 16 Madison Co

Fair

Over: POSSUM CREEK

SE OUTSKIRTS OF PATRICK, Madison, AR

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,100

SH 16 Madison Co.

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

10.52 SO OF WASHINGTON CO, Madison, AR

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 950

Madison Co SH 23

Fair

Over: WEST FLEMING CR

1.14 N FRANKLIN CO LINE, Madison, AR

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 770

SH 87 White County

Fair

Over: GLADE CREEK

.8 MI NW OF SH 11, White, AR

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 460

SH 53 - 02- 0.79

Fair

Over: LITTLE MISSOURI RELIEF

2.0MI N OF SH 24, Nevada, AR

Built 1982 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 980

Showing 5,051-5,100 of 12,974 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 Arkansas's inventory picture to drill to a county or a specific span.

  • Browse counties in Arkansas 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. Arkansas 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.