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

CR 59/Danville Rd

Fair

Over: Creek

1.05 west Mt Ida Rd., Saline, AR

Built 2014 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 208

Union CORD 248 Z-H

Fair

Over: West Three Creeks

1.30 M E of Int. 35 & 248, Union, AR

Built 2011 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 101

Dayton Rd

Fair

Over: W Fork of Point Remove

2.3 Mi N of Jct SH 95, Van Buren, AR

Built 2005 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 236

CR 109 Newton

Fair

Over: Osage Creek

0.1 Mi N of Hwy 43, Newton, AR

Built 1993 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 387

CR.621-D-0.08

Fair

Over: Holly Creek

0.08 Mi N of Jct US278, Howard, AR

Built 1988 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 22

Mt Pleasant/CR518

Fair

Over: BARNES CREEK

.7 Ml W ST HWY 249, Prairie, AR

Built 2014 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 86

Ouachita CR 92 Z-C

Fair

Over: MARSHALL CREEK

1.01 MI W Co RD 97, Ouachita, AR

Built 2014 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 285

CR 452 - H

Fair

Over: Caney Ditch

1 Mi E of Otwell, Craighead, AR

Built 2014 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 90

Col. CR 5 Z-H

Fair

Over: Hurricane Creek

2 mi. N Hwy 98 & CR 5, Columbia, AR

Built 2015 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 684

Custer Blvd

Fair

Over: Ditch City of Ft. Smith

0.9 M E of Wells Lake Rd, Sebastian, AR

Built 1950 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,249

Clarkedale/Z-D/7.6

Fair

Over: Ditch No 8

7.61 MI Jct. CR 30 & 6, Crittenden, AR

Built 2016 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 115

Ouachita CR 30 Z-E

Fair

Over: Tulip Creek

2.91 miles W SH 7, Ouachita, AR

Built 2015 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2

CR 874-A

Fair

Over: Honey Cypress Ditch

2 miles South of Caraway, Craighead, AR

Built 2015 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 129

Calhoun CR 20 Z-C

Fair

Over: Ditch

1.50 Mi. S CR 29, Calhoun, AR

Built 2017 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 668

CR 20 Newton

Fair

Over: Henson Creek

1.06 West SH 327, Newton, AR

Built 2005 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 70

CR 782 Benton

Fair

Over: Otter Creek

0.08 M So. SH 72, Benton, AR

Built 2015 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 328

Co Rd 7-Polk Co.

Fair

Over: Rolling Fork River

2.3 Mi SE Jct Co Rd 8 & 7, Polk, AR

Built 2015 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 68

Bellview Rd. Rgrs

Fair

Over: OSAGE CREEK

0.4 MI S of I-49, Benton, AR

Built 2016 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,380

County Road 40

Fair

Over: Cedar Creek Polk County

1.50 Mi N. Jct. Co Rd 3, Polk, AR

Built 2015 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 137

Auburn Rd. Chaffee

Fair

Over: Big Creek Trib. BR 021

0.16 Mi. So. Jct. Hwy. 22, Sebastian, AR

Built 2017 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 14

Ouachita CR 99 Z-A

Fair

Over: CREEK

2.22 Mi. NE JCT FAS 1695, Ouachita, AR

Built 2017 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 22

Detonti Rd

Fair

Over: Mud Creek

0.94 miles E of Hwy 35, Saline, AR

Built 2018 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 711

Mars Hill Road

Fair

Over: Wet Lost Creek

4.4 miles E of Hwy 35, Saline, AR

Built 2018 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10

Oak Hill Rd/CR 60

Fair

Over: Creek/Polk Co.

0.3 SO JCT SH 8 & CR 60, Polk, AR

Built 2018 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 39

Ouachita CR 44 Z-B

Fair

Over: PALMER BAYOU

.2 MI E JCT US 79B&SH 7, Ouachita, AR

Built 2018 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 36

CR 55-C (911=938)

Fair

Over: Drainage Ditch

.76 Mi E of Brookland, Craighead, AR

Built 2018 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 26

CR 19/ Jasper Road

Fair

Over: Creek

0.20 M S SH 114 - Star Ci, Lincoln, AR

Built 2018 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 40

Grand Ave.Ft Smith

Fair

Over: Clayton Branch

0.18 miles East of I-540, Sebastian, AR

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 431

CR3370

Fair

Over: Kecks Creek

3 M E JCT SH 23, Madison, AR

Built 2019 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 313

Oakbrook Road

Fair

Over: Creek

0.3 N of HWY 5, Saline, AR

Built 2000 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 263

Ritchie Ln/CR 569

Fair

Over: Bayou Meto Creek

2.75 MI SW Otto, Faulkner, AR

Built 2019 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 464

CR 717

Fair

Over: West Cache River Ditch

1 MI SW Sedgwick, Lawrence, AR

Built 2013 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 18

CR 6 Finch Rd.

Fair

Over: Big Hill Creek

1.1 MI W SH 84, Hot Spring, AR

Built 2019 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 325

N. 8th St/

Fair

Over: Dodson Creek

JUST S OF HIGH SCHOOL, Howard, AR

Built 2020 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,500

Morris Dr.

Fair

Over: Coon Creek

.46 Mi.S.Babb/ScogginsRd, White, AR

Built 2019 Load: 32.7 t

Shimrod Road

Fair

Over: creek

0.3 N of Sunnybrook Rd., Saline, AR

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

N. Pump Station Rd

Fair

Over: Spring Creek

0.01 MI S BENTON CO LINE, Washington, AR

Built 2021 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 980

Cr-115/Z-E/L-1.5

Fair

Over: Crooked Creek

0.5 Miles North Of Cr 141, Phillips, AR

Built 2022 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 48

Mudline/Z-B/L-2.64

Fair

Over: Ditch

2.64 Mi West of Hwy 131, Crittenden, AR

Built 2022 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 195

CR 204 Rose Creek

Fair

Over: creek

.17 mi. W. St. Hwy. 155, Perry, AR

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 190

SH 217-Logan Co.

Fair

Over: Creek

0.73 MI W OF HISE HILL, Logan, AR

Built 1975 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

SH 25/Independ Co.

Fair

Over: GREENBRIER CREEK

7.34 MI E CLEBURN CO LINE, Independence, AR

Built 1967 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,700

US 70-8 Log 3.57

Fair

Over: LOST CREEK

3.57 MI N HOT SPRING CO L, Garland, AR

Built 1928 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,300

US 70-8 Log 1.81

Fair

Over: Lost Creek

1.8MI E HOT SPRING COLIN, Garland, AR

Built 1928 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,300

SH 22

Fair

Over: Stinnet Creek

0.26 MI E OF LOGAN CO, Yell, AR

Built 1962 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,261

State Highway 10

Fair

Over: Mollies Gap Creek-Seb Co

10.91 MI E GREENWOOD ARK., Sebastian, AR

Built 1928 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,900

State Highway 10

Fair

Over: Gin Creek-Sebastian Co.

11.49 MI E GREENWOOD ARK., Sebastian, AR

Built 1928 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,900

US 167 Independ Co

Fair

Over: CANEY CREEK

1.5 MI SO JCT 14@ SO SIDE, Independence, AR

Built 1929 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 7,788

US 270B Log 0.69

Fair

Over: AR MIDLAND RR

.69MI SE OF JCT US 70, Garland, AR

Built 1976 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 16,000

US 71 B NB LNS

Fair

Over: Mud Creek-Washington

1.98 MI N INT 71 & 71B, Washington, AR

Built 1928 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 31,000

Showing 5,701-5,750 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.