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)

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.

All Bridges in Arkansas

I-55 NB LNS

Fair

Over: CRI&P & MISS. RIV REL

1.8 E JCT I-40, Crittenden, AR

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 21,000

US 67 SB WHITE

Fair

Over: US 67B-SEC 12C

JCT US67C & HWY36 RACE ST, White, AR

Built 1973 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 12,500

US67 SB WHITE

Fair

Over: LITTLE RED RIVER

.5 MI N JCT SH 367 SEARCY, White, AR

Built 1976 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 13,000

US/67 SB White Co.

Fair

Over: CR 71 WHITE

1.14 M W JCT US 167, White, AR

Built 1974 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,500

I-530 SB LM 29.86

Fair

Over: SH 104

@ SH 104-White Hall, Jefferson, AR

Built 1975 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,500

I-530 SB LM 23.76

Fair

Over: CR 117 (Jefferson)

1.0 Mi W SH 365-Jefferson, Jefferson, AR

Built 1975 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 12,488

US67/SB White Co.

Fair

Over: US 167 Sec 14

JCT US 67/167/64, White, AR

Built 1978 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 9,402

US 67 SB WHITE

Fair

Over: UPRR&GRUBBS RD

.34 MI NE OF JCT 167, White, AR

Built 1978 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,500

I-440 Log 5.16 WB

Fair

Over: FOURCHE DAM PIKE

.2MI NO OF LINDSEY RD, Pulaski, AR

Built 1977 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 23,500

I 440 WB Log 7.11

Fair

Over: US 165-SEC 9 RR

2.6MI SO OFUS 70-(I-7), Pulaski, AR

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 22,062

I 440 WB Log 8.06

Fair

Over: CR 82-FAULKNER LAKE RD

2.35 SO OF I-40 (I-7), Pulaski, AR

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 21,500

I-440 WB Log 9.87

Fair

Over: Railroad & Swamp

BETWEEN US70&I40(I-6), Pulaski, AR

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 21,000

US82 S5 LM19.64 EB

Fair

Over: SOUTHWEST AVE.

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

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,860

US 82EB S-5LM19.44

Fair

Over: Ouachita Valley RR

2.5 MI E JCT 82 & 82B, Union, AR

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,700

82 S5 LM 18.55

Fair

Over: WESSON RR

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

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,700

US 71-SEC 17B SB

Fair

Over: Gregg Ave A&M RR

5.21 NO JCT US 62 & 71, Washington, AR

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 13,000

Fulbright Exp.

Fair

Over: STL / SF RR - Wash. Co.

0.4 MI N 71 71 B INTER, Washington, AR

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 980

WHITE US 67 S/B

Fair

Over: DEPARTEE CREEK REL

1.5 MI N BRADFORD INTER, White, AR

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,003

US 67-SB LANES

Fair

Over: DEPARTEE CREEK

1.47 MI N WHITE-JACKSON C, Jackson, AR

Built 1986 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,000

I-49 Southbound

Fair

Over: Clear Creek

2.13 MI NO OF I-49, Washington, AR

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 13,500

I-49 SB LNS - Wash

Fair

Over: Johnson Mill Blvd.

2.35 N INTER I-49 & 71B, Washington, AR

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 34,000

SH7 SB S-3 LM 1.34

Fair

Over: UNION PACIFIC RR

0.25 MI N JCT SH 376, Ouachita, AR

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 18,043

I-49 SB LNS Bnt 2

Fair

Over: OSAGE CREEK

3.69 MI N SH 264, Benton, AR

Built 1982 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 39,500

I49 SBLN Benton 1

Fair

Over: US 62-SEC 2

11.64 MI N WASH CO LINE, Benton, AR

Built 1987 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 34,500

I-49 SB L Benton

Fair

Over: CORD 831-G

2.25 MI N SH 72, Benton, AR

Built 1989 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 19,500

I-555 SB LNS

Fair

Over: LITTLE BAY DITCH

.4 MI N COTTAGE HOME RD, Craighead, AR

Built 1986 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,000

US 67/Jackson Co.

Fair

Over: VILLAGE CREEK

.7 MI S JCT SH 224 & US67, Jackson, AR

Built 1989 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,900

I-49 Southbound

Fair

Over: Ravine-Washington Co.

11.4 MI N. OF WASH.CO.LN, Washington, AR

Built 1994 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,399

I-49 Southbound

Fair

Over: Farm Road - Wash. Co.

0.76 MI N EXIT 53, Washington, AR

Built 1994 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 11,500

I 49 SB LNS

Fair

Over: W Wilson St -Washington

JCT I 49 & CO RD 26, Washington, AR

Built 1994 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 13,000

I-49 SB LNS

Fair

Over: State Highway 265

JCT I 49 & SH 265, Washington, AR

Built 1994 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 16,056

I-530 NB LM 43.08

Fair

Over: US 63B (Olive Street)

@ US 63/63B-PineBluff, Jefferson, AR

Built 1997 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,500

I-49 Crawford Co.

Fair

Over: SH282 & Hurricane Crk

Jct I-49 & SH282/Dollard, Crawford, AR

Built 1994 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,500

I-555-03SB-LM31.27

Fair

Over: BIG BAY DITCH

0.64 Mi N of Poinsett Cou, Craighead, AR

Built 1992 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 7,999

I 49 SB LNS

Fair

Over: HESS CREEK

1.7 MI N of Hopper Tunnel, Washington, AR

Built 1998 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,500

I 49 SB Lanes

Fair

Over: Riley Creek - Wash. Co.

2.32 MI. S. SH 170, Washington, AR

Built 1997 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,300

I 49 SB LNS-Wash

Fair

Over: Winn Crk / CR 228

5.2 MI S. SH 170, Washington, AR

Built 1997 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,300

I 49 SB LNS-Wash

Fair

Over: Boyd Hollow Access Road

3.95 MI S. SH 170, Washington, AR

Built 1997 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 19,500

I 49 SB-Crawford

Fair

Over: Frog Bayou Tributary

1.3 MI N OF DOLLARD RD, Crawford, AR

Built 1996 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 11,500

I 49 SB-Crawford

Fair

Over: Clear Creek

4.9 MI N OF DOLLARD RD, Crawford, AR

Built 1996 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 18,537

I 49 SB-Crawford

Fair

Over: SH 282/A&M RR/CLEAR CRK

5.4 MI N OF DOLLARD RD, Crawford, AR

Built 1996 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 11,000

I-30WB S-14LM 77.5

Fair

Over: SH 7 SEC 7

JCT I-30 & SH 7, Clark, AR

Built 1996 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 16,000

I 49 SB LANES

Fair

Over: Wylie Ravine-Crawford Co

2.0 MI N SH 282, Crawford, AR

Built 1997 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,500

I-49 SB -Crawford

Fair

Over: Clear Creek & A&M RR

3.4 MI N OF JCT 282, Crawford, AR

Built 1997 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 18,000

I 49 SB LANES

Fair

Over: Bohac Ravine-Crawford Co

2.4 MI SOUTH OF TUNNEL, Crawford, AR

Built 1997 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 15,500

US 412 WB Lanes

Fair

Over: Beaver Lake

7.2 Mi E Jct 71B & 412, Washington, AR

Built 1999 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 7,513

I-40 WB-Crawford

Fair

Over: Little Mulberry Creek

1.67 Mi. W of S.H. 215, Crawford, AR

Built 2002 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 12,500

I-40 WB LNS

Fair

Over: Spadra Creek

0.80 MI E Spadra Rd, Johnson, AR

Built 2003 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 15,000

I40WB/Se52/272.73

Fair

Over: Ditch Number 10

1.6 Mi East Jct Sh 147, Crittenden, AR

Built 2003 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 37,000

I-40WBSe52/273.8

Fair

Over: Ditch Number 9

2.2 Mi East Jct Sh 147, Crittenden, AR

Built 2003 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 37,000

Showing 5,901-5,950 of 12,974 bridges

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.

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.