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

SH7B S2 LM 3.09

Good

Over: Ditch

3.19mi.E.Oua.Co., Union, AR

Built 2005 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 1,600

S.H. 160 - 01-5.63

Good

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

3 MI. W. OF GIN CITY, Lafayette, AR

Built 2005 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 780

SH 5 Log 3.25

Good

Over: Creek

0.06 South of HWY 183, Saline, AR

Built 2012 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 15,000

SH 530-09 LM 1.04

Good

Over: Ditch (Hungry Run Creek)

1.04 Mi S SH 35-Wilmar, Drew, AR

Built 2006 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 650

SH 530-09 LM 0.96

Good

Over: Creek (Hungry Run Creek)

0.96 Mi S SH 35-Wlimar, Drew, AR

Built 2006 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 650

SH 10

Good

Over: Ashley Creek

0.16 M. E. LOGAN CO. LINE, Yell, AR

Built 2006 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 1,300

US 64

Good

Over: S Fork Cypress Bayou

0.1 MI E JCT HWY 64 & 107, Faulkner, AR

Built 2010 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 6,300

SH 226-02-LM 13.41

Good

Over: Ditch

0.5 Mi East of Gibson, Craighead, AR

Built 2014 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 8,700

SH/9 Izard County

Good

Over: CREEK

14.27 MI NO OF JCT SH 69, Izard, AR

Built 2013 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 1,100

SH 18-05-LM 0.16

Good

Over: Drainage Ditch

0.16 MI E Craighead Co Li, Mississippi, AR

Built 2015 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 7,000

US270 Log 6.12

Good

Over: Branch

6.12 M E Montg. Co. Line, Garland, AR

Built 2013 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 3,500

FDR 11

Good

Over: BEAR CREEK

11.2 MI WEST OF HWY 7, Garland, AR

Built 1980 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 25

CO RD 407- A- 0.09

Good

Over: DAVIS SLOUGH

0.09 M S JCT SH 27R, Sevier, AR

Built 1934 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 14

SH 14 Boone

Good

Over: CARROLTON CREEK

3.0 MI W JCT SH 7 SEC 21, Boone, AR

Built 1952 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,100

SH 14 Boone

Good

Over: W Fork Sugar Loaf Crk.

1.0 MI W.OF SH 7 NORTH, Boone, AR

Built 1952 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,100

SH 14 Boone

Good

Over: DESCHIELDS CREEK

.55 MI W OF MARION CO LIN, Boone, AR

Built 1952 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,800

Sh-77/Sec-5/L16.59

Good

Over: Ten Mile Bayou

0.1 Mi South Of Jct I-40, Crittenden, AR

Built 1953 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 22,000

SH 115-01-LM 3.34

Good

Over: HAYGOOD CR

3.34 MI S OF MISSOURI LIN, Randolph, AR

Built 1953 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,100

SH 8 S-6 LM 16.60

Good

Over: EAST FORK TULIP CREEK

.50 MI W OF JCT SH 9, Dallas, AR

Built 1955 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 261

SH8SEC5Lm14.68

Good

Over: WINGFIELD CREEK

1.5 MI E JCT SH 53, Clark, AR

Built 1955 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,408

SH 35 Log 4.92

Good

Over: HOLLY CREEK

2.0 MI S OF BENTON, Saline, AR

Built 1956 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 5,400

SH 27

Good

Over: Story Creek

2.88 M N Jct SH 27 & 88, Montgomery, AR

Built 1957 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,071

Sh-1/Sec-7/L-4.01

Good

Over: Coffee Creek

4.08 Mi So Jct Of Us 49, Phillips, AR

Built 1962 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,200

Sh-1/Sec-7/L-4.89

Good

Over: Branch Of Coffee Creek

3.20 Mi S Jct Of Us 49, Phillips, AR

Built 1962 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,100

US 49-02- LM 6.18

Good

Over: SLAVENS CREEK

.50 MI SO OF MARMADUKE, Greene, AR

Built 1961 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 6,500

SH 104-02 LM 3.52

Good

Over: Caney Bayou

1.1 Mi N I-530-Samples, Jefferson, AR

Built 1963 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 2,100

SH 122/Independ.Co

Good

Over: MUD CREEK

1.0 M SH 69 W, Independence, AR

Built 1966 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,600

Polk Creek Rd

Good

Over: Caddo River

.12 M W SH 27 at Norman, Montgomery, AR

Built 1978 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 26

Sh-261/Sec-2/L2.76

Good

Over: Coffee Creek

2.76 Mi No Lee County Lin, St. Francis, AR

Built 1968 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 840

SH 9/Stone County

Good

Over: TURKEY CREEK

4.89 MI NE VAN BUREN CO, Stone, AR

Built 1968 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,000

US 63 RAMP 1 (NB)

Good

Over: I-530 & SH 190 RAMP6 8/9

@ SE Interchange-PineBluf, Jefferson, AR

Built 1999 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 2,395

CR 84-C (911=E122)

Good

Over: DITCH NO 70

.5 MI EAST SH 181, Mississippi, AR

Built 1978 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 181

CR 86-C (911=E86)

Good

Over: DITCH NO 70

0.48 Mi East of Hwy 181, Mississippi, AR

Built 1979 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 26

County Road 77

Good

Over: Seemore Creek Seb. Co.

1.5MI W OF MILLTOWN, Sebastian, AR

Built 1940 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 533

Union Co RD 77 Z-E

Good

Over: CREEK

3.9MI SE CORD 17, Union, AR

Built 1974 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 313

CR 87/Indepen. Co.

Good

Over: CREEK

2.95 M E US 167, Independence, AR

Built 1976 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 940

JoeT.HensleeRd-CR

Good

Over: Canal

2.53 Mi E SH 256-Wright, Jefferson, AR

Built 1964 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 283

CR 41 Ferndale CO

Good

Over: CREEK

1.7 SO OF SH 10, Pulaski, AR

Built 1970 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 2,800

UNION CR 24 (B)

Good

Over: CANEY CREEK

2.7 M N NEW LONDON, Union, AR

Built 1976 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 716

Clark CR 16 Z-F

Good

Over: MOORES CREEK

.5 MI N JCT 16 & 145, Clark, AR

Built 1938 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 238

MCLEOD DRIVE

Good

Over: STOKES CREEK

JCT MCLEOD & LEONARD, Garland, AR

Built 1970 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,900

N. Erie - B

Good

Over: Prairie Creek N.F.

.15 N OF B ST., Pope, AR

Built 1978 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 983

Club House Drive

Good

Over: COLEMAN CREEK

0.01 MI W FAIR PK, Pulaski, AR

Built 1940 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 20

STROUD STREET

Good

Over: DITCH

.29MI E JCT US 49, Craighead, AR

Built 1977 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 3,100

W SCOTT ST/HEBER

Good

Over: SULPHUR CREEK

.18 W SH 25, Cleburne, AR

Built 1972 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 126

CR 3/Independ. Co.

Good

Over: WAGON WHEEL CREEK

.8 MI NO SH 87, Independence, AR

Built 1983 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 316

CR 13-J (911=W214)

Good

Over: Cypress Creek Ditch

Leachville, Mississippi, AR

Built 1987 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 86

North "M" Street

Good

Over: Ditch City of Ft. Smith

JCT M ST AND SO 50TH, Sebastian, AR

Built 1990 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 248

CR 19 LINEFERRY RD

Good

Over: ROCKY CREEK

0.10 S OF SH151, Miller, AR

Built 1991 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 770

CR 34-T. J. KING

Good

Over: BRANCH

.35 MI SE JCT SH 24, Sevier, AR

Built 1992 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 50

Showing 7,501-7,550 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.