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 233/Independ Co

Fair

Over: SULPHUR SPRINGS

0.7 MI E SH 69, Independence, AR

Built 1940 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 710

State Highway 246

Fair

Over: Joshling Creek-Polk Co.

4.81 MI E OKLA ST LINE, Polk, AR

Built 1965 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 390

St Hwy 246

Fair

Over: Alexander Creek Polk Co.

16.86 MI E JCT US 71 246, Polk, AR

Built 1948 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 140

SH 263/Stone Co.

Fair

Over: ROASTING EAR CREEK

7.0 MI N JCT SH 66 & 263, Stone, AR

Built 1936 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 350

State Highway 375

Fair

Over: Prairie Creek Polk Co.

1.22 MI S JCT SH 8, Polk, AR

Built 1941 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 720

I-55- 12- LM 37.86

Fair

Over: DITCH NO 51

2.0 MI N JCT SH 181 & 55, Mississippi, AR

Built 1961 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 20,040

State Highway 217

Fair

Over: Neff Creek - Logan Co.

0.01 MI E JCT SH 23 & 217, Logan, AR

Built 1969 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 1,600

SH 43 Newton

Fair

Over: STREAM

1.3 MI N JCT SH 74 & 43, Newton, AR

Built 1971 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 470

SH 310

Fair

Over: Curley Branch

2.7 MI W JCT SH 107 & 310, Faulkner, AR

Built 1950 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 680

SH 337/Cleburne Co

Fair

Over: DITCH

0.3 MI SE JCT SH 337-25, Cleburne, AR

Built 1938 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 1,521

SH 163-03- LM 1.25

Fair

Over: OTTER CREEK

1.25 MI N CROSS CO, Poinsett, AR

Built 1971 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 1,568

I540 Ramps N.B.

Fair

Over: Town Ditch-Crawford Co.

0.1 MI SE JCT I-540 & 59, Crawford, AR

Built 1968 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 10,253

I540-RAMPS S.B.

Fair

Over: Town Ditch-Crawford Co.

0.1 Mi NE Jct I540 & 59, Crawford, AR

Built 1968 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 6,400

SH 22-Logan Co.

Fair

Over: Little Shoal Creek

1.2 MI W SH 197 NO, Logan, AR

Built 1928 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 2,499

SH 22-Logan Co.

Fair

Over: West Fork Mill Creek

0.6 MI E JCT SH 197 N 22, Logan, AR

Built 1928 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 2,400

State Highway 80

Fair

Over: Parker Branch-Scott Co.

4.5 MI NE JCT SH 250 & 80, Scott, AR

Built 1968 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 650

State Highway 80

Fair

Over: Hunt Creek-Scott Co.

3.0 MI SW OF YELL CO LINE, Scott, AR

Built 1968 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 650

SH 395/Fulton Co.

Fair

Over: CREEK

0.6 MI N JCT SH 9 & 395, Fulton, AR

Built 1970 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 1,200

I -30 SEC.13-42.58

Fair

Over: STEEL CREEK

1.5 MI SW OF SH 24, Nevada, AR

Built 1968 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 30,000

SH 250-Scott Co.

Fair

Over: Hunt Creek

9.8 NE US 71B, Scott, AR

Built 1973 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 310

I-630 @ University

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

4.6 MI W INT. I-30, Pulaski, AR

Built 1973 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 12,000

SH 45

Fair

Over: Wells Creek Seb. Co.

5.21 MI SW JCT US 71, Sebastian, AR

Built 1974 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 5,000

SH 9 log 15.63

Fair

Over: CHATHAM CREEK

2MI SO OF MALVERN CITY LM, Hot Spring, AR

Built 1980 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 4,030

SH 1B-17- LM 2.78

Fair

Over: CREEK

100 N Jct SH1B/ParkerRd, Craighead, AR

Built 1983 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 12,000

I-49 Benton 2

Fair

Over: DITCH

.21 MI N SH 264, Benton, AR

Built 1982 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 79,000

SH 376 S-1 LM 4.53

Fair

Over: CHAFFIE CREEK

SH 376 SEC 1, Ouachita, AR

Built 1940 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 2,000

Cr-739/Z-H/L-1.54

Fair

Over: Creek

1.5 Mi N St Francis Co Li, Cross, AR

Built 1986 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 80

Cr-537/Z-D/L-0.35

Fair

Over: Drainage Ditch

0.35 Miles South Cr 34&7, St. Francis, AR

Built 1986 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 202

SH 158-SEC 5

Fair

Over: DITCH

1.3 MI W SH 463, Craighead, AR

Built 1985 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 1,100

SH 69/Independ. Co

Fair

Over: PUMPKIN CREEK

1.9 MI SO IZARD CO LINE, Independence, AR

Built 1989 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 3,100

SH 9

Fair

Over: Caney Creek

2.61 MI NE JCT US 64, Conway, AR

Built 1998 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 4,843

State Highway 265

Fair

Over: Stream - Washington Co.

5.61 Mi N.W. Jct 170&265, Washington, AR

Built 2003 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 670

Highway 22 Sec. 1

Fair

Over: Creek Sebastian Co.

1.2 MI E Jct SH 22 & 59, Sebastian, AR

Built 2010 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 16,000

CR 29 Newton

Fair

Over: PINEY CREEK

5.7 MI S JCT SH16 & CR29, Newton, AR

Built 1998 Load: 17.9 t ADT: 110

SH 229-5 Log 0.58

Fair

Over: CREEK

0.25 SO JACKSON TRAIL, Saline, AR

Built 1929 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 2,300

US 70 Log 6.89

Fair

Over: WHITE OAK DITCH

2.00 MI W OF CARLISLE, Lonoke, AR

Built 1931 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 3,100

US 62/Fulton Co.

Fair

Over: SHIPMAN CREEK

2.2 MI W JCT OF SH 223, Fulton, AR

Built 1935 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 2,500

SH 59 Benton 2

Fair

Over: DRY HOLLOW CREEK

11.41 MI S MISSOURI ST LN, Benton, AR

Built 1936 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 8,700

US 71-SEC.06 -4.02

Fair

Over: SYCAMORE CREEK

2.0 S JCT OF US 70, Sevier, AR

Built 1937 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 6,000

US 71-SEC.01-8.30

Fair

Over: SULPHUR RIVER RELIEF

3.3 M N OF SH 160, Miller, AR

Built 1942 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 680

Us-64/Sec17/L19.07

Fair

Over: Drainage Ditch

.10 Miles West Of I 55, Crittenden, AR

Built 1946 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 13,000

US 64B

Fair

Over: CYPRESS BY

.3 M W SH 107, Faulkner, AR

Built 1950 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 6,300

State Highway 28

Fair

Over: Daily Creek

5.53 MI E JCT OF US 71, Scott, AR

Built 1950 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 367

SH 14 Boone

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

3.0 MI W JCT SH 281 SEC D, Boone, AR

Built 1952 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,900

SH 14 Marion

Fair

Over: Sugar Loaf Creek

0.1 MI W JCT SH 268 & 14, Marion, AR

Built 1952 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,800

SH 27

Fair

Over: Little Creek

6.55 M NE SH 7, Pope, AR

Built 1951 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,308

SH 23-Franklin Co.

Fair

Over: Gar Creek

0.68 MI N OF JCT US 64, Franklin, AR

Built 1951 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 7,700

SH 135-01-LM 13.24

Fair

Over: DITCH NO 12

2.80 MI N OF LEPANTO, Poinsett, AR

Built 1954 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,101

SH 81-08 LM 0.39

Fair

Over: Cousart Bayou

0.39 Mi N US 65-PineBluff, Jefferson, AR

Built 1957 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 3,292

SH 46-02 LM 7.14

Fair

Over: Saline River Relief

1.0 Mi S SalineRvr-JenkFr, Grant, AR

Built 1963 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,700

Showing 951-1,000 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.