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 308-03- LM 4.87

Good

Over: DITCH NO 1

.76 MI W JCT US 61, Mississippi, AR

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 70

SH 19-SEC 5 - 8.39

Good

Over: BRUSHEY CREEK

8.83 MI NO JCT US 67, Nevada, AR

Built 1988 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 880

SH 19 - 05 - 8.50

Good

Over: BRUSHEY CREEK RELIEF

8.9 MI NO JCT US 67, Nevada, AR

Built 1988 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 880

SH 291-01 LM 14.16

Good

Over: Mud Creek

1.4 Mi S SH 190-Tull, Grant, AR

Built 1982 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 540

SH 18 / Jackson Co

Good

Over: VILLAGE CREEK

1.2 E JCT US 67 & SH 18, Jackson, AR

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,680

SH 8 S-11 LM 1.75

Good

Over: WALKER CREEK

1.75 SE CLEVELAND CO, Bradley, AR

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,382

SH 8 S-11 LM6.03

Good

Over: FRANKLIN CREEK

1.1 NW OF WARREN, Bradley, AR

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,400

Sh-86/Sec-3/L10.56

Good

Over: Dial Creek

.5 West Of Jct Sh 17, Monroe, AR

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,100

Sh-86/Sec-3/L12.74

Good

Over: Creek

1.3 Miles East Sh 17, Monroe, AR

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 420

Sh-86/Sec-3/L16.81

Good

Over: Big Cypress Creek

3.28 Miles West Us 49, Monroe, AR

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 300

Sh-86/Sec-3/L16.93

Good

Over: Big Cypress Creek Relief

3.17 Miles West Of Us 49, Monroe, AR

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 300

US 371 -02 -12.96

Good

Over: MINE CREEK

.1 MI W JCT 278 & 27, Howard, AR

Built 1987 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 7,500

PARKER RD/I-555 FR

Good

Over: WHITEMAN DITCH

1.87 MI E SH 1, Craighead, AR

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,174

I-555 FR RD NORTH

Good

Over: WHITEMAN DITCH

3.26 MI E JCT SH 1, Craighead, AR

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,791

SH 7 NB S2 LM 3.20

Good

Over: GOODWIN CREEK

.3 MI N JCT SH7&355, Union, AR

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 9,993

I555 FR RD/PARKER

Good

Over: UPRR

2.26 MI E JCT HWY 18, Craighead, AR

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,174

I-49 NE RAMP

Good

Over: I-49 SB & 71B SB-Wash Co

JCT I-49 & US 71B 17B, Washington, AR

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 52,589

SH 283-2 Log 1.39

Good

Over: CANEY CREEK

.10 MI S OF JCT SH 128, Hot Spring, AR

Built 1986 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 900

SH 5-7 Log 9.40

Good

Over: BIG CREEK

2.5 MI W JCT OF SH 9, Saline, AR

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,200

SH 74 Newton

Good

Over: BUFFALO RIVER & BRANCH

.1 MI NE of JCT of SH 43, Newton, AR

Built 1982 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 410

SH 5 Baxter

Good

Over: US 62/412

1.55 MI E OF JCT US 62 B, Baxter, AR

Built 1996 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,500

SH7 NB S-3 LM 0.65

Good

Over: SMACKOVER RELIEF

.5 MI SO JCT SH 376, Ouachita, AR

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,673

SH 53 -. 02- 1.54

Good

Over: SNAKE BRANCH

1.54 MI S CLARK CO LINE, Nevada, AR

Built 1982 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 980

Elm Springs Road

Good

Over: I-49 - Washington Co.

1.3 MI N INT I-49 &US412, Washington, AR

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 11,000

SH 264 Benton 2

Good

Over: I 49

.72 MI W US 71B, Benton, AR

Built 1982 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 26,000

OAKWOOD Benton 1

Good

Over: I-49

.75 MI N SH 264, Benton, AR

Built 1982 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 141

PG Rd. BENTON 1

Good

Over: I-49

2.05 MI N SH 264, Benton, AR

Built 1982 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 37,748

BellVuRD. Benton 1

Good

Over: I-49 Benton

3.35 MI N SH 264, Benton, AR

Built 1982 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,380

SH229 S-O LM 13.75

Good

Over: PICKETT CREEK

5.84 MI SE JCT SH 48, Dallas, AR

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 353

SH 172-03 LM 10.13

Good

Over: Clear Creek

3.0 Mi W CR 7-New Hope, Drew, AR

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 180

OLIVE ST Benton 1

Good

Over: I 49

.50 MI N JCT 71B & 49, Benton, AR

Built 1988 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 29,683

B.fieldRd Benton 1

Good

Over: I-49 Benton 1

2.6 MI N JCT I-49&71B, Benton, AR

Built 1988 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 7,500

I-40 F.R. / I-440

Good

Over: SH 440 LOG 10.55

.25 MI N JCT I40 & SH440, Pulaski, AR

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 451

SH 8-13 LM 0.26

Good

Over: Saline River Relief

0.26 E BradleyCo-Longview, Ashley, AR

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,500

SH 8-13 LM 0.42

Good

Over: Saline River Relief

0.42 E BradleyCo-Longview, Ashley, AR

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,500

SH 301 - 02 - 1.93

Good

Over: WOLF CREEK

1.5 MI SO OF ANTOINE, Pike, AR

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50

I630 RAMP 1-E.B.

Good

Over: I-30 Log 139.58

JCT OF I-630&I-30, Pulaski, AR

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 23,000

I630RAMP L Barber

Good

Over: I630 RAMP A BARBER ST

I630& I630 RAMP A, Pulaski, AR

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,900

30 EB TO 630 WB

Good

Over: I630 RAMPS I30-SEC 23

JCT I-630&I-30, Pulaski, AR

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 89,205

SH 301 - 01- 13.49

Good

Over: SIMPKINS CREEK

.1 MI W JCT SH 195, Pike, AR

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 190

SH 160 - 02 - 7.79

Good

Over: POLK CR. & LAKE ERLING

7.8 MI E BRADLEY, Lafayette, AR

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,300

SH 301 - 01- 17.78

Good

Over: BUFFALO CREEK

.67 MI SW JCT SH 19, Pike, AR

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 200

US 49-04- LM 8.20

Good

Over: BLACK FORK DITCH

1.5 MI S OF SH 226, Craighead, AR

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,500

Sh-33/Sec-8/L-2.50

Good

Over: Cypress Brake Creek

2.5 Mi North Jct 64&33, Woodruff, AR

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 470

SH7 S-1 LM3.05

Good

Over: BUCKALOO CREEK

3.05 MI N LA STATE LINE, Union, AR

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,445

SH 53 - 05 - 26.77

Good

Over: KEOUN CREEK

0.8 MI. N. OF LOUISIANA, Lafayette, AR

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,543

SH 53 - 05 - 23.46

Good

Over: WATERWAY CREEK

2 MI N JCT SH 53&160, Lafayette, AR

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 735

SH 53 - 05 - 20.33

Good

Over: WALKER CREEK

.5 MI S.JCT S.H 53&160(3), Lafayette, AR

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 735

SH 160 - 03 - 0.46

Good

Over: WALKER CREEK

.5 MI E JCT SH 53&160, Lafayette, AR

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,100

US 67SB-18-LM 7.23

Good

Over: BLACK RIVER RELIEF

.58 MI SE US 62, Randolph, AR

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,542

Showing 10,001-10,050 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.