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

SH 15-08 LM 0.12

Good

Over: Main Ditch

0.12 Mi N US79B-Althemier, Jefferson, AR

Built 2005 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 520

Sh-118/Sec-4/L3.13

Good

Over: I-40/Sec-52/L-275.24

4.07 Mi E Jct I-40 & 147, Crittenden, AR

Built 2006 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,000

Washington Ave.

Good

Over: US Hwy 63-06

2.6 Mi W of Main St, Craighead, AR

Built 2006 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,872

SH 25/Indepen Co.

Good

Over: PFEIFER CREEK

.35 Mi. E. SH233 & 25 JCT, Independence, AR

Built 2006 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,479

SH 1-01 LM 1.70

Good

Over: Canal # 18

1.0 Mi E US 65-McGehee, Desha, AR

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,600

SH 1-01 LM 3.99

Good

Over: Canal # 19

4.0 Mi E US 65-McGehee, Desha, AR

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,600

Sh-118/Sec-4/L3.02

Good

Over: Ten Mile Bayou Cutoff

3.16 Mile South Us 64 Int, Crittenden, AR

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 14,000

SH 256-02 LM 4.95

Good

Over: Plum Bayou

3.1 MI SW LonokeCo-Wright, Jefferson, AR

Built 2006 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 140

U.S 71 - 06 -12.67

Good

Over: WILSON CREEK

0.71 MI. E OF JCT.71&41, Sevier, AR

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,331

US 62 Carroll

Good

Over: LEATHERWOOD CREEK

9 MI SE OF BENTON CO LN, Carroll, AR

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,600

US 412-09-LM 4.96

Good

Over: JOHNSON CREEK

3.29 M W OF MISSOURI LINE, Greene, AR

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,700

US 412 -09-LM 5.52

Good

Over: LOCUS CREEK RELIEF

2.73 MI W MO STATE LINE, Greene, AR

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,700

US 412-09- LM 5.71

Good

Over: LOCUST CREEK

2.53 MI W of MO STATE LN, Greene, AR

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,700

US 412-09-LM 6.05

Good

Over: Mud Slough

2.20 MI W of MO STATE LN, Greene, AR

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,700

Sh-1/Sec-10/4.61

Good

Over: Languille River

4.69 Miles Nw Jct Us 79, Lee, AR

Built 2010 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,100

W Buchanan St

Good

Over: Muddy Fork-Washington Co

0.50 Mi W Prairie Grove, Washington, AR

Built 2006 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,025

SH 141

Good

Over: Big Creek

0.17 miles west of Hooker, Greene, AR

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 620

CORd19 Z-D LM 2.06

Good

Over: US 167-sec 1

1.34 MI N JCT US 82, Union, AR

Built 2006 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,800

State Highway 22-1

Good

Over: Little Vache Cr Seb. Co.

NW EDGE OF FT. CHAFFEE, Sebastian, AR

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 16,000

N. JEFFERSON ST.

Good

Over: I-30 SEC. 11- L.M. 0.86

0.86 MI. E OF STATE LINE, Miller, AR

Built 2006 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,600

4States Fair Pkwy

Good

Over: I-30 SEC. 11 L.M. 2.12

2.1MI. E. ARK-TEX LINE, Miller, AR

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 11,000

US 67 Log 3.84

Good

Over: Woodruff Creek

3.8 Mi N of I-40, Pulaski, AR

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 76,603

US 67 Flyover Ramp

Good

Over: US 67

0.4 Mi S of Kiehl Ave., Pulaski, AR

Built 2006 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 13,949

SH 176 Kiehl Ave.

Good

Over: US 67 Log 4.95

5 Mi N of I-40, Pulaski, AR

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 16,000

SH 25

Good

Over: I 40-SEC 32

Jct. SH 25 & I-40, Faulkner, AR

Built 2006 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,546

US 71 Sec 16

Good

Over: West Fork of White River

4.36 Mi N Crawford Co Lin, Washington, AR

Built 2010 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,800

US 71 - Washington

Good

Over: Hutchins Creek

6.83 Mi N Crawford Co Lin, Washington, AR

Built 2010 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,800

US 71-Wash Co.

Good

Over: London Creek

0.4 Mi NW of Brentwood, Washington, AR

Built 2009 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,800

US 71-Wash Co.

Good

Over: Mill Creek

9.69 Mi N Hwy 74, Washington, AR

Built 2009 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,800

278-05-23.95 HEMP.

Good

Over: I-30 SEC. 12 LM 29.99

JCT 278 & I30 HOPE AR, Hempstead, AR

Built 2009 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,800

Benton SH 59

Good

Over: FLINT CREEK

1.55 MI S JCT SH12, Benton, AR

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 17,000

SH 171-2 Log 1.45

Good

Over: COOPER CREEK

0.4 Mi N SH 290, Garland, AR

Built 2009 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,400

SH 54-03 LM 1.50

Good

Over: Wells Bayou

1.1 Mi SW SH 83-Dumas, Lincoln, AR

Built 2016 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 999

Us-49/Sec-8/L-6.96

Good

Over: I-40/Sec-43/L-215.74

1.1 Mi No Jct Us 70 & 49, Monroe, AR

Built 2009 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,500

I 40-SEC 52

Good

Over: CO. RD MISS RELIEF RR

3 Mi E OF JCT I-55 & I-40, Crittenden, AR

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 45,000

Benton I-49 onRmp

Good

Over: BLOSSOM WAY CREEK

Perry Rd Interchange Ramp, Benton, AR

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,624

Rmp4 I-49 Benton1

Good

Over: BLOSSOM WAY CREEK

PERRY RD RAMP # 4, Benton, AR

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,302

26440 Z-0 LM 15.64

Good

Over: US 167 Sec. 1 LM15.64

1.5 Mi N Jct. 82 & 167, Union, AR

Built 2010 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,000

Us-79/Sec-14/L9.35

Good

Over: Cypress Creek

0.25 Miles South Of Us 49, Monroe, AR

Built 2010 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,400

US 167 S-9 LM 3.91

Good

Over: Saline River

.07 mi. S.Grant Co. line, Dallas, AR

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,800

Howard Hill - Seb

Good

Over: State Highway 549

0.53 Mi NJct US 71, Sebastian, AR

Built 2013 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,900

Massard Road

Good

Over: SH 549 Sebastian Co.

2.4 Mi So Jct Hwy 255, Sebastian, AR

Built 2012 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,300

US 167 S-1 LM18.98

Good

Over: Flat Creek

2.9 MI N JCT US 63, Union, AR

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 7,721

US167 LM 3.96 Sec2

Good

Over: Sh 7 - Sec. 2

Jct Hwy 167 & 7, Union, AR

Built 2009 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,000

US 49-02-LM 16.13

Good

Over: EIGHT MILE CREEK

0.67 MI N JCT US 412, Greene, AR

Built 2009 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 18,000

SH 35-1 Log 2.41

Good

Over: U.P.R.R.

0.15 M W JCT SH 35 & 183, Saline, AR

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 13,704

HWY 183

Good

Over: Depot Creek

.028 MI E JCT SH 35 & 183, Saline, AR

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,000

SH 35 Log 2.66

Good

Over: DEPOT CREEK

0.02 M S JCT SH 35 & 183, Saline, AR

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,600

US 67 NB Log 7.56

Good

Over: Bayou Meto

7.55 Mi. N of I-40, Pulaski, AR

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 75,000

19 TH ST. -B-0.65

Good

Over: I 49 SEC 1 LM 33.12

.65 EAST OF HWY.67, Miller, AR

Built 2010 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,173

Showing 10,601-10,650 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.