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

W Shady Lane - D

Fair

Over: Caney Creek

.5MI NW JCT I40-SH9, Conway, AR

Built 1979 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 280

Springfield St - B

Fair

Over: Town Branch

.16 Mi S Jct. US 64, Conway, AR

Built 1965 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 25

Hollywood St.

Fair

Over: Hot Springs Creek

.46 Mi S of Belding St., Garland, AR

Built 1958 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 3,600

SidneyRd EVE.SHADE

Fair

Over: TOWN BRANCH

.20 M S OF MAIN STREET, Sharp, AR

Built 1936 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 199

Washington Ave

Fair

Over: Spout Spring Branch-Wash

0.1MI S. OF SOUTH STREET, Washington, AR

Built 1979 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 8

SIBLEY HOLE ROAD

Fair

Over: CREEK

.5 MI E JCT I30&I430, Pulaski, AR

Built 1960 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 440

BATESVILLE PIKE

Fair

Over: MILES CREEK

1.6 MI NO MARYLAND ST, Pulaski, AR

Built 1983 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 3,300

SH 600 -21 Log 0.5

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK 3 Sisters

1 MI E JCT SH 227, Garland, AR

Built 1945 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 657

County Road 23

Fair

Over: Cain Creek Seb. Co.

2.02 MI SW SH 45, Sebastian, AR

Built 1941 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 322

N Jackson St-CS

Fair

Over: Holt Branch

500 S SH 130-DeWitt, Arkansas, AR

Built 1910 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 41

Bntville A Street

Fair

Over: CREEK

.25 MI E OF MAIN STREET, Benton, AR

Built 1986 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 780

CR 73 Baxter

Fair

Over: CATARACT CREEK

.75 MI W STONE CO LINE, Baxter, AR

Built 1940 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 598

Bradley CR 54 Z-A

Fair

Over: HALFWAY CREEK

0.2 MI E JCT CR 33, Bradley, AR

Built 1990 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 96

Old Hwy 10

Fair

Over: Creek

2.4 MI E JCT SH 7, Yell, AR

Built 1989 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 660

CR 432A Frazier

Fair

Over: LEAU FRAIS CREEK

3.15 MI W JCT CR432 & 431, Hot Spring, AR

Built 1990 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 31

CR 89 White County

Fair

Over: LITTLE CANE CREEK

.85 MI NORTH JCT SH 267, White, AR

Built 1991 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,650

LaFargue Rd-CR 72

Fair

Over: Creek

0.93 Mi W SH 152-Deluce, Arkansas, AR

Built 1992 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 55

C.R -51 - D -17.42

Fair

Over: CREEK

0.5 MILE SO WINTHROP, Little River, AR

Built 1996 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 393

CAMELLIA LANE

Fair

Over: Creek - Fayetteville

0.1 MI N US 62, Washington, AR

Built 1997 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 961

C.R. 2 ZONE E-3.85

Fair

Over: FLAT CREEK

1.5 M S W GURNSEY, Hempstead, AR

Built 1939 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 660

CR 243 - D

Fair

Over: MAIN DITCH #19

4 MI W OF MCDOUGAL, Clay, AR

Built 1999 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 36

C.R. 183 - F- 1.18

Fair

Over: WEST FORK KELLY BAYOU

1.18 mi. N. LA.STATE LINE, Miller, AR

Built 2003 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 60

CR 101G YUKON PASS

Fair

Over: MAZARN CREEK

1.9 Mi. N Hot Spring Co., Garland, AR

Built 1935 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 104

Glade Street

Fair

Over: Hot Springs Creek

.1 Mi N SH 7, Garland, AR

Built 1960 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,333

Oliver Springs Rd.

Fair

Over: Flat Rock Creek-Crawford

0.53 Mi. N. Co. Rd. 348, Crawford, AR

Built 2004 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 2,500

CR 6335 Newton

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK

0.4 MI SW of MT JUDEA, Newton, AR

Built 2003 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 210

CR 153 Joshua Cir.

Fair

Over: Fisher Creek

0.5 Mi N SH 298, Garland, AR

Built 2004 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 256

LowellN DIXIELAND

Fair

Over: PUPPY CREEK

0.1MI N JCT SH 264, Benton, AR

Built 1994 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 700

Kates Creek Rd - D

Fair

Over: Kates Creek

0.05 M N Jct of Co Rd 21, Montgomery, AR

Built 2009 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 176

CR 70 Benton Co.

Fair

Over: Osage Creek-Benton Co.

4 M W of ELM SPRINGS, Benton, AR

Built 2011 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 134

Springdale 56th St

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

.07 M SW jct. Wagon Wheel, Benton, AR

Built 2012 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 811

Gore Road

Fair

Over: Branch of Crow Creek

.25 Mi North Gore Rd&Us70, St. Francis, AR

Built 2014 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 406

CR39-H (911=406)

Fair

Over: Ditch

4.5MI SE of Knob, Clay, AR

Built 2019 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 850

GeneLaw Rd.

Fair

Over: Honey Creek

1.26 MI S of State Line, Benton, AR

Built 2019 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 480

I-555

Fair

Over: DITCH

5.16 MI NW OF SH 1B, Craighead, AR

Built 1970 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 21,000

US 278 S-8 LM 9.49

Fair

Over: GREENINGS LK SPILLWAY

2.8 MI W JCT SH 376, Ouachita, AR

Built 1931 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,400

SH 5 Log 4.51

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.0 MI E I-430, Pulaski, AR

Built 1920 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 10,572

SH 7- 10 Log 1.53

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.53 MI NW JCT SH 5, Garland, AR

Built 1950 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 9,900

State Highway 8

Fair

Over: Dry Fork Creek - Polk Co

14.9 MI SE US 71, Polk, AR

Built 1956 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 798

SH 8

Fair

Over: Creek

1.58 MI nw of Pike Co Lin, Montgomery, AR

Built 1951 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 3,400

SH 8

Fair

Over: Five Mile Creek

1.63 M NW of PikeCo Line, Montgomery, AR

Built 1951 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 3,400

SH 8 S-10 LM 1.84

Fair

Over: CREEK

1.9 MI E CALHOUN CO LINE, Cleveland, AR

Built 1946 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,615

SH 10

Fair

Over: DITCH

8.48 MI E OF YELL CO LINE, Perry, AR

Built 1928 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,470

State Highway 16

Fair

Over: Stream - Wash. Co.

1.0 MI S JCT SH 74, Washington, AR

Built 1930 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 7,720

SH 16-Wash Co.

Fair

Over: Stream

4.50 MI NW OF MADISON CO, Washington, AR

Built 1960 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,700

SH 16 Madison Co.

Fair

Over: DITCH

.50 MI NW OF DELANEY, Madison, AR

Built 1929 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,600

SH 16 Madison Co

Fair

Over: DITCH

1.97 MI E JCT OF SH 23, Madison, AR

Built 1954 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 500

SH 16 Madison Co

Fair

Over: Creek

6.37 MI E OF SH 23, Madison, AR

Built 1962 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 500

US 371 - 05 -15.96

Fair

Over: CREEK

1.01 M N OF U.S 278 JCT, Nevada, AR

Built 1952 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,200

SH 25-06- LM 15.85

Fair

Over: CROW CREEK

8.58 M SW OF US 63, Lawrence, AR

Built 1962 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,800

Showing 1,051-1,100 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.