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

Morrow Road-CR 756

Poor

Over: Canal

0.75 Mi E SH 256-Wright, Jefferson, AR

Built 1965 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 11

County Road 70

Poor

Over: Chances Creek-Polk Co.

0.16 MI E US 71, Polk, AR

Built 1936 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 334

N.WashingtonSt.-CS

Poor

Over: Holt Branch

0.05 Mi S Holt St-DeWitt, Arkansas, AR

Built 1910 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 740

Elkhorn Springs Rd

Poor

Over: Claude Creek - Wash. Co.

0.42 MI NO CO RD 66, Washington, AR

Built 1982 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 110

Hamstring Road

Poor

Over: Hamstring Creek-Wash. Co

2.37 NW JCT SH 16, Washington, AR

Built 1981 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 320

CR 508 - A

Poor

Over: DR DITCH

1.5 SO HARGRAVES CORNER, Clay, AR

Built 1985 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 312

CR 71-D Military

Poor

Over: NINE MILE CREEK

.57 MI SW saline co line, Hot Spring, AR

Built 1996 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 1,183

Stagecoach Rd

Poor

Over: East Fork Gar Creek

0.21 Mi. E of Philpot Rd., Franklin, AR

Built 1960 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 300

SH 7 S-4 LM 7.91

Poor

Over: FREEO CREEK RELIEF

7.91 MI N JCT US 79B, Ouachita, AR

Built 1955 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 903

SH 8 S-6 LM 5.37

Poor

Over: Jordan Creek

5.37 Mi E of Jct SH 7, Dallas, AR

Built 1954 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 261

SH 9/Fulton County

Poor

Over: CREEK

2.94 MI NE OF IZARD CO LI, Fulton, AR

Built 1926 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 1,200

SH 14 Marion

Poor

Over: TOWN BRANCH

.20 MI N JCT SH 14- US 62, Marion, AR

Built 1959 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 3,200

State Highway 28

Poor

Over: Lookout Creek-Scott Co

15.1 M E OF OKLAHOMA SL, Scott, AR

Built 1957 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 930

SH 35 S-4 LM 6.60

Poor

Over: DERISAUX RELIEF

3.07 MI W JCT 79, Cleveland, AR

Built 1956 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 630

SH 108 - 01 -2.57

Poor

Over: WALNUT BAYOU

3.5 MI SW FOREMAN, Little River, AR

Built 1934 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 210

SH 332 - 06- 3.00

Poor

Over: CARUSE CREEK

2.0 MI E JCT SH 195, Hempstead, AR

Built 1959 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 320

SH/56 Izard County

Poor

Over: LITTLE PINEY CREEK

5.9 MI E OF BROCKWELL, Izard, AR

Built 1971 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 1,700

FDR 6

Poor

Over: BRUSHY CREEK

.06 MI S OF HWY 270, Montgomery, AR

Built 1925 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 50

State Highway 22

Poor

Over: Short Mountain Creek

10.35 MI E OF FRANKLIN CO, Logan, AR

Built 1928 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 7,000

State Highway 45

Poor

Over: Johnson Branch Seb. Co.

JCT SH 45 & SH 252-SEC 0, Sebastian, AR

Built 1958 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 1,305

Us-79/Sec-15/L2.88

Poor

Over: Little Piney Creek

4.8 Miles West Of Sh 258, Lee, AR

Built 1952 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 580

SH 36 White County

Poor

Over: BARBERS LAKE

6.4 MI SE JCT SH 323, White, AR

Built 1956 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 470

SH 31/White Co.

Poor

Over: CYPRESS CREEK RELIEF

2.6 MI S OF US 67B, White, AR

Built 1955 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 3,700

SH 237 SEC.01-9.83

Poor

Over: SULPHUR RIVER

9.83 MI S JCT OF US 71, Miller, AR

Built 1963 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 730

Round Mt. Rd

Poor

Over: Gold Creek

.12 Mi W Jct Co Rd 4, Faulkner, AR

Built 1939 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 1,400

Ouachita CR 3 Z-H

Poor

Over: CYPRESS CREEK

.15 MI NE CO RD 101, Ouachita, AR

Built 1970 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 110

County Road 192

Poor

Over: Massard Creek Seb. Co.

1.65 MI SE OF CO RD 190, Sebastian, AR

Built 1972 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 259

CR 36/A HIXON LOOP

Poor

Over: BRANCH

0.95 Mi East US 67, Hot Spring, AR

Built 1985 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 509

Marietta Church Rd

Poor

Over: Big Creek BR 028

1.46 mi E. of S. Boundary, Sebastian, AR

Built 1950 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 10

State Highway 45

Poor

Over: Stream- Seb. Co.

0.70 MI N JCT SH 252 & 45, Sebastian, AR

Built 1968 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 2,700

SH 223 Izard Co.

Poor

Over: CREEK

5.0 MI N JCT SH 56 & 223, Izard, AR

Built 1969 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 420

SH 141-05- LM 6.51

Poor

Over: DITCH NO 8

JCT at 141 & 90, Clay, AR

Built 1972 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 350

SH 135-01-LM 15.60

Poor

Over: DITCH NO 4

1.65 MI S CRAIGHEAD CO, Poinsett, AR

Built 1954 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 1,500

US Highway 270

Poor

Over: Alexander Creek-Scott Co

1.58 MI E OF Y CITY, Scott, AR

Built 1928 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 1,000

Sh-163/Sec2/L14.31

Poor

Over: Sugar Creek

14.31 North Of Jct Us 64, Cross, AR

Built 1962 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 340

SH 1-17- LM 6.66

Poor

Over: HIGGINBOTTOM CREEK

0.7 MI S OF US 63, Craighead, AR

Built 1973 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 17,518

N Hamtown Rd

Poor

Over: Vine Prairie-Crawford Co

1.46 MI NO OF CR 59 & 56, Crawford, AR

Built 1938 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 80

CR237/Indepen Co.

Poor

Over: PFEIFFER CREEK

0.5MI E US167, Independence, AR

Built 1954 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 766

CR 4 Boone

Poor

Over: LONG CREEK

CITY OF ALPENA, Boone, AR

Built 1942 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 678

CR 21/Klondike Rd

Poor

Over: Ten Mile Creek

0.3 Mi N DrewCo-Cornervil, Lincoln, AR

Built 1983 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 135

CR 01214 Benton Co

Poor

Over: HONEY CREEK

6 MI WSULPHUR SPRINGS, Benton, AR

Built 1994 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 9

Spring Lake Road

Poor

Over: Little Shoal Creek-Logan

0.5 Mi SE Hwy 22, Logan, AR

Built 1928 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 190

SH 195 - 03 - 2.69

Poor

Over: CAROUSE CREEK

2.8 MI N JCT SH 332 & 195, Hempstead, AR

Built 1967 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 191

CR948 - LM 1.09

Poor

Over: DITCH

1.11 MI E SH 49, Craighead, AR

Built 1977 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 650

Sh-78/Sec-2/L-6.57

Poor

Over: Big Creek

.80 Mi Nw Jct Of Sh 259, Lee, AR

Built 1954 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 760

US 278 SEC.02-5.67

Poor

Over: BAKER CREEK

6.57 W JCT HWYS 278 & 84, Howard, AR

Built 1965 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 620

CO RD 223 ZONE I

Poor

Over: BRUSHY CREEK

0.75 MI S JCT 22 & 223, Clark, AR

Built 1935 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 29

Wire Road

Poor

Over: Maxey Creek - Frank. Co.

LONE ELM, Franklin, AR

Built 1960 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 410

Cr-624/Z-I/L-1.82

Poor

Over: Ditch

0.6 Mi W Jct Cr 241 & 624, Phillips, AR

Built 1930 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 20

CO RD 44

Poor

Over: White River

0.27 MI N. SH 16, Washington, AR

Built 1921 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 1,100

Showing 12,551-12,600 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.