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-306/Sec2/L10.73

Poor

Over: Languille River Relief

4.0 Mi West Jct Sh 1&306, St. Francis, AR

Built 1979 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,400

Cr-433/Z-I/L-1.99

Poor

Over: Cypress Creek

2 Miles North Jct Sh 20, Phillips, AR

Built 1997 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1

US Highway 64

Poor

Over: Hicks Creek-Franklin Co.

7.06 MI W JOHNSON CO LI, Franklin, AR

Built 1931 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 3,700

US 71-Seb. Co.

Poor

Over: Old Prairie Creek

0.09 MI S OF SH 252, Sebastian, AR

Built 1930 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 8,107

SH 138-03 LM 7.59

Poor

Over: Lower Cut-Off Creek

7.59 Mi N US278-Pine Hill, Drew, AR

Built 1967 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,100

CR 450/Old Hwy 133

Poor

Over: Handly Creek

1.50 Mi S SH 35-Wlimar, Drew, AR

Built 1969 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 220

Sh-50/Sec-4/L-4.1

Poor

Over: Drainage Ditch

4.22 Miles North Of Us 64, Crittenden, AR

Built 1983 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 250

US 67 S-5 LM 11.07

Poor

Over: BIG DECEIPER CREEK

.8 MI NORTH JCT SH 26, Clark, AR

Built 1931 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 3,200

US 63 Log 8.69

Poor

Over: LAGRUE CREEK RELIEF

1.9 M S OF SH 86 EAST, Prairie, AR

Built 1934 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 3,700

US 70 SEC. 02-7.41

Poor

Over: SALINE RIVER

.05 MI W HOWARD CO LINE, Sevier, AR

Built 1950 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 2,917

SH 161 Log 3.45

Poor

Over: BAYOU METO

7.77 MI N OF SH 70(I-I), Pulaski, AR

Built 1954 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 12,000

US 278-16 LM 0.38

Poor

Over: Bayou Bartholomew

4.5 Mi W US 65-McGehee, Desha, AR

Built 1956 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 2,400

State Highway 45

Poor

Over: Fly Creek-Washington Co.

1.95 MI E JCT OF SH 59, Washington, AR

Built 1957 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 1,100

SH 239-01- LM 2.76

Poor

Over: I 55-SEC 12

2.3 MI N SH 148 JCT, Mississippi, AR

Built 1960 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 1,100

SH 157 / White Co.

Poor

Over: TEN MILE CREEK

4.1 MI N JCT SH 258, White, AR

Built 1960 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 1,700

SH 23 Madison Co.

Poor

Over: WAR EAGLE CREEK

4.08 MI N JCT US 412, Madison, AR

Built 1962 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 1,808

SH 9/Stone County

Poor

Over: BRUSHY CREEK

7.9 MI NE VANBUREN CO LN, Stone, AR

Built 1963 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 1,000

SH 160 SEC.02-9.00

Poor

Over: BODCAW CREEK

1.0 MI W JCT SH 160 & 53, Lafayette, AR

Built 1964 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 1,300

CR 86-B- ALTO RD

Poor

Over: DITCH NO 47

.8M W OF JCT SH 135, Poinsett, AR

Built 1992 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 57

SH 124

Poor

Over: Clear Creek

4.19 MI E JCT SH 105, Pope, AR

Built 1962 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 887

SH 118-02-LM 4.23

Poor

Over: TYRONZA RIVER

1.8 MI N JCT US 63, Poinsett, AR

Built 1964 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 440

State Highway 45

Poor

Over: Prairie Creek Seb. Co.

2.83 MI N JCT SH 96 & 45, Sebastian, AR

Built 1968 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 1,101

Sh-149/Sec-5/L1.47

Poor

Over: Tupelo Break

1.52 Mi North Jct Us 64, Crittenden, AR

Built 1977 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 750

Bucklake/Z-E/L-2.9

Poor

Over: Buck Lake

2.9 Mi E Of Jct Sh 149, Crittenden, AR

Built 1976 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 360

Jefferson St-Craw.

Poor

Over: 3rd 1st & AR & MO RR

Van Buren, Crawford, AR

Built 1936 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 35

Locust St/ S Ft Rd

Poor

Over: U.P.R.R.

1.20 MI S OF I 40, Pulaski, AR

Built 1936 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 1,601

US79B-S6/B LM 2.39

Poor

Over: CRI&P RR

0.1 MI W JCT SH8, Dallas, AR

Built 1949 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 6,094

SH 23-Scott Co.

Poor

Over: Petit Jean River

0.24 MI E JCT US 71, Scott, AR

Built 1949 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 1,300

SH 21 Carroll

Poor

Over: DRY FORK CREEK

2.47 MI N JCTOF US 412, Carroll, AR

Built 1960 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 1,801

SH 53 SEC.02-0.001

Poor

Over: LITTLE MISSOURI RIVER

2.8 MI NE JCT SH 53 & 24, Nevada, AR

Built 1964 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 3,100

CR 30 (DEGRAY RD.)

Poor

Over: I 30-SEC 14 LOG 76.64

JCT I-30 & CO.RD.30, Clark, AR

Built 1965 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 46

SH 65 Newton

Poor

Over: Circle Dr.&Marshall Crk

1.2 MI S OF BOONE CO LINE, Newton, AR

Built 1966 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 6,701

SH 45 Madison Co.

Poor

Over: WAR EAGLE CREEK

3.02 MI N JCT OF SH412&45, Madison, AR

Built 1964 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 2,800

SH 340 Benton 1

Poor

Over: LITTLE SUGAR CREEK

.10 SW JCT SH 340-US 71, Benton, AR

Built 1967 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 12,000

Jim Ford Rd-CR 72

Poor

Over: Canal

1.74 Mi W SH 15-Sherrill, Jefferson, AR

Built 1993 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 116

Cr-344/Z-D/L-1.54

Poor

Over: Creek

0.3 Miles East Jct Cr 39, Cross, AR

Built 2000 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 110

US 71-Wash Co.

Poor

Over: Rock Creek

2.3 MI N JCT SH 170, Washington, AR

Built 1930 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 5,800

SH 32 - 07- 6.82

Poor

Over: BODCAW REL.

4.90 MI. WEST OF BODCAW, Hempstead, AR

Built 1963 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 780

S Coker Road

Poor

Over: Adamson Creek- Greenwood

0.25M S Jct SH10/Elm St, Sebastian, AR

Built 1928 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 1,791

SH 199-02 LM 3.43

Poor

Over: Jacks Bayou

1.13 Mi S US 65-Linwood, Jefferson, AR

Built 1952 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 59

SH 13 Log 0.88

Poor

Over: CROOKED CREEK

4.0 MI S OF HUMNOKE, Lonoke, AR

Built 1968 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 340

CR 20 (Russell Rd)

Poor

Over: SMITH CREEK

@JCT SH8 SEC 10 LM 0.68, Cleveland, AR

Built 1953 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 272

SH 169-00 LM 5.86

Poor

Over: Creek

0.9 Mi S US 82-Crossett, Ashley, AR

Built 1980 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 1,200

US Hwy 64-Crawford

Poor

Over: Little Mulberry Creek

9.50 E JCT HWY 71, Crawford, AR

Built 1928 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 3,001

SH 7 Newton

Poor

Over: MILL CREEK

4.03 MI SO OF BOONE CO LN, Newton, AR

Built 1928 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 2,600

Sh-42/Sec-2/L-5.63

Poor

Over: Gum Slough

4.5 Miles East Jct Us 49, Cross, AR

Built 1934 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 609

US 63 Log 10.07

Poor

Over: WOLF BAYOU

2.5 M N OF SH 86 WEST, Prairie, AR

Built 1934 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 3,700

State Highway 45

Poor

Over: James Fork Creek Seb.Co.

1.40 MI S OF HACKETT, Sebastian, AR

Built 1948 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 2,700

SH 37/ Jackson Co.

Poor

Over: CACHE RIVER RELIEF

.10 MI S JCT SH 37 & 18, Jackson, AR

Built 1954 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 230

State Highway 170

Poor

Over: Lee Creek-Washington Co.

0.03 MI NW JCT OF SH 74, Washington, AR

Built 1961 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 223

Showing 12,801-12,850 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.