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

SH25B/Cleburne Co.

Fair

Over: SUGAR LOAF CREEK

2.43 MI N JCT OF SH 16, Cleburne, AR

Built 1929 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 8,007

US 61-02- LM 16.06

Fair

Over: YOUNGS LAKE

1.60 MI S JCT OF SH 119, Mississippi, AR

Built 1952 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 2,300

Us-70/Sec19/L18.86

Fair

Over: Drainage Canal

1.00 Mi Sw Jct Of Sh 149, St. Francis, AR

Built 1930 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 1,700

SH 9

Fair

Over: BIG MAUMELLE RIVER

2.79 MI NW OF SALINE CO, Perry, AR

Built 1954 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 1,032

SH 463-01- LM 4.75

Fair

Over: LITTLE BAY DITCH

7.00 MI SE JONESBORO, Craighead, AR

Built 1931 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 4,200

SH 14 Marion

Fair

Over: BUFFALO RIVER

15.79 MI S JCT US 62, Marion, AR

Built 1958 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 822

US 67 - 03 - 2.66

Fair

Over: MAY CREEK

3.60 MI SW OF PRESCOTT, Nevada, AR

Built 1934 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 2,400

Kidd Lane

Fair

Over: DEPOT CREEK

.1 M S SH 35, Saline, AR

Built 1934 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 170

CO RD 407- A- 0.90

Fair

Over: LITTLE RIVER RELIEF

0.9 M S JCT SH 27, Sevier, AR

Built 1934 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 14

SH 8

Fair

Over: Caddo River

8.82 E Polk Co Line, Montgomery, AR

Built 1934 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 680

US 71-Polk Co

Fair

Over: Thompson Creek

1.25 MI S JCT OF SH 375, Polk, AR

Built 1935 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 5,700

US 61-03- LM 20.41

Fair

Over: SL SF RR

1.78 MI S OF PEMISCOT CO, Mississippi, AR

Built 1938 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 1,579

US 79 SEC2 LM3.65

Fair

Over: SL SW RR

2.0 MI SW OF SH 98, Columbia, AR

Built 1936 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 3,636

SH 4-17 LM 5.34

Fair

Over: Bayou Macon

5.34 Mi E US 65-McGehee, Desha, AR

Built 1957 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 900

State Highway 8

Fair

Over: Merren Creek

0.6 MI W OF MENA W CL, Polk, AR

Built 1951 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 2,300

US Highway 64

Fair

Over: Lumis Branch-Crawford Co

5.4 MI E HWY 64 & 71JCT, Crawford, AR

Built 1927 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 2,278

Old Hwy 16 Loop

Fair

Over: WEAVER CREEK

0.15 MI N JCT OF SH 16, Van Buren, AR

Built 1946 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 400

State Highway 8

Fair

Over: Macks Creek - Polk Co.

0.03 MI W OF BOARD CAMP, Polk, AR

Built 1949 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 1,800

State Highway 28

Fair

Over: Little Cedar Creek

8.92 MI E JCT OF US 71, Scott, AR

Built 1950 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 280

SH 72 Benton 2

Fair

Over: TOWN BRANCH

.10 MI E JCT SH 43-SH 72, Benton, AR

Built 1951 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 2,399

State Highway 8

Fair

Over: Weehunt Creek-Polk Co.

0.36 MI E OKLAHOMA ST LN, Polk, AR

Built 1952 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 680

State Highway 8

Fair

Over: Collins Creek.

2.37 MI E OKLAHOMA ST LN, Polk, AR

Built 1952 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 680

US 270

Fair

Over: Gap Creek

4.25 Mi W of Garland Co, Montgomery, AR

Built 1953 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 3,900

SH 1-01 LM 18.41

Fair

Over: Drainage Ditch

4.0 Mi N SH 138-Watson, Desha, AR

Built 1952 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 460

SH 1-01 LM 18.45

Fair

Over: Cyress Creek

4.1 Mi N SH 138-Watson, Desha, AR

Built 1952 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 460

US 82B S-5 LM 5.22

Fair

Over: BOGGY BAYOU

2.2 MI E JCT US 167, Union, AR

Built 1954 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 3,577

SH 27

Fair

Over: Big Chicklah Creek

.50 MI W JCT OF SH 307, Yell, AR

Built 1955 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 4,882

SH 27

Fair

Over: Little Chicklah Creek

.25 MI SW OF CHICKALAH, Yell, AR

Built 1955 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 4,882

Clark S-5 LM 24.05

Fair

Over: LITTLE DECEIPER CREEK

1.64 MI W JCT SH 51, Clark, AR

Built 1955 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 1,820

SH 158-02- LM 7.07

Fair

Over: BUFFALO DITCH

0.47 MI E Craighead Co Ln, Mississippi, AR

Built 1956 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 820

SH 37/Jackson Co.

Fair

Over: VILLAGE CREEK

3.60 MI E JCT OF US 67, Jackson, AR

Built 1956 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 753

SH 115-02-LM 16.14

Fair

Over: STRAWBERRY RIVER

4.0 MI S OF SMITHVILLE, Lawrence, AR

Built 1959 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 1,600

SH 93-01- LM 5.78

Fair

Over: ELEVEN POINT RIVER

5.78 MI NW JCT SH 93 & 90, Randolph, AR

Built 1960 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 650

SH 16/Cleburne Co.

Fair

Over: LITTLE RED RIVER GFL

2.4 MI E JCT OF SH 92, Cleburne, AR

Built 1961 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 4,605

SH 158-01- LM 7.26

Fair

Over: DITCH NO 40 A

1.9 MI W JCT OF I - 55, Mississippi, AR

Built 1960 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 820

SH 27

Fair

Over: Muddy Creek

.53 MI S of Yell Co Line, Montgomery, AR

Built 1960 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 610

SH 232 Log 3.73

Fair

Over: CROOKED CR.

3.75 MI E OF SH 31, Lonoke, AR

Built 1960 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 359

SH 211-01- LM 3.21

Fair

Over: MAIN DITCH

1 Mi N of Success, Clay, AR

Built 1961 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 550

SH 36

Fair

Over: Muddy Bayou

2.0 Mi NE of Naylor, Faulkner, AR

Built 1962 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 1,200

State Highway 220

Fair

Over: Webber Creek-Craw. Co.

4.01 Mi SE of Ok St Line, Crawford, AR

Built 1963 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 1,253

SH 134SEC.01-17.18

Fair

Over: MAIN DITCH

1.25 MI W OF GARLAND, Miller, AR

Built 1962 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 790

SH 139-03- LM 0.21

Fair

Over: BIG SLOUGH DITCH

.21 MI N OF CLAY CO LINE, Clay, AR

Built 1963 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 880

SH 181-02- LM 5.99

Fair

Over: NATIONAL DITCH

5.99 MI N JCT SH 140, Mississippi, AR

Built 1964 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 949

State Highway 96

Fair

Over: Sugar Loaf Creek-Seb. Co

1.88 MI NE OKLAHOMA ST LI, Sebastian, AR

Built 1965 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 630

CR 94/ Delta Rd

Fair

Over: Big Canal

1.5 Mi E US 65-Grady, Lincoln, AR

Built 1965 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 243

CO RD 54 ZONE B

Fair

Over: Prairie Creek Polk Co.

1.80 M E SH 8 & CO RD 54, Polk, AR

Built 1977 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 696

SH 28

Fair

Over: Fourche La Fave River

9.15 M E Scott Co Line, Yell, AR

Built 1967 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 429

SH 9

Fair

Over: I 40-SEC 31

1.99 MI N US 64 JCT, Conway, AR

Built 1968 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 18,000

I-30 FTG RD. 50.51

Fair

Over: WILSON CREEK

2.56 MI W CLARK CO L, Nevada, AR

Built 1966 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 31

SH 51 S-1 LM 18.76

Fair

Over: SOUTH BOAT DITCH

.40 MI N JCT SH 53, Clark, AR

Built 1973 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 626

Showing 1,751-1,800 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.