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

US 82 S-4 LM 10.36

Fair

Over: HARPER CREEK

1.25 MI W JCT OF SH 98, Columbia, AR

Built 1950 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 3,700

SH 88

Fair

Over: Little Brushey Creek

0.25 Mi E. Of Oden, Montgomery, AR

Built 1950 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,800

SH 88

Fair

Over: Hole-in-Ground Creek

2.0 M E of Polk Co Line, Montgomery, AR

Built 1950 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,400

State Highway 88

Fair

Over: Shack Creek-Polk Co.

14.5MI E OF JCT US 71, Polk, AR

Built 1950 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,400

State Highway 88

Fair

Over: Robinson Creek

12.48MI E OF US 71 JCT, Polk, AR

Built 1950 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,400

SH 27

Fair

Over: Gum Creek

1.61 M NE SH 7, Pope, AR

Built 1951 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,700

SH 27

Fair

Over: Woods Branch

2.44 M E Jct of US 270, Montgomery, AR

Built 1953 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,900

SH 27

Fair

Over: Hovell Branch

3.46 M N of Jct US 270, Montgomery, AR

Built 1953 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,895

US 67 SEC. 01-7.17

Fair

Over: MCKINNEY BAYOU

1.0 MI N JCT OF SH 237 N., Miller, AR

Built 1954 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 2,600

CR 147 D

Fair

Over: LINEAN CREEK

2.34 MI NW I-30 S OF 270, Hot Spring, AR

Built 1952 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 92

SH 128 S-1 LM10.74

Fair

Over: BRUSHY CREEK

1.24 MI E JCT SH 7, Dallas, AR

Built 1952 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,200

US 62-20- LM 13.47

Fair

Over: CACHE RIVER DITCH

.75 MI E OF MC DOUGAL, Clay, AR

Built 1953 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,200

SH 115-01-LM 3.80

Fair

Over: BRANCH HAYGOOD CRK

3.8 MI S MISSOURI LINE, Randolph, AR

Built 1953 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,100

SH 1-02 LM 3.33

Fair

Over: Canal # 81

5.9 Mi E US 165-Watson, Desha, AR

Built 1954 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 443

SH 114-02 LM 0.83

Fair

Over: Deep Bayou

0.83 Mi E SH 11-Fresno, Lincoln, AR

Built 1954 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,000

SH 114-02 LM 4.15

Fair

Over: Kersh Canal

4.15 Mi E SH 11-Fresno, Lincoln, AR

Built 1954 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,000

SH 114-02 LM 6.64

Fair

Over: Chotaw Bayou

0.5 M W SH 83-Gould, Lincoln, AR

Built 1954 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,000

SH 128 S-1 LM 9.33

Fair

Over: CREEK

2.65 MI E JCT SH 7, Dallas, AR

Built 1954 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,200

SH 23 Madison

Fair

Over: SLOW TOM CR

.75 MI S OF WITTER, Madison, AR

Built 1955 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,100

SH 60

Fair

Over: Harris Creek

3.55 Mi E of Yell Co, Perry, AR

Built 1955 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 400

SH 8-15 LM 4.67

Fair

Over: Fleshman Bayou

4.68 Mi E US 165-Parkdale, Ashley, AR

Built 1955 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 330

SH 8-16 LM 7.12

Fair

Over: Boeuf River Relief

4.5 Mi W US 65-Eudora, Chicot, AR

Built 1955 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 496

US 62 / Fulton Co.

Fair

Over: TOWN CR.

3 MI W JCT OF SH 9, Fulton, AR

Built 1955 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 5,400

SH 163-04- LM 5.56

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK

5.56 N JCT OF SH 14, Poinsett, AR

Built 1956 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 637

SH 145/Jackson Co.

Fair

Over: CACHE RIVER

1.2 MI E JCT SH 37, Jackson, AR

Built 1956 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 444

SH 29 - 04- 13.99

Fair

Over: MARLBROOK CR

1.50 MI S JCT US 371, Hempstead, AR

Built 1956 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,001

US 371 - 03 - 4.59

Fair

Over: BRUSHY CREEK

4.59 MI E HOWARD CO LN, Hempstead, AR

Built 1956 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,699

Sh-42/Sec-2/L-7.95

Fair

Over: Prarie Creek

.70 Mi East Jct Of Sh 193, Cross, AR

Built 1956 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 600

US 64

Fair

Over: Greenbrier Creek

.76 MI E JCT OF SH 103, Johnson, AR

Built 1960 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 8,184

SH 113

Fair

Over: FOURCHE LA FAVE RIVER

2.0 MI S OF BIGELOW, Perry, AR

Built 1958 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,399

SH 93-01- LM 4.73

Fair

Over: UPSHAW CR

1.05 MI E ELEVEN POINT RI, Randolph, AR

Built 1959 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 650

SH 21 Madison Co

Fair

Over: KINGS RIVER

2.96 MI S JCT US412&SH21, Madison, AR

Built 1959 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,600

SH 113

Fair

Over: Mill Creek

0.4 MI S JCT SH 60, Perry, AR

Built 1959 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 2,100

SH 9

Fair

Over: LITTLE RED RIVER

.12 MI N JCT OF SH 16, Van Buren, AR

Built 1960 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,100

SH 35-08 LM 15.13

Fair

Over: Cut-Off Creek Relief

5.0 Mi W ChicotCo-Collins, Drew, AR

Built 1960 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,700

SH 92

Fair

Over: PRAIRIE CREEK

N OUTSKIRTS HILL CREEK, Conway, AR

Built 1960 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 2,407

SH 139-02- LM 8.84

Fair

Over: MAYO DITCH

4.07 MI S CLAY CO LINE, Greene, AR

Built 1961 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 570

SH35 Sec5 Lm 12.42

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK

4.86 MI W JCT SH 15, Cleveland, AR

Built 1961 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 550

SH 35 S-5 LM 12.28

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK RELIEF

4.99 MI W JCT SH 15, Cleveland, AR

Built 1961 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 550

SH 205 S02 LM1.58

Fair

Over: CANEY CREEK

2.0 MI S JCT SH 8 & 205, Calhoun, AR

Built 1962 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 390

SH 95

Fair

Over: Caney Creek

.75 M N I-40 Interchange, Conway, AR

Built 1962 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 2,700

SH 77-03- LM 18.63

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH NUMBER 1

.50 MI N CRITTENDEN CO, Mississippi, AR

Built 1962 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 130

US 278 -02- 22.16

Fair

Over: FLOWER SPGS CK

1.83MIN JCT US 70&US 278, Howard, AR

Built 1962 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 740

SH 206 Boone

Fair

Over: EAST FORK CROOKED CREEK

2.90 MI NE JCT OF SH 7, Boone, AR

Built 1962 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,106

SH 296-SEC 0 -4.02

Fair

Over: I 30-SEC 11-4.33

.50 MI W JCT US 67, Miller, AR

Built 1964 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,100

SH 60

Fair

Over: Rock Creek

W outskirts of Aplin, Perry, AR

Built 1963 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 690

SH 247

Fair

Over: Gum Log Creek Relief

1.81 M NE Jct of SH 105, Pope, AR

Built 1962 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,200

SH 251-01- LM 7.15

Fair

Over: TENNESSEE CREEK

7.15 MI NW JCT SH 115, Randolph, AR

Built 1964 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 970

SH 93-01- LM 9.11

Fair

Over: BAKERS CREEK

9.15 NW JCT SH 90, Randolph, AR

Built 1963 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 430

SH 93-01-LM 10.23

Fair

Over: DILES CREEK

4.42 MI S MISSOURI ST LIN, Randolph, AR

Built 1963 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 430

Showing 2,801-2,850 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.