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

CR 862 -A

Fair

Over: CYPRESS DITCH

1 MI N & .5 MI S CARAWAY, Craighead, AR

Built 1992 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 144

CR 936 - C

Fair

Over: DITCH

1 MI S & 2 MI W DIXIE, Craighead, AR

Built 1992 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 158

Clark CR 6 Z-H

Fair

Over: S FORK TERRE NOIRE CK

1 MI N JCT SH 51 & CR 6, Clark, AR

Built 1992 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 139

Ball Road

Fair

Over: Dry Creek-Washington Co.

0.1 MI S E OF CO RD 79, Washington, AR

Built 1993 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 787

CR 936 - C

Fair

Over: THOMPSON CREEK

2 MI E BROOKLAND, Craighead, AR

Built 1993 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 158

NORTH CULBERHOUSE

Fair

Over: LOST CREEK DITCH

100 S. JCT Woodrow St., Craighead, AR

Built 1993 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 3,400

Prince Rd-Wash Co.

Fair

Over: Creek

2 MI E MORROW, Washington, AR

Built 1993 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 79

CR 53-I (911=683)

Fair

Over: GUM SLOUGH DITCH

1 MI S & 1.5 M E NEEDHAM, Craighead, AR

Built 1994 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 2

County Road 154

Fair

Over: Creek-Washington Co.

0.15 E U.S. 71 SEC 16, Washington, AR

Built 1982 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 65

Parker Branch Road

Fair

Over: Parker Branch-Wash

1.91 S CO RD 32, Washington, AR

Built 1994 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 300

CR 46-I 911=648

Fair

Over: MAPLE SLOUGH DITCH

.2 miles E of city limits, Craighead, AR

Built 1994 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 20

CR 39-H (911=621)

Fair

Over: BAY DITCH

1.58 S OF JCT SH 463, Craighead, AR

Built 1994 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 58

SH 463 Sd Drain

Fair

Over: DITCH

5.90 MI S CRAIG CO LINE, Poinsett, AR

Built 1994 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 2,488

W Battlefield Park

Fair

Over: Muddy Fork-Washington Co

4.52 MI NW PRAIRIE GROVE, Washington, AR

Built 1995 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 23

CR 145-H (911=608)

Fair

Over: WHITEMANS DITCH

1 Mi E of CR607, Craighead, AR

Built 1995 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 242

CR 815 -I

Fair

Over: PURCELL SLOUGH

2 1/2 N & 1 3/4 E LUNS, Craighead, AR

Built 1995 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 91

CR 518 - B

Fair

Over: MUD SLOUGH DITCH

2.5 NO & 1E OF MONETTE, Craighead, AR

Built 1995 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 44

CR 544 - B

Fair

Over: MUD SLOUGH DITCH

1 M SE of RED ONION, Craighead, AR

Built 1995 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 24

CR 716-G

Fair

Over: CREEK

2.44 MI N CRAIG CO LN, Greene, AR

Built 1995 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 695

CR 544 - B

Fair

Over: KINNEMORE SLOUGH

2.5 MI NE OF CHILDRESS, Craighead, AR

Built 1995 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 24

CR 910 - C

Fair

Over: BRIDGER CREEK

1 MI SE OF FARVILLE, Craighead, AR

Built 1995 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 138

W. Cincinnati Road

Fair

Over: Creek -Washington County

.24 MI W. OF SH. 59, Washington, AR

Built 1996 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 245

CR 538 - B

Fair

Over: KINNEMORE SLOUGH

2.3 MI N E OF CHILDRESS, Craighead, AR

Built 1996 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 33

CR 60-C (911=928)

Fair

Over: MAPLE SLOUGH DITCH

5 MI W OF LESTER, Craighead, AR

Built 1996 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 419

CR 151-H (911=612)

Fair

Over: VINEY SLOUGH DITCH

.73 MI E SH 163, Craighead, AR

Built 1996 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 34

Phoenix Avenue

Fair

Over: Ditch City of Ft. Smith

300 E OF 62ND ST JCT, Sebastian, AR

Built 1996 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 18,000

CR 812 - I

Fair

Over: PURCELL SLOUGH

1 1/4 MI E OF LUNSFORD, Craighead, AR

Built 1997 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 12

CR 170-E

Fair

Over: CACHE RIVER

2 MI E OF EGYPT, Craighead, AR

Built 1997 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 20

Bethel Blacktop Rd

Fair

Over: Moores Creek-Wash Co.

6.58 MI W FARMINGTON, Washington, AR

Built 1997 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 2,065

CR 452 - H

Fair

Over: LATERAL NO 3

0.2 MI W JCT CORD 18& SH1, Craighead, AR

Built 1998 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 740

Oxford Bend Rd.

Fair

Over: Creek-Washington Co.

0.2 MI N OF SH 45, Washington, AR

Built 1998 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 214

DORTON ROAD- I

Fair

Over: LATERAL DITCH

1 M S.& 5 M.W. OF NEEDHAM, Craighead, AR

Built 1998 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 112

N. Skylight Mtn

Fair

Over: Creek - Washington Co.

1.14 MI E CO RD 3, Washington, AR

Built 1998 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 448

Nicewarner Rd-Wash

Fair

Over: Branch of Baron Fork

0.05N JCT CO RD 452 & 415, Washington, AR

Built 1999 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 281

Vineyard Road

Fair

Over: Creek-Washington

0.05 MI CO RD 3, Washington, AR

Built 1999 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 377

CR 831-A

Fair

Over: BIG SLOUGH DITCH

1.5 MI SW OF BLACKOAK, Craighead, AR

Built 1999 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 63

Rothrock Road

Fair

Over: Creek - Wash. Co.

0.07 MI S. CO. RD. 49, Washington, AR

Built 1999 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 173

Millers Chapel Rd

Fair

Over: Jones Branch - Wash. Co.

5.8 MI E OF US 71-16, Washington, AR

Built 1999 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 124

Millers Chapel Rd

Fair

Over: Jones Creek - Wash. Co.

6.0 MI E OF US 71-16, Washington, AR

Built 1999 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 124

Bethel Blacktop Rd

Fair

Over: Muddy Fork

JCT OF CR 80 & 62, Washington, AR

Built 2000 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 278

CR 255-A (911=931)

Fair

Over: LIGHT HOUSE DITCH

3 MI W OF SHUGTOWN, Greene, AR

Built 2000 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 11

Antioch Rd. - Wash

Fair

Over: BR of Evansville Creek

2.1 MI N OF CRAWFORD CO, Washington, AR

Built 2000 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 346

CR 61-C (911=945)

Fair

Over: DITCH NO 3

3.5 MI NO OF NEEDHAM, Craighead, AR

Built 2001 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 460

CR 831 - A

Fair

Over: Little Slough Ditch

1 Mi SW of Black Oak, Craighead, AR

Built 2001 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 63

CO RD 612 - L

Fair

Over: Creek-Washington Co.

2.2 MI. SW OF CORD 37, Washington, AR

Built 2002 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 199

AR BLVD &JEFFERSON

Fair

Over: BRANCH NIX CREEK (CITY)

0.8 MI.E.OF STATELINE AVE, Miller, AR

Built 1950 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 12,000

Old Cincinnati Rd

Fair

Over: Cincinnati Creek-Wash

2.2 MI E OF CINCINNATI, Washington, AR

Built 2002 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 250

Salem Springs Rd

Fair

Over: Little Branch-Wash. Co.

1.45 MI. E. CR. 452, Washington, AR

Built 2002 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 79

Country Club Pkwy

Fair

Over: Creek

0.6 Mi E of SH 100, Pulaski, AR

Built 2002 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 3,976

CO.RTE. 1

Fair

Over: Evansville Creek Wash Co

1.6 M E.OFCO RD 3 JCT., Washington, AR

Built 2003 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 136

Showing 4,151-4,200 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.