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 369 SEC.01-4.41

Fair

Over: BRIAR CREEK

4.47 MI N JCT SH 26, Howard, AR

Built 1971 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 860

SH 369 SEC.01-5.65

Fair

Over: MUDDY FORK

5.71 MI N JCT SH 26, Howard, AR

Built 1971 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 860

SH 369 - 02 - 2.27

Fair

Over: FALLEN CREEK

1.18 MI S JCT US 70, Pike, AR

Built 1971 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 370

SH 84 - 02 - 5.09

Fair

Over: BLOCKER CREEK

.5 MI W JCT SH 369, Pike, AR

Built 1971 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 420

SH 24 SEC.00-4.43

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

4.43 MI E OKLAHOMA ST LN, Sevier, AR

Built 1971 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 400

SH 290-1 Log 9.93

Fair

Over: COOPERS CREEK

0.10 MI W JCT SH 290 &171, Garland, AR

Built 1971 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 3,000

SH 229 S-O LM 6.92

Fair

Over: GRICE CREEK

2.2 MI NW JCT SH 273, Dallas, AR

Built 1971 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 380

SH 299 - 02- 4.68

Fair

Over: LITTLE CANEY CREEK

4.67 MI E JCT SH 19, Nevada, AR

Built 1972 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 229

SH 341 Baxter

Fair

Over: WHITE RIVER & RAILROAD

.4 MI SW JCT SH 201&341, Baxter, AR

Built 1972 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 669

SH 299 SEC.02-9.16

Fair

Over: CANEY CREEK

7.5 MI W BLUFF CITY, Nevada, AR

Built 1974 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 110

SH 299 SEC.02-9.50

Fair

Over: CYPRESS CREEK

7.0 MI W OF BLUFF CITY, Nevada, AR

Built 1972 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 110

SH 299 SEC.02-9.69

Fair

Over: CYPRESS CREEK

6.75 MI W OF BLUFF CITY, Nevada, AR

Built 1974 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 110

SH 354 Sharp Co.

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK

1.6 MI E JCT US 167&SH354, Sharp, AR

Built 1974 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 586

Us49/Sec-10/L19.4

Fair

Over: Lick Creek

2.0 Mi East Walnut Corner, Phillips, AR

Built 1977 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 8,056

US 167/Independ.Co

Fair

Over: WHITE RVR CR 513

1.20 MI N JCT AR 25, Independence, AR

Built 1979 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 25,000

SH 58 Sharp County

Fair

Over: SPG RV & SLSF RR

21.49 N OF SH JCT 115&58, Sharp, AR

Built 1979 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 200

CR 655 Boone

Fair

Over: ROLANDS FORK

0.9 MI NW of JCT of 65N, Boone, AR

Built 1980 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 308

SH 285

Fair

Over: PINE MT. CREEK

4.1 W JCT US 65, Van Buren, AR

Built 1980 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 930

SH 124

Fair

Over: Brown Creek

2.6 E JCT SH 95, Conway, AR

Built 1980 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 410

SH 124

Fair

Over: Sucker Creek

3.87 M E of jct SH 95, Conway, AR

Built 1980 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 410

SH 87 OP White Co.

Fair

Over: US 67-SEC 13

JCT CR95&US67, White, AR

Built 1983 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,800

SH 356/Cleburne Co

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

1.3 MI N JCT SH25, Cleburne, AR

Built 1984 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,200

State Highway 375

Fair

Over: Rock Creek Polk Co.

3.23 MI NW JCT US 71, Polk, AR

Built 1985 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 440

State Highway 375

Fair

Over: Rock Creek Polk County

4.86 MI NW JCT US 71, Polk, AR

Built 1985 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 440

State Highway 375

Fair

Over: Rock Creek Polk County

2.77 MI W MENA CITY LIMIT, Polk, AR

Built 1985 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 440

State Highway 375

Fair

Over: Merren Creek Polk Co.

5.57 MI NW JCT US 71, Polk, AR

Built 1985 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 440

CR 241/Cyrier Rd

Fair

Over: Canal # 2/Big Bayou

0.98 Mi N SH 8-Eudora, Chicot, AR

Built 1970 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 4

CR 40-Crawford Co.

Fair

Over: Little Mulberry Creek

1.9 MI E SH 348, Crawford, AR

Built 1940 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 690

CR9/Nella Rd/Scott

Fair

Over: Denton Creek Relief

14.26 MI NO US 71, Scott, AR

Built 1975 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 200

CR9/Nella Rd.

Fair

Over: Piney Creek

.5 MI S US HWY 278, Scott, AR

Built 1975 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 200

Cr-311/Z-E/L-0.84

Fair

Over: Crow Creek

1.44 Nw Of Sh 284, St. Francis, AR

Built 1932 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 3,007

Bailey Hollow Rd-A

Fair

Over: Shelton Creek

1.87 MI N SH 92, Van Buren, AR

Built 1960 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 328

Goshen Tuttle Road

Fair

Over: Dry Creek

1.63 MI S SH 45, Washington, AR

Built 1938 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,447

N Church St

Fair

Over: LOST CREEK

.24 MI N of Word Ave, Craighead, AR

Built 1977 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 510

EMooreAve. SEARCY

Fair

Over: GIN CREEK

.2 MI W JCT DAVIS DR, White, AR

Built 1974 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 6,590

Armstrong Avenue

Fair

Over: Town Creek - Wash. Co.

0.4 MI SOUTH SH 16, Washington, AR

Built 1972 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 3,900

CR 3 Izard County

Fair

Over: W Rocky Bayou

3.52 MI SOUTH SH 9, Izard, AR

Built 1987 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 326

CR 710 Baxter

Fair

Over: LITHIA CREEK

.82 MI N of US 62/412, Baxter, AR

Built 1989 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 355

North 32nd Street

Fair

Over: Tilles Branch Seb. Co.

0.15 MI S OF N 0 ST., Sebastian, AR

Built 1990 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,673

CR 606-E Sycamore

Fair

Over: DEROCHE CREEK

1.25 MI SO SH 128, Hot Spring, AR

Built 1992 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 40

CR 304-E (911=307)

Fair

Over: MUD CREEK

1.5 M S OF STERLING SPG, Craighead, AR

Built 1995 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 99

N. KATHLEEN- C

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

1.43 MI NO SH 18, Craighead, AR

Built 1998 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 5,400

CR287-H-OLD MILTRY

Fair

Over: ENGLAND CREEK

JCT CO RD 287 & 434, Poinsett, AR

Built 1999 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 79

CR 36 Benton Co.

Fair

Over: SPAVINAW CREEK

3 MI S. E. OF GRAVETTE, Benton, AR

Built 1999 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 276

CR 614 Carroll

Fair

Over: YOCUM CREEK

5.28 MI E of JCT SH 103, Carroll, AR

Built 1998 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 163

CR 29-G-MCILORY RD

Fair

Over: CREEK

1 MI W OF SH 90, Randolph, AR

Built 1999 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 90

CR 234-B 911=506

Fair

Over: LITTLE SLOUGH DITCH

2.5 NO. & 0.5 E BLACK OAK, Craighead, AR

Built 2000 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 199

CR 1/Longview Rd

Fair

Over: Brown Creek Relief

2.25 Mi S SH 172-Valley, Drew, AR

Built 2002 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 110

Caleb Drive

Fair

Over: Town Ditch - Greenland

0.04 Mi N of Landy Place, Washington, AR

Built 2002 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 477

CR W828 - H

Fair

Over: LH CHUTE OF LITTLE RIVER

.44 Mi E of Hwy 77, Mississippi, AR

Built 2005 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1

Showing 4,301-4,350 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.