State profile · Near median Poor share

Kentucky 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 Kentucky.

14,548
Public bridges
26.6%
Good condition
7.4%
Poor condition

Kentucky holds 14,548 public highway bridges (#18 of 52 by inventory) with a 7.37% Poor share (#19 of 52 by Poor share).

That is 7.4% 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 34 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

14,548

Public highway bridges in Kentucky

Good Condition

26.6%

3,866 bridges rated 7-9

-23.4pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

7.4%

1,072 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

-0.1pp vs national avg 7.5%

Kentucky vs national bridge condition

Kentucky - Good condition share 26.6%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

Kentucky - Poor-condition share 24.6%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.5%.

Kentucky 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: Kentucky has 14,548 bridges and a 7.4% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #34 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 (%) KY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.37%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%AR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.43%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%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: Kentucky has 14,548 bridges and a 7.4% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #34 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.

Kentucky 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

14,548 18th of 54 higher than 36 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 Kentucky

The highlighted point is Kentucky: 14,548 bridges and 7.37% in Poor condition, rank #34 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below Kentucky on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • North Carolina: 19,210 bridges · 6.76% Poor
  • Montana: 5,224 bridges · 6.81% Poor
  • Kentucky: 14,548 bridges · 7.37% Poor
  • New Hampshire: 2,542 bridges · 7.51% Poor
  • Oklahoma: 22,917 bridges · 7.70% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in Kentucky

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 14,548 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains Kentucky’s inventory

State agency holds 62.6% of the 14,548 public highway bridges filed under Kentucky in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When Kentucky’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 13.8% of the 14,548 bridges with a recorded original year in Kentucky. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

Kentucky26.6%66.1%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - Kentucky (FHWA NBI)

Counties (120)

Adair 143 Allen 88 Anderson 84 Ballard 85 Barren 147 Bath 89 Bell 205 Boone 138 Bourbon 112 Boyd 89 Boyle 89 Bracken 49 Breathitt 124 Breckinridge 91 Bullitt 99 Butler 98 Caldwell 116 Calloway 210 Campbell 130 Carlisle 74 Carroll 68 Carter 189 Casey 143 Christian 300 Clark 117 Clay 160 Clinton 41 Crittenden 89 Cumberland 93 Daviess 282 Edmonson 39 Elliott 53 Estill 56 Fayette 200 Fleming 117 Floyd 161 Franklin 117 Fulton 95 Gallatin 55 Garrard 67 Grant 79 Graves 380 Grayson 119 Green 57 Greenup 161 Hancock 70 Hardin 223 Harlan 252 Harrison 153 Hart 57 Henderson 184 Henry 94 Hickman 123 Hopkins 251 Jackson 51 Jefferson 662 Jessamine 58 Johnson 99 Kenton 142 Knott 134 Knox 127 Larue 54 Laurel 131 Lawrence 103 Lee 42 Leslie 112 Letcher 179 Lewis 149 Lincoln 136 Livingston 104 Logan 135 Lyon 78 Madison 154 Magoffin 107 Marion 149 Marshall 208 Martin 70 Mason 97 McCracken 201 McCreary 39 McLean 75 Meade 24 Menifee 49 Mercer 75 Metcalfe 78 Monroe 70 Montgomery 74 Morgan 114 Muhlenberg 152 Nelson 151 Nicholas 82 Ohio 227 Oldham 66 Owen 54 Owsley 55 Pendleton 94 Perry 176 Pike 331 Powell 110 Pulaski 182 Robertson 24 Rockcastle 87 Rowan 130 Russell 46 Scott 183 Shelby 137 Simpson 50 Spencer 58 Taylor 92 Todd 80 Trigg 109 Trimble 44 Union 127 Warren 106 Washington 104 Wayne 76 Webster 144 Whitley 149 Wolfe 77 Woodford 60

Kentucky 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 Kentucky on the same metric.

NC

North Carolina

6.76% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$19,210

MT

Montana

6.81% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$5,224
Selected

KY

Kentucky

7.37% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$14,548

NH

New Hampshire

7.51% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$2,542

OK

Oklahoma

7.70% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$22,917

Bridges Needing Most Attention in Kentucky

Six lowest-condition bridges in Kentucky, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

WIDS ROAD

Poor

Over: WHITE OAK CREEK

100 NE OF JCT CR 5156, Adair, KY

Built 1971 Load: 0.1 t ADT: 10

PETROLEUM RD

Poor

Over: LITTLE TRAMMEL CREEK

0.2 MI. E JCT US 31E, Allen, KY

Built 1975 Load: 0.1 t ADT: 164

DEERFIELD ROAD

Poor

Over: STOVALL CREEK

.7 MI W OF JCT KY 802, Ballard, KY

Built 1988 Load: 0.1 t ADT: 40

KY-3042

Poor

Over: DIX RVR-HERRINGTON LAKE

.05 MI EAST OF KY34, Boyle, KY

Built 1924 Load: 0.1 t ADT: 630

KY-1951

Poor

Over: SNAG CREEK

2.4 MI. S.E KY 1019, Bracken, KY

Built 1988 Load: 0.1 t ADT: 36

Jones Branch

Poor

Over: South Fk Quicksand Creek

100 S of KY 1098 MP 9.23, Breathitt, KY

Built 2013 Load: 0.1 t ADT: 55

All Bridges in Kentucky

HALIFAX BAILEY RD

Fair

Over: BAYS FORK

2.8 MI N OF JCT KY 1332, Allen, KY

Built 1969 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 233

CLARE RD

Fair

Over: MIDDLE FORK DRAKES CREEK

.3 M South of KY 585, Allen, KY

Built 2012 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 104

BRADFORD TOWN RD

Fair

Over: STRAIGHT CREEK

0.1 MI N OF KY 221, Bell, KY

Built 1987 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 100

CS2350

Fair

Over: Yellow Creek

At Coal Museum, Bell, KY

Built 1915 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 100

BENDER RD

Fair

Over: BIG BONE CREEK

.2 MI S OF JCT KY 1925, Boone, KY

Built 1960 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 25

WEST 2ND STREET

Fair

Over: HOUSTON CREEK

800 FT N-N.MAIN ST-PARIS, Bourbon, KY

Built 1937 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 1,666

LILLESTON AVENUE

Fair

Over: HOUSTON CREEK

N JCT LILLESTON/DELZA AVE, Bourbon, KY

Built 1937 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 2,061

HOUSTON AVENUE

Fair

Over: HOUSTON CREEK

.25 MI N OF JCT US 460, Bourbon, KY

Built 1936 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 1,238

STEELE FORD ROAD

Fair

Over: HINKSTON CREEK

.35 MI S JCT KY 1879, Bourbon, KY

Built 1998 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 120

CS-1013

Fair

Over: EDDY CREEK

0.4M S. OF KY 293, Caldwell, KY

Built 1970 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 115

CR 1147 Mashburn-

Fair

Over: Millwood Creek

1.2 mi E. Jct KY 128, Caldwell, KY

Built 2012 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 23

CR 1337

Fair

Over: Sinking Livingston Creek

470 N Jct. KY 70, Caldwell, KY

Built 1990 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 118

BROOKHEAVEN DRIVE

Fair

Over: UNNAMED STREAM

.3 MI E. OF KY 1660, Calloway, KY

Built 1983 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 318

EDINBUROUGH DRIVE

Fair

Over: UNNAMED STREAM

.6 MI E. OF KY 1660, Calloway, KY

Built 1983 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 318

CS-8088

Fair

Over: FOUR MILE CREEK

.4 MI SW OF JCT KY 547, Campbell, KY

Built 1947 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 7,871

BIG SINKING RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE SINKING CREEK

.35 MI S OF JCT CR 5003, Carter, KY

Built 1963 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 100

WEST 2ND STREET

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK LITTLE RIVER

.25 MI W-MAIN ST-US 41, Christian, KY

Built 1965 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 1,463

Beeker Rd. (CR1170

Fair

Over: Fork of Montogomery Ck.

0.5 mi NE Jct KY 1027, Christian, KY

Built 2006 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 94

CR1283 Darnell Rd

Fair

Over: Drainage Ditch

0.1 mi N. Jct. Boodie Rd., Christian, KY

Built 2010 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 101

CR1294 Taylor Rd.

Fair

Over: Drainage Ditch from lake

0.1 mi. SE Jct Ky 107, Christian, KY

Built 2011 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 101

CR 1053 Coal Creek

Fair

Over: Trib. to Buck Creek

On Coal Creek Road, Christian, KY

Built 2012 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 51

CR1317 McCraw road

Fair

Over: Field drainage

).1 mi. N jct. Lonnie Wal, Christian, KY

Built 2013 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 80

CR 1449

Fair

Over: Field drainage

0.324 mi. S. Jct. KY91, Christian, KY

Built 2015 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 101

WILLS RUPARD RD

Fair

Over: UPPER HOWARD CREEK

.6 MI W OF JCT KY 974, Clark, KY

Built 1952 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 93

FORDS FERRY(CR1342

Fair

Over: UNNAMED STREAM

.6 MI S. VALLEY VIEW RD., Crittenden, KY

Built 1958 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 27

NEWCOMBE CRK RD

Fair

Over: NEWCOMBE CREEK

.25 MI NW OF JCT KY 706, Elliott, KY

Built 1967 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 103

RIGHT FRK SHEEPSKI

Fair

Over: MIDDLE FORK

.15 MI E OF JCT CR 5144, Elliott, KY

Built 1967 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 2,009

OLD VERSAILLES RD

Fair

Over: SOUTH ELKHORN CREEK

.05 MI S OF JCT US 60, Fayette, KY

Built 1949 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 297

MT HOREB PIKE

Fair

Over: N. ELKHORN CREEK

.6 MI S OF JCT LEMON MIL, Fayette, KY

Built 1955 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 541

JOHNSON CRK RD

Fair

Over: JOHNSON CREEK

.1 MI E OF JCT US 68, Fleming, KY

Built 1955 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 31

DRY BRANCH ROAD

Fair

Over: PAINT LICK CREEK

SOUTH OF MADISON CO. LINE, Garrard, KY

Built 1998 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 94

BACK CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: BACK CREEK

50 FT E TEATERSVILLE RD, Garrard, KY

Built 1970 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 103

LEATHERWOOD RD

Fair

Over: LEATHERWOOD BRANCH

1.8 MI NW OF JCT KY 2&7, Greenup, KY

Built 1955 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 242

SOUTH EDGEWATER RD

Fair

Over: HUSKENS RUN

0.05 MI. WEST OF US RT 27, Harrison, KY

Built 1949 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 122

BIG BARN RD

Fair

Over: STURGEON CREEK

.5 MI S OF JCT KY 30, Jackson, KY

Built 1957 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 150

ALANADALE DR

Fair

Over: TRIB TO MILL CREEK

0.2 MI W OF US 31W, Jefferson, KY

Built 1965 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 2,966

BLEVINS GAP RD

Fair

Over: POND CREEK

0.6 MI E OF US 31W, Jefferson, KY

Built 1940 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 697

DUPONT RD

Fair

Over: MID FORK BEARGRASS CREEK

0.3 MI N OF DUTCHMANS LN, Jefferson, KY

Built 1960 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 7,378

LAMBORNE BLVD

Fair

Over: POND CREEK

0.7 MI E OF KY 907, Jefferson, KY

Built 1984 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 1,253

ECHO TRL

Fair

Over: FLOYDS FORK

350 FT N OF ENGLSH STA RD, Jefferson, KY

Built 1987 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 987

JOHNSONTOWN RD

Fair

Over: BLACK POND CREEK

0.2 MI W OF KY 1727, Jefferson, KY

Built 2008 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 8,999

JOHN WATTS ROAD

Fair

Over: HICKMAN CREEK

0.5 MI. W. OF KY 1541, Jessamine, KY

Built 1955 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 98

WHIPPOORWILL RD

Fair

Over: TOMS CREEK

.15 MI SW OF JCT KY 993, Johnson, KY

Built 1968 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 406

CALIFORNIA HOLLOW

Fair

Over: RICHLAND CREEK

.15 MI SW OF JCT US 25E, Knox, KY

Built 1960 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 238

Yatesville Rd

Fair

Over: Blaine Creek

0.85 MI W of JCT KY 3, Lawrence, KY

Built 1968 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 885

FRIDAY DR

Fair

Over: N.FK.KENTUCKY RVR

N @JCT US 119 @COLLY, Letcher, KY

Built 1950 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 20

ISOM DR

Fair

Over: ROCKHOUSE CREEK

ROCKHOUSE CRK BR N ISOM, Letcher, KY

Built 1950 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 523

OLD LIBERTY PIKE

Fair

Over: BR OF CARPENTER CREEK

.1 MI NW OF S-JCT US 127, Lincoln, KY

Built 1927 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 45

CLEAR FORK RD

Fair

Over: BR OF CANEY CREEK

1.6 MI S OF JCT KY 1247, Lincoln, KY

Built 1981 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 248

TUNNEL CREEK RD

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK CREEK

.053 MI. S. OF KY 1778, Lincoln, KY

Built 2003 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 36

Showing 551-600 of 14,548 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 Kentucky's inventory picture to drill to a county or a specific span.

  • Browse counties in Kentucky 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. Kentucky 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.