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

DUGAN ST

Fair

Over: ELK SPRINGS CREEK

0.28 MI. E. OF KY 90 BUS., Wayne, KY

Built 2002 Load: 49.4 t ADT: 490

SLOVER CREEK RD.

Fair

Over: SLOVER CREEK

.5 Mi. SW JCT KY 270, Webster, KY

Built 2010 Load: 49.4 t ADT: 1,919

CR-1200

Fair

Over: MARSH RUN

17.5 S JCT KY 3294, Boyd, KY

Built 2003 Load: 49.5 t ADT: 304

KY-32

Fair

Over: MARE BRANCH

1.6 MI S.E. OF JCT KY 486, Elliott, KY

Built 1933 Load: 49.5 t ADT: 469

KY 841 WB

Fair

Over: P&L RAILWAY

0.3 MI E OF US 31W, Jefferson, KY

Built 1981 Load: 49.5 t ADT: 16,897

KY 1020

Fair

Over: SOUTHERN DITCH

200 FT S OF KY 1065, Jefferson, KY

Built 1989 Load: 49.5 t ADT: 14,351

KREMER AVE

Fair

Over: TRIB TO GREASY DITCH

0.25 MI E OF KY 61, Jefferson, KY

Built 1965 Load: 49.5 t ADT: 220

INDIAN HILLS TRL

Fair

Over: MUDDY FORK

0.5 MI S OF RIVER RD, Jefferson, KY

Built 1998 Load: 49.5 t ADT: 1,402

DEPOT RD

Fair

Over: BR-CUMBERLAND RIVER

0.2 MI. S OF US 62, Livingston, KY

Built 1988 Load: 49.5 t ADT: 373

PICAS AUSTIN ROAD

Fair

Over: BULL CREEK

.8 MI S JCT KY 120, Webster, KY

Built 2000 Load: 49.5 t ADT: 118

WILLIE LONES ROAD

Fair

Over: PUNCHEON CREEK

1.3 MI E JCT KY 1333, Allen, KY

Built 2008 Load: 49.6 t ADT: 141

CR-1072

Fair

Over: SIMS FORK

2.4 MI E KY 66, Bell, KY

Built 1989 Load: 49.6 t ADT: 40

KY-501

Fair

Over: KNOB LICK CREEK

500 E OF N-JCT KY 70, Casey, KY

Built 1982 Load: 49.6 t ADT: 1,171

Leatherwood Road

Fair

Over: Marrowbone Creek

0.15 Mile South of KY-90, Cumberland, KY

Built 2013 Load: 49.6 t ADT: 206

KY-97

Fair

Over: COOTER CREEK

1 MI N OF JCT KY 1485, Graves, KY

Built 1959 Load: 49.6 t ADT: 681

KY-97

Fair

Over: SAND FORK CREEK

.5 MI N OF JCT KY 1270, Graves, KY

Built 1959 Load: 49.6 t ADT: 681

KY-97

Fair

Over: Fork of Sand Creek

.3 MI N OF JCT KY 1270, Graves, KY

Built 1959 Load: 49.6 t ADT: 681

KY-503

Fair

Over: UHLENS RUN

0.55 MI. S- JCT US 23, Greenup, KY

Built 1980 Load: 49.6 t ADT: 849

MARSHALL RD

Fair

Over: DECOURSEY CREEK

SOUTH JCT CR 5009, Kenton, KY

Built 1999 Load: 49.6 t ADT: 170

KY-399

Fair

Over: DUCK FORK CREEK

BETWEEN JCTS KY 587 E&amp, Lee, KY

Built 1977 Load: 49.6 t ADT: 369

US-421

Fair

Over: BEAR BRANCH

.55 MI EAST OF CLAY CL, Leslie, KY

Built 1979 Load: 49.6 t ADT: 893

KY-58

Fair

Over: DRY BRANCH

.40 MI N.E. OF JCT KY 402, Marshall, KY

Built 1932 Load: 49.6 t ADT: 1,343

Maple Street

Fair

Over: Right Fork Peter Creek

@JCT KY 632, Pike, KY

Built 1975 Load: 49.6 t ADT: 12

COPPER CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: COPPER CREEK

GARRARD CO. Line, Rockcastle, KY

Built 2006 Load: 49.6 t ADT: 382

KY 1779

Fair

Over: DUTCH FORK

0.3 MI W OF FRANKLIN CL, Shelby, KY

Built 2012 Load: 49.6 t ADT: 253

FAIRVIEW RD

Fair

Over: NS RAILROAD

95 FT N OF KY 2867, Shelby, KY

Built 1980 Load: 49.6 t ADT: 90

HARP PIKE

Fair

Over: FLAT CREEK

3.75 MI N OF KY 12, Franklin, KY

Built 1992 Load: 49.7 t ADT: 178

EDWARD T BREATHITT

Fair

Over: PLEASANT HILL CHURCH ROA

SBL 1.3 MI S OF US 62 NTR, Hopkins, KY

Built 1963 Load: 49.7 t ADT: 6,529

EB-9004

Fair

Over: PLEASANT HILL CHURCH ROA

NBL 1.3 MI S OF US 62 NTR, Hopkins, KY

Built 1963 Load: 49.7 t ADT: 6,529

KY-711

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK LICKING RIVER

1.2 MI. N. KY. 7 JCT., Morgan, KY

Built 2001 Load: 49.7 t ADT: 300

Mt Eden Road

Fair

Over: GOOSE CREEK

.7 MI East of JCT KY 80, Russell, KY

Built 2012 Load: 49.7 t ADT: 311

MAYSVILLE RD

Fair

Over: BAYS FORK

2.5 MI S JCT KY 98, Allen, KY

Built 1998 Load: 49.8 t ADT: 54

US 31E

Fair

Over: WHITTAKER RUN

1.2 MI S OF KY 44, Bullitt, KY

Built 1998 Load: 49.8 t ADT: 10,405

KY-90

Fair

Over: PITMAN CREEK

0.9 MI. E.-METCALFE CO., Cumberland, KY

Built 1982 Load: 49.8 t ADT: 2,450

US-68

Fair

Over: SOUTH ELKHORN CREEK

2.4 MI. W. JCT KY 4, Fayette, KY

Built 2004 Load: 49.8 t ADT: 32,533

KENNY LN

Fair

Over: NORTH ELKHORN CREEK

1.2 MI N. JCT KY 1973, Fayette, KY

Built 2000 Load: 49.8 t ADT: 159

SECOND STREET

Fair

Over: CSX RR-CANOE CR-CLARK ST

.3 MI W OF US 41 NTRCH, Henderson, KY

Built 1979 Load: 49.8 t ADT: 14,975

I-65 SB ON RAMP

Fair

Over: E MUHAMMAD ALI BLVD

0.1 MI S OF 1ST ST, Jefferson, KY

Built 1963 Load: 49.8 t ADT: 84,001

KY-488

Fair

Over: LITTLE SANDY CREEK

.10 MI W OF JCT KY 1305, Laurel, KY

Built 1979 Load: 49.8 t ADT: 176

CHASE LANE

Fair

Over: SYCAMORE CREEK

.30 MI WEST OF JCT KY 213, Montgomery, KY

Built 1932 Load: 49.8 t ADT: 50

KY-1835

Fair

Over: BR OF E FK DEER CREEK

1.7 MI. N.JCT. KY. 138, Webster, KY

Built 1982 Load: 49.8 t ADT: 130

KY 237

Fair

Over: TRIB TO GUNPOWDER CREEK

.88 MI S of JCT US 42, Boone, KY

Built 1901 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 4,500

4TH STREET

Fair

Over: CLARKS RUN

1.3 MI. NOR.JCT.US 127 BP, Boyle, KY

Built 1983 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 7,584

NIX BRANCH

Fair

Over: TROUBLESOME CREEK

.01 MI E JCT KY 476, Breathitt, KY

Built 2001 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 85

CORINTH CHURCH ROA

Fair

Over: SEXTON CREEK

75 EAST JCT KY 577, Clay, KY

Built 2000 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 227

PRIVATE

Fair

Over: RED BIRD RIVER

100 W OF KY 66, Clay, KY

Built 2003 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 100

Hominy Creek Road

Fair

Over: Marrowbone Creek

0.046 MI. S. OF JCT KY 90, Cumberland, KY

Built 2010 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 156

KY-144

Fair

Over: SULPHUR FORK

.60 MI WEST OF JCT KY 170, Hancock, KY

Built 1977 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 378

EDDIE RD

Fair

Over: FALLEN TIMBER CREEK

0.2 MI W OF KY 1606, Henry, KY

Built 2001 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 50

KY-262

Fair

Over: POGUE CREEK

4.0 MI. WEST - JCT US 41A, Hopkins, KY

Built 1984 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 438

Showing 7,851-7,900 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.