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

KY-11X

Fair

Over: TOWN BR OF FLEMING CREEK

SW @JCT-WATER ST-KY 32BUS, Fleming, KY

Built 1920 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 3,238

KY 32X

Fair

Over: TOWN BRANCH

100 FT. W. OF JCT.KY 11X, Fleming, KY

Built 1905 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 4,034

KY-80

Fair

Over: Rock Fork

0.35 MI N of Knott Co Ln., Floyd, KY

Built 1978 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 4,654

KY-35

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

.20 MI N.E. OF JCT KY 455, Gallatin, KY

Built 1956 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 2,718

KY-39

Fair

Over: TURKEY CREEK

.10 M S JCT KY 1972, Garrard, KY

Built 1936 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,242

KY-1942

Fair

Over: NAPOLEON BRANCH

1.8 MI NOR. JCT KY 467, Grant, KY

Built 1936 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 138

KY-129

Fair

Over: BLACKAMOOR CREEK

1.5 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 94, Graves, KY

Built 1934 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 631

DOG CREEK RD

Fair

Over: WESTERN KENTUCKY PARKWAY

1.MI N OF BUTLER CO.LN., Grayson, KY

Built 1962 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 52

KY-7

Fair

Over: CUB RUN

1.9 MI S OF JCT KY 2070, Greenup, KY

Built 1936 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 719

US-31WB

Fair

Over: VALLEY CREEK

.15 MI NOR. OF US 62 OP, Hardin, KY

Built 1974 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 25,226

KY-38

Fair

Over: BREEDENS CREEK

6.3 MI S.E. OF JCT KY 179, Harlan, KY

Built 1946 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 299

KY-38

Fair

Over: CLOVER FK CUMBERLAND RVR

PRIOR TO THE 28 M/P, Harlan, KY

Built 1959 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 299

KY-221

Fair

Over: SALT TRACE BRANCH

.05 MI W OF JCT KY 1780, Harlan, KY

Built 1959 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 724

US-119

Fair

Over: -KY 160-LOONEY CR

.80 MI E OF JCT KY 179, Harlan, KY

Built 1976 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 2,413

LIGGETT CHURCH RD

Fair

Over: UPPER DOUBLE BRANCH

.1 MI SE OF JCT KY 72, Harlan, KY

Built 1960 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 200

CR-6024

Fair

Over: YOCUM CREEK

OVER YOCUM CREEK, Harlan, KY

Built 1975 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 200

KY 389

Fair

Over: GULLION CREEK

0.75 MI S OF CARROLL CL, Henry, KY

Built 1933 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 310

US 421

Fair

Over: TRIB TO DRENNON CREEK

0.90 MI N OF KY 22, Henry, KY

Built 1929 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,692

KY 561

Fair

Over: LITTLE SIXMILE CREEK

0.6 MI N OF FRANKLIN CL, Henry, KY

Built 1949 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 222

KY 55

Fair

Over: DAUGHERTY CREEK

1.0 MI S OF TRIMBLE CL, Henry, KY

Built 1985 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 826

KY-1529

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

1.1 MI WEST OF JCT US 51, Hickman, KY

Built 1955 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 185

US-62

Fair

Over: BR OF PLEASANT RUN CREEK

1.4 MI WEST OF JCT US 41A, Hopkins, KY

Built 1932 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,426

KY-3630

Fair

Over: NICHOLS BRANCH

2 MI NE OF JCT KY 2002, Jackson, KY

Built 1935 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 16

KY-3630

Fair

Over: WOLFE PEN CREEK

.50 MI NE OF JCT KY 2002, Jackson, KY

Built 1939 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 16

US 60

Fair

Over: MID FORK BEARGRASS CREEK

300 FT W OF WHIPPS MILL, Jefferson, KY

Built 1938 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 38,852

KY 155

Fair

Over: BR OF CHENOWETH RUN

1.0 MI N OF WATTERSON TR, Jefferson, KY

Built 1941 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 24,201

KY 155

Fair

Over: TRIB TO CHENOWETH RUN

0.1 MI E OF CHENOWETH RN, Jefferson, KY

Built 1953 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 15,034

KY 329

Fair

Over: TRIB TO HARRODS CREEK

0.40 MI E OF US 42, Jefferson, KY

Built 1948 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 2,837

US 31E

Fair

Over: S FORK BEARGRASS CREEK

250 FT N OF LEXINGTON RD, Jefferson, KY

Built 1926 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 9,089

US31W & I-264 RMPS

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

250 FT S OF I-264, Jefferson, KY

Built 1974 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 56,997

I-265

Fair

Over: TRIB TO MCNEELY LAKE

3.7 MI N OF I-65, Jefferson, KY

Built 1987 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 71,680

I-64 EB

Fair

Over: I-264 & RAMPS

1.9 MI E OF KY 2048, Jefferson, KY

Built 1994 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 62,996

EASUM RD

Fair

Over: CHENOWETH RUN

300 FT W OF CHNWTH RUN RD, Jefferson, KY

Built 1940 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,005

SAVAGE DR

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

200 FT N OF LYNN LEA RD, Jefferson, KY

Built 1967 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 2,097

WILMORE ROAD

Fair

Over: JESSAMINE CREEK

.5 MI N OF JCT KY 3433, Jessamine, KY

Built 1950 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 11,191

KY-169

Fair

Over: MARBLE CREEK

.8 MI N OF JCT KY 1974, Jessamine, KY

Built 1950 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,400

KY-169

Fair

Over: NS (CNO&TP) SYSTEM

.4 MI N OF JCT US27 BUS., Jessamine, KY

Built 1940 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 8,021

KY-40

Fair

Over: State Road Fork

0.8 MI SW of JCT KY-580, Johnson, KY

Built 1997 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,530

KY-177

Fair

Over: STEEP CREEK

.9 MI S OF JCT KY 2044, Kenton, KY

Built 1932 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,678

KY 1930

Fair

Over: DECORSEY CREEK

0.2 MI. E OF JCT KY 1930, Kenton, KY

Built 1943 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 952

KY-550

Fair

Over: Terry Fork

2.9 MI S of JCT KY 1087, Knott, KY

Built 1932 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 961

KY-7

Fair

Over: Hall Branch

2.5 MI N of JCT KY 582, Knott, KY

Built 1951 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 814

KY-160

Fair

Over: R FRK TROUBLESOME CRK

@ JCT of KY 899, Knott, KY

Built 1941 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 7,613

KY-11

Fair

Over: BULL CREEK

3.7 MI NE OF N-JCT KY1304, Knox, KY

Built 1946 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,769

ROARING FORK RD

Fair

Over: STINKING CREEK

.1 MI S OF JCT KY 718, Knox, KY

Built 1960 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 318

MOUNT ZION RD

Fair

Over: WHITE OAK CREEK

.1 MI E-MONEY RD-CR 5412, Laurel, KY

Built 1955 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 367

KY-1223

Fair

Over: CSX RR

1.7 MI. W. JCT US 25, Laurel, KY

Built 1988 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 342

KY-3|KY-3S

Fair

Over: Levisa|Tug Fork

0.1 MI NE of KY 2566, Lawrence, KY

Built 1977 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 8,134

US-421

Fair

Over: ROCK HOUSE BRANCH

3.4 MI WEST OF JCT KY 118, Leslie, KY

Built 1932 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,059

KY-7

Fair

Over: BEAVERDAM BRANCH

1.8 MI E of JCT KY 1410, Letcher, KY

Built 1951 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 676

Showing 751-800 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.