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

DRAKES CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: DRAKES CREEK

10 E OF FALL LICK RD, Garrard, KY

Built 1999 Load: 51.9 t ADT: 107

US-119

Fair

Over: KY 413 & POOR FK CMBRL R

.1 MI.W OF S.JCT US 421, Harlan, KY

Built 1966 Load: 51.9 t ADT: 7,584

KY-6257

Fair

Over: MARTINS FORK-CUMBERLAND

W @ JCT US 421, Harlan, KY

Built 1980 Load: 51.9 t ADT: 364

EDUCATION LN

Fair

Over: R FRK TROUBLESOME CRK

@ JCT of KY 160, Knott, KY

Built 2000 Load: 51.9 t ADT: 88

LONE STAR RD

Fair

Over: POND RIVER

2.0 MI SW OF JCT KY 853, Muhlenberg, KY

Built 1985 Load: 51.9 t ADT: 100

KY-69

Fair

Over: BR OF BENS LICK

.70 MI WEST OF JCT KY 273, Ohio, KY

Built 1978 Load: 51.9 t ADT: 2,228

BENT BR

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK

.1 MI W JCT KY 468, Pike, KY

Built 1997 Load: 51.9 t ADT: 48

KY 44

Fair

Over: DUTCHMAN CREEK

0.4 MI E OF BULLITT CL, Spencer, KY

Built 1932 Load: 51.9 t ADT: 3,985

I69

Fair

Over: DEER CREEK

SBL 3.2 MI S OF KY 56 NTR, Webster, KY

Built 1968 Load: 51.9 t ADT: 5,583

I69

Fair

Over: DEER CREEK

NBL 3.2 MI S OF KY 56 NTR, Webster, KY

Built 1968 Load: 51.9 t ADT: 5,583

KY-516

Fair

Over: YELLOW CREEK

.27 MI. N JCT KY 188, Bell, KY

Built 1998 Load: 52.0 t ADT: 155

CR-1117 GAY RD.

Fair

Over: STONER CREEK

.1 MI N OF CLARK CO.LN., Bourbon, KY

Built 1976 Load: 52.0 t ADT: 202

KY-955

Fair

Over: SOLDIER FORK CREEK

.10 MI. SOU. - JCT.KY 174, Carter, KY

Built 1987 Load: 52.0 t ADT: 449

KY-719

Fair

Over: BRIER FORK

.2 MI S OF JCT KY 32, Elliott, KY

Built 1984 Load: 52.0 t ADT: 375

S 9TH ST

Fair

Over: W OAK ST

0.80 MI S OF US 150, Jefferson, KY

Built 2003 Load: 52.0 t ADT: 17,351

ASA CREEK RD

Fair

Over: JENNYS CREEK

.1 MI W OF JCT KY 825, Johnson, KY

Built 1977 Load: 52.0 t ADT: 328

US-31E

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK NOLIN RIVER

.3 MI.W OF JCT KY 1832, Larue, KY

Built 1989 Load: 52.0 t ADT: 2,808

KY-40

Fair

Over: STATE ROAD FORK

1.22 MI W KY 1081, Magoffin, KY

Built 1989 Load: 52.0 t ADT: 1,194

YOCUM RD

Fair

Over: PLEASANT RUN CREEK

.7 MI E OF JCT KY 1002, Morgan, KY

Built 1930 Load: 52.0 t ADT: 186

KY-197

Fair

Over: Sycamore Creek

OLD SYCAMORE GRADE SCHOOL, Pike, KY

Built 2005 Load: 52.0 t ADT: 909

KY 155

Fair

Over: PLUM CREEK

0.1 MI S OF KY 3192, Spencer, KY

Built 1982 Load: 52.0 t ADT: 12,274

US-68

Fair

Over: TRIB-ELK FORK CREEK

8.5 MI.E.CHRISTIAN CO LNE, Todd, KY

Built 1998 Load: 52.0 t ADT: 2,110

KY-221

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

1.6 MI NE JCT KY 1630, Bell, KY

Built 1982 Load: 52.1 t ADT: 1,351

BELCHER FORK ROAD

Fair

Over: BELCHER FORK CRK.

350 FT W KY 30, Breathitt, KY

Built 1977 Load: 52.1 t ADT: 58

CUPIO LODGE RD

Fair

Over: KNOB CREEK

0.25 MI S OF KY 44, Bullitt, KY

Built 1976 Load: 52.1 t ADT: 100

WATKINS RD(CR1047)

Fair

Over: W.FK CLARKS RIVER

1.5 MI N. OF KY 849, Graves, KY

Built 2010 Load: 52.1 t ADT: 80

CR1157

Fair

Over: Canoe Creek

0.3 mi W jct CR1154, Henderson, KY

Built 2014 Load: 52.1 t ADT: 71

KY-291

Fair

Over: LICK CREEK OVERFLOW

2.5 MI S.W. OF JCT KY 109, Hopkins, KY

Built 1955 Load: 52.1 t ADT: 166

KY-321X

Fair

Over: Paint Creek

0.15 MI N of JCT KY 321, Johnson, KY

Built 1936 Load: 52.1 t ADT: 4,693

US-31E

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK NOLIN RIVER

1.5 MI S OF S-JCT KY 61, Larue, KY

Built 1958 Load: 52.1 t ADT: 2,647

US-421

Fair

Over: SHORT CREEK

.50 MI SE OF JCT KY 2431, Leslie, KY

Built 1937 Load: 52.1 t ADT: 2,823

KY-1780

Fair

Over: SPRUCE PINE CREEK

.02 MI S OF JCT KY 2058, Leslie, KY

Built 1982 Load: 52.1 t ADT: 153

JULIAN M CARROLL P

Fair

Over: CLARKS RIVER RELIEF

SBL .70 MI N OF KY 348 TP, Marshall, KY

Built 1967 Load: 52.1 t ADT: 9,336

I-24

Fair

Over: KY. 282

EBL .50 WEST OF TENN RV B, Marshall, KY

Built 1976 Load: 52.1 t ADT: 16,918

J MOSS RD

Fair

Over: PITMAN CREEK

.9 MI SW JCT KY 210, Taylor, KY

Built 1998 Load: 52.1 t ADT: 128

US 421

Fair

Over: LITTLE KENTUCKY RIVER

0.15 MI N OF KY 316, Trimble, KY

Built 1982 Load: 52.1 t ADT: 2,170

KY-66

Fair

Over: LITTLE CREEK

.50 MI W OF JCT KY 2011, Bell, KY

Built 1951 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 209

CR-1088

Fair

Over: GOOSE CREEK

_TOBACCO ROAD OFF 11, Clay, KY

Built 2015 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 98

KY 1128

Fair

Over: Fork of Mud Creek

1.2 MI south of KY 94, Fulton, KY

Built 2020 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 52

TREVILIAN WAY

Fair

Over: S FORK BEARGRASS CREEK

0.25 MI W OF KY 1703, Jefferson, KY

Built 1994 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 4,631

Campbell Branch Rd

Fair

Over: Sycamore Fork

0.1 MI W of JCT US 23, Johnson, KY

Built 1982 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 655

SAYLOR RD

Fair

Over: DIX RIVER

1.5 MI NE JCT US 150, Lincoln, KY

Built 1999 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 27

KY-1506

Fair

Over: Tug Fork

Williamson WV State Line, Pike, KY

Built 1981 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 4,850

KY-461

Fair

Over: CSX RAILROAD

200 N OF JCT US 150, Rockcastle, KY

Built 1987 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 10,591

KY 152

Fair

Over: Road Run Branch

1 Mi East of Marion Line, Washington, KY

Built 1941 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 790

US-25E-10

Fair

Over: KY 2014 CUMBERLAND RIVER

.75 MI SOUTH KNOX CO LNE, Bell, KY

Built 1994 Load: 52.3 t ADT: 5,182

US-25E

Fair

Over: CSX RR KY 2014 CUMBERLAN

.75 MI S.-KNOX CO LINE, Bell, KY

Built 1994 Load: 52.3 t ADT: 5,182

LOCKMEIR RD

Fair

Over: TRIBUTARY OF BRACKEN CR.

.1 MI SW OF JCT KY 435, Bracken, KY

Built 1970 Load: 52.3 t ADT: 47

SNAKE BRANCH ROAD

Fair

Over: JETTS CREEKS

1 MI NE OF N-TERM.KY 1202, Breathitt, KY

Built 1978 Load: 52.3 t ADT: 20

FREE SILVER RD

Fair

Over: FORK OF PUP CREEK

100 W OF JCT CR 5044, Daviess, KY

Built 1985 Load: 52.3 t ADT: 280

Showing 8,201-8,250 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.