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

Jack Sparks Rd

Fair

Over: Prices Creek

1.3 MI N of KY 80, Metcalfe, KY

Built 2017 Load: 65.4 t ADT: 100

WENDELL FORD EXPY

Fair

Over: OLD ICRR BED

WBL .30 MI NE OF GR RIV P, Daviess, KY

Built 1969 Load: 65.5 t ADT: 19,466

CR 1231

Fair

Over: SHANNON CREEK

1.1 mi s. of jct. Ky 596, Mason, KY

Built 2010 Load: 65.5 t ADT: 159

HERRING MILL RD

Fair

Over: BUCK FORK CREEK

1.7 MI E JCT CR5045, Christian, KY

Built 2005 Load: 65.6 t ADT: 19

KY-1620

Fair

Over: OVER BIG SINKING CREEK

1.172 MI S OF JCT KY504, Elliott, KY

Built 2003 Load: 65.6 t ADT: 250

N STONEY CREEK RD

Fair

Over: STONY CREEK

AT STONEY CREEK RD, Franklin, KY

Built 2003 Load: 65.6 t ADT: 2,722

West Brown Road

Fair

Over: Right Fork Blaine Creek

0.04 MI S of JCT KY 32, Lawrence, KY

Built 2018 Load: 65.6 t ADT: 20

KY-208

Fair

Over: JULIE BRANCH

1.8 MI SOU. OF JCT US 68, Marion, KY

Built 1933 Load: 65.6 t ADT: 2,048

WILLIAMS CREEK RD

Fair

Over: WILLIAMS CREEK

.85 MI NE JCT 485, Cumberland, KY

Built 2003 Load: 65.7 t ADT: 20

KY-170

Fair

Over: FLEMING CREEK

1.5 MI N OF JCT KY 1347, Fleming, KY

Built 1974 Load: 65.7 t ADT: 311

KY-40

Fair

Over: STATE ROAD FORK

2.95MI. E. JCT KY 580, Johnson, KY

Built 1997 Load: 65.7 t ADT: 1,530

Upper Brush Creek

Fair

Over: Brush Creek

1.35 Mi N of KY-1552, Casey, KY

Built 2015 Load: 65.8 t ADT: 230

KY-61

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK BRANCH

.50 MI N.W. OF JCT KY 584, Larue, KY

Built 1926 Load: 65.8 t ADT: 3,062

I-275 WB

Fair

Over: I-471 N.B.

WB I275 OVER NB I471, Campbell, KY

Built 1974 Load: 65.9 t ADT: 47,977

THEDA ROAD

Fair

Over: GUIER BRANCH

.5 MI S OF JCT KY 464, Graves, KY

Built 2004 Load: 66.0 t ADT: 31

COLESBURG RD

Fair

Over: CLEAR CREEK

0.5 MI.E. JCT KY 434, Hardin, KY

Built 1982 Load: 66.0 t ADT: 508

SPRINGHOUSE FRM LN

Fair

Over: UNNAMED STREAM

140 FT E OF LIME KILN LN, Jefferson, KY

Built 2008 Load: 66.0 t ADT: 3,273

Cr-1223C

Fair

Over: Laurel River

.2 mi east of ky 552, Laurel, KY

Built 2010 Load: 66.0 t ADT: 1,224

KY-998

Fair

Over: OVER P & I RAILROAD

.35 MI S. OF JCT KY 305, McCracken, KY

Built 2005 Load: 66.0 t ADT: 4,977

CHRISTIANBURG RD

Fair

Over: SIXMILE CREEK

1.2 MI W OF KY 395, Shelby, KY

Built 2008 Load: 66.0 t ADT: 156

US-41

Fair

Over: FORK OF OTTER CREEK

1.5 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 260, Hopkins, KY

Built 1946 Load: 66.1 t ADT: 2,095

I-64

Fair

Over: LEE BRANCH

.30 MI W OF KY 341 NTRCHG, Woodford, KY

Built 1970 Load: 66.1 t ADT: 38,908

KY-261

Fair

Over: MCQUADY BRANCH

1.6 MI WEST OF JCT KY 105, Breckinridge, KY

Built 1940 Load: 66.2 t ADT: 1,233

KY-7

Fair

Over: LOWER WHITE OAK CREEK

.5 MI. S.-KY 784, Greenup, KY

Built 1984 Load: 66.2 t ADT: 934

US-641

Fair

Over: LIVINGSTON CREEK

1.4 MI S.E. OF JCT KY 70, Caldwell, KY

Built 1984 Load: 66.3 t ADT: 763

ALUMNI DR NC

Fair

Over: NEW CIRCLE ROAD

SBL .5 MI NW-MAN O WAR, Fayette, KY

Built 1983 Load: 66.3 t ADT: 30,550

US 60

Fair

Over: FLOYDS FORK

1.7 MI E OF I-265, Jefferson, KY

Built 2007 Load: 66.3 t ADT: 20,219

US-23 NC

Fair

Over: Toms Creek

0.1 MI E of JCT KY 1559, Johnson, KY

Built 1982 Load: 66.3 t ADT: 4,082

Beaver Park Rd

Fair

Over: Right Frk Beaver Creek

JCT of KY 7 @ Beaver Park, Knott, KY

Built 1990 Load: 66.3 t ADT: 100

KY-1786

Fair

Over: ROUNDSTONE CREEK

.15 MI S.E. OF JCT US 25, Rockcastle, KY

Built 1976 Load: 66.3 t ADT: 407

KY-7

Fair

Over: OLD ESX RR BED

3.5 MI S OF JCT US 60, Carter, KY

Built 1975 Load: 66.4 t ADT: 4,323

US 41

Fair

Over: North Fork Little River

.35 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 168, Christian, KY

Built 2019 Load: 66.4 t ADT: 4,229

KY 3233

Fair

Over: TOWN BRANCH

100 YDS N OF JCT US 431, Logan, KY

Built 1970 Load: 66.4 t ADT: 2,025

COOPERSTOWN-QUALIT

Fair

Over: MOTTS LICK CREEK

.2 MI N OF JCT CR 5089, Logan, KY

Built 2010 Load: 66.4 t ADT: 83

Camphouse Rd

Fair

Over: Elk Creek

Elk Creek, Clay, KY

Built 2019 Load: 66.5 t ADT: 150

KY-1325

Fair

Over: FLEMING CREEK

.8 MI NE OF JCT KY 170, Fleming, KY

Built 1978 Load: 66.5 t ADT: 397

I-71

Fair

Over: JONES RD

2.4 MI N OF US 421, Henry, KY

Built 1968 Load: 66.6 t ADT: 29,817

LINCOLN PARKWAY NC

Fair

Over: MIDDLE CREEK RELIEF

.24 MI FROM HARDIN-LARUE, Hardin, KY

Built 1985 Load: 66.7 t ADT: 6,087

JACKSON CHAPEL ROA

Fair

Over: SAND CREEK

.2 MI S OF JCT KY 944, Hickman, KY

Built 1977 Load: 66.7 t ADT: 30

LAUREL CREEK

Fair

Over: OVER BRADFORD BRANCH

1 MI S OF KY 1068, Lewis, KY

Built 2000 Load: 66.7 t ADT: 202

KY-635

Fair

Over: CLIFTY CREEK

1.2 MI NW OF JCT KY 1676, Pulaski, KY

Built 1948 Load: 66.7 t ADT: 1,808

KY 1848

Fair

Over: BUCK CREEK

1.1 MI N OF KY 55, Shelby, KY

Built 2001 Load: 66.7 t ADT: 1,055

KY-2657

Fair

Over: I69

.3 MI E OF JCT US 41, Hopkins, KY

Built 1968 Load: 66.8 t ADT: 961

US-68X

Fair

Over: BLACK LICK CRK

.20 MI EAST OF JCT KY 103, Logan, KY

Built 1964 Load: 66.8 t ADT: 2,086

SOUTH 25TH ST

Fair

Over: BR-SMITH CREEK

.2 MI W JCT KY 994, McCracken, KY

Built 2000 Load: 66.8 t ADT: 398

DURHAM SPRINGS RD

Fair

Over: TRIB. OF BAYS FORK

.01 MI S. JCT OF KY 3499, Allen, KY

Built 1998 Load: 66.9 t ADT: 168

KY-276

Fair

Over: EASTBOUND LANES I-24

1.5 MI E OF JCT KY 139, Caldwell, KY

Built 1977 Load: 66.9 t ADT: 362

KY 54

Fair

Over: South Fork of Panther Cr

0.1 mi. W Jct. KY 1414, Ohio, KY

Built 2007 Load: 66.9 t ADT: 3,045

Riffe Road CR1728

Fair

Over: CRANE CREEK

.07 MI S JCT CR 1277, Greenup, KY

Built 2004 Load: 67.0 t ADT: 2

US-62

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

.2 MI E OF CALDWELL CO LN, Hopkins, KY

Built 1980 Load: 67.0 t ADT: 1,972

Showing 9,151-9,200 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.