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

HR-9006

Fair

Over: BULL CREEK

1.2 MI N.E. OF JCT KY 118, Leslie, KY

Built 1973 Load: 69.3 t ADT: 5,265

CS-1094

Fair

Over: CUMBERLAND PARKWAY

.3 MI S OF JCT KY 1297, Barren, KY

Built 1973 Load: 69.4 t ADT: 25

VIC GREER RD

Fair

Over: BUCK CREEK

1 MI N KY 1781, Lincoln, KY

Built 1979 Load: 69.5 t ADT: 86

US-68

Fair

Over: CUMBERLAND PARKWAY

U.S. 68 OVER 9008 PARKWAY, Metcalfe, KY

Built 1973 Load: 69.6 t ADT: 3,487

US-60

Fair

Over: OTTER CREEK

4.5 MI.E.-KY 144, Meade, KY

Built 1981 Load: 69.7 t ADT: 6,468

U.S. ROUTE 25E NOR

Fair

Over: SKYLAND ROAD

IMMEDIATELY NORTH OF STRU, Bell, KY

Built 1995 Load: 69.8 t ADT: 300

HORSE CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: HORSE CREEK

.1 MI S JCT KY 80, Clay, KY

Built 2000 Load: 69.9 t ADT: 50

US-23

Fair

Over: Toms Creek

0.1 MI E of JCT KY 1559, Johnson, KY

Built 1969 Load: 69.9 t ADT: 4,082

KY-463

Fair

Over: STONY FORK CREEK

1.5 MI S.E. OF JCT KY 699, Perry, KY

Built 1952 Load: 69.9 t ADT: 796

KY-224

Fair

Over: NOLIN RIVER

AT GRAYSON - HART CL, Hart, KY

Built 1977 Load: 70.0 t ADT: 1,392

US-23

Fair

Over: Georges Creek

2.0 MI NE of Johnson Co, Lawrence, KY

Built 1969 Load: 70.0 t ADT: 6,403

KY-416

Fair

Over: I 69

.5 MI E OF JCT US 41, Henderson, KY

Built 1968 Load: 70.2 t ADT: 1,111

I-64 WB

Fair

Over: BOB JEFF RD

2.4 MI W OF KY 395, Shelby, KY

Built 2007 Load: 70.2 t ADT: 21,992

I-64 EB

Fair

Over: BOB JEFF RD

2.4 MI W OF KY 395, Shelby, KY

Built 2007 Load: 70.2 t ADT: 21,992

KY-30

Fair

Over: TERRY FORK

.4 MI W OF JCT KY 1114, Breathitt, KY

Built 1938 Load: 70.5 t ADT: 714

CR-1388

Fair

Over: ROBINSON CREEK

100 S OF ROBINSON CR RD, Clay, KY

Built 1977 Load: 70.5 t ADT: 109

KY-8

Fair

Over: QUICKS RUN

3.2 MI N.W. JCT KY 3037, Lewis, KY

Built 1970 Load: 70.5 t ADT: 804

Fishing Creek Road

Fair

Over: Fishing Creek

0.2 Miles West of KY-328, Casey, KY

Built 2015 Load: 70.6 t ADT: 30

Bethel Ch. Rd

Fair

Over: OVER BRUSH CREEK

.1 Mi E Carlisle Co Line, Graves, KY

Built 2019 Load: 70.6 t ADT: 123

KY-861

Fair

Over: RODGERS CREEK

0.10 MI S OF JCT W/US 68, Metcalfe, KY

Built 1994 Load: 70.6 t ADT: 811

East Old State Rd

Fair

Over: Big Branch

3 Mi East of Jct US 231, Allen, KY

Built 2016 Load: 70.7 t ADT: 472

KY-94

Fair

Over: MORRIS BR-L.JONATHAN CK

.4 M. SW KY 1436, Calloway, KY

Built 1991 Load: 70.7 t ADT: 864

KY-920

Fair

Over: MEETING CREEK

ON HARDIN - GRAYSON CL, Grayson, KY

Built 1970 Load: 70.8 t ADT: 422

CLUBHOUSE DRIVE

Fair

Over: LANES RUN

0.21 MI E JCT OXFORD DR, Scott, KY

Built 2001 Load: 70.9 t ADT: 150

KY-15

Fair

Over: BRUSH CREEK

.01 MI W OF JCT KY 3022, Powell, KY

Built 1962 Load: 71.1 t ADT: 7,701

US-460

Fair

Over: LITTLE CANEY CREEK

1 MI SW OF JCT KY 191, Morgan, KY

Built 1982 Load: 71.2 t ADT: 5,911

I-275 RAMP

Fair

Over: I471NB-I275EB-RMPS E&F

WB I275 TO SB I471, Campbell, KY

Built 1974 Load: 71.5 t ADT: 78,644

WHITE LICK RD

Fair

Over: WHITE LICK CREEK

.5 MI S. OF JCT KY 52, Garrard, KY

Built 2006 Load: 71.5 t ADT: 181

KY-109

Fair

Over: P&L RAILWAY

0.3 MI.S-JCT.US 62-D SPGS, Hopkins, KY

Built 1979 Load: 71.5 t ADT: 1,548

KY-390

Fair

Over: SALT RIVER

4.2 MI W. JCT US 127, Mercer, KY

Built 1990 Load: 71.6 t ADT: 1,380

GRADYVILLE CLUB RD

Fair

Over: RICHARD BRANCH

0.65 MI S OF KY 80, Adair, KY

Built 1970 Load: 71.7 t ADT: 38

CS1448

Fair

Over: CSX Railroad

.2 mi E Virginia St KY107, Christian, KY

Built 2006 Load: 71.7 t ADT: 3,820

US-23

Fair

Over: KY-3496 (Old 23)

@S end Pikeville Cut-Thru, Pike, KY

Built 1988 Load: 71.8 t ADT: 8,564

KY-227

Fair

Over: LECOMPTES RUN

50 N OF JCT KY 1059, Scott, KY

Built 1983 Load: 71.9 t ADT: 762

KY-78

Fair

Over: LOGANS CREEK

.65 MI. E. JCT US 27, Lincoln, KY

Built 1999 Load: 72.0 t ADT: 1,383

US-231

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 65

9.1 M N OF COUNTY LINE, Warren, KY

Built 2012 Load: 72.1 t ADT: 27,544

US-60

Fair

Over: RACE CREEK-DRAIN DITCH

3.1 MI E JCT US 41, Henderson, KY

Built 1995 Load: 72.2 t ADT: 7,562

HOPKINSVILLE BYPAS

Fair

Over: TRIB-S.FK.LITTLE RIVER

.4 MI WEST US 41A, Christian, KY

Built 1993 Load: 72.3 t ADT: 14,942

KY 1505

Fair

Over: Dix River

0.1 M North of KY 2250, Rockcastle, KY

Built 2014 Load: 72.3 t ADT: 1,279

KY-862

Fair

Over: I69

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

Built 1968 Load: 72.4 t ADT: 312

KY-1397

Fair

Over: LEFT FORK LICKING RIVER

.10 MI S.E. OF JCT KY 30, Magoffin, KY

Built 1956 Load: 72.5 t ADT: 138

KY-1545

Fair

Over: HUDSON CREEK

2.2 MI N.W. OF JCT KY 80, Russell, KY

Built 1955 Load: 72.6 t ADT: 222

US-45

Fair

Over: STAFFORDS CREEK

7.2 MI.S.-MCCRAK. CO LINE, Graves, KY

Built 1979 Load: 72.8 t ADT: 6,826

US-45

Fair

Over: STAFFORDS CREEK

7.2 MI.S.-MCCRAK. CO LINE, Graves, KY

Built 1979 Load: 72.8 t ADT: 6,826

KY-2378

Fair

Over: PAINT CREEK

JCT KY321BY-PASS, Johnson, KY

Built 1979 Load: 72.8 t ADT: 3,585

KY 44

Fair

Over: BRASHEARS CREEK

0.35 MI E OF KY 3200, Spencer, KY

Built 1979 Load: 72.8 t ADT: 8,553

US 42

Fair

Over: GOOSE CREEK

0.5 MI E OF I-71, Jefferson, KY

Built 1935 Load: 73.1 t ADT: 15,217

US-31E

Fair

Over: FORK OF KNOB CREEK

1 MI N JCT KY 470, Larue, KY

Built 1991 Load: 73.1 t ADT: 2,105

KY-80

Fair

Over: KY 476&TROUBLESOMECRK

1 MI W OF KNOTT CO.LN., Perry, KY

Built 1981 Load: 73.1 t ADT: 5,305

Lt. FK.Durbin Ck.

Fair

Over: Durbin Creek

71 W. of Jct Ky752, Boyd, KY

Built 2011 Load: 73.2 t ADT: 460

Showing 9,251-9,300 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.