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

US-25

Fair

Over: WOOD CREEK

.60 MI S.E. OF JCT KY 909, Laurel, KY

Built 1948 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 1,892

HR-9006

Fair

Over: SALLYS BRANCH

.15 MI E OF JCT KY 192, Laurel, KY

Built 1970 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 8,394

KY-1466

Fair

Over: CLEAR FORK CREEK

.1 MI S JCT US 68, Logan, KY

Built 1995 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 92

US-31E

Fair

Over: DAVIS RUN

.9 MI NE OF N-JCT KY 52, Nelson, KY

Built 1940 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 3,381

US-62

Fair

Over: BR OF PIGEON CREEK

3.0 MI EAST OF GR RV PW O, Ohio, KY

Built 1929 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 2,076

I-71 SB

Fair

Over: S FORK HARRODS CREEK

1.0 MI S OF KY 329, Oldham, KY

Built 1968 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 36,238

KY-9000

Fair

Over: JUDY CREEK

.2 MI W OF KY 213 NTRCH, Powell, KY

Built 1962 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 12,846

KY-80

Fair

Over: WOLF CREEK

1.1 MI EAST OF JCT KY 837, Pulaski, KY

Built 1932 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 2,480

KIT COWAN RD

Fair

Over: SINKING CREEK

300 W JCT KY 1247, Pulaski, KY

Built 1990 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 1,302

US-62

Fair

Over: MILLERS CREEK

1.0 MI E. JCT KY 922, Scott, KY

Built 2001 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 8,388

LBL ROAD 134

Good

Over: JAKE FORK CREEK

LBL, Trigg, KY

Built 1989 ADT: 300

LBL ROAD 167

Good

Over: NORTH FORK TURKEY CREEK

LBL, Trigg, KY

Built 2008 ADT: 50

LBL ROAD 165

Good

Over: W FORK LAURA FURNACE CRE

LBL, Trigg, KY

Built 2008 ADT: 50

MT EDEN CHURCH RD

Good

Over: TRIBUTARY TO SALT RIVER

FD-1007, Hardin, KY

Built 2022 ADT: 50

MT EDEN CHURCH RD

Good

Over: SALT RIVER TRIBUTARY

FORT KNOX, Hardin, KY

Built 2022 ADT: 50

BENNETTS MILL COV

Good

Over: OVER TYGARTS CREEK

55 FT EAST OF JCT KY 7, Greenup, KY

Built 2003 Load: 3.6 t ADT: 122

Welch Holw

Good

Over: Yonts Fork

@ JCT of KY 317, Letcher, KY

Built 2021 Load: 6.9 t ADT: 50

KY-8

Good

Over: FOX CREEK

1.2 MI WEST OF JCT KY 20, Boone, KY

Built 1935 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 807

KY-1204

Good

Over: GOOSE CREEK

.25 MI EAST OF JCT KY 227, Carroll, KY

Built 1951 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 163

KY-174

Good

Over: GARVIN BRANCH

.8 MI N OF JCT KY 1620, Carter, KY

Built 1932 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 1,642

KY-474

Good

Over: LICK BRANCH

2.0 MI WEST OF JCT KY 2, Carter, KY

Built 1951 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 192

KY-66

Good

Over: FLAT CREEK

.10 MI NW OF JCT KY 2000, Clay, KY

Built 1957 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 379

KY-135

Good

Over: UNNAME STREAM

1.0 MI WEST OF JCT KY 723, Crittenden, KY

Built 1953 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 112

KY-1668

Good

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

3.1 MI NOR. OF JCT US 60, Crittenden, KY

Built 1954 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 595

KY-135

Good

Over: UNNAME STREAM

1.0 MI WEST OF JCT KY 297, Crittenden, KY

Built 1957 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 112

KY-723

Good

Over: SANDY CREEK

.80 MI N. OF LIVINGSTON C, Crittenden, KY

Built 1960 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 288

KY-214

Good

Over: PRUITT BRANCH

2.3 MI WEST OF JCT KY 61, Cumberland, KY

Built 1959 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 59

KY 737

Good

Over: Rough River Lake

At Breck-Grayson line, Breckinridge, KY

Built 1966 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 2,005

MALONE RD

Good

Over: BIG CANEY CREEK

.15 MI S JCT KY 191, Morgan, KY

Built 1999 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 125

STEPSTONE ROAD

Good

Over: STEPSTONE CREEK

.2MI W-STEPSTONE @BATH CL, Montgomery, KY

Built 2010 Load: 16.1 t ADT: 80

SNAKE CREEK RD

Good

Over: SNAKE CREEK

.8 MI S UNION CHAPEL RD, Allen, KY

Built 2005 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 40

Lail Rd

Good

Over: Townsend Creek

.4 M N of Townsend Valley, Bourbon, KY

Built 1980 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 60

Mattox RD CR 1210

Good

Over: Willow Creek

3.1 MI SW of JCT KY 539, Bracken, KY

Built 2021 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 71

GRASSY CK RD. 1430

Good

Over: GRASSY CREEK

.141mi. W of Jct. KY 9, Carter, KY

Built 2010 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 50

McGinnis RD CR1193

Good

Over: Leadingham Branch

E jct w/ KY-1122, Carter, KY

Built 2017 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 40

Black Ho CR1183

Good

Over: Little FK Little Sandy

0.32 MI. S. OF KY1496, Carter, KY

Built 2010 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 131

CR1021 Owen-West

Good

Over: Forbes Creek trib.

0.5 Mi E Jct KY 1682, Christian, KY

Built 2010 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 41

CR1318 Jago Thoma

Good

Over: Drainage ditch

0.4 mi. NW jct. KY 107, Christian, KY

Built 2010 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 50

CR1443 Cerulan Rd

Good

Over: Trib. to Wallace Fork Cr

1.5 mi. SW Jct. KY 91, Christian, KY

Built 2011 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 101

CR. 1448 Woosley-M

Good

Over: No. Fork Muddy River

.5 mi. So of Mt Carmel/Ca, Christian, KY

Built 2013 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 102

CR 1117 Covered Wa

Good

Over: Trib. to Dripping Spring

0.15 mi. E Jct US41, Christian, KY

Built 2013 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 179

NORTH CHESTNUT GRO

Good

Over: LITTLE BLACKFORD CREEK

0.2 MI. EAST JCT KY 334, Daviess, KY

Built 1981 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 56

WOOLEY RD. CR 1007

Good

Over: SAND LICK CREEK

.2 MI. S. OF KY 559, Fleming, KY

Built 2009 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 380

GOOCH PIKE

Good

Over: WEST FORK BACK CREEK

.10 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 52, Garrard, KY

Built 1969 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 259

BIG BRUSH CRK

Good

Over: UPPER BRUSH CREEK

1.7 MI N OF JCT CR 5331, Green, KY

Built 1970 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 91

Goldenrod LN

Good

Over: Sand Lick Creek

20 S of Roy Chaudoin Rd, Green, KY

Built 2016 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 10

Haycraft St.

Good

Over: Valley Creek

0.165 MI NE of Jct US 31W, Hardin, KY

Built 2012 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 937

PARK ENTRANCE

Good

Over: FLAT RUN CREEK

.1 MI N OF JCT US-62, Harrison, KY

Built 2009 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 50

CR 1333 Logan Rd

Good

Over: Jennings Creek

0.03 mi S Jct KY 70, Hopkins, KY

Built 2021 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 58

WEST 26TH ST

Good

Over: CSX RAILROAD

100FT W OF KY 17, Kenton, KY

Built 1970 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 15,394

Showing 9,601-9,650 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.