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

I-24

Good

Over: PORT AUTHORITY RD

EBL 1 MI E OF WK PKY NTRC, Lyon, KY

Built 1977 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 11,994

JOPPA LNDG N

Good

Over: NASTY CREEK

1.6 MI N. OF KY 358, McCracken, KY

Built 1994 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 47

KY-247

Good

Over: POTTINGER CREEK

.60 MI S.E. OF JCT KY 52, Nelson, KY

Built 1940 Load: 26.0 t ADT: 823

KY-1973

Good

Over: CANE RUN CREEK

.50 MI S OF I-75 NTRCH, Fayette, KY

Built 1978 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 5,439

BAKER RD

Good

Over: TRIB-GLENNS CREEK

.1 MI.N.-CR 5014 GLENS CK, Washington, KY

Built 1998 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 12

KY 2541

Good

Over: LITTLE SANDY RIVER

.20 MI N. OF JCT.US 23, Greenup, KY

Built 2012 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 574

HALSEY FRK

Good

Over: SALEM FORK CREEK

.1 MI W OF JCT KY 705, Morgan, KY

Built 1970 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 68

MUSIC RD CR 1842

Good

Over: BEECHY CREEK

79 S. of BEECHY CR. RD., Greenup, KY

Built 2016 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 20

Botts Dr CR-1501

Good

Over: Christy Creek

114 S of Jct Ky-32, Rowan, KY

Built 2016 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 20

US-119

Good

Over: Poor Frk of Cumberland

@ JCT of KY 3619, Letcher, KY

Built 2017 Load: 26.5 t ADT: 1,459

KY-97

Good

Over: BACON CREEK

.5 MI. SE JCT KY 339, Graves, KY

Built 1997 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 1,090

I-71 SB

Good

Over: EDITH RD

1.75 MI N OF I-64, Jefferson, KY

Built 1966 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 25,429

Ky 134 Connector

Good

Over: Ky 9009

_, Morgan, KY

Built 2019 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 45

BLANKENSHIP RD

Good

Over: BETHEL CREEK

1.1 MI NW OF JCT KY 55, Russell, KY

Built 2012 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 50

KY-52

Good

Over: MIDDLE FK.KENTUCKY RIVER

.2 MI W OF JCT KY 2016, Lee, KY

Built 1951 Load: 27.1 t ADT: 1,891

KY-838

Good

Over: DEER CREEK

.60 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 133, Livingston, KY

Built 1962 Load: 27.1 t ADT: 305

CR-1316

Good

Over: DUCK CREEK

.2 MI S OF JCT KY 1998, Campbell, KY

Built 2010 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 721

KY 92

Good

Over: PLEASANT RUN CREEK

200 FT W OF JCT KY1673, Whitley, KY

Built 2021 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 2,277

KY-378

Good

Over: NEGRO BRANCH

1.2 MI EAST OF JCT KY 394, Breathitt, KY

Built 1953 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 180

CANEY CREEK RD

Good

Over: CANEY CREEK

.2 MI-N Suterville Road, Scott, KY

Built 1996 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 51

BELLS MINE RD.

Good

Over: CANEY BRANCH

.5 MI W. OF KY365, Crittenden, KY

Built 2014 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 77

Bogie mill road

Good

Over: Bogie Branch

2.5Mi N of JCT KY 876, Madison, KY

Built 2021 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 116

KY-437

Good

Over: ELK FORK

.25 MI SE OF W-JCT KY 172, Morgan, KY

Built 1958 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 545

KY-32

Good

Over: MCCONNELL RUN

.05 MI E OF KY 1688, Scott, KY

Built 1968 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 686

KY-6051

Good

Over: I-24 @.MP. 060.499

1.6 MI NW OF KY 124, Trigg, KY

Built 1977 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 265

PAYNES MILL RD

Good

Over: SOUTH ELKHORN CREEK

1.4 MI E JCT KY 1967, Woodford, KY

Built 1994 Load: 27.6 t ADT: 101

KY-339

Good

Over: LEECH CREEK

.50 MI EAST OF JCT KY 97-, Graves, KY

Built 1959 Load: 27.7 t ADT: 250

KY-793

Good

Over: LITTLE PITMAN CREEK

5 MI N OF W-JCT US 68, Green, KY

Built 1957 Load: 27.7 t ADT: 173

Woodlawn Road

Good

Over: Camp Branch Creek

1.9 MI S JCY KY 55, Nelson, KY

Built 2022 Load: 27.7 t ADT: 79

CR1322

Good

Over: Little Wolf creek

0.3 mi s of ky628, Whitley, KY

Built 2014 Load: 27.7 t ADT: 324

KY-221

Good

Over: BIG RUN CREEK

ON HARLAN - BELL CL, Bell, KY

Built 1950 Load: 27.8 t ADT: 724

CR 1903 PALAMINO

Good

Over: JACOBS FORK

49 WEST OF KY 955, Carter, KY

Built 2008 Load: 27.8 t ADT: 50

KY-922

Good

Over: CANE RUN CREEK

.4MI N-NEW CIRCLE-KY4 NTR, Fayette, KY

Built 1964 Load: 27.8 t ADT: 39,271

KY-116

Good

Over: UNNAMED STREAM

1.96 MI SE JCT KY 166, Fulton, KY

Built 2000 Load: 27.8 t ADT: 353

SCOTTS FORK RD

Good

Over: SCOTTS FORK

1.3 MI W JCT KY 39, Garrard, KY

Built 1991 Load: 27.8 t ADT: 75

LITTLE EAST FRK RD

Good

Over: LITTLE EAST FORK

0.36 MI SW JCT KY 1496, Lawrence, KY

Built 2016 Load: 27.8 t ADT: 90

HOPEWELL ROAD

Good

Over: JACKSON PURCHASE PARKWAY

1. MI N OF JCT KY 58-80, Graves, KY

Built 1967 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 444

KY 2766

Good

Over: ALDER CREEK

0.1 MI E OF JCT KY 185, Grayson, KY

Built 2010 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 457

KY-307_

Good

Over: BAYOU DU CHIEN CREEK_

.84 MI SOU OF JCT KY 944_, Hickman, KY

Built 2015 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 703

BRISTOW ROAD/SHAW

Good

Over: BRUSHY CREEK

.1 MI S OF JCT KY 2045, Kenton, KY

Built 1970 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 9,005

US-119

Good

Over: POOR FORK CUMBERLAND RIV

1.1 MI.S. LETCHER CO LINE, Harlan, KY

Built 1990 Load: 28.0 t ADT: 2,413

KY-783

Good

Over: Stoney Creek

.3 MI. S JCT KY 1550, Calloway, KY

Built 1997 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 833

KY-1184

Good

Over: KY 402 MTN PKWY

2.6 MI E OF JCT KY 213, Powell, KY

Built 1962 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 646

KY-10

Good

Over: FLAGG SPRINGS CREEK

@ JCT KY 735 & KY 10, Campbell, KY

Built 1997 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 211

MORGAN FOUR OAKS R

Good

Over: BR OF JOHNSON CREEK

1.8 MI S OF JCT 1053, Pendleton, KY

Built 2011 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 71

SWAN ROAD

Good

Over: TERRAPIN CREEK

.5 MI W JCT KY 97, Graves, KY

Built 1994 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 213

JOHNSON LANE

Good

Over: BRANCH-BLACKFORD CREEK

AT JCT CR 5001, Hancock, KY

Built 1994 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 60

KY-80

Good

Over: Louie B. Nunn Pkwy

4.3 MI SE OF CASEY CO.LN., Pulaski, KY

Built 1979 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 954

RUSS WILLOUGHBY RD

Good

Over: HOG CREEK

.1 MI S. OF KY 11, Montgomery, KY

Built 1994 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 109

ROSE LANE

Good

Over: HARDWICK CREEK

.15 MI N JCT KY 1057, Powell, KY

Built 1995 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 55

Showing 9,801-9,850 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.