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

PLEASANT GROVE RD

Good

Over: DRIPPING SPRING BRANCH

.5 MI W JCT US 41, Christian, KY

Built 1995 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 50

KY 88

Good

Over: I-65

0.1 Mi South of 63MM, Hart, KY

Built 2013 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 2,741

KY 172

Good

Over: Laurel fork

_, Morgan, KY

Built 2013 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 1,142

US 42

Good

Over: FOUR MILE CREEK

2.5 MI N.E. OF JCT KY 36, Carroll, KY

Built 2007 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 7,948

KY-1379

Good

Over: FORK-NELSON CREEK

.25 MI E. JCT KY 277, Muhlenberg, KY

Built 2001 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 363

LEBANON ROAD

Good

Over: BLUEGRASS PARKWAY

1 MI N OF JCT KY 2735, Nelson, KY

Built 1965 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 3,160

I-75 SOUTH

Good

Over: KY 2915 (N. RAYS FK RD)

_, Scott, KY

Built 2007 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 23,517

KESWICK ROAD

Good

Over: CANE CREEK

.3 MI E. JCT KY 1804, Whitley, KY

Built 1995 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 717

CABIN CREEK RD

Good

Over: I-64

1.6 MI E OF EXT 101, Clark, KY

Built 1959 Load: 28.7 t ADT: 135

KY-3210

Good

Over: ROCK CREEK

1.3 MI S OF JCT KY 3210, Grayson, KY

Built 1970 Load: 28.7 t ADT: 378

HENSLEY RD

Good

Over: LICK CREEK

.05 MI- S JCT KY 1081, Magoffin, KY

Built 1970 Load: 28.7 t ADT: 56

KEY PIKE

Good

Over: WELLS CREEK

2.0 MI E JCT KY 1236, Mason, KY

Built 1995 Load: 28.7 t ADT: 121

KY-523

Good

Over: LASLEY RUN

2.1 MI S.W. OF JCT US 31E, Nelson, KY

Built 1959 Load: 28.7 t ADT: 678

ROCKY TOP TRL

Good

Over: MEADOW CREEK

400 SOUTH JCT KY 3098, Taylor, KY

Built 2001 Load: 28.7 t ADT: 44

CASTLEBERRY-CROFTO

Good

Over: CASTLEBERRY CREEK

0.4 MI- S-JCT KY 1296, Christian, KY

Built 1996 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 77

KY-1748

Good

Over: BRANCH OF OBION CREEK_

.3 MI E OF JCT. CR 5289_, Graves, KY

Built 2015 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 327

SHAW WELL RD

Good

Over: SHORT CREEK

1.2 MI W OF JCT KY 79, Grayson, KY

Built 2022 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 10

PLEASANT VALLEY RD

Good

Over: WHIPPOORWILL CREEK

.5 MI-SW JCT KY 49, Marion, KY

Built 1996 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 262

S RAYS FORK RD

Good

Over: SOUTH RAYS FORK

.1 MI E JCT US 25, Scott, KY

Built 1994 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 174

US 68

Good

Over: Caney Creek

.5 MI. W JCT KY 139, Trigg, KY

Built 2013 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 6,531

BRATCHER HILL RD

Good

Over: SWEEPSTAKES RUN

1.2 MI SE JCT KY 142, Daviess, KY

Built 1997 Load: 28.9 t ADT: 76

KY-3430

Good

Over: MILL CREEK

1.0 MI. W JCT KY 312, Laurel, KY

Built 1994 Load: 28.9 t ADT: 1,644

PARRISH ROAD

Good

Over: UNNAMED STREAM

0.1 MI S. OF US 62, Lyon, KY

Built 2000 Load: 28.9 t ADT: 19

KY-768

Good

Over: BIG CREEK

.5 MI SW OF JCT KY 959, Adair, KY

Built 1972 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 727

BROWN RD

Good

Over: LITTLE SOUTH FORK

1.1 MI SW - KY 14, Boone, KY

Built 1992 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 506

COAL BRANCH RD

Good

Over: LONG SHOAL BRANCH

2.3 MI- W JCT KY 708, Lee, KY

Built 1996 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 50

APEX-ORANGE GROVE

Good

Over: WEST FORK POND RIVER

2.0 MI W. JCT KY 189, Christian, KY

Built 2000 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 58

LICK RUN RD

Good

Over: LICK RUN CREEK

.3 MI N. JCT CR 1029, Marion, KY

Built 1995 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 69

TERRY COAL RD

Good

Over: CASTLEBERRY CREEK

2.0 MI N. JCT KY 1348, Christian, KY

Built 1998 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 60

Die - Shiboley Rd.

Good

Over: Lynn Camp Creek

0.5 MI E of Jct KY1079, Hart, KY

Built 2010 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 40

PANTHER BR RTFK RD

Good

Over: PANTHER CREEK

.25M W. JCT 825 & 460, Johnson, KY

Built 2005 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 30

KY-76

Good

Over: ROBINSON CREEK

.10 MI S.E. OF JCT KY 70, Taylor, KY

Built 1969 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 1,985

KY-15

Good

Over: HUNTING FORK CREEK

1.3 MI NW OF JCT KY 1261, Wolfe, KY

Built 1964 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 4,353

WEST KNOB LICK RD

Good

Over: WHITE OAK CREEK

1.6 MI W JCT US 127, Boyle, KY

Built 1994 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 122

WOMBEL ROAD

Good

Over: BR. OF SUGAR CREEK

.58 MI SW OF U.S. 62, McCracken, KY

Built 1989 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 69

US-119 NB

Good

Over: KY1441/Raccoon Crk

1.3 MI NE of KY 1426 INTC, Pike, KY

Built 2006 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 3,091

POTTSVILLE RDOLD 1

Good

Over: LONG RUN CREEK

3.1 MI E OF JCT KY 1195, Washington, KY

Built 1931 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 180

Max Roark Road

Good

Over: Puncheon Creek

0.05 M E of Green Valley, Allen, KY

Built 2021 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 141

JENNINGS ST.

Good

Over: TOWN BRANCH

0.1 MI W. OF US 51, Carlisle, KY

Built 2014 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 54

PW 9004 (Breathitt

Good

Over: Interstate 24

1.4 Mi. S of Mas-Bev. Rd., Christian, KY

Built 2010 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 6,118

PW-9004 Breathitt

Good

Over: Interstate 24

1.4 Mi. S of Mas.-Bev. Rd, Christian, KY

Built 2010 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 6,118

WOODBURN HAY RD

Good

Over: MIDDLE BRANCH

0.9 MI E. JCT CR 5099, Christian, KY

Built 1990 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 171

MOUNT ZION RD

Good

Over: NOSEY CREEK

1.1 MI N JCT KY 224, Grayson, KY

Built 1994 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 33

CHESTER RD.

Good

Over: FREE BRANCH

.65 MI S. OF KY 402, Marshall, KY

Built 2012 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 61

KY-79

Good

Over: WESTERN KENTUCKY PARKWAY

OVR W-KY-PW @CANEYVILLE, Grayson, KY

Built 1962 Load: 29.6 t ADT: 1,325

KY-144

Good

Over: OTTER CREEK

@ HARDIN- MEADE CO LINE, Meade, KY

Built 1990 Load: 29.6 t ADT: 2,080

TERRY RD

Good

Over: UNNAMED STREAM

.1 MI- W JCT CR 5268, Hopkins, KY

Built 1997 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 10

Old Walnut Trail

Good

Over: West Bays Fork Creek

0.01 MI S OF JCT KY 2160, Allen, KY

Built 2021 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 50

BOONE AIRE RD

Good

Over: TRIB -GUNPOWDER CREEK

.3 MI W KY 18, Boone, KY

Built 1991 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 82

KY 893

Good

Over: McCullough Fork

4.0MI EAST OF JCT US 641, Calloway, KY

Built 2016 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 495

Showing 9,851-9,900 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.