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

KY-199

Good

Over: Pond Creek

1.4 MI SW OF JCT KY 1056+, Pike, KY

Built 2002 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 478

KY-74

Good

Over: STONEY FORK CREEK

3.8 MI. WEST - JCT KY 441, Bell, KY

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 311

TREETOP LN

Good

Over: SANDY RUN CREEK

.3 MI W. JCT KY 237, Boone, KY

Built 1993 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 121

KY-1876

Good

Over: COOPER RUN

.7 MI N OF JCT US 460, Bourbon, KY

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 544

LOVES RD

Good

Over: BUFFALO RUN

0.2 MI N OF KY 480, Bullitt, KY

Built 2016 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

RIFLE RANGE RD

Good

Over: FANNON CREEK

.9 MI W JCT KY 915, Campbell, KY

Built 1997 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 30

US-60

Good

Over: SMITHS BRANCH

1.5 MI W OF JCT KY 1947, Carter, KY

Built 1967 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,824

KY-794

Good

Over: White Oak Creek

0.3 MI NW KY 1705, Estill, KY

Built 2019 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 293

ELEM.SCHOOL CS1084

Good

Over: TOWN BRANCH

148 S. OF KY 11X, Fleming, KY

Built 2013 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 200

KY-79

Good

Over: DOG CREEK

.10 MI NOR. OF BUTLER CL, Grayson, KY

Built 1978 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,325

SR93P

Good

Over: Ohio River

2ND ST BETWN, Greenup, KY

Built 2016 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,176

US 60

Good

Over: Green River

0.01 MI E OF JCT KY1078, Henderson, KY

Built 2022 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,538

US-51

Good

Over: BAYOU DE CHIEN OVERFLOW

.5 MI. SOU.OF JCT KY 780, Hickman, KY

Built 1982 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,314

HATCH ROAD

Good

Over: CANE CK FK-OBION CREEK

.4 MI N - KY 58, Hickman, KY

Built 1992 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10

KY841 IN265 I265

Good

Over: OHIO RIVER

1.5 MI N OF US 42, Jefferson, KY

Built 2016 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 12,700

LIPPS LN

Good

Over: TRIB TO WET WOODS CREEK

0.3 MI E OF KY 61, Jefferson, KY

Built 1960 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,023

I-75 SB and Ramp

Good

Over: DONALDSON RD (KY 236)

.4 MI.NE BOONE CO LINE, Kenton, KY

Built 2000 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 170,069

KY-15

Good

Over: RED OAK BRANCH

.50 MI E OF JCT KY 1088, Knott, KY

Built 1972 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,493

KY-470

Good

Over: SOUTH FORK NOLIN RIVER

.50 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 210, Larue, KY

Built 1968 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 980

Berma Road

Good

Over: Rockhouse Creek

0.01 M E of JCT KY-7, Letcher, KY

Built 2022 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 30

KY-9

Good

Over: GRANNISON BRANCH

2.5 MI N.E. OF JCT KY 989, Lewis, KY

Built 1971 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,969

VANHOOSER RD

Good

Over: RICHLAND CREEK

1.6 MI- N JCT KY 917, Livingston, KY

Built 1995 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 18

DOGTOWN RD

Good

Over: BEAVER DAM SCOUCH

1 MI NWJCT KY 1897, Marshall, KY

Built 2001 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 153

KY-1244

Good

Over: BRUSHY CREEK

.6 MI NW OF S-JCT US 68, Nicholas, KY

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 322

KY-3174 RAMP

Good

Over: KY-1373 & Beaver Creek

KY-80 & KY-3714 JCT, Pike, KY

Built 2017 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 412

Right Fork Brushy

Good

Over: Left Fork Brushy Fork

0.1 MI. S.OF KY 881, Pike, KY

Built 2019 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 103

Bascum Mullins Rd

Good

Over: Elkhorn Creek

0.01 M W of JCT KY-197, Pike, KY

Built 2022 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 110

KY-26

Good

Over: BR OF WATTS CREEK

2.3 MI.NOR KY 511, Whitley, KY

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,590

WEST PERIMETER RD

Good

Over: CASEY CREEK

0.16 MI N BOLT RD, Trigg, KY

Built 1992 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 300

WEST PERIMETER RD

Good

Over: BRANCH OF CASEY CREEK

311-630, Trigg, KY

Built 1992 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 300

WEST PERIMETER RD

Good

Over: CASEY CREEK

300-618, Trigg, KY

Built 2017 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 300

WEST PERIMETER RD

Good

Over: DRY FORK CREEK

0.8 MI N PRYOR TR, Trigg, KY

Built 2017 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 300

WIERCINSKI WAY

Good

Over: TRIBUTARY OF CASEY CREEK

43A, Trigg, KY

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 300

WIERCINSKI WAY

Good

Over: TRIBUTARY OF CASEY CREEK

45B, Trigg, KY

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 300

PORTER RIVER ROAD

Good

Over: MILL CREEK

1.0 KM N. OF MAIN RANGE R, Hardin, KY

Built 1991 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50

PINWHEEL ROAD

Good

Over: DRY BRANCH

1.6 KM N OF VINE GROVE RD, Meade, KY

Built 1999 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50

BRANDENBURG STA RD

Good

Over: US 31W

3.5 KM N. OF CHAFFEE AVE., Meade, KY

Built 1996 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 400

PARK RD

Good

Over: DRY BRANCH

0.2 KM N OF CHAFFEE AVE, Hardin, KY

Built 2016 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 200

PEARMAN RD

Good

Over: BARTON RUN CREEK

.3 MI E JCT KY 479, Grayson, KY

Built 1994 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 320

Limp Rd

Good

Over: Little Meeting Creek

0.9 Miles NW of KY 920, Hardin, KY

Built 2017 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 61

I-75 SB

Good

Over: DONALDSON RD (KY 236)

.4 MI. NE BOONE CO LINE, Kenton, KY

Built 2001 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 85,035

OLD KY 15

Good

Over: CSX RR & N.FK.KY. RIVER

.10 MI NW OF KY 476 NTRCH, Perry, KY

Built 1963 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 8,911

KY-551

Good

Over: CASEY CREEK

.6 MI E OF JCT KY 1742, Adair, KY

Built 1982 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 263

CR-1044C9 IOWA ST.

Good

Over: LITTLE HOOD CREEK

.203 MI S.JCT.KY 168, Boyd, KY

Built 2008 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 2,428

GABBARD RD.

Good

Over: COPPER CREEK

.10 M N. ROCKCASTLE LINE, Garrard, KY

Built 1994 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 126

LOGAN DESPAIN ROAD

Good

Over: SOUTH FORK BRANCH

.3 MI WEST-KY 61, Larue, KY

Built 1992 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 40

Hunts Branch

Good

Over: Hurricane Creek

0.06 MI W of JCT KY 1384, Pike, KY

Built 1991 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 96

JIM WEAVER RD

Good

Over: BR.-GLADE FORK CREEK

.1 MI W-GLADE FORK RD, Pulaski, KY

Built 1997 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 69

KY 80

Good

Over: RUSSELL CREEK

1.2 MI. E. OF JCT KY 55X, Adair, KY

Built 2008 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 4,035

OAK RDG SCHOOL RD

Good

Over: BLUE SPRINGS CREEK

1.1 MI W JCT KY 571, Barren, KY

Built 1996 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 93

Showing 10,051-10,100 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.