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 49

Good

Over: ROWAN CREEK

1.7 Miles South of US 150, Nelson, KY

Built 2003 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 3,160

KNOXVILLE-GARDENER

Good

Over: MIDDLE FK GRASSY CREEK

0.02 MI NORTH OF JAGG RD, Pendleton, KY

Built 2009 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 30

HOLLY FORK RD

Good

Over: HOLLY FORK

2.5 MI E - KY 79, Rowan, KY

Built 1991 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 532

Weisenberger Mill

Good

Over: South Elkhorn Creek

1.8mi North of ky1681, Woodford, KY

Built 2019 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 1,393

GRAVES RD

Good

Over: SAND RUN

.5 MI SW JCT KY 237, Boone, KY

Built 1993 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 1,734

WILLARD ROAD

Good

Over: BR- JACKSON CREEK

.2 MI- N.JCT KY 2422, Graves, KY

Built 1996 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 21

KY 73

Good

Over: I-65

4.70 MI N OF STATE LINE, Simpson, KY

Built 2007 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 753

Willis Ln.

Good

Over: Road Run Creek

150 E jct KY 55, Washington, KY

Built 2009 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 100

OLD RAILROAD RD

Good

Over: TRIB- HARRIS FORK

.2 MI E. JCT KY 629, Breckinridge, KY

Built 1991 Load: 35.2 t ADT: 49

WALKER HARRIS RD

Good

Over: ANGLE CREEK

0.2 MI N. JCT CR 1374, Marshall, KY

Built 1993 Load: 35.2 t ADT: 25

KY-3 RMP to KY-645

Good

Over: KY-645

@ JCT KY 3/645, Martin, KY

Built 2009 Load: 35.2 t ADT: 3,054

PLEASANT RUN RD

Good

Over: PLEASANT CREEK

.03 MI.E. KY 519, Morgan, KY

Built 1988 Load: 35.2 t ADT: 361

US-60

Good

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

2.2 MI W. JCT KY 36, Bath, KY

Built 1997 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 728

I-24-10 NC

Good

Over: WEST FORK RED RIVER

WBL 2.0 MI NW OF TENN ST, Christian, KY

Built 1974 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 19,078

Sid Griffie Road

Good

Over: Campbell Creek

0.06 M. W. of Campbell R., Estill, KY

Built 2017 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 20

VERNON RD

Good

Over: COAL BRANCH

25 FT S JCT KY 827, Greenup, KY

Built 1994 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 15

KINGS LN

Good

Over: N.FORK TWIN CREEK

2.3 MI E JCT CR 5231, Harrison, KY

Built 1992 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 83

KY 2746

Good

Over: I-65

0.1 Mi N of County line, Hart, KY

Built 2012 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 537

CR-1271

Good

Over: MIDDLE FORK

@ JCT KY 1780, Leslie, KY

Built 1985 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 56

BYBEE LOOP ROAD

Good

Over: FORK-DROWNING CREEK

.2 MI S JCT KY 52, Madison, KY

Built 1997 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 67

CONE DR. (CR1218)

Good

Over: UNNAMED STREAM

0.06 MI S. JCT OF KY 348, Marshall, KY

Built 2017 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 478

BIG BRANCH ROAD

Good

Over: BIG BRANCH CREEK

.2 MI. E OF KY 15, Breathitt, KY

Built 1993 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 125

HURST SCHOOL RD

Good

Over: CLOVER BOTTOM CREEK

25 FEET N JCT CLOVER BTM, Jackson, KY

Built 1994 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 100

KY-1565

Good

Over: IC RAILROAD

.6 MI. W JCT KY 786, McCracken, KY

Built 2000 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 91

I-24

Good

Over: US 62

EBL 1.7 MI NE-JP PKY NTRC, Marshall, KY

Built 1976 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 16,918

US-641

Good

Over: CLARKS RIVER

.60 MI NOR OF JCT KY 348, Marshall, KY

Built 1986 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 8,869

KING CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: KING CREEK

0.2 MI S. OF BIG BEAR HWY, Marshall, KY

Built 1997 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 50

Pitman Creek Road

Good

Over: Big Pitman Creek

0.8 Mi E of Jct KY 289, Taylor, KY

Built 2017 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 82

CR-1004

Good

Over: FOWLERS CREEK

.7 MI N JCT US 42, Boone, KY

Built 1991 Load: 35.5 t ADT: 41

KY-462

Good

Over: ROLLING FORK RIVER

.2 MI SE KY 84, Larue, KY

Built 1993 Load: 35.5 t ADT: 173

KY-2564

Good

Over: Poor Frk of Cumberland

0.03 MI N of JCT US 119, Letcher, KY

Built 2017 Load: 35.5 t ADT: 135

KY-32

Good

Over: LICKING RIVER

2.2 MI SW FLEMING CO LINE, Nicholas, KY

Built 1990 Load: 35.5 t ADT: 732

KY-1105

Good

Over: HAZEL CREEK

3.0 MI NOR. OF JCT US 60, Ballard, KY

Built 1958 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 343

KY 30

Good

Over: Mid fork of KY River

250ft W of KY 3237, Breathitt, KY

Built 2015 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 1,620

McCELRATH RD

Good

Over: HOPKINS BRANCH

0.5 MI N. OF KY 1346, Calloway, KY

Built 2017 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 123

CR-1324E

Good

Over: SOLDIER FORK

15 NORTH JCT KY 174, Carter, KY

Built 1995 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 15

US-27

Good

Over: BR OF GRAYS RUN

.25 MI N OF S-JCT US 62, Harrison, KY

Built 1949 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 8,856

KY-3035

Good

Over: FOWLERCREEK

.1 MI. S. JCT. KY 1486, Kenton, KY

Built 1981 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 3,012

Violet Lane

Good

Over: Stinnet Creek

0.1 MI S. JCT KY-406, Leslie, KY

Built 2022 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 30

Laurel Fork Lane

Good

Over: Rockhouse Creek

0.03 M E of JCT US-421, Leslie, KY

Built 2022 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 165

Hancock Drive

Good

Over: N Fork of KY River

0.2 M W of JCT KY 588, Letcher, KY

Built 2021 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 180

Hampton Br

Good

Over: Cowan Creek

0.01 MI S of JCT KY 931, Letcher, KY

Built 2023 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 156

LAUREL CREEK

Good

Over: LAUREL FORK

3.5 MI.SOU - KY 1068, Lewis, KY

Built 1993 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 142

US-60

Good

Over: MITCHELLS BRANCH

.5 MI E JCT KY 1433, Livingston, KY

Built 1992 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 2,388

KY 1984

Good

Over: Tates Creek

100 W of JCT KY169, Madison, KY

Built 2021 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 327

LOVERS LN WEST

Good

Over: BUCKHORN CREEK

.2 MI E JCT US 68, Marion, KY

Built 1992 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 154

KY-3089

Good

Over: CASKEY FORK-GRASSY CREEK

0.1 MI.E.KY. 203, Morgan, KY

Built 1990 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 112

BENTON BRANCH RD

Good

Over: CANEY CREEK

.1 MI E JCT KY 191, Morgan, KY

Built 1993 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 32

GLASS PIKE

Good

Over: MCCONNELL RUN

1.5 MI N. KY 32, Scott, KY

Built 1992 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 188

VALLEY HILL RD

Good

Over: TRIB-CARTWRIGHT CREEK

2 MI NW JCT KY 55, Washington, KY

Built 1991 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 242

Showing 10,301-10,350 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.