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

ELK CAVE ROAD

Good

Over: MINOR BRANCH

20 E JCT S/MINOR BR RD, Boyle, KY

Built 1992 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 65

MAYFIELD CHURCH RD

Good

Over: LICK CREEK

.4 MI W - KY 307, Carlisle, KY

Built 1992 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 131

ELMORE HOLLOW RD

Good

Over: INDIAN CREEK

225 SOUTH JCT KY 3270, Casey, KY

Built 1993 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 50

PHIN CROFT RD

Good

Over: SUSAN CREEK

2.5 MI W OF JCT KY 838, Crittenden, KY

Built 1992 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 22

STANLEY-BIRK CITY

Good

Over: HURRICANE SLOUGH

.2 MI N. KY 960, Daviess, KY

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 73

GOLO ROAD

Good

Over: BRANCH-PANTHER CREEK

300 W KY 564, Graves, KY

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 331

FLOOD ROAD

Good

Over: VULCAN CREEK

.4 MI NE JCT KY 80, Graves, KY

Built 1994 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 50

ALLCORN CRK RD

Good

Over: TARKLIN BRANCH

1 MI W - KY 2, Greenup, KY

Built 1992 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 339

ALLCORN CRK RD

Good

Over: ALLCORN CREEK

1.5 MI.WEST - KY 2, Greenup, KY

Built 1993 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 339

KY-916

Good

Over: MCDOUGAL CREEK

200E. JCT. KY 470, Larue, KY

Built 1993 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 96

SCOTT ROAD

Good

Over: CHRISTIE CREEK

.2 MI S OF JCT KY 462, Larue, KY

Built 1990 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 20

LINLEY RD

Good

Over: HICKORY CREEK

.6 MI W -JCT MT.ZION RD, Livingston, KY

Built 1992 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 11

JIM CLARK RD

Good

Over: MONKS CREEK

1 MI N-KY 457, Nelson, KY

Built 1992 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 299

CRANE FORK ROAD

Good

Over: RIGHT FORK COW CREEK

.1 MI S JCT KY 28, Owsley, KY

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 44

KY-3211

Good

Over: TRACE FORK CREEK

1.9 MI NW JCT US 68, Taylor, KY

Built 2006 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 369

KY-131

Good

Over: HURRICANE BRANCH OVERFLO

1.7 MI. N.E. - KY 849, Graves, KY

Built 1984 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 2,189

US-119

Good

Over: POOR FORK CUMBERLAND RIV

.10 MI W OF JCT KY 2010, Harlan, KY

Built 1974 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 3,117

I-75 NC

Good

Over: NS (CNO&TP) SYSTEM

.5 MI SW JCT KY NBL, Kenton, KY

Built 1993 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 54,191

KY-3174

Good

Over: KY-1373 & Beaver Creek

2.6 MI NW Virginia Line, Pike, KY

Built 2014 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 317

KY-270

Good

Over: BR OF CRAB ORCHARD CREEK

.4 MI SE JCT KY 132, Webster, KY

Built 2005 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 173

KY 44

Good

Over: Crooked Creek

E of Spencer-Anderson CL, Anderson, KY

Built 2021 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 385

KY-86

Good

Over: SUGAR TREE RUN CREEK

2.3 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 144, Breckinridge, KY

Built 1957 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 123

KY-70

Good

Over: Sugar Creek

.9 MI E OF JCT KY 1337, Hopkins, KY

Built 2019 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 2,143

I-64 EB RAMP

Good

Over: I-64 WB & I-65 SB RAMP

0.1 MI S OF KENNEDY BR, Jefferson, KY

Built 2016 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 72,000

CR-1080

Good

Over: Decoursey Creek

.25 MI N OF JCT KY 2044, Kenton, KY

Built 2016 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 671

STAMPER BRANCH

Good

Over: GRASSY FORK

500WEST JCT KY 1662, Lewis, KY

Built 1994 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 65

HODGE RD

Good

Over: LIVINGSTON CREEK

100 SOUTH US 60, Livingston, KY

Built 1992 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 40

BURDINE ROAD

Good

Over: SHORT CREEK

0.26 M W of JCT KY 1675, Pulaski, KY

Built 2012 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 70

KY-1261

Good

Over: HOLLY CREEK

1.8 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 15, Wolfe, KY

Built 1960 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 264

MAYFIELD CHURCH RD

Good

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

.8 MI W. OF KY 121, Carlisle, KY

Built 2012 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 103

Chuck-A-Luck Rd.

Good

Over: BACON CREEK

0.7 MI. E Of Cave Hill Rd, Hart, KY

Built 2006 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 20

BETHANY ROAD

Good

Over: HICKMAN CREEK

0.8 MI W. of KY 1981, Jessamine, KY

Built 1988 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 202

KY-1956

Good

Over: ROCKCASTLE RIVER

@ ROCKCASTLE CO LINE, Laurel, KY

Built 1999 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 238

KY-3194

Good

Over: NORTH FORK KY RIVER

.001 MI- E JCT KY 550, Perry, KY

Built 1996 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 3,674

CR 1011

Good

Over: BARN BRANCH

.8 MI E OF KY 307, Carlisle, KY

Built 2019 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 60

Tom ONeal Rd.

Good

Over: Guess Creek

.4 MI N. OF KY 80, Carlisle, KY

Built 2020 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 46

CLOYD WILSON ROAD

Good

Over: BR OF W.FK MAYFIELD CRK

1.8 MI NW of KY 80, Carlisle, KY

Built 2022 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 35

John Roach Road

Good

Over: Branch of Deer Creek

At int. of Gooch Jones Rd, Webster, KY

Built 2021 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 35

KY-536

Good

Over: FOWLERS FORK

.25 MI W OF US-42, Boone, KY

Built 2020 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 4,634

LITTLE ROCK-JACKST

Good

Over: BRUSH CREEK

.2 MI. N. - KY 537, Bourbon, KY

Built 1993 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 187

WAVERLY SCHOOL RD

Good

Over: LITTLE BULL CREEK

2.5 MI W JCT KY 1328, Butler, KY

Built 1991 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 34

KY-1741

Good

Over: Branch of Trumans Creek

.20 MI North of JCT KY123, Carlisle, KY

Built 2010 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 127

GALLION BR RD

Good

Over: BLAINE TRACE

.1 MI W JCT CR 5014, Elliott, KY

Built 1991 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 110

NORTH WILSON RD

Good

Over: US 31W @ 28.391

.7 MI. N JCT KY 1815, Hardin, KY

Built 2000 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 5,598

KY-72

Good

Over: Catron Creek

1.6 M S of JCT KY-1216, Harlan, KY

Built 2022 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 291

KY 80

Good

Over: Bowles Creek

0.2 M E OF ICG RR XING, Hickman, KY

Built 2022 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 297

Pratt Drive

Good

Over: Left Frk Troublesome Crk

0.02 MI S of JCT KY-550, Knott, KY

Built 2023 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 40

US 60

Good

Over: CUMBERLAND RIVER

.20 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 70, Livingston, KY

Built 2023 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 3,024

HWY 1915

Good

Over: Dry branch creek

.2mi South of Hwy68, Mercer, KY

Built 2022 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 231

WAR CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: WAR CREEK

.25 MI N OF JCT KY 541, Breathitt, KY

Built 1970 Load: 38.3 t ADT: 145

Showing 10,501-10,550 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.