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-160

Good

Over: Line Fork

.55 MI W of JCT KY 1103, Letcher, KY

Built 1965 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 307

Buckner Ln

Good

Over: Crooked Creek

.1 MI N JCT CR5051, McCracken, KY

Built 2022 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 630

Rush Branch Rd.

Good

Over: Rush Branch

0.6 Miles East of KY 49, Marion, KY

Built 1990 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 24

CALVARY SPORTSMAN

Good

Over: CANEY CREEK

10 West of Josh Cox Rd, Marion, KY

Built 1992 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 259

MEDLOCK CRK RD

Good

Over: MEDLOCK BRANCH

.1 MI SE JCT KY 1157, Marion, KY

Built 1995 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 116

WIMSATT RD

Good

Over: TRIB-PRATHER CREEK

1.6 MI- E JCT KY 527, Marion, KY

Built 1996 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 223

US-68 W

Good

Over: JACKSON PURCHASE PARKWAY

WBL .2 MI NW OF JCT US641, Marshall, KY

Built 1967 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 6,759

HAPPY HOLLOW ROAD

Good

Over: UNNAMED STREAM

0.6 MI SW OF U.S. 641, Marshall, KY

Built 2005 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 50

Hunters Lane

Good

Over: Rockhouse Fork

@ JCT KY 1224, Martin, KY

Built 2022 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 50

KIMBLER RD

Good

Over: RIGHT FORK LACY CREEK

@ JCT CR 5110-LACY CK RD, Morgan, KY

Built 1991 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 71

PASTURE FRK

Good

Over: PASTURE BRANCH

.2 MI N. - KY 172, Morgan, KY

Built 1992 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 14

US 31E

Good

Over: Cox Creek

1 Mile N of Hwy 509, Nelson, KY

Built 2010 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 7,690

US-127

Good

Over: CEDAR CREEK

.3 MI. S JCT KY 355, Owen, KY

Built 2000 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 3,327

Chavies School RD

Good

Over: Grapevine Creek

0.01 M N of JCT KY-28, Perry, KY

Built 2023 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 556

US-23

Good

Over: KY-610/Dorton/Shelby Crk

0.2 MI S JCT KY 805, Pike, KY

Built 1999 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 5,310

CLEARFORK RD

Good

Over: CLEAR FORK

2 MI NORTH -KY 377, Rowan, KY

Built 1992 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 74

KY-620

Good

Over: Rogers Gap Creek

0.67 MI E of JCT W/KY922, Scott, KY

Built 2019 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 415

KY 3192

Good

Over: ELK CREEK

240 FT N OF KY 1633, Spencer, KY

Built 2016 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 1,693

I-165

Good

Over: I-65

2 M N OR JCT W/ US 231, Warren, KY

Built 2011 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 15,225

Mossy Gap Road

Good

Over: Poplar Creek

.3 MI S OF JCT KY-92, Whitley, KY

Built 2022 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 71

KY 1450

Good

Over: BROOKS RUN

0.47 MI N OF KY 61, Bullitt, KY

Built 2007 Load: 38.7 t ADT: 1,830

EUREKA CHURCH RD

Good

Over: WHITE OAK CREEK

0.1 MI SW KY 2070, Greenup, KY

Built 1991 Load: 38.7 t ADT: 64

BF Overfield Rd

Good

Over: CAMP CREEK

1.2 MI SW JCT KY 145, Henderson, KY

Built 2022 Load: 38.7 t ADT: 37

AIRLINE ROAD

Good

Over: BARREN RUN

2 MI E JCT KY 1517, Larue, KY

Built 1991 Load: 38.7 t ADT: 115

VAUGHN RD

Good

Over: HICKORY CREEK

50'N. JCT KY 70, Livingston, KY

Built 1990 Load: 38.7 t ADT: 132

CAMARGO-LEVEE RD

Good

Over: BOWLING FORK

.9 MI S - US 460, Montgomery, KY

Built 1992 Load: 38.7 t ADT: 1,468

PLUM RUN RD

Good

Over: MURRAY RUN CREEK

.1 MI E. - Murray, Nelson, KY

Built 1993 Load: 38.7 t ADT: 1,906

HUMPHRIES RD

Good

Over: STILL HOUSE CREEK

0.8 MI S-KINGS CHAPEL RD, Trigg, KY

Built 1991 Load: 38.7 t ADT: 20

KY-1910

Good

Over: LITTLE SANDY RIVER

431 FT JCT KY 1, Carter, KY

Built 1996 Load: 38.8 t ADT: 131

KY-279

Good

Over: KATIE MEADOWS SLOUGH

.1 MI N JCT US 60, Daviess, KY

Built 1986 Load: 38.8 t ADT: 201

HAGAN LANE S

Good

Over: HURRICANE SLOUGH

.8 MI N JCT KY 960, Daviess, KY

Built 1991 Load: 38.8 t ADT: 66

KY-339

Good

Over: OBION CREEK

.4 MI. E. JCT KY 129, Graves, KY

Built 1985 Load: 38.8 t ADT: 1,175

SKINHOUSE BRANCH R

Good

Over: SKINHOUSE BRANCH

.3 MI S OF JCT KY 1913, Green, KY

Built 1949 Load: 38.8 t ADT: 229

St. Claire St.

Good

Over: Patty Creek

0.2 MI SW OF JCT KY 434, Hardin, KY

Built 2011 Load: 38.8 t ADT: 92

BYRD ROAD

Good

Over: BRANCH CANE CREEK

110 E. KY 1070, Hickman, KY

Built 1991 Load: 38.8 t ADT: 78

US-60

Good

Over: W. Fork Massac Creek

.4 MI E. OF JCT KY 996, McCracken, KY

Built 2000 Load: 38.8 t ADT: 4,745

US-60

Good

Over: W. FORK MASSAC CREEK

.4 MI E. OF JCT KY 996, McCracken, KY

Built 2000 Load: 38.8 t ADT: 4,745

US-60

Good

Over: W. FK. MASSAC CR OV. FLO

.5 MI E OF JCT KY 996, McCracken, KY

Built 2000 Load: 38.8 t ADT: 4,745

US-68

Good

Over: ROLLING FORK

.4 MI N OF N-JCT KY 412, Marion, KY

Built 1982 Load: 38.8 t ADT: 6,746

MILLIKEN LANE

Good

Over: CLARKS RIVER

1.8 MI S. OF KY 795, Marshall, KY

Built 2003 Load: 38.8 t ADT: 50

DUGANSVILLE RD

Good

Over: CHEESE LICK CREEK

.3 MI N OF STRATTON RD, Mercer, KY

Built 1992 Load: 38.8 t ADT: 31

CR1123

Good

Over: Bordley Ditch

0.9 mi. NE Jct. KY 270, Union, KY

Built 2010 Load: 38.8 t ADT: 50

KY-20

Good

Over: WOOLPER CREEK

2.8 MI NOR OF JCT KY 18, Boone, KY

Built 2016 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 718

Robinson Road

Good

Over: North Fork of KY River

200 W of INT KY 1812, Breathitt, KY

Built 2013 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 462

KY-105

Good

Over: CANEY CREEK

3.1 MI SOU. OF JCT US 60, Breckinridge, KY

Built 1959 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 293

Substation Road

Good

Over: CSX Railroad

US 41 JUNCTION, Christian, KY

Built 2020 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 102

Baltimore Church

Good

Over: IC (NOR) RAILROAD

2.2 MI NW OF KY 339, Hickman, KY

Built 2020 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 25

KY 2385

Good

Over: BR OF POND DRAIN CR

0.75 MI WEST JCT KY 81, McLean, KY

Built 2018 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 145

KY-620

Good

Over: ROGERS GAP CREEK

1.9 MI W OF JCT US 25, Scott, KY

Built 1987 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 415

KY 130

Good

Over: Br. of Wash Creek

0.3 mi. W of Jct ky 2101, Union, KY

Built 2017 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 319

Showing 10,601-10,650 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.