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

US 421

Good

Over: HUDSON CREEK

2.9 MI N OF KY 12, Franklin, KY

Built 2016 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 787

KY-94

Good

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

1.2 MI EAST OF JCT KY 781, Fulton, KY

Built 1925 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 469

CR-1009

Good

Over: BIG SOUTH FORK

.1 MI S JCT CR 5211, Gallatin, KY

Built 2007 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 16

KY-1132

Good

Over: STATLERS RUN

1.0 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 467, Grant, KY

Built 1951 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 144

KY-80

Good

Over: THOMAS CREEK

.70 MI EAST OF CARLISLE C, Graves, KY

Built 1926 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,552

KY-411

Good

Over: ALDER CREEK

.05 MI EAST OF JCT KY 185, Grayson, KY

Built 1955 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 222

KY-1655

Good

Over: RAYMER CREEK

1.3 MI EAST OF JCT KY 185, Grayson, KY

Built 1957 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 98

KY-1655

Good

Over: ALDER CREEK

.10 MI EAST OF JCT KY 185, Grayson, KY

Built 1958 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 98

KY-79

Good

Over: JARRETT FORK

2.80 MI. N. JCT. 62, Grayson, KY

Built 1983 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,161

KY-61

Good

Over: BRUSHY FORK CREEK

2.7 MI N JCT KY 566, Green, KY

Built 1997 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,519

CANEY VALLEY RD

Good

Over: CANEY FORK

100 SW of KY 1913, Green, KY

Built 1952 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 62

FRANKLIN RD

Good

Over: SCHULTZ CREEK

75 NORTH JCT 10 (AA), Greenup, KY

Built 1990 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 91

I-65

Good

Over: EAST RHUDES CREEK

2.0 MI NOR. OF KY 222 NTR, Hardin, KY

Built 1958 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 47,814

KY-1375

Good

Over: BLACK BRANCH

.60 MI NOR. OF JCT US 62, Hardin, KY

Built 1961 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 253

DIXIE HIGHWAY RAMP

Good

Over: DRY BRANCH

SB ENTR RAMP @CHAFFEE AVE, Hardin, KY

Built 1973 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 3,066

US 62

Good

Over: Rolling Fork River

On Hardin-Nelson line, Hardin, KY

Built 1941 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,865

SPRINGFIELD RD

Good

Over: VALLEY CREEK

.1 MI SE OF KENNEDY ST, Hardin, KY

Built 1988 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 489

Nicholas St

Good

Over: Unknown Creek

1 Mile West of US 31W, Hardin, KY

Built 2011 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,022

KY-160

Good

Over: LOONEY CREEK

6.2 MI. SE JCT US 119, Harlan, KY

Built 1988 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 211

US-27

Good

Over: BR OF GRAYS RUN

N @S-JCT KY 32, Harrison, KY

Built 1949 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 11,893

KY-356

Good

Over: BR-MIDDLE FK RAVEN CREEK

6.4 MI W OF W-JCT KY 1842, Harrison, KY

Built 1952 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 182

CASEY MILL

Good

Over: RAVEN CREEK

.9 MI-W. JCT CR 5339, Harrison, KY

Built 1995 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 56

KY-1140

Good

Over: RAIDER HOLLOW

2.7 MI S.E. OF JCT KY 728, Hart, KY

Built 1952 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 799

KY-566

Good

Over: LYNN CAMP CREEK

3.0 MI.EAST OF JCT.US 31E, Hart, KY

Built 1987 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 135

US 421

Good

Over: DRENNON CREEK

1.8 MI S OF KY 22, Henry, KY

Built 2006 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 2,332

KY-129

Good

Over: UNNAMED STREAM

.60 MI EAST OF JCT KY 121, Hickman, KY

Built 1934 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,426

New Salem Circle

Good

Over: Drainage ditch of RR

200 W Jct. US 41, Hopkins, KY

Built 2007 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 141

KY 1531

Good

Over: TRIB TO LONG RUN

2.1 MI N OF KY 148, Jefferson, KY

Built 2004 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,753

KY 1447

Good

Over: GOOSE CREEK

1.25 MI E OF I-264, Jefferson, KY

Built 2007 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 27,762

KY 913

Good

Over: TRIB TO CHENOWETH RUN

0.15 MI N OF KY 155, Jefferson, KY

Built 2011 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 9,201

JOHNSONTOWN RD

Good

Over: MILL CREEK

0.25 MI W OF TRADE PRT DR, Jefferson, KY

Built 1940 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 8,999

MITCHELL HILL RD

Good

Over: BIG BEE LICK CREEK

0.25 MI S OF KY 2055, Jefferson, KY

Built 1999 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 3,390

BASHFORD MANOR LN

Good

Over: S FORK BEARGRASS CREEK

0.15 MI E OF NEWBURG RD, Jefferson, KY

Built 2006 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 9,354

BROAD RUN RD

Good

Over: BACK RUN

325 FT S OF BACK RUN RD, Jefferson, KY

Built 2015 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 392

I-65 & RAMPS

Good

Over: US 31E NB (MARKET ST)

0.68 MI S OF KENNEDY BR, Jefferson, KY

Built 2016 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 84,001

KY-201

Good

Over: TOMS CREEK

AT JCT KY-201 & KY-1559, Johnson, KY

Built 1948 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,795

KY-201

Good

Over: Hood Creek

0.05 MI N of JCT KY 1092, Johnson, KY

Built 1948 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 986

KY-40

Good

Over: Davis Branch

0.1 MI W of JCT KY 1107, Johnson, KY

Built 2000 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,956

KY-40

Good

Over: BARNETTS CREEK

.83 MI W JCT KY 172, Johnson, KY

Built 2004 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 2,827

RIVER ROAD/PIKE ST

Good

Over: LUDLOW LAGOON OVERFLOW

.25 MI SW OF JCT KY 1072, Kenton, KY

Built 1930 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 2,414

I-75

Good

Over: NS (CNO&TP) SYSTEM

.5 MI SW JCT KY NBL, Kenton, KY

Built 1993 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 54,191

RUST DR

Good

Over: HOLDS BRANCH CREEK

50 MI N JCT HOLDS BR, Kenton, KY

Built 1997 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 115

KY-550

Good

Over: OPPOSSUM TROT CREEK

.10 MI E OF JCT KY 1098, Knott, KY

Built 1932 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,529

Ember Lane

Good

Over: Jones Fork

0.01 M W of JCT KY-550, Knott, KY

Built 2023 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 140

KY-225

Good

Over: FIGHTING CREEK

1.0 MI S OF JCT KY 2421, Knox, KY

Built 1974 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 2,695

KY-84

Good

Over: HOWARDS CREEK

.5 MI W OF NELSON CL, Larue, KY

Built 1940 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 809

KY-583

Good

Over: EDLIN CREEK

2.8 MI WEST OF JCT KY 52, Larue, KY

Built 1949 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 891

KY-1192

Good

Over: SOUTH FORK BRANCH

.05 MI WEST OF JCT KY 61, Larue, KY

Built 1951 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 111

KY 30

Good

Over: WATKINS BRANCH

1.2 MILE S/E KY 578, Laurel, KY

Built 2007 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 5,764

KY-586

Good

Over: LITTLE LAUREL RIVER

2 MILE FROM 472, Laurel, KY

Built 2009 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 112

Showing 10,801-10,850 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.