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-36

Good

Over: TRIB-BEAVER CREEK

.45 MI NW OF JCT KY 1274, Menifee, KY

Built 1935 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,438

KY-1941

Good

Over: INDIAN CREEK

1.1 MI. SOUTH OF KY 390, Mercer, KY

Built 2002 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 31

Ky 163

Good

Over: Black Rock Creek

5.4 MI N of Jct w/ Ky 90, Metcalfe, KY

Built 2016 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,927

KY-100

Good

Over: WARDS BRANCH

1.0 MI EAST OF JCT KY 214, Monroe, KY

Built 1931 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 246

KY-100

Good

Over: BR OF LITTLE MESHACK CRE

1.3 MI West OF CMBRLND CL, Monroe, KY

Built 1952 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 351

KY-1050

Good

Over: CAMP BRANCH

.60 MI S OF JCT US 460, Montgomery, KY

Built 1950 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 840

KY-3363

Good

Over: HOGG CREEK

0.4 MI N JCT KY 11, Montgomery, KY

Built 1989 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 457

KY-172

Good

Over: RUSH BRANCH

1.1 MI WEST OF JCT KY 650, Morgan, KY

Built 1937 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,838

KY-172

Good

Over: PASTURE BRANCH

1.6 MI W OF JCT KY 1715, Morgan, KY

Built 1949 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 825

KY-1569

Good

Over: LITTLE BLACKWATER CK.

@ MENIFEE CO. LN., Morgan, KY

Built 1955 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 167

KY-650

Good

Over: BIG MANDY CREEK

1.5 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 172, Morgan, KY

Built 1962 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 404

KY-650

Good

Over: STRAIGHT CREEK

2.2 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 172, Morgan, KY

Built 1962 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 404

KY-437

Good

Over: BIRCH FK OF WILLIAMS CRK

.1 MI E OF JCT KY 1260, Morgan, KY

Built 1953 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 152

KY-1010

Good

Over: LITTLE BLACKWATER CREEK

.3 MI SE OF JCT KY 882, Morgan, KY

Built 1956 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 304

KY-364

Good

Over: LACY CREEK

1.9 MI. SOUTHEAST JCT 460, Morgan, KY

Built 1985 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 357

KY-705

Good

Over: GRASSY CREEK

2.1 MI E. KY 772, Morgan, KY

Built 1970 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 200

KY-7

Good

Over: LICK FORK TRIBUTORY

2.0 MI. N. KY. 1161 JCT., Morgan, KY

Built 2001 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 860

OLD HIGHWAY 7

Good

Over: TRIB-N.FK.LICKING RVR

.40 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 711, Morgan, KY

Built 1934 Load: 39.9 t

Morgan Cent. Elem.

Good

Over: Little Caney Creek

0.014 mile south ky 460, Morgan, KY

Built 2007 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 6,983

ST-1001

Good

Over: KY 181

0.6 mi N of JCT WK PKWY, Muhlenberg, KY

Built 2020 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 50

US-150

Good

Over: SLOUGH BEECH FORK

.20 MI W OF WASHINGTON CL, Nelson, KY

Built 1957 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 9,268

KY-247

Good

Over: CANE RUN

3.3 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 84, Nelson, KY

Built 1960 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 396

KY 1430

Good

Over: ITHROW CREEK

.65 MI S.E. OF JCT KY 245, Nelson, KY

Built 1934 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 4,768

KY-509

Good

Over: BR OF COX CREEK

.80 MI EAST OF JCT US 31E, Nelson, KY

Built 1954 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 820

KY-733

Good

Over: SNAKE RUN

1.0 M SE OF BG PW OP-B79, Nelson, KY

Built 1953 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 243

KY-733

Good

Over: UNNAME STREAM

.35 MI S OF W-JCT US 62, Nelson, KY

Built 1952 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 233

KY-13

Good

Over: BR OF BRUSHY FORK

.50 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 36, Nicholas, KY

Built 1936 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 701

KY-57

Good

Over: WHETSTONE BRANCH

1.2 MI S.W. OF JCT KY 36, Nicholas, KY

Built 1956 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 157

US-68

Good

Over: OVER BRUSHY CREEK

0.165 MI S OF KY 606, Nicholas, KY

Built 2002 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 4,090

KY-3316

Good

Over: MCBRIDES RUN

1.94 MI S JCT KY 32, Nicholas, KY

Built 2004 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 174

KY-1285

Good

Over: N. FK. SOMERSET CREEK

2.6 MI. N. OF JCT. KY 57, Nicholas, KY

Built 2010 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 395

KY-1669

Good

Over: LITTLE TWIN CREEK

.70 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 325, Owen, KY

Built 1940 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 59

KY-28

Good

Over: LEFT FORK OF COW CREEK

2.1 MI E OF JCT KY 2024, Owsley, KY

Built 1957 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 619

KY-577

Good

Over: ANGLIN BRANCH OF SEXTON

2.3 MI S.W. OF JCT KY 11, Owsley, KY

Built 1953 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 74

KY-1411

Good

Over: JERUSHIA CREEK

2.5 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 30, Owsley, KY

Built 1953 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 106

KY-1717

Good

Over: LEFT FORK MEADOW CREEK

.68 MI EAST OF JCT KY 708, Owsley, KY

Built 1958 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 143

KY-1717

Good

Over: LEFT FORK OF MEADOW CREE

.84 MI EAST OF JCT KY 708, Owsley, KY

Built 1958 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 143

KY-1657

Good

Over: LIGHTFOOT FORK

.90 MI WEST OF JCT US 27, Pendleton, KY

Built 1957 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 457

KY-267

Good

Over: FIRST CREEK AT CLEMONS

.20 MI N.E. OF JCT KY 15, Perry, KY

Built 1941 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,210

KY-1087

Good

Over: LICK BRANCH

.70 MI N.E. OF JCT KY 476, Perry, KY

Built 1951 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 69

KY-1165

Good

Over: LEFT FORK OF MACES CREEK

3.8 MI SW&N OF S-JCT KY 7, Perry, KY

Built 1959 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 401

KY 1146

Good

Over: LOST CREEK

.3 MI SE OF E-JCT KY 267, Perry, KY

Built 1952 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 683

HUNTER CHURCH RD

Good

Over: LOST CREEK

.05 MI NE OF JCT KY 1146, Perry, KY

Built 1951 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 91

OTTER CRK RD

Good

Over: SQUABBLE CREEK

.1 MI EAST JCT KY 2022, Perry, KY

Built 1993 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 40

KY-805

Good

Over: BLAZE BRANCH

.95 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 610, Pike, KY

Built 1929 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 2,291

KY-3419

Good

Over: L Frk Blackberry Crk

1.86 MI S - KY 1056, Pike, KY

Built 1993 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 575

KY-1384

Good

Over: Pikeville Pond Spillway

300 WEST OF JCT 1460, Pike, KY

Built 1988 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,955

KY-80

Good

Over: CSX RR/Ohio/Russell Frk

0.4 MI E of JCT KY 197, Pike, KY

Built 2015 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,390

BOOKER FRK

Good

Over: CANEY CREEK

.1 MI SW OF NEW US 23&119, Pike, KY

Built 1973 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 268

MILLARD LN

Good

Over: LEVISA FORK

.5 JCT US 460 & KY 80, Pike, KY

Built 1999 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 538

Showing 10,901-10,950 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.