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 3354

Good

Over: Cat Creek

1.1 M S of JCT KY 11, Powell, KY

Built 2021 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 277

SEAS BR

Good

Over: SEAS BRANCH

1 MI N KY 32, Rowan, KY

Built 1991 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 179

KY 61

Good

Over: PETTYS FORK

1.05 MILES SOUTH OF KY 80, Adair, KY

Built 2007 Load: 41.9 t ADT: 7,701

KY-1465

Good

Over: GILGAL BRANCH

1.0 MI NOR. OF HENRY CL, Carroll, KY

Built 1955 Load: 41.9 t ADT: 61

KY-61

Good

Over: MIDDLE CREEK

@ HARDIN -LARUE CO. LINE, Larue, KY

Built 1984 Load: 41.9 t ADT: 5,903

KY-724

Good

Over: WEST FORK OF MASSAC CREE

.10 MI EAST OF JCT KY 725, McCracken, KY

Built 1960 Load: 41.9 t ADT: 1,915

I-24

Good

Over: CLARKS RIVER

EBL .60 EAST OF KY 450 OP, McCracken, KY

Built 1975 Load: 41.9 t ADT: 18,599

CR 1999

Good

Over: Willard Creek

Willard, Perry, KY

Built 2007 Load: 41.9 t ADT: 750

LOUDEN LN

Good

Over: DAUGHERTY CREEK

130 FT S OF JONES LN, Trimble, KY

Built 2023 Load: 41.9 t ADT: 250

HARDESTY RD

Good

Over: LICK CREEK

.6 MI S KY 433, Washington, KY

Built 1990 Load: 41.9 t ADT: 37

KY-1804

Good

Over: CLEAR FORK RVR

.05 MI EAST OF I-75 UP, Whitley, KY

Built 1988 Load: 41.9 t ADT: 839

KY-205

Good

Over: RED RIVER

.15 MI. S JCT KY 1094, Wolfe, KY

Built 1996 Load: 41.9 t ADT: 1,606

DELANEY FERRY ROAD

Good

Over: CLEAR CREEK

150 FT EAST OF JCT KY 33, Woodford, KY

Built 2009 Load: 41.9 t ADT: 554

KY-338

Good

Over: WOOLPER CREEK

2.6 MI N.W. - KY 18, Boone, KY

Built 1982 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 792

FT CAMPBELL BOULEV

Good

Over: SOUTH FORK LITTLE RIVER

.3 MI.S.OF JCT.KY. 380, Christian, KY

Built 1957 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 22,658

KY-6010

Good

Over: I-24 @ MP. 037.288

.5 MI S OF JCT KY 93, Lyon, KY

Built 1977 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 38

HILL CITY RD E

Good

Over: LIMESTON CREEK

200 SW JCT KY 11, Mason, KY

Built 2000 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 495

US-60

Good

Over: CLOVER CREEK

.4 MI.E JCT KY 105, Breckinridge, KY

Built 1993 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 3,928

US-23

Good

Over: POND RUN CREEK

150 SE OF NW JCT KY 750, Greenup, KY

Built 1974 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 11,135

KY 503

Good

Over: Indian Run Creek

0.2 M S of JCT KY 207, Greenup, KY

Built 2021 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 428

US 31W

Good

Over: I-65

1.5 Miles South of KY 84, Hardin, KY

Built 2016 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 3,066

LOW WATER DRIVE

Good

Over: POOR FK CUMB RIVER

0.1 MI S OF US119, Harlan, KY

Built 2014 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 70

KY-160

Good

Over: Balls Fork

0.1 MI S of KY 1087 @Vest, Knott, KY

Built 2012 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 392

East Bennett Brch

Good

Over: Little Poplar Creek

.1 M E of JCT KY 1809, Knox, KY

Built 2021 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 159

_US25

Good

Over: I-75

_over I 75, Laurel, KY

Built 2022 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 3,200

KY-578

Good

Over: Buffalo Creek

1.0 MI E of E-JCT KY-638, Laurel, KY

Built 2022 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 208

KY 9009

Good

Over: Johnson Fork & KY 3047

2.2mi East of Morgan CL, Magoffin, KY

Built 2023 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 4,478

KY-1195

Good

Over: CARTWRIGHTS CREEK

.80 MI NOR of JCT US 68, Marion, KY

Built 2015 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 467

KY-645

Good

Over: KY-40 & Coldwater Fork

JCT KY 645 & KY 40, Martin, KY

Built 2010 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 4,537

KY-1816

Good

Over: OTTER CREEK

1.2MI.E JCT. KY 1882, Meade, KY

Built 1993 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 426

KY 55/US 62

Good

Over: Hinkle Creek

0.03 mi E of jct KY 48, Nelson, KY

Built 2021 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 3,606

KY 213

Good

Over: Red River

.1 MI S of KY 615, Powell, KY

Built 2022 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 4,857

US 27 SBL

Good

Over: NS (CNO & TP) RR

.132 MI. S. OF JT KY 1247, Pulaski, KY

Built 2008 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 7,217

CR 1122 Coin Rd

Good

Over: Ky 461

1.45 Mi N Ky 80/461 Jct, Pulaski, KY

Built 2020 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 991

KY-1385

Good

Over: DORRIDGE CREEK

1.0 MI NOR JCT KY 261, Breckinridge, KY

Built 1991 Load: 42.2 t ADT: 89

OVERHEAD BRIDGE RD

Good

Over: ILLINOIS CENTRAL RR

.3 MI WEST OF U.S. 51, Carlisle, KY

Built 2010 Load: 42.2 t ADT: 54

I-24-10 NC

Good

Over: ND (NAT DEFENSE) RAILROA

WBL .10 MI E OF US 41A, Christian, KY

Built 1974 Load: 42.2 t ADT: 21,119

I-24

Good

Over: ND (NAT DEFENSE) RAILROA

EBL .10 MI E OF US 41A, Christian, KY

Built 1974 Load: 42.2 t ADT: 21,119

TWIN CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: S FK TWIN CREEK

1.2 MI SW OF JCT KY-356, Harrison, KY

Built 2016 Load: 42.2 t ADT: 137

KY-94

Good

Over: JACKSON PURCHASE PARKWAY

.5 MI W OF JCT US 45, Hickman, KY

Built 1967 Load: 42.2 t ADT: 209

KY-6008

Good

Over: I-24 @ MP. 035.289

2.5 MI N OF JCT US 62, Lyon, KY

Built 1977 Load: 42.2 t ADT: 39

CONTEST RD

Good

Over: BRANCH MASSAC CREEK

0.3 MI. SOU. JCT KY 339, McCracken, KY

Built 1984 Load: 42.2 t ADT: 1,177

KY 956 - BYPASS

Good

Over: CSX RAILROAD

0.2 MI. E OF KY 595, Madison, KY

Built 2007 Load: 42.2 t ADT: 6,736

Edward Breathitt

Good

Over: US 68 By-Pass

1 M S 41A OVERPASS, Christian, KY

Built 2006 Load: 42.3 t ADT: 7,036

NAPOLEON-ZION STAT

Good

Over: FLAT CREEK

5.6 MI NW JCT KY 1942, Grant, KY

Built 1986 Load: 42.3 t ADT: 127

WHEELERS MILL ROAD

Good

Over: NOLIN RIVER

1.3 MI N JCT KY 728, Hart, KY

Built 1997 Load: 42.3 t ADT: 98

I 24 NC

Good

Over: PERKINS CREEK

WBL .27 MI SE OF US60 NTR, McCracken, KY

Built 1972 Load: 42.3 t ADT: 17,267

KY-1988

Good

Over: SALT RIVER

1.5 MI WEST OF US 127, Mercer, KY

Built 2004 Load: 42.3 t ADT: 424

Combs Branch Road

Good

Over: Grapevine Creek

0.24 MI N KY 28 MP 12.85, Perry, KY

Built 2018 Load: 42.3 t ADT: 104

KY 90

Good

Over: US 27 & KY 1247

@ JCT KY 90 & US 27, Pulaski, KY

Built 2008 Load: 42.3 t ADT: 14,040

Showing 11,351-11,400 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.