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

J H OBRYAN AVE

Good

Over: OVER P & L RAILROAD

.226 MI N. OF KY 453, Livingston, KY

Built 2003 Load: 49.7 t ADT: 146

SAVOY ROAD

Good

Over: CLEAR CREEK

1.2 MI E OF JCT US 25W, Whitley, KY

Built 1985 Load: 49.7 t ADT: 713

UHL ROAD

Good

Over: BR OF FOUR MILE CREEK

_, Campbell, KY

Built 2007 Load: 49.8 t ADT: 50

KY-594

Good

Over: HORNS RIVER CREEK

4.8 MI. E. MADISON CO. LI, Estill, KY

Built 2001 Load: 49.8 t ADT: 298

KY-943

Good

Over: OVER UNNAMED STREAM

1.6 MI S. OF JCT KY 94, Graves, KY

Built 1999 Load: 49.8 t ADT: 71

KY-984

Good

Over: CABIN CREEK

.4 MI E OF MASON CO.LN., Lewis, KY

Built 1981 Load: 49.8 t ADT: 105

CR-1212

Good

Over: YELLOW CREEK

70' S. OF KY 186, Bell, KY

Built 2001 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 100

Townsend Valley Rd

Good

Over: Townsend Creek

.9 mile E of KY 353, Bourbon, KY

Built 2017 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 175

KY 139

Good

Over: DONALDSON CREEK

.90 MI. NOR JCT KY 70, Caldwell, KY

Built 2011 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 512

KY-893

Good

Over: Over Dry Creek

South of JCT of 121, Calloway, KY

Built 2009 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 675

Shoemaker Road

Good

Over: Branch of Blood River

.8 MI. South of KY 121, Calloway, KY

Built 2020 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 67

Bastin Creek Rd

Good

Over: Cane Creek

3.7 Mi E JCT Ky 501, Casey, KY

Built 2022 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 95

CR 1238

Good

Over: Collins Fk of Goose Crk

0.1 MI SE of JCT KY 11, Clay, KY

Built 2021 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 687

Cotton Patch Rd

Good

Over: Hughes Branch

150 W of N-TERM KY 654, Crittenden, KY

Built 2020 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 126

KY-466

Good

Over: LEFT FK BEAVER CREEK

.50 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 122, Floyd, KY

Built 2018 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 856

US 42

Good

Over: Private Drive

2.7 MI E of JCT w/ KY 47, Gallatin, KY

Built 2018 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 3,377

BANNISTER PIKE

Good

Over: BANNISTER PIKE OVER I75

M.P. 160.4 ON I-75, Grant, KY

Built 2003 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 103

KY-97

Good

Over: OVER LEECH CREEK

1.8 MI SE OF E-JCT KY 339, Graves, KY

Built 2007 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 1,090

KY 80

Good

Over: INTERSTATE 69

1.7 MI W OF JCT US 45_, Graves, KY

Built 2016 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 6,115

KY 1124

Good

Over: Vulton Creek

1 MI west of jct KY 564, Graves, KY

Built 2020 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 347

KY-736

Good

Over: Pleasant Run Creek

.15 MI West of KY 79, Grayson, KY

Built 2011 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 67

KY-61

Good

Over: BRUSH CREEK

.75 MI. N JCT KY 566, Green, KY

Built 1997 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 1,519

KY 1861

Good

Over: JACKSON CREEK

2.0 M E OF KY 322, Henry, KY

Built 1980 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 517

Sackett Loop

Good

Over: Rockhouse Creek

0.1 M E of JCT KY 7, Letcher, KY

Built 2021 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 275

KY 524

Good

Over: EIGHTEENMILE CREEK

2.5 MI E OF W JCT US 42, Oldham, KY

Built 2019 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 841

KY-330

Good

Over: Short Creek

1.5 MI E ofJCt KY 1054, Pendleton, KY

Built 2017 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 1,087

Little Leatherwood

Good

Over: Little Leatherwood Creek

.15 MI NW OF JCT CR 5139, Perry, KY

Built 2020 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 221

Pleasant Hill Road

Good

Over: Mays Branch

.7 MI E JCT KY 73, Simpson, KY

Built 2020 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 72

US-79

Good

Over: CSX Railroad

0.05 M N of JCT KY-346, Todd, KY

Built 2023 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 4,316

US 150

Good

Over: Cartwright Creek

At Wash.-Nelson Co line, Washington, KY

Built 2013 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 9,268

GLENNS CREEK RD

Good

Over: GLENNS CREEK

2.5 MI E. KY 443, Washington, KY

Built 1992 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 94

Charlie Norris Rd.

Good

Over: Little Renox Creek

.2 Mi S of KY-3140, Cumberland, KY

Built 2016 Load: 50.0 t ADT: 40

KY 80

Good

Over: Kess Creek

.5 Miles West of KY 97, Graves, KY

Built 2012 Load: 50.0 t ADT: 3,242

OLD LEESBURG ROAD

Good

Over: GRAYS RUN CREEK

.05 MI N.W. -US 27, Harrison, KY

Built 1992 Load: 50.0 t ADT: 2,572

KY-319

Good

Over: Pond Creek

0.4 MI Off US 119 @ Toler, Pike, KY

Built 2004 Load: 50.0 t ADT: 4,033

KY-555

Good

Over: BLUEGRASS PARKWAY

OVER BG PW INTERCHANGE, Washington, KY

Built 1968 Load: 50.0 t ADT: 3,956

Bethany School Ln

Good

Over: Holly Creek

350 Ft. West of KY 1261, Wolfe, KY

Built 2013 Load: 50.0 t ADT: 20

US-60

Good

Over: TRIB-SLATE CREEK

1.6 MI. W JCT KY 36, Bath, KY

Built 1996 Load: 50.1 t ADT: 1,250

KY-70

Good

Over: TRADEWATER RIVER OVERFLO

.5 MI E OF KY 293, Caldwell, KY

Built 1986 Load: 50.1 t ADT: 254

KY-1346

Good

Over: E.FRK.CLARKS R-OVRFLO

1.0 MI E-KY 1824, Calloway, KY

Built 1988 Load: 50.1 t ADT: 714

KY-1101

Good

Over: Left Fork Beaver Creek

0.1MI S of KY 122 @ Drift, Floyd, KY

Built 2008 Load: 50.1 t ADT: 701

KY-22

Good

Over: I-75 @ 158.54

.6 MI.W. JCT US 25, Grant, KY

Built 1998 Load: 50.1 t ADT: 16,492

TAYLOR MILL ROAD

Good

Over: I 275

1.6 MI S OF JCT KY 177, Kenton, KY

Built 1973 Load: 50.1 t ADT: 27,020

OLD COLUMBUS RD

Good

Over: RED OAK CREEK

1.1 MI JCT KY 607, Owen, KY

Built 1999 Load: 50.1 t ADT: 57

US-119

Good

Over: KY-3220 & Big Creek

US 119 over Big Creek, Pike, KY

Built 1999 Load: 50.1 t ADT: 8,303

GLENWOOD MILL RD

Good

Over: LITTLE RIVER

0.15 MI. W. OF KY 272, Trigg, KY

Built 1983 Load: 50.1 t ADT: 331

KY 90

Good

Over: Brushy Fork Creek

1.2 MI EAST OF JCT KY 839, Barren, KY

Built 2021 Load: 50.2 t ADT: 4,796

CLEAR FORK ROAD

Good

Over: FROZEN CREEK

.05 MI S JCT KY 378, Breathitt, KY

Built 1994 Load: 50.2 t ADT: 32

CS-1456

Good

Over: SINKING FORK CREEK

200 NORTH OF KY 91, Christian, KY

Built 2006 Load: 50.2 t ADT: 347

KY-560

Good

Over: JOHNSON CREEK

.3 MI S-MASON CO LINE, Fleming, KY

Built 1988 Load: 50.2 t ADT: 299

Showing 12,251-12,300 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.