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-62

Good

Over: Muddy Creek

.4 MI W of jct KY 1543, Ohio, KY

Built 2014 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 2,076

Twin Oaks

Good

Over: Lotts creek

50 S of Ky 1088, Perry, KY

Built 2023 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 60

KY-199

Good

Over: Pinson Fork

0.65 MI N of JCT KY 1065, Pike, KY

Built 2021 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 2,039

Mullen Fork

Good

Over: Pond Creek

0.01 M SW of JCT KY-199, Pike, KY

Built 2023 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 857

Adams Ridge Road

Good

Over: Brush Creek

350 S of KY 15, Powell, KY

Built 2021 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 514

KY 3552 (EAST)

Good

Over: INTERSTATE 75

0.475 MI E OF KY 32, Scott, KY

Built 2016 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 10,036

CAT RIDGE RD

Good

Over: RED RIVER

0.5 MI E OF KY 44, Shelby, KY

Built 2016 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 447

Young Farm Road

Good

Over: Beaver Creek

0.3 Mi. W. of Jct. KY-167, Wayne, KY

Built 2016 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 30

ROBERTS DRIVE

Good

Over: LITTLE HOODS CREEK

.15 MI. S OF JCT KY 168, Boyd, KY

Built 2006 Load: 52.6 t ADT: 4,045

KY-1923

Good

Over: TRIB OF BOONE CREEK

.98 MI E OF JCT KY 1927, Clark, KY

Built 1979 Load: 52.6 t ADT: 899

KY-1862

Good

Over: N FORK KENTUCKY RIVER

0.01 MI N JCT KY 2545, Letcher, KY

Built 1993 Load: 52.6 t ADT: 738

DANIEL CEMETERY RD

Good

Over: BRANCH DEER CREEK

50 FT. WEST OF KY 133, Livingston, KY

Built 2005 Load: 52.6 t ADT: 25

MIDDLE FORK CAMPGR

Good

Over: MIDDLE FORK-RED RIVER

.1 MI W OF JCT KY 11, Powell, KY

Built 1964 Load: 52.6 t ADT: 300

BOSWELL LN

Good

Over: GLENNS FORK

200 NOR. JCT KY 152, Washington, KY

Built 2000 Load: 52.6 t ADT: 26

FOX CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: BRANCH-FOX CREEK

.3 MI S JCT US 62, Anderson, KY

Built 1991 Load: 52.7 t ADT: 141

MADISON ROAD/MADIS

Good

Over: CSX RR & BANKLICK CR

NBL S-@N-JCT OLD KY 17, Kenton, KY

Built 1974 Load: 52.7 t ADT: 17,861

KY-132

Good

Over: BR OF CRAB ORCHARD CREEK

1.0 MI EAST OF JCT KY 143, Webster, KY

Built 1941 Load: 52.7 t ADT: 206

CR 1055

Good

Over: Wiles Branch

0.05 M N of JCT KY 1482, Clay, KY

Built 2021 Load: 52.8 t ADT: 70

KY-1909

Good

Over: Little Bayou De Chien Cr

.6 MI N OF JCT KY 166, Fulton, KY

Built 2019 Load: 52.8 t ADT: 143

I-75 SOUTHBOUND

Good

Over: RAGTOWN ROAD

1.2 MI N OF JCT KY 330, Grant, KY

Built 2007 Load: 52.8 t ADT: 21,281

KY 1820_

Good

Over: UNAMED STREAM

.25 MI WEST JCT. KY1241, Graves, KY

Built 2016 Load: 52.8 t ADT: 628

Clifty Church Rd.

Good

Over: WK Parkway

0.75 Mi South of US 62, Grayson, KY

Built 2012 Load: 52.8 t ADT: 89

BRIDGE RD(CR1133)

Good

Over: UNKNOWN CREEK

.001 MI E OF REED RD, Hickman, KY

Built 2015 Load: 52.8 t ADT: 32

DogBranchSchoolRd

Good

Over: SINKING CREEK

.5 MI NE-BUNCH RD-CR 5340, Laurel, KY

Built 2022 Load: 52.8 t ADT: 122

KY-711

Good

Over: N. FORK LICKING RIVER

2.4 MI EAST OF JCT KY 7, Morgan, KY

Built 1978 Load: 52.8 t ADT: 144

CR 1100

Good

Over: SCRUBGRASS CR

560 SOUTH OF KY 32, Nicholas, KY

Built 2017 Load: 52.8 t ADT: 137

Adams Fork Road

Good

Over: WFK Adams Creek

1.2 MI E JCT KY 69, Ohio, KY

Built 2019 Load: 52.8 t ADT: 58

KY-492

Good

Over: Wash Creek

.05 MI W OF JCT KY 2101, Union, KY

Built 2019 Load: 52.8 t ADT: 284

KY 2996

Good

Over: Wolf Creek

0.75 M S of JCT KY 628, Whitley, KY

Built 2022 Load: 52.8 t ADT: 205

KY-3520

Good

Over: WEST FORK MASSAC CREEK

.5 MI. W JCT KY 305, McCracken, KY

Built 1996 Load: 52.9 t ADT: 787

US-45

Good

Over: OVER HARRIS CREEK

.2 MI EAST OF JCT US 45B, Fulton, KY

Built 2003 Load: 53.0 t ADT: 1,867

JULIAN M CARROLL P

Good

Over: CLARKS RIVER RELIEF

SBL 1.4 MI N OF KY348 TP, Marshall, KY

Built 1967 Load: 53.0 t ADT: 9,336

JC-9003

Good

Over: CLARKS RIVER RELIEF

NBL 1.4 MI N OF KY348 TP, Marshall, KY

Built 1967 Load: 53.0 t ADT: 9,336

KY 1817

Good

Over: S FORK DARBY CREEK

1.6 MI E OF KY 329, Oldham, KY

Built 1997 Load: 53.0 t ADT: 254

CARDWELL-TABLOW RD

Good

Over: CHAPLIN RIVER

1.1 MI W JCT KY 390, Washington, KY

Built 1998 Load: 53.0 t ADT: 34

CORAL HILL-LECTA R

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

0.4 MI S OF JCT KY 740, Barren, KY

Built 1978 Load: 53.1 t ADT: 235

KY-94

Good

Over: S.FK.BAYOU DE CHIEN

1.5 MI E JCT KY 943, Graves, KY

Built 1988 Load: 53.1 t ADT: 776

CS3054

Good

Over: Looney Creek

200 Ft North of KY160, Harlan, KY

Built 2020 Load: 53.1 t ADT: 200

I-64 EB RAMP

Good

Over: I-64 EB & RAMPS

0.32 MI E OF KENNEDY BR, Jefferson, KY

Built 2016 Load: 53.1 t ADT: 144,000

KY-9

Good

Over: KINNICONICK CREEK

.2 MI.E JCT KY 1149, Lewis, KY

Built 1991 Load: 53.1 t ADT: 1,379

KY-228

Good

Over: WOLF CREEK

6.2 MI W OF JCT KY 228, Meade, KY

Built 1988 Load: 53.1 t ADT: 172

Glade Fork Rd.

Good

Over: Glade Fork Creek

1.1 Mile north of Ky. 328, Pulaski, KY

Built 2015 Load: 53.1 t ADT: 128

US-127

Good

Over: GOOSE CREEK

0.2 MI. SOU.JCT KY 1640, Casey, KY

Built 1985 Load: 53.2 t ADT: 3,501

US-31WB

Good

Over: WESTERN KENTUCKY PARKWAY

OVER WKYPW INTERCHANGE, Hardin, KY

Built 1974 Load: 53.2 t ADT: 10,901

KY-610

Good

Over: CSX RR SHELBY CREEK

2.9 MI.NW JCT US 23, Pike, KY

Built 1994 Load: 53.2 t ADT: 365

PEACOCK RD

Good

Over: ACQUIA RUN

.3 Mi S Currentsville Ln., Bourbon, KY

Built 1981 Load: 53.3 t ADT: 763

KY-10

Good

Over: TRIB. OF TWELVE MILE CRK

2.5 MI N.W. OF JCT KY 735, Campbell, KY

Built 1977 Load: 53.3 t ADT: 211

KY 70

Good

Over: BRUSH CREEK

.715 MI. E. OF KY 1547, Casey, KY

Built 2009 Load: 53.3 t ADT: 4,247

US 60

Good

Over: GOOSE CREEK

1.5 MI E OF I-64 OVRPAS, Clark, KY

Built 2005 Load: 53.3 t ADT: 6,197

KY 91

Good

Over: CROOKED CREEK

.264 MI S JCT. US 641, Crittenden, KY

Built 1996 Load: 53.3 t ADT: 1,297

Showing 12,551-12,600 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.