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

CUMMINGS ROAD

Good

Over: BRUSHY CREEK

.4 MI SOUTH OF SALEM PIKE, Harrison, KY

Built 2014 Load: 55.4 t ADT: 55

SNAKE LICK ROAD

Good

Over: RICHLAND CREEK

1.2 MILES W OF US-27, Harrison, KY

Built 2017 Load: 55.4 t ADT: 65

Mouth of Cedar RD

Good

Over: Elk Lick Creek

.25 MI NE of Palmer LN, Harrison, KY

Built 2017 Load: 55.4 t ADT: 59

KY-307_

Good

Over: OVERFLOW BAYOU DU CHIEN_

.95 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 944, Hickman, KY

Built 2015 Load: 55.4 t ADT: 703

KY 262

Good

Over: Greasy Creek

2 mi W. OF JCT. US 41, Hopkins, KY

Built 2016 Load: 55.4 t ADT: 554

KY-30

Good

Over: LT. FK Licking River

1.4 MI W MTN PKWY EXIT 72, Magoffin, KY

Built 2016 Load: 55.4 t ADT: 1,724

Long Branch

Good

Over: Island Creek

.1 M SE OF JCT CR1535, Pike, KY

Built 2011 Load: 55.4 t ADT: 47

KY-519

Good

Over: LOWER LICK FORK

1.5 MI NORTH OF KY 801, Rowan, KY

Built 2015 Load: 55.4 t ADT: 3,772

KY 608

Good

Over: I 75 SOUTHBOUND

.4 MI W OF JCT US 25, Scott, KY

Built 2007 Load: 55.4 t ADT: 227

KY-536

Good

Over: NS (CNO&TP) SYSTEM

0.3 MI EAST OF JCT US-25, Boone, KY

Built 2002 Load: 55.5 t ADT: 7,271

KY-720

Good

Over: NOLIN RIVER

ON HARDIN-GRAYSON CO LN, Grayson, KY

Built 1988 Load: 55.5 t ADT: 262

Pigeon Creek Rd

Good

Over: Pigeon Creek

0.1 MI W of JCT KY 580, Johnson, KY

Built 2013 Load: 55.5 t ADT: 233

KEDRON RD

Good

Over: NORTH ROLLING FORK

.4 MI SE JCT KY 337, Marion, KY

Built 2000 Load: 55.5 t ADT: 112

KY-2013

Good

Over: STRAIGHT CREEK

.1 M1.NOR JCT KY 221, Bell, KY

Built 1999 Load: 55.6 t ADT: 186

KY-49

Good

Over: POPE CREEK

1.5 MI. NW OF JCT KY 1157, Marion, KY

Built 2004 Load: 55.6 t ADT: 1,372

KY-629

Good

Over: HARRIS FORK

0.1 MI S OF JCT KY 629, Breckinridge, KY

Built 1960 Load: 55.7 t ADT: 78

KY 1972

Good

Over: Branch of Gilberts Creek

1.6 MI EAST OF JCT KY 39, Garrard, KY

Built 2020 Load: 55.7 t ADT: 544

Wimp Lane

Good

Over: Branch of W Rhudes Creek

0.6 Miles North of KY 86, Hardin, KY

Built 2012 Load: 55.7 t ADT: 30

KY 72

Good

Over: CLOVER FK CUT CHANNEL

1.0 MI. S. OF US 421, Harlan, KY

Built 1995 Load: 55.7 t ADT: 756

KY 997

Good

Over: WHITE SULPHUR FORK

1.9 MI N OF KY 157, Henry, KY

Built 2019 Load: 55.7 t ADT: 102

KY-1420

Good

Over: MASSAC CREEK

.5 MI. WEST OF KY 786, McCracken, KY

Built 1984 Load: 55.7 t ADT: 589

Ky 2019

Good

Over: Lick Creek

2.9 Mi. N. of JCT US 460, Magoffin, KY

Built 2017 Load: 55.7 t ADT: 1,230

I-75

Good

Over: Green Hill Road

0.4 MI N of Exit 62, Rockcastle, KY

Built 2018 Load: 55.7 t ADT: 49,731

Clear Springs Road

Good

Over: Big Lily Creek

0.96 M E of JCT US 127, Russell, KY

Built 2012 Load: 55.7 t ADT: 221

US-60

Good

Over: W.FK. HUMPHREY CREEK

.4 MI. W JCT KY 802, Ballard, KY

Built 1998 Load: 55.8 t ADT: 5,181

US-460

Good

Over: EAST FORK OF SLATE CREEK

.3 MI E OF JCT KY 713-NB, Menifee, KY

Built 1978 Load: 55.8 t ADT: 3,192

KY-880

Good

Over: JENNINGS CREEK

.9 MI E JCT US 231, Warren, KY

Built 1989 Load: 55.8 t ADT: 17,358

RIGHT FRK NEWCOMBE

Good

Over: RT. FORK NEWCOMBE CR

.1 MI SE OF JCT KY 706, Elliott, KY

Built 1978 Load: 55.9 t ADT: 143

KY-801

Good

Over: I-64 @ 132.918

3.1 MI.N JCT US 60, Rowan, KY

Built 1993 Load: 56.0 t ADT: 5,203

GRADE LN

Good

Over: NORTHERN DITCH

300 FT S OF CRITTENDEN DR, Jefferson, KY

Built 2020 Load: 56.1 t ADT: 12,681

US 62

Good

Over: Massac Creek Overflow

.35 MI west Jct KY 998, McCracken, KY

Built 2022 Load: 56.1 t ADT: 8,304

Pottershop Loop

Good

Over: Rowan Creek

0.3 Mi S of Jct US 150, Nelson, KY

Built 2020 Load: 56.1 t ADT: 1,050

KY-1095

Good

Over: MONTGOMERY CREEK-1.1 SW1

1.2 MI S.E. OF JCT KY 15, Perry, KY

Built 1978 Load: 56.1 t ADT: 557

KY-3317

Good

Over: CHRISTY CREEK

31 FROM JCT KY 32, Rowan, KY

Built 1999 Load: 56.1 t ADT: 191

WASHBURN LN

Good

Over: ELK CREEK

150 FT W OF KY 55, Spencer, KY

Built 2021 Load: 56.1 t ADT: 155

SEARCY SCHOOL ROAD

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

1.2 MI W OF JCT KY 53, Anderson, KY

Built 2008 Load: 56.2 t ADT: 63

KY-1173

Good

Over: OVER FR. OF MAYFIELD CR.

2.2 MI W. OF JCT KY 307, Carlisle, KY

Built 2003 Load: 56.2 t ADT: 518

PEYTONSBURG-SULFER

Good

Over: SULPHUR CREEK

1.3 MI.E.-JCT. KY 61, Cumberland, KY

Built 1979 Load: 56.2 t ADT: 32

JULIAN M CAROLL PA

Good

Over: BAYOU DE CHIEN

SBL .70 MI NE OF HICKMN C, Graves, KY

Built 1967 Load: 56.2 t ADT: 3,455

JC-9003

Good

Over: BAYOU DE CHIEN

NBL .70 MI NE OF HICKMN C, Graves, KY

Built 1967 Load: 56.2 t ADT: 3,455

KY-3005

Good

Over: SHAW CREEK

.4 MI W. JCT US 31W, Hardin, KY

Built 2006 Load: 56.2 t ADT: 20,301

OLD HEADY RD

Good

Over: DRAKES BRANCH

2.3 MI E OF KY 1531, Jefferson, KY

Built 2014 Load: 56.2 t ADT: 100

SQUIRE-LYLES RD

Good

Over: JOHNS CREEK

1.0 MI S. JCT KY 1332, Allen, KY

Built 1999 Load: 56.3 t ADT: 200

JULIAN M CAROLL PA

Good

Over: P&L RAILWAY

SBL .20 MI E OF US45N NTR, Graves, KY

Built 1967 Load: 56.3 t ADT: 4,086

JC-9003

Good

Over: P&L RAILWAY

NBL .20 MI E OF US45N NTR, Graves, KY

Built 1967 Load: 56.3 t ADT: 4,086

US-45

Good

Over: CANE CREEK

.20 MI. N JCT KY 399, Graves, KY

Built 1998 Load: 56.3 t ADT: 2,998

KY 608

Good

Over: I-75 NORTHBOUND

0.3 MI W OF JCT US 25, Scott, KY

Built 2007 Load: 56.3 t ADT: 227

US-60

Good

Over: BIG CANE CREEK

2.5 MI.NE JCT US 51, Ballard, KY

Built 1993 Load: 56.4 t ADT: 2,923

KY 1330

Good

Over: LICK FORK

2.2 MI E OF JCT W/KY 90, Barren, KY

Built 2009 Load: 56.4 t ADT: 406

KY 237

Good

Over: Gunpowder Creek

2.7 MI N.W. OF JCT US 42, Boone, KY

Built 2020 Load: 56.4 t ADT: 11,519

Showing 12,751-12,800 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.