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

OLD SHOPVILLE RD

Poor

Over: FLAT LICK CREEK

.3 MI E OF JCT NEW KY 80, Pulaski, KY

Built 1932 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 604

ED DICK RD

Poor

Over: ROCK LICK CREEK

600 NORTH JCT CR 5617, Pulaski, KY

Built 1993 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 30

HINTON RD

Poor

Over: NS (CNO&TP) SYSTEM

.5 MI S OF S RAYS FORK, Scott, KY

Built 1930 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 66

ARTHUR HENDERSON R

Poor

Over: TRIB. OF RED RIVER

0.6 MI. SOUTH JCT US 68, Todd, KY

Built 1983 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 100

GREENCASTLE RD

Poor

Over: TAYLOR BRANCH

1.9 MI S OF JCT KY 263, Warren, KY

Built 1968 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 66

Baldy Road

Poor

Over: Little South Fork River

1.25 MI S. JCT KY 92, Wayne, KY

Built 1982 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 20

James Parmley Road

Poor

Over: Double Head Creek

0.31 Miles N. of KY 200, Wayne, KY

Built 1963 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 30

BRANSON ROAD

Poor

Over: PITMAN CREEK

0.7 MI.W.OF JCT. KY 370, Webster, KY

Built 1982 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 17

MAHAN ROAD

Poor

Over: HARPES CREEK

.1 MI E OF JCT KY 92, Whitley, KY

Built 1960 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 38

CR 1174(SMITH CEME

Poor

Over: PETER CREEK

.3 MILES EAST OF JCT 249, Barren, KY

Built 1975 Load: 2.8 t ADT: 20

CR-1155

Poor

Over: MILL CREEK

.1 MI W OF JCT CR 5154, Clay, KY

Built 1984 Load: 2.8 t ADT: 52

HELTON RD

Poor

Over: STRAIGHT CREEK

S @ JCT KY 221, Harlan, KY

Built 1975 Load: 2.8 t ADT: 50

OLD LAIR RD

Poor

Over: S FK LICKING RIVER

.1 MI E OF JCT KY 982, Harrison, KY

Built 1925 Load: 2.8 t ADT: 495

PV 1001

Poor

Over: ROCKHOUSE CREEK

40' S OF US 421 &, Leslie, KY

Built 1940 Load: 2.8 t ADT: 40

OTIA-BLYTHE RD

Poor

Over: SULPHUR CREEK

0.3 MI S OF JCT KY 214, Monroe, KY

Built 1975 Load: 2.8 t ADT: 52

CR-1196

Poor

Over: UNNAMED

.3 Mi S. of Grigsby Ln, Trigg, KY

Built 1980 Load: 2.9 t ADT: 10

HOWARD LANE

Poor

Over: STRAIGHT CREEK

.1 MI- S JCT KY 221, Harlan, KY

Built 1996 Load: 3.2 t ADT: 10

KENTUCKY AV

Poor

Over: MARTINS FK CUMBERLAND RV

300 W OF JCT US 421, Harlan, KY

Built 1950 Load: 3.3 t ADT: 200

KY-135

Poor

Over: BRANCH OF BAYOU CREEK

.40 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 838, Livingston, KY

Built 1964 Load: 3.4 t ADT: 201

Tucker Rd.

Poor

Over: Pope Creek

.3 Mi N of ThreePinesRd., Marion, KY

Built 1901 Load: 3.4 t ADT: 30

KY-2024

Poor

Over: COW CREEK

.10 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 28, Owsley, KY

Built 1967 Load: 3.5 t ADT: 351

KY-3385

Poor

Over: Buffalo Creek

1.6 MI SE of JCT KY 194, Floyd, KY

Built 1975 Load: 4.2 t ADT: 154

FRAGRANT RD

Poor

Over: BRANCH - ROCK CREEK

0.575 MI E JCT KY 3210, Grayson, KY

Built 1950 Load: 4.2 t ADT: 9

GRUBBS RD

Poor

Over: BEECHY CREEK

.3 MI E OF JCT CR 5164, Calloway, KY

Built 1982 Load: 4.3 t ADT: 13

WHITE OAK BRANCH R

Poor

Over: WHITE OAK CREEK

.75 MI-NW JCT KY 89, Rockcastle, KY

Built 1995 Load: 4.4 t ADT: 19

ALLEN SCHOOLHOUSE

Poor

Over: BUTLER CREEK

150 E OF JCT KY 531, Adair, KY

Built 1987 Load: 4.5 t ADT: 155

MEXICO RD

Poor

Over: CLAYLICK CREEK

.85 MI SE OF JCT KY 2132, Crittenden, KY

Built 1960 Load: 4.5 t ADT: 127

CR-1283

Poor

Over: WELLS CREEK

.1 MI E OF JCT KY 650, Elliott, KY

Built 1978 Load: 4.5 t ADT: 32

Buck Tackett Rd

Poor

Over: Long Fork

At JCT KY 1469, Pike, KY

Built 1970 Load: 4.6 t ADT: 92

COOK STORE TRL

Poor

Over: CLEAR CREEK

.4 MI S OF JCT CR 5427, Calloway, KY

Built 1984 Load: 4.8 t ADT: 33

KY-89

Poor

Over: HORSE LICK CREEK

ON ROCKCASTLE-JACKSON CL, Jackson, KY

Built 1954 Load: 4.9 t ADT: 36

THE OLD HOUSER RD

Poor

Over: CAMP CREEK

1.1 MI S OF JCT KY 348, McCracken, KY

Built 1970 Load: 4.9 t ADT: 127

KY-3526

Poor

Over: BR-W.FK.CLARKS RIVER

.9 MI W OF JCT CR 5273, Marshall, KY

Built 1944 Load: 4.9 t ADT: 218

HAMMOND RD

Poor

Over: BULL CREEK

50 SE of KY 80, Floyd, KY

Built 1935 Load: 5.2 t ADT: 80

EAST RALEIGH CREEK

Poor

Over: RALEIGH CREEK

1.1 MI N KY 776, Wayne, KY

Built 1965 Load: 5.2 t ADT: 10

Petty Fork

Poor

Over: Left Fork Long Fork

At JCT of KY 3414, Pike, KY

Built 1982 Load: 5.5 t ADT: 118

STATE LINE ROAD

Poor

Over: KNOB CREEK

.9 MI WEST OF KY 303, Graves, KY

Built 1960 Load: 5.6 t ADT: 158

LONG HOLLOW RD

Poor

Over: LONG BRANCH

0.4 MI. S. OF JCT KY 78, Casey, KY

Built 1987 Load: 5.7 t ADT: 80

US 60X

Poor

Over: KENTUCKY RIVER

300 FT E OF US 60, Franklin, KY

Built 1894 Load: 5.7 t ADT: 3,273

SULPHUR LICK RD

Poor

Over: SULPHUR CREEK

2.0 MI W OF JCT KY 53, Washington, KY

Built 1920 Load: 5.9 t ADT: 22

CR-1110

Poor

Over: EAGLE CREEK

.4 MI S OF JCT KY 36, Carroll, KY

Built 1970 Load: 6.0 t ADT: 277

B VILLE STREET

Poor

Over: LYNN CAMP CREEK

.2 MI E OF JCT LAUREL AVE, Whitley, KY

Built 1950 Load: 6.1 t ADT: 444

FAIRVIEW AVE

Poor

Over: BR OF HARRIS FORK CREEK

250" S OF FIFTH STRE, Fulton, KY

Built 1977 Load: 6.2 t ADT: 233

INDIAN HILL RD

Poor

Over: PUP CREEK

1.0 MI-NEJCT KY 951, Daviess, KY

Built 1970 Load: 6.4 t ADT: 95

PALMORE ROAD

Poor

Over: CLANTON CREEK

1.1 MI- N JCT KY 1105, Ballard, KY

Built 1996 Load: 6.5 t ADT: 58

JACKSON RD

Poor

Over: WADES CREEK

.1 MI-S-J-WASHER ROAD, Calloway, KY

Built 1985 Load: 6.5 t ADT: 83

MCKEEHAN DR

Poor

Over: LITTLE POPULAR CREEK

250 S OF KY 1809 BEN, Knox, KY

Built 1978 Load: 6.5 t ADT: 74

KENO RD (KY-751)

Poor

Over: NS (CNO&TP) SYSTEM

3.5 MI SOU. OF JCT US 27, Pulaski, KY

Built 1963 Load: 6.5 t ADT: 558

KY-1223

Poor

Over: HORSE CREEK

.30 MI N.W. OF JCT US 25E, Laurel, KY

Built 1935 Load: 6.7 t ADT: 342

NELSON WALKUP RD

Poor

Over: BRUSH CREEK

200EAST JCT HUGHES RD, Adair, KY

Built 1999 Load: 6.8 t ADT: 29

Showing 13,601-13,650 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.