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-92

Poor

Over: LIBERTY CREEK

1.8 MI WEST OF JCT KY 379, Russell, KY

Built 1935 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 716

KY-3281

Poor

Over: MT. VERNON CREEK

2.0 MI SE OF JCT KY 619, Russell, KY

Built 1986 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 89

KY-1636

Poor

Over: FK OF LITTLE INDIAN BR

100 SOU OF JCT KY 32, Scott, KY

Built 1956 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 99

KY 652

Poor

Over: TRIB TO SIMPSON CREEK

2.65 MI S OF KY 55, Spencer, KY

Built 1973 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 564

KY 652

Poor

Over: SIMPSON CREEK

2.55 MI S OF KY 55, Spencer, KY

Built 1973 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 564

KY-272

Poor

Over: BURGE CREEK

.95 MI EAST OF JCT KY 139, Trigg, KY

Built 1938 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 725

KY-164

Poor

Over: TRIBUTARY OF DRY CREEK

4.5 MI WEST OF JCT KY 139, Trigg, KY

Built 1938 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 307

KY 1335

Poor

Over: GEORGES CREEK

AT CARROLL CL, Trimble, KY

Built 1953 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 158

KY-293

Poor

Over: OWENS CREEK

.40 MI WEST OF JCT KY 109, Webster, KY

Built 1935 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 924

KY 1005

Poor

Over: N BENSON CREEK

260 FT E OF SHELBY CL, Franklin, KY

Built 1976 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 422

KY-482

Poor

Over: DRAKES CREEK

1.5 MI SW OF JCT KY 100, Allen, KY

Built 1988 Load: 20.2 t ADT: 255

KY-551

Poor

Over: BUTLERS BRANCH

.70 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 901, Adair, KY

Built 1955 Load: 20.3 t ADT: 2,008

KY-416

Poor

Over: BR W FK CANOE CREEK DITC

.8 MI E OF JCT KY 1217, Henderson, KY

Built 1974 Load: 20.3 t ADT: 414

CLINT COLLINS DR

Poor

Over: ELK SPRINGS CREEK

300 S JCT KY 92, Wayne, KY

Built 1970 Load: 20.3 t ADT: 150

I-65

Poor

Over: E KENTUCKY & S BROOK ST

0.5 MI S OF US 150, Jefferson, KY

Built 1959 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 118,227

KY 1665

Poor

Over: BENSON CREEK

0.40 MI S OF KY 1005, Franklin, KY

Built 1951 Load: 20.5 t ADT: 319

Park Rd

Poor

Over: Peter Creek

0.01 MI NW of JCT KY 194, Pike, KY

Built 1983 Load: 20.5 t ADT: 529

KY-802

Poor

Over: STOVALL CREEK

1.8 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 286, Ballard, KY

Built 1967 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 107

KY-308

Poor

Over: Road Fork

1.5 MI W OF JCT US 119, Pike, KY

Built 1965 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 1,735

OLD KY-11

Poor

Over: BUCK CREEK

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

Built 1926 Load: 20.8 t ADT: 909

KY-54

Poor

Over: BRANCH OF DESERTER CREEK

.20 MI WEST OF OHIO CL, Daviess, KY

Built 1927 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 3,045

KY-54

Poor

Over: BRANCH OF DESERTED CREEK

.10 MI WEST OF OHIO CL, Daviess, KY

Built 1927 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 3,045

KY-487

Poor

Over: SOUTH FK RUSSELL CREEK

1.5 MI EAST OF JCT KY 745, Green, KY

Built 1935 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 78

MEATHOUSE RD

Poor

Over: MEATHOUSE OF JOHNS CRK

IST BRIDGE E JCT KY 194, Pike, KY

Built 2002 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 1,802

KY-1756

Poor

Over: KENNEDY CREEK

792 FT-S.OF-JCT. KY 92, Wayne, KY

Built 1981 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 570

DOC WARD RD

Poor

Over: LITTLE BRUSH CREEK

1.05 MI.E OF KY 569, Green, KY

Built 1984 Load: 21.0 t ADT: 81

WOLFPEN CREEK RD

Poor

Over: LITTLE CARR FORK

@ JCT KY 1410, Knott, KY

Built 1940 Load: 21.0 t ADT: 110

KY-795

Poor

Over: CHESTNUT CREEK

3.0 MI WEST OF JCT US 641, Marshall, KY

Built 1969 Load: 21.0 t ADT: 355

SULLIVAN LN

Poor

Over: SAMUELS CREEK

50 East of KY 509, Nelson, KY

Built 1979 Load: 21.0 t ADT: 277

KY-979

Poor

Over: MUD CREEK

.05 MI S OF JCT KY 680, Floyd, KY

Built 1976 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 2,069

LIBERTY CHURCH RD

Poor

Over: GASPER RIVER

1.4 MI E OF JCT KY 1038, Logan, KY

Built 1965 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 40

HAYDON BROTHERS RD

Poor

Over: LONG LICK CREEK

.5 MI W OF JCT KY 433, Washington, KY

Built 1975 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 41

KY-130

Poor

Over: CYPRESS DITCH

.20 MI.W JCT KY 270, Union, KY

Built 1996 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 319

KY-117

Poor

Over: little river

.70 MI N.W. OF JCT KY 107, Christian, KY

Built 1963 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 522

KY-238

Poor

Over: BIG REEDY CREEK

0.5 MI W JCT KY 185, Edmonson, KY

Built 1985 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 51

I-71 SB

Poor

Over: BEARGRASS CREEK

1.4 MI S OF ZORN AVE, Jefferson, KY

Built 1966 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 25,429

KY-92

Poor

Over: CUMBERLAND RIVER

.75 MI SE OF JCT KY 1064, Whitley, KY

Built 1937 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 1,176

CR-1001

Poor

Over: GUNPOWDER CREEK

.85 MI SW OF JCT KY 237, Boone, KY

Built 1951 Load: 21.5 t ADT: 8,155

KY-338

Poor

Over: GUM BRANCH

.05 MI E OF JCT KY 1925, Boone, KY

Built 1953 Load: 21.6 t ADT: 1,634

KY-194

Poor

Over: Cow Creek

1.3 MI E of JCT KY 1428, Floyd, KY

Built 1974 Load: 21.6 t ADT: 802

KY-2140

Poor

Over: BR OF MUD CREEK

.5 MI. S OF KY 94, Fulton, KY

Built 1978 Load: 21.6 t ADT: 44

KY-1214

Poor

Over: WESTERN KENTUCKY PARKWAY

1.7 MI SE OF JCT US 62, Grayson, KY

Built 1963 Load: 21.7 t ADT: 1,605

KY-1068

Poor

Over: LAUREL FORK

@ S-TERM. KY 1068, Lewis, KY

Built 1958 Load: 21.7 t ADT: 160

HAROLD ST

Poor

Over: CATRON CREEK

W @ JCT KY 72, Harlan, KY

Built 1962 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 665

KY-3419

Poor

Over: Left Frk Blackberry Crk

0.5 MI S of JCT KY 1056, Pike, KY

Built 1975 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 575

KY-2001

Poor

Over: PLUM BRANCH

ON POWELL - ESTILL CL, Estill, KY

Built 1936 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 169

KY-3

Poor

Over: CSX RR & Levisa Fork

0.1 MI SW of KY 321, Floyd, KY

Built 1992 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 5,487

KY-3630

Poor

Over: BLACKWATER CREEK

1.9 MI NE OF JCT KY 1431, Jackson, KY

Built 1975 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 632

KY-81

Poor

Over: UNNAME STREAM

AT MUHLENBERG - MCLEAN CL, McLean, KY

Built 1925 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 2,979

STOKLEY DR

Poor

Over: GRAYS RUN CREEK

100 WEST JCT US 27, Harrison, KY

Built 1995 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 326

Showing 14,051-14,100 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.