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

GREASY CREEK ROAD

Poor

Over: SHOULDER BLADE CREEK

.05 MI SE OF JCT KY 30, Breathitt, KY

Built 1975 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 41

KY-1950

Poor

Over: BLACKWATER CREEK

.50 MI N.W. OF JCT KY 772, Morgan, KY

Built 1966 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 84

US-62

Poor

Over: TEWELL CREEK

3.5 MI E OF W-JCT KY 733, Nelson, KY

Built 1934 Load: 24.8 t ADT: 1,871

KY-72

Poor

Over: CATRON CREEK

1.9 MI S OF JCT KY 1216, Harlan, KY

Built 1964 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 291

KY-806

Poor

Over: Franks Creek

1.6 MI S JCT US 119, Letcher, KY

Built 1977 Load: 25.0 t ADT: 390

KY-80

Poor

Over: RT. FK. BIG CREEK

.75 MI W OF JCT KY 1096, Perry, KY

Built 1928 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 1,875

KY-122

Poor

Over: Robinson Creek

1.5 MI NE of JCT KY 610, Pike, KY

Built 1927 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 2,089

KY-1153

Poor

Over: DALLAM CREEK

1 MI EAST-JCT KY 106, Butler, KY

Built 1988 Load: 25.2 t ADT: 239

US-421

Poor

Over: RICE BRANCH

1.7 MI SW OF S-JCT KY 66, Clay, KY

Built 1934 Load: 25.2 t ADT: 748

SHERBURN LN

Poor

Over: MID FORK BEARGRASS CREEK

0.9 MI N OF BROWNS LN, Jefferson, KY

Built 1995 Load: 25.2 t ADT: 6,653

KY-522

Poor

Over: POOR FK CUMBERLAND RVR

.2 MI NE OF JCT US 119, Harlan, KY

Built 1928 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 944

KY-356

Poor

Over: S. FORK TWIN CREEK

.2 MI W OF W-JCT KY 1842, Harrison, KY

Built 1961 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 387

Paul Drive

Poor

Over: Lotts Creek

0.05 M S of JCT KY-1088, Perry, KY

Built 1970 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 30

KY-610

Poor

Over: Shelby Creek

0.1 MI S of JCT KY 1469, Pike, KY

Built 1927 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 1,873

RICHMOND ROAD

Poor

Over: I-75

.1 MI W OF JCT KY 1973, Fayette, KY

Built 1963 Load: 25.5 t ADT: 4,274

HAMILTON RD

Poor

Over: STONE CREEK

.4 MI N OF JCT CR 5119, Bracken, KY

Built 1970 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 33

I-65

Poor

Over: JACOB BROADWAY GRAY ST

0.5 MI S OF US 31E, Jefferson, KY

Built 1960 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 84,001

KY-2070

Poor

Over: WHITE OAK CREEK

4.5 MI W. JCT KY 7, Greenup, KY

Built 1988 Load: 25.7 t ADT: 264

MEETING CRK RD

Poor

Over: P&L RAILWAY

.2 MI NOR OF KY 1291, Hardin, KY

Built 1943 Load: 25.7 t ADT: 361

KY 3322

Poor

Over: DRENNON CREEK

0.3 MI S OF KY 573, Henry, KY

Built 1980 Load: 25.7 t ADT: 522

KY-3170

Poor

Over: N.FK LICKING RIVER

.13 MI W OF JCT NEW KY 11, Mason, KY

Built 1941 Load: 25.7 t ADT: 292

KY-966

Poor

Over: E. FRK.LITTLE SANDY R.

.2 MI. EAST JCT KY 3, Boyd, KY

Built 1979 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 285

KY-258

Poor

Over: KNOB LICK CREEK

.90 MI WEST OF JCT KY 56, Daviess, KY

Built 1966 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 162

OLD JELLICO CREEK

Poor

Over: PAINT CREEK

1 MI E OF JCT KY 1898, Whitley, KY

Built 1950 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 58

KY-930

Poor

Over: STINKING CREEK

1.8 MI EAST OF JCT KY 225, Knox, KY

Built 1950 Load: 26.0 t ADT: 589

Stumbo Park Rd

Poor

Over: BEAVER CREEK

.1 MI N OF KY 1428, Floyd, KY

Built 1979 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 556

KY-100

Poor

Over: SULPHUR FORK CREEK

ON ALLEN - SIMPSON CL, Simpson, KY

Built 1930 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 2,537

KY-1078

Poor

Over: RACE CREEK

2.4 MI NE OF W-JCT US 60, Henderson, KY

Built 1953 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 217

I-64 EB OFF RAMP

Poor

Over: NORTHWESTERN PKWY

1.45 MI E OF I-264, Jefferson, KY

Built 1971 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 81,936

KY-170

Poor

Over: CORD CREEK

137 ft. W. JCT. KY 1325, Fleming, KY

Built 1950 Load: 26.4 t ADT: 260

KY-784

Poor

Over: WINGO FK OF SCHULTZ CREE

4.5 MI S.W. OF JCT KY 7, Greenup, KY

Built 1972 Load: 26.4 t ADT: 441

KY-32

Poor

Over: LITTLE EAGLE CREEK

.40 MI WEST OF I-75 NTRCH, Scott, KY

Built 1970 Load: 26.6 t ADT: 585

KY-2004

Poor

Over: S.FK.STATION CAMP CREEK

3.0 MI N.W. OF JCT US 421, Jackson, KY

Built 1975 Load: 26.7 t ADT: 429

US-25

Poor

Over: ROBINSON CREEK

.40 MI N OF N-JCT KY 2392, Laurel, KY

Built 1940 Load: 26.8 t ADT: 14,548

KY-2712

Poor

Over: WESTERN KENTUCKY PARKWAY

.75 MI N OF JCT CR 5173, Ohio, KY

Built 1963 Load: 26.8 t ADT: 315

US-27

Poor

Over: TOWNSEND CREEK

ON HARRISON-BOURBON CL, Bourbon, KY

Built 1948 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 5,187

KY 573

Poor

Over: TRIB TO TOWN CREEK

1.8 MI E OF US 421, Henry, KY

Built 1978 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 400

KY-1754

Poor

Over: BLUEGRASS PARKWAY

.5 MI W OF JCT KY 555, Washington, KY

Built 1964 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 244

KY-1028

Poor

Over: LULBEGRUD CREEK

.10 W OF POWELL CO. LINE, Clark, KY

Built 1983 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 64

KY-650

Poor

Over: LITTLE SANDY RIVER

.20 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 7, Elliott, KY

Built 1972 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 276

KY-812

Poor

Over: NORTH FORK CANOE CREEK

0.2 MI. N.W. JCT US 41, Henderson, KY

Built 1983 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 5,779

KY-803

Poor

Over: Millstone Creek

1.0 MI NE of JCT KY 113, Letcher, KY

Built 1981 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 268

Liberty Road

Poor

Over: HANGING FORK @HUSTONVILL

.20 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 78, Lincoln, KY

Built 1927 Load: 27.0 t ADT: 416

KY-210

Poor

Over: NORTH FORK NOLIN RIVER

.1 MI N OF N-JCT US 31E, Larue, KY

Built 1926 Load: 27.1 t ADT: 7,532

KY-1785

Poor

Over: ROCKY CR EMBYMNT-L-MALON

.35 MI W OF JCT KY 1293, Logan, KY

Built 1959 Load: 27.3 t ADT: 392

S 75 NC

Poor

Over: I 64

SBL I75 @NW NTRCHNG-I64, Fayette, KY

Built 1964 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 90,324

KY-3362

Poor

Over: GRASSY LICK CREEK

.3 MI S OF JCT KY 537, Montgomery, KY

Built 1967 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 54

PH Access Road

Poor

Over: TENNESSEE RIVER

KENTUCKY DAM, Marshall, KY

Built 1950 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 200

KY-597

Poor

Over: INDIAN CREEK

.50 MI SOU. OF MASON CL, Fleming, KY

Built 1961 Load: 27.6 t ADT: 348

KY-1748

Poor

Over: OPOSSUM CREEK

.15 MI WEST OF JKSN PUR P, Graves, KY

Built 1959 Load: 27.7 t ADT: 682

Showing 14,151-14,200 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.