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-283

Poor

Over: BR OF GROVES CREEK

1.0 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 56, Webster, KY

Built 1967 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 281

KY-121

Poor

Over: CLARKS R. S.OF MURRAY

1.2 MI WEST OF JCT KY 894, Calloway, KY

Built 1956 Load: 34.8 t ADT: 5,929

SPENCER RD

Poor

Over: CLOVER LICK CREEK

.1 MI NE OF JCT KY 2006, Harlan, KY

Built 1955 Load: 34.8 t ADT: 30

DUNAWAY LANE

Poor

Over: SOUTH FK CAMP CREEK

.1 MI E KY 994, Graves, KY

Built 1985 Load: 34.9 t ADT: 93

KY-44

Poor

Over: TIMBER CREEK

.95 MI WEST OF JCT KY 53-, Anderson, KY

Built 1933 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 666

LESTER CHAPEL RD

Poor

Over: SPRING CREEK

1 MI W US 41, Todd, KY

Built 1992 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 40

KY-138

Poor

Over: DEER CREEK

2.6 MI EAST OF JCT KY 132, Webster, KY

Built 1956 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 319

DELEPLAIN RD

Poor

Over: LANES RUN

1 MI.W JCT. US 62, Scott, KY

Built 1993 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 1,751

CRUISE CREEK RD

Poor

Over: LITTLE CRUISES CREEK

1.3 MI SW OF JCT KY 14, Kenton, KY

Built 1970 Load: 35.2 t ADT: 154

HICKS BR RD

Poor

Over: LEATHERWOOD CREEK

.05 MI W OF JCT KY 699, Perry, KY

Built 1975 Load: 35.2 t ADT: 233

UPPER LAUREL FORK

Poor

Over: LAUREL FK-BUCKHORN CRK

.30 MI S OF JCT CR 5135, Breathitt, KY

Built 1974 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 72

KY 2055

Poor

Over: SOUTHERN DITCH

0.40 MI S OF KY 907, Jefferson, KY

Built 1936 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 3,094

UNION CHAPEL RD

Poor

Over: SNAG CREEK

3 MI NE LENOXBURG, Bracken, KY

Built 1992 Load: 35.5 t ADT: 38

KY-70

Poor

Over: BEAR CREEK

.35 MI EAST OF JCT KY 187, Edmonson, KY

Built 1933 Load: 35.5 t ADT: 1,376

I-264 EB

Poor

Over: I-264 WB ON RAMP

0.1 MI E OF US 31W, Jefferson, KY

Built 1974 Load: 35.5 t ADT: 81,002

KY-1956

Poor

Over: LINE CREEK

.50 MI W OF ROCKCASTLE CL, Pulaski, KY

Built 1932 Load: 35.5 t ADT: 90

KY-3500

Poor

Over: TRAMMEL CREEK

.6 MI N OF JCT KY 1147, Allen, KY

Built 1930 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 602

KY-160

Poor

Over: LINE FORK CREEK

.10 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 463, Letcher, KY

Built 1948 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 877

KY 36

Poor

Over: CANIP CREEK

0.4 MI E OF US 421, Trimble, KY

Built 1933 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 3,341

KY-72

Poor

Over: MARTINS FK CUMBERLAND RV

.05 MI SW OF S-JCT US 421, Harlan, KY

Built 1970 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 2,881

BATES LN

Poor

Over: LITTLE KENTUCKY RIVER

0.4 MI N OF KY 1861, Henry, KY

Built 1976 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 200

KY-171

Poor

Over: E FK POND RIVER

.40 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 107, Todd, KY

Built 1930 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 364

I-69

Poor

Over: TRADEWATER RIVER

EBL AT HOPKINS-CALDWELL C, Caldwell, KY

Built 1963 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 5,532

KY-1836

Poor

Over: WATSON CREEK

.40 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 464, Calloway, KY

Built 1963 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 576

US-68X

Poor

Over: RJC RAILROAD

.3 MI WEST OF JCT Ky 2146, Logan, KY

Built 1936 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 7,976

SHARON GROVE RD

Poor

Over: TRIB. OF LITTLE CLIFFY C

2.8 MI N OF JCT KY 106, Todd, KY

Built 1970 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 110

KY-825

Poor

Over: Jennys Creek

2.1 MI SW of JCT KY 2039, Johnson, KY

Built 1975 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 1,101

KY-402

Poor

Over: EAST FORK CLARKS RIVER

.20 MI WEST OF JCT KY 962, Marshall, KY

Built 1933 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 2,228

MAIN STREET

Poor

Over: HINKSTON CREEK

.25 MI E-QUEEN ST, Montgomery, KY

Built 1948 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 3,893

SR 79

Poor

Over: PROJECT SPILLWAY

3 MI NE FALLS OF ROUGH, Grayson, KY

Built 1958 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 1,801

KY-2006

Poor

Over: CLOVERLICK CREEK

4.3 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 179, Harlan, KY

Built 1969 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 185

KY-140

Poor

Over: PORTERS DITCH

.20 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 136, McLean, KY

Built 1938 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 314

PYLES RD

Poor

Over: N.FK.LICKING RVR

.45 MI NE-JCT NEW US 68, Mason, KY

Built 1940 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 138

KY-500

Poor

Over: KNOBLICK CREEK

.60 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 56, Daviess, KY

Built 1975 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 429

KY-136

Poor

Over: BARNETT CREEK

3.2 MI EAST OF McLean CL, Ohio, KY

Built 1932 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 951

WILLIAM BALL RD

Poor

Over: HOPGOOD DITCH

0.9 MI. SW -JCT. KY 950, Union, KY

Built 1982 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 50

I-265 NB

Poor

Over: KY 22 (BROWNSBORO RD)

0.60 MI S OF I-71, Jefferson, KY

Built 1970 Load: 36.4 t ADT: 38,400

KY-133

Poor

Over: FOREMAN CREEK

.20 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 838, Livingston, KY

Built 1931 Load: 36.4 t ADT: 670

TIPTON RD

Poor

Over: HINKSTON CREEK

.80 MI N OF JCT 537, Montgomery, KY

Built 1980 Load: 36.4 t ADT: 66

CR 1200

Poor

Over: Trib. to Wiley Creek

1.7 Mi NW Jct US 62, Caldwell, KY

Built 2009 Load: 36.5 t ADT: 50

KY-109

Poor

Over: MCKNIGHTS CREEK

1.5 MI N.W. OF JCT KY 134, Christian, KY

Built 1932 Load: 36.5 t ADT: 655

KY-70

Poor

Over: ISAAC CREEK

.05 MI W OF W-JCT KY 175, Muhlenberg, KY

Built 1948 Load: 36.5 t ADT: 1,680

KY-922

Poor

Over: WEST FORK EAGLE CREEK

.8 MI. S. JCT KY 620, Scott, KY

Built 1994 Load: 36.5 t ADT: 170

CR-1211

Poor

Over: BIG SOUTH FORK CREEK

1.6 MI N OF JCT US 42, Gallatin, KY

Built 1985 Load: 36.6 t ADT: 16

Martin Branch Rd

Poor

Over: Jones Fork

150 SE of JCT KY 550, Knott, KY

Built 1987 Load: 36.6 t ADT: 342

LEWISPORT RD

Poor

Over: ACCESS SPUR TO OMU PLANT

.1 MI W OF JCT KY 144, Daviess, KY

Built 1965 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 6,722

US-62

Poor

Over: POND RIVER OVERFLOW

.40 MI W OF MUHLENBERG CL, Hopkins, KY

Built 1927 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 1,028

US-62

Poor

Over: POND RIVER OVERFLOW

.80 MI W OF MUHLENBERG CL, Hopkins, KY

Built 1927 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 1,028

KY-307

Poor

Over: NORTH FORK BAYOU DE CHIE

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

Built 1937 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 703

KY-198

Poor

Over: KNOB LICK CR @ YOSEMITE

.10 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 70, Casey, KY

Built 1970 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 1,374

Showing 14,351-14,400 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.