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-3419

Poor

Over: LEFT FK-BLACKBERRY CK

@ JCT KY 1056, Pike, KY

Built 1988 Load: 37.5 t ADT: 575

CR-1211B

Poor

Over: MARTINS FK CUMBERLAND RV

.1 MI. S. OF KY 987, Harlan, KY

Built 1970 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 100

KY-109

Poor

Over: CLEAR CREEK

1.0 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 291, Hopkins, KY

Built 1935 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 823

LATTA ROAD

Poor

Over: BR.S.FK.BAYOU DE CHIEN

0.5 MI E OF KY 94, Hickman, KY

Built 1989 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 25

KY-3220

Poor

Over: BIG CREEK

2.5 MI S.E. OF JCT KY 468, Pike, KY

Built 1923 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 969

KY-107

Poor

Over: DONALDSON CREEK

3.8 MI S.W. OF JCT KY 287, Christian, KY

Built 1932 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 611

KY-79

Poor

Over: LONG LICK CREEK

.20 MI EAST OF JCT KY 105, Breckinridge, KY

Built 1960 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 1,440

KY-813

Poor

Over: WEST FORK OF POND RIVER

ON CHRISTIAN - HOPKINS CL, Hopkins, KY

Built 1975 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 131

KY-1103

Poor

Over: Big Branch

JCT KY 1103 & Big Branch, Letcher, KY

Built 1955 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 214

CR1708

Poor

Over: ELK CREEK

50 SE OF US 421, Clay, KY

Built 1940 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 41

KY-2641

Poor

Over: PENNYRILE PARKWAY

.2 MI E-OLD MADISONVLL RD, Christian, KY

Built 1968 Load: 38.3 t ADT: 743

LAUREL BRANCH ROAD

Poor

Over: GOOSE CREEK

.3 MI NE OF JCT KY 11, Clay, KY

Built 1978 Load: 38.3 t ADT: 52

US-60

Poor

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

.1 MI W OF W-JCT KY 211, Bath, KY

Built 1931 Load: 38.5 t ADT: 2,692

US-421

Poor

Over: HENRYS FORK

.80 MI E OF JCT KY 1482, Leslie, KY

Built 1933 Load: 38.5 t ADT: 592

US-62

Poor

Over: COPPERAS CREEK

1 MI W OF JCT KY 1338, Hopkins, KY

Built 1932 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 1,426

KY-379

Poor

Over: CROCUS CREEK

.2 MI N OF JCT KY 1058, Russell, KY

Built 1935 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 504

OAKLAND RD

Poor

Over: WILLOW BRANCH

.1 MI W OF JCT CR 5116, Bracken, KY

Built 1970 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 69

I-265 SB

Poor

Over: KY 22 (BROWNSBORO RD)

0.60 MI S OF I-71, Jefferson, KY

Built 1970 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 38,400

KY-121

Poor

Over: BLOOD RIVER

.50 MI WEST OF JCT KY 444, Calloway, KY

Built 1945 Load: 39.1 t ADT: 3,080

KY-181

Poor

Over: BAT EAST CREEK

.05 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 890, Muhlenberg, KY

Built 1934 Load: 39.1 t ADT: 1,636

KY-620

Poor

Over: NS (CNO&TP) SYSTEM

.4 MI FROM JCT I-75, Scott, KY

Built 1987 Load: 39.1 t ADT: 9,461

HARP PIKE

Poor

Over: MARSHALL BRANCH

3.0 MI N OF KY 12, Franklin, KY

Built 1986 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 249

US-60

Poor

Over: CROOKED RUN CREEK

.05 MI E OF W-JCT KY 211, Bath, KY

Built 1931 Load: 39.4 t ADT: 2,888

KY-910

Poor

Over: IRVIN BRANCH

1.4 MI EAST OF JCT KY 76, Russell, KY

Built 1935 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 1,116

SB 75 NON-CARDINAL

Poor

Over: RELOCATED KEARNEY ROAD

SBL .25MI N-NW I64 NTRCH, Fayette, KY

Built 1963 Load: 39.6 t ADT: 30,879

KY-1234

Poor

Over: STONE LICK BRANCH

.15 MI S OF JCT KY 1449, Mason, KY

Built 1975 Load: 39.6 t ADT: 269

LITTLE CAKE RD

Poor

Over: BRYANT CREEK

2.4 MI W OF NE-JCT KY 206, Adair, KY

Built 1967 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 89

KY-504

Poor

Over: LITTLE CANEY CREEK

.05 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 649, Elliott, KY

Built 1966 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 392

KY 146

Poor

Over: TRIB TO HARRODS CREEK

340 FT E OF KY 3320, Henry, KY

Built 1929 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 3,116

KY-317

Poor

Over: Yonts Fork

1.8 MI N of JCT KY 343, Letcher, KY

Built 1948 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 634

KY-59

Poor

Over: TRIB OF KINNICONICK CREE

1.0 MI N.W. OF JCT KY 474, Lewis, KY

Built 1935 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 390

KY-136

Poor

Over: MYER CREEK

.20 MI EAST OF JCT KY 81, McLean, KY

Built 1956 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 3,076

KY-49

Poor

Over: TRAVERS CREEK

4.5 MI S.E. OF JCT KY 337, Marion, KY

Built 1930 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 520

KY-49

Poor

Over: RUSH BRANCH

1.5 MI N OF CASEY CL, Marion, KY

Built 1930 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 520

SOUTH RIPLEY RD

Poor

Over: BEASLEY CREEK

.6 MI S OF JCT KY 8, Mason, KY

Built 1970 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 59

KY-63

Poor

Over: LONG BRANCH

1.5 MI N OF E-JCT KY 87, Monroe, KY

Built 1928 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 2,319

KY-618

Poor

Over: BRUSHY CREEK

1.1 MI N.W. OF JCT KY 328, Rockcastle, KY

Built 1950 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 337

US-231

Poor

Over: BR SALT LICK CRK

2.3 MI N OF I-165, Warren, KY

Built 1928 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 2,413

COOK RD

Poor

Over: PADDYS RUN

.1 MI E OF JCT CR 5124, Harrison, KY

Built 1925 Load: 40.1 t ADT: 219

KY-697

Poor

Over: ALLISON CREEK

1.7 MI.NOR.-JCT KY 156, Fleming, KY

Built 1982 Load: 40.4 t ADT: 423

KY-1803

Poor

Over: BLACKWATER CREEK

.90 MI NOR. OF KNOX CL, Laurel, KY

Built 1968 Load: 40.6 t ADT: 204

KY-189

Poor

Over: JARREL CREEK

.3 MI N OF JCT KY 1473, Muhlenberg, KY

Built 1934 Load: 40.6 t ADT: 683

KY-2668

Poor

Over: N FK BARNETT CK

2.0 MILES W JCT US 231, Ohio, KY

Built 1972 Load: 40.7 t ADT: 195

US-25E

Poor

Over: LITTLE YELLOW CREEK

0.1 MI S JCT KY 74, Bell, KY

Built 1989 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 18,996

KY-483

Poor

Over: BRANCH OF DRY CREEK

.20 MI EAST OF JCT KY 427, Graves, KY

Built 1955 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 362

KY-1

Poor

Over: Dry Fork

Carter/Lawrence Co Line, Lawrence, KY

Built 1962 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 779

US-68

Poor

Over: E FK LITTLE BARREN RIVER

0.11 MI W OF JCT W/KY 745, Metcalfe, KY

Built 1956 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 807

MADISONVILLE ROAD

Poor

Over: BR CANOE CRK

.40 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 812, Henderson, KY

Built 1948 Load: 40.9 t ADT: 5,807

Abner Lane

Poor

Over: Squabble Creek

50 S of JCT KY-2022, Perry, KY

Built 2003 Load: 41.2 t ADT: 20

US-127

Poor

Over: GREEN RIVER IN LIBERTY

.1 MI S OF JCT KY 2313, Casey, KY

Built 1957 Load: 41.6 t ADT: 9,092

Showing 14,401-14,450 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.