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-303

Fair

Over: BRANCH OF KESS CR

1.5 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 121, Graves, KY

Built 1935 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 5,320

I-64

Fair

Over: SHAWNEE GOLF COURSE

0.75 MI W OF I-265, Jefferson, KY

Built 1962 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 81,936

I-65

Fair

Over: E ORMSBY AVE

1.3 MI N OF US 60A, Jefferson, KY

Built 1960 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 118,227

I-264 WB

Fair

Over: KY 3082 (BANK ST)

0.2 MI E OF I-64, Jefferson, KY

Built 1962 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 19,356

I-264 EB

Fair

Over: KY 3082 (BANK ST)

0.2 MI E OF I-64, Jefferson, KY

Built 1962 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 19,356

KY-113

Fair

Over: LFT FK MILLSTONE CREEK

.70 MI N.W. OF JCT KY 803, Letcher, KY

Built 1935 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 359

US-62

Fair

Over: use to be a RR

.95 MI E OF E-JCT KY 175, Muhlenberg, KY

Built 1939 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 3,188

Norwood Mt Zion RD

Fair

Over: Big Clifty Creek

0.8 M West JCT KY 1247, Pulaski, KY

Built 2012 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 32

STEELE HOLLOW RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE SOUTH FORK RVR

0.9 MI. E. OF JCT CR 1155, Wayne, KY

Built 2010 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 20

BROOKLYN-GRANCER

Fair

Over: WELCHES CREEK

6.8 MI N. - JY 340, Butler, KY

Built 1991 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 38

INTERSTATE 65 NC

Fair

Over: CSX RAILROAD& HAWKINS DR

.2 MI N OF .KY.PKY NTRCH, Hardin, KY

Built 1983 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 32,908

ROCKS RD

Fair

Over: CANOE CREEK

.1 MI S. JCT US 60, Henderson, KY

Built 1990 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 30

KY-1985

Fair

Over: TATES CREEK

50 W OF JCT KY 169, Madison, KY

Built 1968 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 305

Chester Thompson

Fair

Over: Yowell Branch

50 NW of Scuffle Cr Rd, Marion, KY

Built 1999 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 2

KY-144

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

.6 MI E OF W-JCT KY 230, Meade, KY

Built 1930 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 330

NEW LIBERTY SPARTA

Fair

Over: TWO MILE CREEK

0.4 MI.SE OLD SR35(CR1306, Owen, KY

Built 2012 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 117

KY-11

Fair

Over: SEXTON CREEK

.15 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 577, Owsley, KY

Built 1948 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 182

Docks Hollow Road

Fair

Over: Upper Second Creek

0.1 M S of JCT KY-1440, Perry, KY

Built 1986 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 100

BERT T COMBS-MOUNT

Fair

Over: BRUSH CREEK ON RAMP A

EB EXT RMP-KY 15 NTRCH, Powell, KY

Built 1962 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 12,665

KY-107

Fair

Over: E FK POND RIVER

2.0 MI S OF JCT KY 171, Todd, KY

Built 1950 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 190

US-31E

Fair

Over: BARREN RIVER LAKE

ON BARREN - ALLEN CL, Allen, KY

Built 1963 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 5,211

KY-90

Fair

Over: ELBOW SPRING CREEK

.7 MI W OF JCT KY 1330, Barren, KY

Built 1927 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 7,190

I-64-10 NC

Fair

Over: US 60

WBL 1.7 MI E-KY 36 NTRCH, Bath, KY

Built 1967 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 9,752

KY-627

Fair

Over: STRODES CR MILL RACE

.70 MI S OF JCT W/KY 57, Bourbon, KY

Built 1939 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 2,326

BELCHER FORK ROAD

Fair

Over: BELCHER FORK

1.1 MI W OF JCT KY 30, Breathitt, KY

Built 1976 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 58

KY-444

Fair

Over: BEECHY CREEK

1.0 MI N.E. OF JCT KY 121, Calloway, KY

Built 1943 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 844

KY-120

Fair

Over: PINEY FORK CREEK

1.7 MI WEST OF JCT KY 139, Crittenden, KY

Built 1933 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 519

KY-1039

Fair

Over: KY 465 AND LICK CREEK

.25 MILE NORTH OF KY 465, Gallatin, KY

Built 2002 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 334

HOWLAND HL RD

Fair

Over: SHULTZ CREEK

.1 MI SE JCT KY 784, Greenup, KY

Built 1996 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 43

KY-1265

Fair

Over: LEAD CREEK

.02 MI. E JCT KY 69, Hancock, KY

Built 1996 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 494

KY-1842

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

3.0 MI NOR. OF JCT US 62, Harrison, KY

Built 1969 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 1,045

SNAKE LICK ROAD

Fair

Over: RICHLAND CREEK

.2 MI W. OF US 27, Harrison, KY

Built 2009 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 39

I-65

Fair

Over: BROOK ST & MUHAMMAD ALI

0.15 MI N OF E CHESTNUT, Jefferson, KY

Built 1963 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 84,001

I-65

Fair

Over: CSX RR & NORTHERN DITCH

3.0 MI S OF I-264, Jefferson, KY

Built 1988 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 141,988

BRUSHY BRANCH RD

Fair

Over: BRUSHY BRANCH

.88 MI W. JCT KY 201, Lawrence, KY

Built 1997 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 25

LOWER KINNEY RD.

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

.972 MI S. of JCT. KY 9, Lewis, KY

Built 2011 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 213

US 68 NC

Fair

Over: I-24

WBL 1 MI S OF JCT US 62, McCracken, KY

Built 1971 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 3,696

KY-926

Fair

Over: THOMPSON CREEK

.50 MI E. OF JCT KY 390, Mercer, KY

Built 1950 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 43

KY-632

Fair

Over: PETER CREEK

W @E-JCT KY 194 @PHELPS, Pike, KY

Built 1959 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 3,579

SILVER STAR RD

Fair

Over: CLIFTY CREEK

200 WEST JCT KY 3268, Pulaski, KY

Built 1997 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 136

KY-1722

Fair

Over: I-64 @ 130.306

3 MI NW OF JCT KY 801, Rowan, KY

Built 1968 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 350

MT GILEAD CHURCH R

Fair

Over: EAST FORK EAGLE CK

2.5 MI E OF TURKEY FT RD, Scott, KY

Built 1996 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 77

KY 2268

Fair

Over: CLEAR CREEK

0.25 MI N OF US 60 WB, Shelby, KY

Built 1951 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 2,126

KY-359

Fair

Over: HIGHLAND CREEK

.05 MI EAST OF JCT KY 360, Union, KY

Built 1950 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 1,504

KY-1809

Fair

Over: GOLDENS CREEK

.25 MI EAST OF JCT KY 92, Whitley, KY

Built 1967 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 252

CR-1321A

Fair

Over: LONG BRANCH CREEK

.8 MI N KY 2133, Bell, KY

Built 1990 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 60

US-51

Fair

Over: FORK OF MAYFIELD CREEK

IMMEDTLY NW OF JCT KY 120, Carlisle, KY

Built 1920 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 1,707

KY-1749

Fair

Over: LITTLE BEAVERDAM CREEK

6.1 MI N OF JCT KY 743, Edmonson, KY

Built 1955 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 312

KY-784

Fair

Over: HORNER FORK

4.6MI NW-KY 2, Greenup, KY

Built 1951 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 84

HORSE FORK ROAD

Fair

Over: HORSE FORK CREEK

.1 MI- W JCT KY 69, Hancock, KY

Built 1996 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 22

Showing 2,451-2,500 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.