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

US-25

Fair

Over: WOOD CREEK

1.1 MI N OF N-JCT KY 80, Laurel, KY

Built 1951 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 9,622

KY-15

Fair

Over: N FORK KY RIVER

0.1 MI W OF JCT KY 15X, Letcher, KY

Built 1965 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 10,037

COWAN SCHOOL

Fair

Over: COWAN CREEK

.5 MI S JCT KY 901, Letcher, KY

Built 1998 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 250

KY-1651

Fair

Over: KY&TENN RR IN STEARNS

.1 MI S OF JCT KY 92, McCreary, KY

Built 1936 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 3,050

KY-458

Fair

Over: BLUEGRASS PW NR CHAPLIN

1.1 MI S OF JCT US 62, Nelson, KY

Built 1965 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 437

KY-368

Fair

Over: KAYS BRANCH

.06 MI WEST OF JCT KY 897, Owen, KY

Built 1940 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 272

KY 148

Fair

Over: PLUM CREEK

3.4 MI W OF KY 55, Shelby, KY

Built 1935 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 914

US 60

Fair

Over: BENSON CREEK

AT FRANKLIN CL, Shelby, KY

Built 1990 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 5,034

OLD BARTON MILL RO

Fair

Over: I 75 @ 26.560

.50 MI W OF JCT KY 2384, Whitley, KY

Built 1968 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 836

STATE LINE RD WEST

Fair

Over: PLESANT GROVE CREEK

.4 MI WEST OF KY 893, Calloway, KY

Built 1979 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 51

KY-1025

Fair

Over: SMOKY CREEK

1.9 MI E OF JCT KY 2, Carter, KY

Built 1959 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 157

KY-206

Fair

Over: RIFFE CREEK

1.3 MI N.E. OF ADAIR CL, Casey, KY

Built 1936 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 670

CERULEAN RD

Fair

Over: WALLACE FORK CREEK

.1 MI S JCT KY 91, Christian, KY

Built 1994 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 64

KY-1960

Fair

Over: MOUNTAIN PARKWAY

1.5 MI E OF JCT KY 15, Clark, KY

Built 1962 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,358

KY-83

Fair

Over: BACON CREEK

1.2 MI WEST OF JCT KY 381, Graves, KY

Built 1939 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 176

HAWESVILLE EASTON

Fair

Over: SUGAR CAMP CREEK

100 N. JCT LYONNIA-ESTON, Hancock, KY

Built 1998 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 64

HARTFORD ROAD

Fair

Over: LEAD CREEK

.20 MI WEST OF JCT KY 126, Hancock, KY

Built 1933 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,944

KY-1357

Fair

Over: ROUGH RIVER

.80 MI EAST OF JCT KY 920, Hardin, KY

Built 1955 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 543

KY-58

Fair

Over: FORK OF OBION CREEK

1.5 MI N.W. OF JCT KY 154, Hickman, KY

Built 1931 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 627

US 42

Fair

Over: HARRODS CREEK

0.65 MI E OF KY 841, Jefferson, KY

Built 1938 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 23,941

S PARK RD

Fair

Over: I-65 & RAMPS

0.8 MI E OF MINOR LN, Jefferson, KY

Built 1981 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,034

CHRISTIAN WAY

Fair

Over: MID FORK BEARGRASS CREEK

0.17 MI S OF US 60, Jefferson, KY

Built 1970 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,880

KY-11

Fair

Over: LITTLE RICHLAND CREEK

2.4 MI NE OF JCT KY 2418, Knox, KY

Built 1946 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,390

KY-69

Fair

Over: NO.BR OF SO FK PANTHER C

.2 MI N OF JCT KY 2114, Ohio, KY

Built 1950 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 838

Bracken Prices-Mi

Fair

Over: Sulphur Spring

.3M W of KY 1885, Simpson, KY

Built 2012 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 53

Saddler Ford Rd

Fair

Over: West Fork Drakes Creek

0.9 MI S JCT CR 1042, Simpson, KY

Built 2016 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 126

KY-126

Fair

Over: HORSE CAVE CREEK

2.0 MI WEST OF JCT KY 124, Trigg, KY

Built 1933 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 243

I-24-10 NC

Fair

Over: MUDDY FORK CREEK

4.8 MI. W OF US 68, Trigg, KY

Built 1977 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 11,064

I-24

Fair

Over: MUDDY FORK CREEK

2.3 MI EAST OF CALDWELL C, Trigg, KY

Built 1977 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 11,064

KY-139

Fair

Over: Burge Creek

1.8 MI NOR OF JCT KY 525, Trigg, KY

Built 2019 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,302

KY-130

Fair

Over: LOST CREEK

.5 MI S OF JCT KY 141, Union, KY

Built 1946 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,825

KY-776

Fair

Over: SINKING CREEK

BETWEEN JCTS KY 790 N&S, Wayne, KY

Built 1955 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 610

KY-56

Fair

Over: CALDWELL CREEK

3.1 MI WEST OF JCT US 41A, Webster, KY

Built 1930 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,452

TURNER LANDING ROA

Fair

Over: CLANTON CREEK

0.8 MI. NW OF KY 1105, Ballard, KY

Built 1988 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 125

KY-1678

Fair

Over: GREEN CREEK

.25 MI N of JCT KY 57, Bourbon, KY

Built 1973 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 1,701

I-471 NC

Fair

Over: US 27

1.7 MI N OF I-275 INTRCH, Campbell, KY

Built 1977 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 47,050

I-471

Fair

Over: US 27

1.7 MI N OF I-275 INTRCH, Campbell, KY

Built 1977 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 46,391

GHENT-EAGLE ROAD

Fair

Over: MCCOOLS CREEK

.1 MI S OF JCT KY 47, Carroll, KY

Built 1975 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 156

KY-955

Fair

Over: JACOBS FORK

1.7 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 174, Carter, KY

Built 1967 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 449

COFFMAN BRANCH RD

Fair

Over: COFFMAN BRANCH

100 NORTH JCT KY 78, Casey, KY

Built 1996 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 30

KY-974

Fair

Over: FOUR MILE CREEK

6.0 MI E OF JCT KY 1923, Clark, KY

Built 1950 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 423

KY-1961

Fair

Over: BRANCH OF STONER CREEK

2.9 MI N. OF JCT US 60, Clark, KY

Built 1954 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 702

McMAHAN RD

Fair

Over: BR OF N FK BARNETT CREEK

.5 MI E OF JCT CR 5168, Daviess, KY

Built 1960 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 75

SUGAR TREE RD

Fair

Over: EDDMAN BRANCH

2.0 MI E JCT KY 3302, Fleming, KY

Built 1995 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 27

KY-3051

Fair

Over: Levisa Fork

@ JCT of KY 3, Floyd, KY

Built 1962 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 2,328

KY-440

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK OF WILSON CRK

.90 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 408, Graves, KY

Built 1934 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 656

KING ROAD

Fair

Over: BR OF W FK MAYFIELD CREE

.5 MI E OF JCT CR 5499, Graves, KY

Built 1969 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 30

KY-58

Fair

Over: FORK OF OBION CREEK APPR

.90 MI NW OF JCT KY 1540, Hickman, KY

Built 1931 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 627

KY-58

Fair

Over: OBION CREEK

1.1 MI N.W. OF JCT KY 154, Hickman, KY

Built 1931 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 627

I-69

Fair

Over: ELK CREEK

1.5 MI NOR. OF KY 281 NTR, Hopkins, KY

Built 1967 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 21,964

Showing 3,001-3,050 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.