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-191

Fair

Over: CANEY CREEK

.5 MI N OF JCT KY 844, Morgan, KY

Built 1928 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 1,064

CANE FORD LN

Fair

Over: ROUGH RIVER @ GRAYSON CO

@ GRAYSON-OHIO CO. LINE, Ohio, KY

Built 2005 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 25

KY-80

Fair

Over: BUCK CREEK

1.7 MI E OF JCT KY 1003, Pulaski, KY

Built 1978 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 9,414

Heavenly Lane

Fair

Over: NEGRO CREEK

.60 MI NW OF JCT KY 70, Rockcastle, KY

Built 1987 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 6,410

BULLFORK RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE BRUSHY CREEK

50 FT. WEST OF KY 32, Rowan, KY

Built 1982 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 336

BARKLEY RD

Fair

Over: EAST EAGLE CREEK

3 MI E OF JCT W/KY 922, Scott, KY

Built 1991 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 130

KY-102

Fair

Over: RUM SPRING CREEK

.22 MI EAST OF JCT US 79, Todd, KY

Built 1933 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 844

KY-185

Fair

Over: IVY CREEK

.5 MI S OF JCT KY 1749, Warren, KY

Built 1932 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 1,768

KY-15

Fair

Over: KY 402(MTN PARKWAY)

1.5 MI NW OF NW-JCT KY715, Wolfe, KY

Built 1962 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 600

KELLY-MOUNT ZOAR R

Fair

Over: TRADEWATER RIVER

1 MI W US 41, Christian, KY

Built 1991 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 61

PETSCH LN

Fair

Over: RIVERSIDE CREEK

.6 MI S JCT US 68, Christian, KY

Built 1991 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 211

KY-3140

Fair

Over: BIG RENOX CREEK

0.1 MI S OF JCT KY-61, Cumberland, KY

Built 1969 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 181

KY-912

Fair

Over: Crocus Creek

2.0 MI EAST OF JCT KY 704, Cumberland, KY

Built 1960 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 196

KY-80

Fair

Over: CSXRR/KY 7& 777/R Beaver

JCT KY 7 @ Garrett, Floyd, KY

Built 1978 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 4,654

KY-1601

Fair

Over: CLOVER FK CUMBERLAND RVR

.21 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 38, Harlan, KY

Built 1965 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 435

KY-392

Fair

Over: BEAVER CREEK

3 MI W OF NICHOLAS CO.LN., Harrison, KY

Built 1962 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 214

WALTER RD

Fair

Over: EAST FK-CANOE CREEK

1.3 MI SW JCT US 41, Henderson, KY

Built 1999 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 100

KY-138

Fair

Over: BR OF OTTER CREEK

3.0 MI EAST OF PNYRL PW, Hopkins, KY

Built 1933 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 1,967

KY-1687

Fair

Over: CRAB ORCHARD CREEK

2.3 MI SOU. OF JCT US 62, Hopkins, KY

Built 1958 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 299

I 24 NC

Fair

Over: P&L RAILWAY

WBL OVER P-I RR @ MP 3.45, McCracken, KY

Built 1972 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 16,436

I-24

Fair

Over: P&L RAILWAY

EBL OVER P-I RR @ MP 3.45, McCracken, KY

Built 1972 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 16,436

KY-100

Fair

Over: MESHACK CREEK

4.4 MI E. OF JCT KY 214, Monroe, KY

Built 1933 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 246

KY-13

Fair

Over: MCBRIDES FORK

1.0 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 386, Nicholas, KY

Built 1935 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 701

KY-36

Fair

Over: BR OF BRUSHY FORK

1.0 MI WEST OF JCT KY 13, Nicholas, KY

Built 1952 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 2,617

OLD MAYSVILLE RD #

Fair

Over: STONY CREEK

.10 NORTH OF NEW US 68, Nicholas, KY

Built 1932 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 47

MIDDLE RD

Fair

Over: RENDER CREEK

.1 MI WEST JCT KY 1245, Ohio, KY

Built 1992 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 104

OAK GROVE RD

Fair

Over: ELK CREEK

.1 MI S. JCT CR 5306, Ohio, KY

Built 1994 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 52

LONG ST

Fair

Over: P & L RAILWAY

.4 MI E. JCT US 60, Ohio, KY

Built 1996 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 103

KY-289

Fair

Over: BIG PITMAN CRK

1.1 MI SW OF MARION CL, Taylor, KY

Built 1952 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 1,111

ELK FORK RD

Fair

Over: ELK FORK CREEK

.2 MI S JCT US 68-KY80, Todd, KY

Built 1989 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 50

KY-2396

Fair

Over: STONY FORK

.30 MI NOR. OF JCT KY 74, Bell, KY

Built 1954 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 1,687

KY-18

Fair

Over: I-75

1 MI W OF JCT US 25, Boone, KY

Built 1960 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 68,722

KY-28

Fair

Over: LONG CREEK

.10 MI SOU. OF JCT KY 315, Breathitt, KY

Built 1951 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 571

KY-1120

Fair

Over: I 471

OVER I-471 INTERCHANGE, Campbell, KY

Built 1977 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 10,998

FENDER RD

Fair

Over: TENMILE CREEK

50 S OF JCT CR 5012, Campbell, KY

Built 1965 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 293

WASHINGTON AVE

Fair

Over: CSX RAILROAD

100 SOUTH JCT WALNUT ST, Campbell, KY

Built 1993 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 418

KY-182

Fair

Over: BUFFALO CREEK

.05 MI EAST OF JCT KY 2, Carter, KY

Built 1951 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 271

KY-3270

Fair

Over: GREEN RIVER

0.6 MI. EAST JCT KY 198, Casey, KY

Built 1983 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 274

KY-66

Fair

Over: BIG DBL CREEK

2.0 MI SOU. OF JCT US 421, Clay, KY

Built 1963 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 607

KY-334

Fair

Over: LITTLE BLACKFORD CREEK

.50 MI N.E. OF JCT US 60, Daviess, KY

Built 1953 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 418

S 75 NC

Fair

Over: NEWTOWN ROAD(KY 922)

SBL 2.3 MI W US27-68 NTRC, Fayette, KY

Built 1964 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 45,162

LOUDON AVE.

Fair

Over: CSX RAILROAD

.2 MI N OF US 60, Fayette, KY

Built 1976 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 10,781

US-23 NC

Fair

Over: CSX RR & Main St Dwale

1000 N OF US 23 & KY1428, Floyd, KY

Built 1973 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 8,482

US-23

Fair

Over: CSX RR & Main St Dwale

.4 MI NW OF S-JCT KY 1428, Floyd, KY

Built 1973 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 8,482

I-64 WB

Fair

Over: KY 420 & CEDAR RUN

0.7 MI E OF US 127, Franklin, KY

Built 1962 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 24,081

POYNERS CHAPEL ROA

Fair

Over: LITTLE CYPRESS CREEK

1.7 MI W. OF JCT KY 303, Graves, KY

Built 1968 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 59

KY-1539

Fair

Over: EAST BR.-NORTH FORK

1.7 MI N KY 351, Henderson, KY

Built 1991 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 234

KY 202

Fair

Over: EMILY RUN

6.85 MI N OF US 421, Henry, KY

Built 1951 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 264

I-69

Fair

Over: CSX RAILROAD

SBL .85 MI N OF KY 70 NTR, Hopkins, KY

Built 1961 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 12,374

EB-9004

Fair

Over: CSX RAILROAD

NBL .85 MI N OF KY 70 NTR, Hopkins, KY

Built 1961 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 12,374

Showing 3,601-3,650 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.