State profile · Below median Poor share

Tennessee 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 Tennessee.

20,379
Public bridges
42.5%
Good condition
4.4%
Poor condition

Tennessee holds 20,379 public highway bridges (#10 of 52 by inventory) with a 4.41% Poor share (#41 of 52 by Poor share).

That is 4.4% 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 12 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

20,379

Public highway bridges in Tennessee

Good Condition

42.5%

8,664 bridges rated 7-9

-7.5pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

4.4%

898 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

-3.1pp vs national avg 7.5%

Tennessee vs national bridge condition

Tennessee - Good condition share 42.5%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

Tennessee - Poor-condition share 14.7%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.5%.

Tennessee 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: Tennessee has 20,379 bridges and a 4.4% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #12 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 (%) TN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 20.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.41%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%KY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.37%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%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: Tennessee has 20,379 bridges and a 4.4% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #12 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.

Tennessee 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

20,379 10th of 54 higher than 44 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 Tennessee

The highlighted point is Tennessee: 20,379 bridges and 4.41% in Poor condition, rank #12 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below Tennessee on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • Alabama: 16,205 bridges · 3.35% Poor
  • Virginia: 14,120 bridges · 3.39% Poor
  • Tennessee: 20,379 bridges · 4.41% Poor
  • Minnesota: 13,532 bridges · 4.44% Poor
  • New Mexico: 4,035 bridges · 4.51% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in Tennessee

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 20,379 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains Tennessee’s inventory

State agency holds 41.4% of the 20,379 public highway bridges filed under Tennessee in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When Tennessee’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 11.7% of the 20,379 bridges with a recorded original year in Tennessee. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

Tennessee42.5%53.1%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - Tennessee (FHWA NBI)

Counties (95)

Anderson 175 Bedford 294 Benton 147 Bledsoe 83 Blount 215 Bradley 199 Campbell 137 Cannon 159 Carroll 240 Carter 195 Cheatham 128 Chester 127 Claiborne 98 Clay 64 Cocke 190 Coffee 217 Crockett 167 Cumberland 137 Davidson 832 DeKalb 100 Decatur 104 Dickson 243 Dyer 232 Fayette 336 Fentress 55 Franklin 157 Gibson 386 Giles 321 Grainger 88 Greene 306 Grundy 85 Hamblen 119 Hamilton 464 Hancock 61 Hardeman 223 Hardin 192 Hawkins 190 Haywood 241 Henderson 207 Henry 187 Hickman 331 Houston 118 Humphreys 250 Jackson 131 Jefferson 122 Johnson 109 Knox 588 Lake 30 Lauderdale 258 Lawrence 211 Lewis 136 Lincoln 304 Loudon 117 Macon 169 Madison 418 Marion 177 Marshall 240 Maury 424 McMinn 219 McNairy 218 Meigs 76 Monroe 145 Montgomery 186 Moore 69 Morgan 120 Obion 381 Overton 78 Perry 153 Pickett 30 Polk 140 Putnam 167 Rhea 100 Roane 159 Robertson 204 Rutherford 428 Scott 111 Sequatchie 67 Sevier 273 Shelby 1077 Smith 202 Stewart 168 Sullivan 368 Sumner 398 Tipton 201 Trousdale 88 Unicoi 161 Union 61 Van Buren 37 Warren 160 Washington 284 Wayne 274 Weakley 351 White 69 Williamson 520 Wilson 402

Tennessee 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 Tennessee on the same metric.

AL

Alabama

3.35% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$16,205

VA

Virginia

3.39% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$14,120
Selected

TN

Tennessee

4.41% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$20,379

MN

Minnesota

4.44% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$13,532

NM

New Mexico

4.51% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$4,035

Bridges Needing Most Attention in Tennessee

Six lowest-condition bridges in Tennessee, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

NFA A868

Poor

Over: NINE MILE CREEK

14 M. SW. MARYVILLE., Blount, TN

Built 1930 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 40

NFA 5551

Poor

Over: GALLAGHER CREEK

SW OF SR 333, Blount, TN

Built 1930 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 1,214

DOSSETT LANE

Poor

Over: CSX RAILROAD

DOSSETT LANE / CSX RAILRO, Campbell, TN

Built 1915 Load: 0.0 t

NFA A258

Poor

Over: SPRING CREEK

IN THE CITY OF MCKENZIE, Carroll, TN

Built 1960 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 850

FAU 06022

Poor

Over: GAP CREEK

2 MI SE OF SR 67, Carter, TN

Built 1948 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 2,752

NFA A985

Poor

Over: STONEY CREEK

S OF SR91-NE PART OF CO., Carter, TN

Built 1978 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 170

All Bridges in Tennessee

FAP 43

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK OBION RIVER

ON THE WEAKLEY CO. LINE, Weakley, TN

Built 1995 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 7,428

NFA 1537

Fair

Over: PUBLIC WELLS RD. / SR-43

OLD SR 216, Weakley, TN

Built 1994 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 161

NFA 2186 (SA 9303)

Fair

Over: CANEY FORK RIVER

1MI FROM US70S, White, TN

Built 1976 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 88

FAU 441

Fair

Over: MOORES LN RL / I65

2.2 MI SE JCT SR6&SR253, Williamson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 17,725

NFA 2038 (SA 9515)

Fair

Over: JENNINGS FORK CREEK

0.5 MI W OF I40 INTERCHAN, Wilson, TN

Built 1977 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 881

FAS 192

Fair

Over: BIRDSONG CREEK

NEAR CAMDEN, Benton, TN

Built 1986 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 626

FAS 192

Fair

Over: FOURTEEN CREEK

SOUTH OF CAMDEN, Benton, TN

Built 1989 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 626

FAP 69 350896T

Fair

Over: CSX RAILROAD

SOUTH OF CAMDEN, Benton, TN

Built 1972 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 8,682

FAP 35

Fair

Over: PISTOL CREEK

IN ALCOA CITY LIMITS, Blount, TN

Built 1958 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 15,955

NFA A494

Fair

Over: DAVIS CREEK

S OF SR 63 - AT COUNTY LN, Campbell, TN

Built 1970 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 990

I75 RT LN

Fair

Over: SR 9

IN VELLICE, Campbell, TN

Built 1964 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 21,912

FAS 143

Fair

Over: DOE RIVER

IN ROAN MT, Carter, TN

Built 1967 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 2,764

FAS 2

Fair

Over: BRANCH

.8 MI NORTH OF SR127, Coffee, TN

Built 1940 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 5,073

NFA F770

Fair

Over: CSX RAILROAD

CROSSINGS BLVD.-NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1990 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 14,040

FAP 69

Fair

Over: LICK CREEK

6 M S BENTON CO LINE, Decatur, TN

Built 1966 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 3,516

FAS 211

Fair

Over: REEDS CREEK

2.2 M SW JCT SR211 &SR105, Dyer, TN

Built 1928 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 1,069

LYNCHBURG HWY.

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

NEAR TWIN CREEKS MARINA, Franklin, TN

Built 1966 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 3,242

FAP 433 EBL

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

0.2 MI E OF SR 16 JCT., Franklin, TN

Built 1994 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 6,624

FAP 5

Fair

Over: BRANCH

.7 MI.S.OF KENTON, Gibson, TN

Built 1927 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 2,766

FAP 366

Fair

Over: SR 366 / SR 76 & CSX RR

IN HUMBOLT, Gibson, TN

Built 1983 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 2,411

FAP 34 731368V

Fair

Over: SOUTHERN RAILWAY

IN MORRISTOWN, Hamblen, TN

Built 1970 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 16,726

FAP 29

Fair

Over: SR 29 / FAU 3594

3.24 MI. S OF SR-153 JCT., Hamilton, TN

Built 1987 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 22,721

FAP 29

Fair

Over: SR 29 / NFA C177

1.71 MI. S OF SR-153 JCT., Hamilton, TN

Built 1987 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 22,432

FAP 29

Fair

Over: SR 29 / NFA C176

1.39 MI. S OF SR-153 JCT., Hamilton, TN

Built 1988 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 22,432

NFA A396

Fair

Over: MABEL ST (NFA A396)

0.7 MI. E OF SR-8 JCT., Hamilton, TN

Built 1971 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 14,706

NFA A243

Fair

Over: PETTY BRANCH

NUMBER TWO RD N SR 69, Hardin, TN

Built 1992 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 40

NFA A363

Fair

Over: ROCKHOUSE CREEK

1 M S HOHENWALD, Lewis, TN

Built 1995 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 10

NFA A077

Fair

Over: BRANCH

6.5 M. NW. FAYETTEVILLE., Lincoln, TN

Built 1978 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 180

NFA 1214

Fair

Over: POND CREEK

4 M. W. PHILADELPHIA., Loudon, TN

Built 1991 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 559

NFA B475

Fair

Over: ROGERS CREEK

4 MILES WEST OF ATHENS, McMinn, TN

Built 1931 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 380

FAP 1

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

IN SPRING CRK. COMMUNITY, Madison, TN

Built 1926 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 5,674

FAU 3042

Fair

Over: SANDY CREEK

IN JACKSON CITY LIMITS, Madison, TN

Built 1929 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 9,543

FAS 2

Fair

Over: I-24

4.8 MI.S. OF MONTEAGLE, Marion, TN

Built 1963 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 656

FAS 130

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

.05 M N LINCOLN CO LINE, Marshall, TN

Built 1954 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 1,117

FAP 111

Fair

Over: SR 111 / I40

1.1 MI E OF SR42, Putnam, TN

Built 1969 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 19,858

FAP 111

Fair

Over: SR 111 / I40

1.1 MI E OF SR42, Putnam, TN

Built 1969 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 19,858

FAP 29

Fair

Over: BARNETT BRANCH

IN HARRIMAN, Roane, TN

Built 1968 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 11,559

NFA 1240 (SA 7613)

Fair

Over: GUM FORK CREEK

8.2 M E OF WINFIELD, Scott, TN

Built 1955 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 191

FAP 28

Fair

Over: HICKS CREEK

6 MI.SW.OF DUNLAP, Sequatchie, TN

Built 1973 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 5,192

FAP 73

Fair

Over: LITTLE PIGEON RIVER

3.24 MI.E.OF GATLINBURG, Sevier, TN

Built 1955 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 11,336

FAP 3

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.6 MI.NE.OF BRIGHTON, Tipton, TN

Built 1926 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 16,405

NEWFOUND GAP ROAD

Fair

Over: WALKER CAMP PRONG

11.1 MILES SOUTH FROM SUG, Sevier, TN

Built 1937 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 3,390

LITTLE RIVER ROAD

Fair

Over: LITTLE RIVER

3.9 MILES EAST FROM NPS R, Blount, TN

Built 1950 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 2,384

NATCHEZ TRACE PARK

Fair

Over: WILKINS ROAD & WILKIE BR

0.65 MILES TO TN ROUTE 46, Williamson, TN

Built 1990 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 215

FAP 60

Fair

Over: BATES PIKE (NFA A712)

IN CLEVELAND CITY LIMITS, Bradley, TN

Built 1974 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 32,246

NFA A242

Fair

Over: ALDRIDGE CREEK

0.1 MI S OF OBION, Dyer, TN

Built 2000 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 40

NFA A046

Fair

Over: BRANCH

3.0 MI NW JCT SR59&SR, Fayette, TN

Built 1970 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 30

NFA A096

Fair

Over: BRANCH OF LITTLE CREEK

3.9 MI NW JCT SR15&HARDEM, Fayette, TN

Built 1965 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 110

NFA A176

Fair

Over: JONES CREEK

3.7 MI NW JCT SR193&SR195, Fayette, TN

Built 1965 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 240

FAS 154

Fair

Over: SR 28

1 MI N OF JAMESTOWN, Fentress, TN

Built 1991 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 2,050

Showing 5,001-5,050 of 20,379 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 Tennessee's inventory picture to drill to a county or a specific span.

  • Browse counties in Tennessee 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. Tennessee 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.