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

FAS 191

Fair

Over: BRANCH

NEAR CAMDEN, Benton, TN

Built 1960 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,707

FAS 147

Fair

Over: SUGAR CREEK CANAL

0.8 MI JCT SR69A&HENRY, Benton, TN

Built 1960 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 541

NFA 1757 (SA 0317)

Fair

Over: HOPE CREEK

1.3 MI E OF HENRY CO., Benton, TN

Built 1958 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 168

NFA 913 (SA 0315)

Fair

Over: RAMBLE CREEK

4.6 MI SE JCT SR69A&HENRY, Benton, TN

Built 1963 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 493

FAS 191

Fair

Over: HAGGARD BRANCH

NORTH OF I40, Benton, TN

Built 1990 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,099

FAP 1

Fair

Over: HUNTING CREEK

.5 MI.E.OF CARROLL COUNTY, Benton, TN

Built 1950 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 5,761

FAP 391 350892R

Fair

Over: CSX RAILROAD

IN CAMDEN, Benton, TN

Built 1942 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,395

FAP 391

Fair

Over: CYPRESS CREEK

.6 MILE SOUTH OF CAMDEN, Benton, TN

Built 1947 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,395

FAP 1

Fair

Over: BRANCH

AT MORRIS CHAPEL, Benton, TN

Built 1947 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 5,419

FAP 1

Fair

Over: CSX RAILROAD

2.7 MI SW JCT SR69A&SR191, Benton, TN

Built 1985 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,115

FAS 192

Fair

Over: WOLF CREEK

2 MI.W.OF MCILLWAIN, Benton, TN

Built 1986 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 449

FAS 192

Fair

Over: SYCAMORE CREEK

NEAR CAMDEN, Benton, TN

Built 1985 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 449

FAS 192

Fair

Over: OVERFLOW

SOUTH OF CAMDEN, Benton, TN

Built 2000 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 626

FAS 192

Fair

Over: COON CREEK

SOUTH OF CAMDEN, Benton, TN

Built 1989 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 883

FAP 192

Fair

Over: AMMON CREEK

SOUTH OF CAMDEN, Benton, TN

Built 1986 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 883

FAP 69

Fair

Over: BRANCH

2.9 MI NW JCT SR69&SR192, Benton, TN

Built 1975 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 5,176

FAP 69

Fair

Over: BIRDSONG CREEK OVERFLOW

3.6 M NW JCT SR69&SR192, Benton, TN

Built 1975 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 5,176

FAP 69

Fair

Over: AMMON CREEK

5.4 M NW JCT SR69&SR192, Benton, TN

Built 1975 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 5,176

FAP 69

Fair

Over: LITTLE BIRDSONG CREEK

SOUTH OF CAMDEN, Benton, TN

Built 1926 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 6,003

FAP 69

Fair

Over: CYPRESS CREEK

SOUTH OF CAMDEN, Benton, TN

Built 1926 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 6,331

FAP 69

Fair

Over: MIDDLE BROOK CREEK

SOUTH OF CAMDEN, Benton, TN

Built 1972 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 6,331

FAS 69A

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1 MI S OF BIG SANDY, Benton, TN

Built 1994 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,148

FAS 69A

Fair

Over: RAMBLE CREEK

SOUTH OF BIG SANDY, Benton, TN

Built 1990 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,148

FAS 284

Fair

Over: ROCKHOUSE CREEK

FALL CREEK FALLS ST PARK, Bledsoe, TN

Built 1970 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 170

NFA 1134 (SA 0405)

Fair

Over: MAYS CREEK

.2 MI FROM US 127, Bledsoe, TN

Built 1960 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 494

NFA 2168 (SA 0402)

Fair

Over: MC GILL CREEK

1 MI EAST OF SMITHTOWN, Bledsoe, TN

Built 1992 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 528

NFA 2172 (SA 0412)

Fair

Over: POLEBRIDGE CREEK

.15 MI N OF SR 30, Bledsoe, TN

Built 1992 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,609

NFA 2174

Fair

Over: ROCKY BRANCH

.5 MI FROM US 127, Bledsoe, TN

Built 1977 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 122

NFA A466

Fair

Over: BRANCH

IN CITY OF PIKEVILLE, Bledsoe, TN

Built 1989 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,030

NFA A145

Fair

Over: HELLHOLE CREEK

1 M OFF SR 28 AT NINEMILE, Bledsoe, TN

Built 1991 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 30

NFA A234 (SA 0415)

Fair

Over: ROARING CREEK

2 MI WEST OF REA CO LINE, Bledsoe, TN

Built 1987 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 430

NFA A286

Fair

Over: CANNON CREEK

3 MI EASST OF US 127, Bledsoe, TN

Built 1986 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 70

NFA A315

Fair

Over: SUZANNE BRANCH

5MI WEST OF HAMILTON CO., Bledsoe, TN

Built 1986 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 50

FAP 28

Fair

Over: AUSTIN BRANCH

.11 MI.NE.SEQUATCHIE CO., Bledsoe, TN

Built 1953 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 5,167

FAP 28

Fair

Over: ROCKY BRANCH

IN COLD SPRING, Bledsoe, TN

Built 1957 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,435

FAP 28

Fair

Over: HELL HOLE CREEK

.1 M FM NINEMILE CROSS RD, Bledsoe, TN

Built 1957 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,435

FAP 28

Fair

Over: SWAFFORD CREEK

3.11 MI.SW.CUMBERLAND CO., Bledsoe, TN

Built 1957 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,435

FAP 30

Fair

Over: GLADE CREEK

1 MI JCT OF SR101, Bledsoe, TN

Built 1956 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,467

FAS 284

Fair

Over: BRANCH

IN FALL CREEK FALLS SP, Bledsoe, TN

Built 1988 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 170

NFA 2393 (SA 0503)

Fair

Over: PISTOL CREEK

2.5 M. S. MARYVILLE., Blount, TN

Built 1988 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 10,867

FAU 3801

Fair

Over: PISTOL CREEK

IN MARYVILLE, Blount, TN

Built 1995 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 9,305

NFA A005

Fair

Over: BRANCH

SPRINGVIEW RD @ US411., Blount, TN

Built 1983 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 250

NFA 2395 (SA 0521)

Fair

Over: ELLEJOY CREEK

4 M. NW. WALLAND., Blount, TN

Built 1993 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,222

NFA A553

Fair

Over: LITTLE RIVER

OLD WALLAND HWY @ WALLAND, Blount, TN

Built 1970 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,790

NFA A553

Fair

Over: REED CREEK

0.5 M. SE. WALLAND., Blount, TN

Built 2005 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,540

NFA 1266 (SA 0501)

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK CROOKED CREEK

4 M. SE. MARYVILLE., Blount, TN

Built 1987 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,118

FAU 4442

Fair

Over: PISTOL CREEK

CHURCH STINMARYVILLE@SR73, Blount, TN

Built 1970 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,959

NFA C110

Fair

Over: PISTOL CREEK

IN MARYVILLE, Blount, TN

Built 1941 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,890

NFA 1244 (SA 0511)

Fair

Over: LAUREY BANK BRANCH

2 M. NW. MARYVILLE., Blount, TN

Built 1950 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,041

FAU 4443 (SA 0512)

Fair

Over: CULTON CREEK

1.6 M NE OF ALCOA, Blount, TN

Built 1960 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 11,345

Showing 5,201-5,250 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.