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

NFA A177

Fair

Over: SMITH FORK CREEK

BIRGE PATTERSON N SR 203, Hardin, TN

Built 1986 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 20

NFA A787

Fair

Over: ROBERTSON CREEK

SW OF SR66-SR113 JCT, Hawkins, TN

Built 1940 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 150

NFA A114

Fair

Over: I40

1.2 M S OF SR 1, Haywood, TN

Built 1961 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 170

I40

Fair

Over: SR 113

2.34 MI.FROM COCKE CO.LN., Jefferson, TN

Built 1961 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 25,031

NFA 5563 (SA 5104)

Fair

Over: BUFFALO RIVER

7 M. S. HOHENWALD., Lewis, TN

Built 1967 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 159

NFA 1888 (SA 6317)

Fair

Over: LITTLE MCADOO CREEK

5 M SE OF CLARKSVILLE, Montgomery, TN

Built 1960 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 1,350

FAP 111 LL

Fair

Over: NASH & EASTERN RR & A661

COOKEVILLE / ALGOOD LINE, Putnam, TN

Built 1980 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 21,837

NFA A157

Fair

Over: PHILLIPS CREEK

W OF US27 AT HELENWOOD, Scott, TN

Built 1975 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 110

NFA A008

Fair

Over: NONCONNAH CREEK

QUINN RD - SHELBY CO, Shelby, TN

Built 1960 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 800

FAU 57

Fair

Over: SR57 WB RP / SR23 EB

SR-57 OVER SR-23, Shelby, TN

Built 1958 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 27,638

NFA 974 (SA 9404)

Fair

Over: BURNS BRANCH

5.5 MI NW JCT SR246&MAURY, Williamson, TN

Built 1941 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 1,447

FAS 266

Fair

Over: SR 266 / I40

1.8 M SE JCT SR10&SR24, Wilson, TN

Built 1964 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 3,153

NFSR 39

Fair

Over: LITTLE STONY CREEK

0.3 MILES FROM US321, Carter, TN

Built 1934 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 51

NFA A141

Fair

Over: BULL PEN CREEK

2MI WEST OF PLEASANT VIEW, Cannon, TN

Built 1920 Load: 18.0 t ADT: 80

NFA A329

Fair

Over: WILMOUTH CREEK

NEAR GASSAWAY, Cannon, TN

Built 1965 Load: 18.0 t ADT: 20

NFA A386

Fair

Over: I40

N OF SR73-I40 JCT, Cocke, TN

Built 1970 Load: 18.0 t ADT: 80

FAP 20

Fair

Over: BUCKNER CREEK

IN PARSONS CITY LIMITS, Decatur, TN

Built 1932 Load: 18.0 t ADT: 7,452

FAP 35

Fair

Over: NOLICHUCKY RIVER

2.1 M COCKE-GREENE CO LN, Greene, TN

Built 1967 Load: 18.0 t ADT: 3,548

NFA P020

Fair

Over: BRANCH (FPSP)

IN FORT PILLOW STATE PK, Lauderdale, TN

Built 1978 Load: 18.0 t ADT: 60

NFA A157

Fair

Over: RUTHERFORD CREEK

5 M. NE. COLUMBIA., Maury, TN

Built 1960 Load: 18.0 t ADT: 400

NFA SSF2

Fair

Over: BRANCH

MEEMAN-SHELBY FOREST SP, Shelby, TN

Built 1970 Load: 18.0 t ADT: 20

NFA C199

Fair

Over: ROYSTER CREEK

CUBA-MILLINGTON RD-MILLIN, Shelby, TN

Built 1939 Load: 18.0 t ADT: 1,050

FAU 5024

Fair

Over: TOWLES CREEK

GERMANTOWN RD - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1955 Load: 18.0 t ADT: 17,113

NFA G478

Fair

Over: BRANCH

PIDGEON ROOST ROAD, Shelby, TN

Built 1991 Load: 18.0 t ADT: 100

FAU 57

Fair

Over: CYPRESS CREEK

0.7 MI E OF SR-23 JCT., Shelby, TN

Built 1931 Load: 18.0 t ADT: 27,638

NFA A453

Fair

Over: BRANCH

IN CITY OF LEBANON, Wilson, TN

Built 1955 Load: 18.0 t ADT: 1,150

NFA E450

Fair

Over: POPLAR CREEK

.3 M S JCT SR 62&SR 95, Anderson, TN

Built 1985 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 2,810

I75

Fair

Over: SR 116

11.28 MI.FROM KNOX CO.LN., Anderson, TN

Built 1970 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 43,155

I75

Fair

Over: SR 9

11.28 MI.FROM KNOX CO.LN., Anderson, TN

Built 1970 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 43,155

I40

Fair

Over: TENNESSEE RIVER

8 MI.FROM DECATUR CO.LN., Benton, TN

Built 1992 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 35,649

NFA 911 (SA 0311)

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

3.5 MI SW JCT SR69&HENRY, Benton, TN

Built 1954 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 280

FAS 74

Fair

Over: FILLAUER BRANCH

IN CLEVELAND CITY LIMITS, Bradley, TN

Built 1925 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 9,906

FAS 116

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1 M E OF OAK GROVE, Campbell, TN

Built 1935 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 3,593

NFA A481

Fair

Over: BIG SANDY RIVER

5.1 MI SE JCT SR1&SR114, Carroll, TN

Built 1987 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 70

FAS 424

Fair

Over: BIG SANDY RIVER

5.2 MI NW JCT I40&SR114, Carroll, TN

Built 1956 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 562

NFA A912

Fair

Over: BRANCH

NE OF ELIZABETHTON-S OF91, Carter, TN

Built 1987 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 190

FAP 49

Fair

Over: BIG BLUFF CREEK

1.6 MI.W.OF CUMBERLAND RV, Cheatham, TN

Built 1930 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 5,655

NFA A307

Fair

Over: LITTLE PINEY CREEK

2.3 MI S JCT SR100&SR125, Chester, TN

Built 1970 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 80

NFA A407

Fair

Over: KISE CREEK

1.5 MI E OF HARDEMAN CO., Chester, TN

Built 1993 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 10

NFA A328

Fair

Over: WOODVILLE CREEK

HATCH ROAD, Chester, TN

Built 2005 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 40

NFA A701

Fair

Over: STRAIGHT CREEK

1.5 M SE OF CLAIRFIELD, Claiborne, TN

Built 1984 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 180

NFA A139

Fair

Over: WOLF CREEK

5 MI FROM SR 55, Coffee, TN

Built 1966 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 70

NFA A186

Fair

Over: FERRELL BRANCH

2.6 MI SOUTH OF SR 2, Coffee, TN

Built 1950 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 70

NFA A193

Fair

Over: BEANS CREEK

4 MI FROM SR 2, Coffee, TN

Built 1950 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 290

FAU 3428

Fair

Over: BRANCH

IN TULLAHOMA CITY LIMITS, Coffee, TN

Built 1960 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 2,750

I40 EBL

Fair

Over: SR 1

1 MI FROM COX VALLEY RD, Cumberland, TN

Built 1966 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 30,660

NFA A251

Fair

Over: NFA A251 / WBL I40

2 MI FROM SR101, Cumberland, TN

Built 1966 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 910

FAU 4169 349229A

Fair

Over: HICKORY HOLLOW PKWY/CSXR

NEAR HICKORY HOLLOW, Davidson, TN

Built 1979 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 24,820

NFA C433

Fair

Over: BROWN CREEK

LEALAND LN @ WOODALE DR., Davidson, TN

Built 1915 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 3,618

NFA A020

Fair

Over: HELTON CREEK

6MI EAST OF SR53, DeKalb, TN

Built 1934 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 40

Showing 601-650 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.