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 A127

Fair

Over: GUNSTOCKER CREEK

EAST OF SR58, Meigs, TN

Built 1988 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 180

NFA 1128 (SA 6102)

Fair

Over: GUNSTOCKER CREEK

WEST OF SR58, Meigs, TN

Built 1985 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 562

NFA 1191 (SA 6111)

Fair

Over: BIG SEWEE CREEK

EAST OF SR58, Meigs, TN

Built 1982 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 206

FAS 30

Fair

Over: DECATUR BRANCH

IN COUNTY, Meigs, TN

Built 2009 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,581

FAP 58

Fair

Over: BRANCH

INTERSECTION SR 58 & SR68, Meigs, TN

Built 1930 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,496

FAS 360

Fair

Over: BALLPLAY CREEK

EAST OF MADISONVILLE, Monroe, TN

Built 1976 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 506

NFA A100

Fair

Over: FORK CREEK

S OF SR322-E OF SWEETWATR, Monroe, TN

Built 1987 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 50

NFA A224

Fair

Over: NOTCHY CREEK

BTWN US411&LAKE, Monroe, TN

Built 1983 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 50

NFA A318

Fair

Over: BALL PLAY CREEK

E OFF SR360 NEAR BALLPLAY, Monroe, TN

Built 1987 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 100

NFA A417

Fair

Over: CONASAUGA CREEK

HOLLY SPRGS RD-E OF SR315, Monroe, TN

Built 1975 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 160

NFA 1235 (SA 6202)

Fair

Over: SINKHOLE CREEK

SINK RD-N OF TELLICO PLN, Monroe, TN

Built 1958 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 903

NFA 1235 (SA 6202)

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK

SINK RD-N OF TELLICO PLNS, Monroe, TN

Built 1920 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 342

NFA 1200 (SA 6208)

Fair

Over: DANCING CREEK

SW OF SR68-OLD ATHENS RD, Monroe, TN

Built 1993 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,379

FAS 322

Fair

Over: I75

NEAR SWEETWATER, Monroe, TN

Built 1973 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,603

FAS 322

Fair

Over: BAT CREEK

2 MI.WEST OF SR134, Monroe, TN

Built 1952 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,741

FAP 72

Fair

Over: ISLAND CREEK

N. OF US 411 IN VONORE, Monroe, TN

Built 1981 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 13,767

FAP 72

Fair

Over: NINE MILE CREEK

AT CO LINE & LAKE, Monroe, TN

Built 1982 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,125

FAS 165

Fair

Over: BRANCH

9 MI. FROM SR068, Monroe, TN

Built 1970 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 511

NFA 1853 (SA 6316)

Fair

Over: BIG BARTONS CREEK

4 MI S SOUTHSIDE, Montgomery, TN

Built 1989 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 566

NFA A550

Fair

Over: GOLDENHORN CREEK

2 M. E. PALMYRA., Montgomery, TN

Built 1987 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 110

NFA A012

Fair

Over: BASCOMB ELDRIDGE CREEK

LEWIS ATKINS RD, Montgomery, TN

Built 2006 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 20

NFA A284

Fair

Over: PASSENGER CREEK

12 M. NE. SOUTHSIDE., Montgomery, TN

Built 1998 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 140

NFA A306

Fair

Over: PASSENGER CREEK

2 M E OF CLARKSVILLE, Montgomery, TN

Built 1986 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 60

NFA A326

Fair

Over: MUDDY BRANCH

3.5 M. N. SOUTHSIDE., Montgomery, TN

Built 2002 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 50

NFA A338

Fair

Over: WALL BRANCH

8.5 M. N. SOUTHSIDE., Montgomery, TN

Built 1984 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,030

NFA A035

Fair

Over: INDIAN CREEK

4.5 M. S. CUNNINGHAM., Montgomery, TN

Built 1940 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 60

NFA A462

Fair

Over: LOUISE CREEK

2 M. SW. CUNNINGHAM., Montgomery, TN

Built 1975 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 160

NFA A436

Fair

Over: LOUISE CREEK

2 M. S. CUNNINGHAM., Montgomery, TN

Built 1970 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 620

NFA A447

Fair

Over: BARTONS CREEK

2 M. SE. CUNNINGHAM, Montgomery, TN

Built 1976 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 110

NFA A458

Fair

Over: YELLOW CREEK

5 M. SW. PALMYRA, Montgomery, TN

Built 2007 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 110

NFA A460

Fair

Over: BRANCH

DAILEY RD N DOTSONVIL, Montgomery, TN

Built 1985 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 80

NFA A487

Fair

Over: GOLDENHORN CREEK

2 M. SE. PALMYRA, Montgomery, TN

Built 1982 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 110

NFA A508

Fair

Over: ANTIOCH CREEK

3 M. N. CUNNINGHAM., Montgomery, TN

Built 1986 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 110

NFA A236

Fair

Over: MERIWEATHER RD./I 24

3.75 M. N. ST. BETHLEHEM., Montgomery, TN

Built 1972 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,740

FAP 374

Fair

Over: RED RIVER

IN CLARKSVILLE, Montgomery, TN

Built 1970 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 25,931

NFA 973 (SA 6312)

Fair

Over: CUMBERLAND RIVER

5.5 M. N. CUNNINGHAM., Montgomery, TN

Built 1987 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 11,605

FAP 12

Fair

Over: BRANCH

IN CLARKSVILLE CITY LIMIT, Montgomery, TN

Built 1960 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 8,931

FAP 374

Fair

Over: NORTH PKWY. / SR 12

IN CLARKSVILLE, Montgomery, TN

Built 1992 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 20,708

FAS 13

Fair

Over: YELLOW CREEK

1.4 M NE HOUSTON CO LI, Montgomery, TN

Built 1999 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 695

FAP 13

Fair

Over: CUMBERLAND RIVER

.4 M N JCT SR149&SR13, Montgomery, TN

Built 2022 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 18,544

FAP 13

Fair

Over: BRANCH

IN CLARKSVILLE, Montgomery, TN

Built 1904 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 31,515

FAP 13

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

.6 MI.S.OF KENTUCKY LINE, Montgomery, TN

Built 1971 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 9,238

FAP 48

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

2.6 MI.S.OF KENTUCKY LINE, Montgomery, TN

Built 1946 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 17,032

NFA B350

Fair

Over: WEAVER CREEK

0.1 M. E. PALMYRA, Montgomery, TN

Built 1960 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 430

NFA B350

Fair

Over: GOLDENHAM CREEK

1 M. E. PALMYRA., Montgomery, TN

Built 1990 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 260

FAP 149

Fair

Over: WEAVER CREEK

7.35 MI E STEWART CO LN, Montgomery, TN

Built 1984 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,347

FAP 149

Fair

Over: GOLDENHAM CREEK

8.83 MI E STEWART CO LN, Montgomery, TN

Built 1984 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,347

FAP 149

Fair

Over: BUDDS CREEK

9.63 M E STEWART CO LN, Montgomery, TN

Built 1984 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,347

FAP 149

Fair

Over: BRANCH

10.13 M E STEWART CO LN, Montgomery, TN

Built 1984 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 8,656

FAP 374

Fair

Over: WEST FORK RED RIVER

2.5 M WEST SR 48, Montgomery, TN

Built 1992 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 40,643

Showing 8,301-8,350 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.