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 33

Fair

Over: OLD FORT CREEK

10.E MILES SW.OF BENTON, Polk, TN

Built 1926 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,373

FAP 402 (SR 40)

Fair

Over: SR 33 & CSX RR

.34 MI.EAST OF BRADLEY CO, Polk, TN

Built 1969 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 14,880

FAP 33

Fair

Over: HORTON CREEK

2.1 MILES NE.0F BENTON, Polk, TN

Built 2013 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,466

FAP 33

Fair

Over: LILLARD BRANCH

2.97 MILES NE.OF BENTON, Polk, TN

Built 2013 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,466

FAP 33

Fair

Over: PELL BRANCH

3.9 MILES NE.OF BENTON, Polk, TN

Built 2013 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,466

FAP 33

Fair

Over: PELL BRANCH

3.9 MILES NE.OF BENTON, Polk, TN

Built 2013 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,466

FAP 402 (SR 40)

Fair

Over: MADDENS BRANCH

5.6 MI.E.OF PARKSVILLE, Polk, TN

Built 2016 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,005

FAP 402 (SR 40)

Fair

Over: CANEY CREEK

7.7 MI.E.OF PARKSVILLE, Polk, TN

Built 1982 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,005

FAP 402 (SR 40)

Fair

Over: GASSAWAY CREEK

1 MI.E.OF OCOEE # 2 DAM, Polk, TN

Built 1982 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,005

FAP 402 347983T

Fair

Over: BRANCH & CSX RAILROAD

.9 MILE WEST OF DUCKTOWN, Polk, TN

Built 2019 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,252

FAP 402 (SR 40)

Fair

Over: BURRA-BURRA CREEK

1 MILE EAST OF DUCKTOWN, Polk, TN

Built 1967 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,700

FAP 402 (SR 40)

Fair

Over: TENN COPPER COMPANY RR

2.5 MI.W.OF NO.CAROLINA, Polk, TN

Built 1935 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,700

FAP 402 (SR 40)

Fair

Over: ELLIS BRANCH / SR-40 WB

1.6 MI.W.OF NO.CAROLINA, Polk, TN

Built 1966 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,700

FAP 68

Fair

Over: TURTLETOWN CREEK

IN TURTLETOWN, Polk, TN

Built 1989 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,234

FAS 96

Fair

Over: BUFFALO VALLEY CREEK

IN BUFFALO VALLEY, Putnam, TN

Built 1958 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 722

FAS 96

Fair

Over: INDIAN CREEK

IN BUFFALO VALLEY, Putnam, TN

Built 1938 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 713

FAU 1016 (SA 7123)

Fair

Over: BURTONS BRANCH

JCT. SR 42 & SR 111, Putnam, TN

Built 1979 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 15,881

NFA A059

Fair

Over: MARTIN CREEK

ON JACKSON-PUTMAN CO LN, Putnam, TN

Built 1985 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 60

FAS 290

Fair

Over: BLACKBURN FORK

1 MI FROM JACKSON CO LINE, Putnam, TN

Built 1984 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,294

NFA A409

Fair

Over: BRANCH

.5MI SOUTH OF I40, Putnam, TN

Built 1982 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 390

NFA A734

Fair

Over: FALLING WATER RIVER

1MI FROM SR111, Putnam, TN

Built 1989 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 780

FAU 4404

Fair

Over: BRANCH

IN COOKVILLE, Putnam, TN

Built 2001 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 11,403

I40

Fair

Over: INDIAN CREEK

0.9 MI FM SMITH PUTNAM CL, Putnam, TN

Built 1959 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 44,898

NFA A601

Fair

Over: I40

12 MI FROM SR56, Putnam, TN

Built 1960 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 170

I40

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

3.8 MI W OF SR42, Putnam, TN

Built 1960 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 53,413

I40

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

3.8 MI W OF SR42, Putnam, TN

Built 1960 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 53,413

NFA 4552

Fair

Over: HOLIDAY ROAD / I-40 EB

1 MI FROM FAU 1120, Putnam, TN

Built 1960 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 847

I40

Fair

Over: SR 136

1.1 MI W OF SR111, Putnam, TN

Built 1960 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 56,102

I40

Fair

Over: SR 136

1.1 MI W OF SR111, Putnam, TN

Built 1960 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 56,102

FAU 3529

Fair

Over: S. MAPLE / I-40 EB

5 MI FROM SR111, Putnam, TN

Built 1960 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,953

FAP 401 (SR 24)

Fair

Over: SR 24 / I40

SOUTHEAST OF COOKEVILLE, Putnam, TN

Built 1984 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 9,195

NFA A323

Fair

Over: I40-EBL

3 MI FROM US70, Putnam, TN

Built 1961 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 40

NFA A434

Fair

Over: I40

5 MI FROM SR84, Putnam, TN

Built 1963 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 170

NFA A323

Fair

Over: I40-WBL

3 MI FROM US70, Putnam, TN

Built 1961 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 40

NFA 4552

Fair

Over: HOLIDAY RD / I-40 WB

1 MI FROM FAU 1120, Putnam, TN

Built 1960 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 847

FAU 3529

Fair

Over: S. MAPLE / I-40 WB

5 MI FROM SR111, Putnam, TN

Built 1960 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,953

FAP 401 349021L

Fair

Over: NASHVILLE & EASTERN RR

IN COOKEVILLE CITY LIMITS, Putnam, TN

Built 1936 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,206

FAP 111

Fair

Over: SR 111 / SR 24 - 20.99

IN COOKEVILLE CITY LIMITS, Putnam, TN

Built 1976 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 22,753

FAP 111

Fair

Over: SR 111 / SR 24 - 20.97

IN COOKEVILLE CITY LIMITS, Putnam, TN

Built 1976 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 22,753

FAS 84

Fair

Over: LONG HOLLOW BRANCH

1.6 M.N.OF WHITE CO.LINE, Putnam, TN

Built 1999 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 198

FAU 3530

Fair

Over: BUCK MTN. RD OVER SR-111

IN COOKEVILLE, Putnam, TN

Built 1977 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,564

FAP 111

Fair

Over: FAU 1016

1 M. SE CKVLE AIRPORT, Putnam, TN

Built 1980 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 25,675

FAS 136

Fair

Over: PIGEON ROOST CREEK

.2 MI FROM SR111, Putnam, TN

Built 1971 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 15,656

NFA 2172 (SA 7210)

Fair

Over: HENDERSON CREEK

.08 MI FROM BLEDSOE CO, Rhea, TN

Built 1975 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 465

NFA 2180 (SA 7214)

Fair

Over: PINEY RIVER

5 MI WEST OF US 27, Rhea, TN

Built 1982 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 617

NFA 2284 (SA 7206)

Fair

Over: RATTAN BRANCH

3MI SOUTH OF SR 30, Rhea, TN

Built 2009 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 670

NFA 2286 (SA 7207)

Fair

Over: CRAWFORDS BRANCH

2MI FROM TENN. RIVER, Rhea, TN

Built 1994 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 648

NFA A670

Fair

Over: LITTLE RICHLAND CREEK

0.8 MI W OF SR29, Rhea, TN

Built 1977 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,310

NFA A152

Fair

Over: PINEY CREEK

6MI WEST OF SR 29, Rhea, TN

Built 1987 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 80

NFA A193

Fair

Over: VANS CREEK

.6 MI FROM US 27, Rhea, TN

Built 1984 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 510

Showing 8,601-8,650 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.