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 N081

Fair

Over: BRANCH

HAVENWOOD DRIVE, Shelby, TN

Built 2009 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 500

NFA N083

Fair

Over: BRANCH

LATTING ROAD, Shelby, TN

Built 2002 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,500

NFA N083

Fair

Over: FIELD CREEK

LATTING ROAD, Shelby, TN

Built 2002 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,500

NFA N085

Fair

Over: BRANCH

LONGLEAF OAK TRAIL, Shelby, TN

Built 2008 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 200

NFA N070

Fair

Over: BRANCH

FREEHOLD DRIVE, Shelby, TN

Built 2009 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 150

NFA G016

Fair

Over: DITCH

GERMANTOWN TRAILS-MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1980 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 10

FAU 4385

Fair

Over: BRANCH

RIVERDALE RD. - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1980 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 45,758

FAU 2875

Fair

Over: BRUNCH

BARTLETT BLVD - BARTLETT, Shelby, TN

Built 1968 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,618

FAU 2875

Fair

Over: BRANCH

EGYPT-CENTRAL FISKE-BARTL, Shelby, TN

Built 1995 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,919

NFA F209

Fair

Over: OVERFLOW

GRANDBURY PL. - SHELBY CO, Shelby, TN

Built 1995 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 200

NFA 5139

Fair

Over: OVERFLOW

ROCK CR. PKWY - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1995 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,658

NFA H559

Fair

Over: BRANCH

BARTLETT CORP DR-BARTLETT, Shelby, TN

Built 1995 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 200

NFA 811

Fair

Over: BRANCH

HOUSTON LEVEE RD-SHELBY, Shelby, TN

Built 1995 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 22,695

NFA 5462

Fair

Over: FLETCHER CREEK

CHIMNEYROCK BLVD-SHELBY, Shelby, TN

Built 1995 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 12,705

NFA H552

Fair

Over: BRANCH

N. HUMPHREYS BLVD - MEM., Shelby, TN

Built 1982 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 5,360

NFA F050

Fair

Over: BRANCH

OLD DEXTER RD. - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1985 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,150

FAU 5161

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

FARMINGTON-GERMANTOWN, Shelby, TN

Built 1993 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 16,531

NFA 5148

Fair

Over: BRANCH

DEXTER RD. -MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1995 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 28,880

NFA H553

Fair

Over: BRANCH

MT. MORIAN RD.-EXTD-MEM., Shelby, TN

Built 1999 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 50

FAU 1450 (SA 7901)

Fair

Over: JOHNS CREEK

HOLMES RD, Shelby, TN

Built 1989 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 23,331

FAU 277 299606W

Fair

Over: B812 & CNIC RR

0.4 MI N OF SR-4 JCT., Shelby, TN

Built 1992 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 32,865

FAU 277 732185F

Fair

Over: SR277 / 2861 E295 & RR

0.7 MI. N OF SR-4 JCT., Shelby, TN

Built 1947 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 26,680

FAP 1

Fair

Over: SR-1 / I-40

D. THOMAS BLVD / I-40, Shelby, TN

Built 1965 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 24,545

I40

Fair

Over: I-40 / N. MANASSAS ST

0.37 MI. E OF SR-1 JCT., Shelby, TN

Built 1968 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 62,695

I40

Fair

Over: BRANCH

IN MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1968 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 62,695

I40

Fair

Over: I-40 / N. DUNLAP ST.

.5 MI E OF US-51, Shelby, TN

Built 1968 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 62,695

I40

Fair

Over: I-40 E.B. / AYERS ST.

0.6 MI E OF US-51, Shelby, TN

Built 1966 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 62,695

I40

Fair

Over: I-40 WB / AYERS ST.

0.6 MI E OF US-51, Shelby, TN

Built 1966 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 62,695

FAP 14

Fair

Over: SR-14 / I-40

SR-14 / I-40, Shelby, TN

Built 2007 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 11,608

I40

Fair

Over: I-40 / BROWN AVE.

1.3 MI N OF I40-I240 JCT, Shelby, TN

Built 1964 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 105,573

I40

Fair

Over: I-40 / CHELSEA AVE.

1.5 MI N OF I40-I240 JCT, Shelby, TN

Built 1964 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 105,573

I40 438094S

Fair

Over: I-40 / CSX RR

1.6 MI N OF I40-I240 JCT, Shelby, TN

Built 1964 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 103,151

I40

Fair

Over: I-40 / SMITH AVE.

1 MI S OF I40 -SR 300 JCT, Shelby, TN

Built 1964 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 103,151

I40

Fair

Over: I40 / LEATH BAYOU

06 MI S OF I40-I240 JCT, Shelby, TN

Built 1964 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 103,151

I40 EB RP TO SR300

Fair

Over: I40-RL-RP-32D/300-RP-32C

I40 & SR300 JCT, Shelby, TN

Built 1977 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 103,151

FAU 2819

Fair

Over: N. MCLEAN BLVD. / I-40

N. MCLEAN BLVD - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1975 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,363

I40-RL

Fair

Over: I-40 EB / N HOLLYWOOD ST

2.3 MI E OF SR300 JCT EXT, Shelby, TN

Built 1975 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 95,722

I40-LL

Fair

Over: I-40 WB / N HOLLYWOOD ST

2.3 MI E OF SR 300 JCT, Shelby, TN

Built 1975 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 95,722

I40-RL 309166N

Fair

Over: I-40 E.B. / IC RAILROAD

3 MI E OF SR 300 JCT, Shelby, TN

Built 1976 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 100,331

I40

Fair

Over: CSX RAILROAD

2.5 MI W OF I240 JCT, Shelby, TN

Built 1978 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 108,567

I40

Fair

Over: I-40 / SR-204

I-40 / SR 204 JCT., Shelby, TN

Built 1978 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 108,567

I40-LL

Fair

Over: WHITE STATION CREEK

0.2 MI W OF I240 JCT, Shelby, TN

Built 1962 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 96,170

I40

Fair

Over: I-240 / SAM COOPER BLVD

I40 & 1240 EAST JCT, Shelby, TN

Built 1962 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 206,483

I40

Fair

Over: I40 LL / I40

I40 & I240 EAST JCT, Shelby, TN

Built 1960 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 206,483

I40

Fair

Over: WOLF RIVER

.5 MI W OF I240 JCT, Shelby, TN

Built 2016 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 174,067

I40

Fair

Over: I-40 / SYCAMORE VIEW RD

1MI E OF I240 JCT, Shelby, TN

Built 1963 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 174,067

I40

Fair

Over: BRANCH

2 MI E OF I240 JCT, Shelby, TN

Built 1997 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 143,913

I40

Fair

Over: BRANCH

3 MI W OF SR177 JCT, Shelby, TN

Built 1996 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 143,913

FAU 5131

Fair

Over: WHITTEN RD / I-40

WHITTEN RD - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1999 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 27,879

FAU 5135

Fair

Over: APPLING RD / I40

APPLING RD - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1994 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 37,816

Showing 9,101-9,150 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.