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 A854

Fair

Over: WAR CREEK

3.9 M W OF SR66-SR113 JCT, Hawkins, TN

Built 1954 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 170

I40

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1 M S OF SR019, Haywood, TN

Built 1961 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 34,490

NFA A667

Fair

Over: YUMA RD. / I-40

1.3 MI N OF SANDY RD, Henderson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 270

NFA 3064

Fair

Over: TOWN CREEK

0.1 MI. N. OF PARIS, Henry, TN

Built 1963 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 1,959

FAP 54

Fair

Over: MORMON BRANCH

1.1 MILE N.OF PURYEAR, Henry, TN

Built 1937 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 4,966

FAS 114

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

1 MI.NORTH OF CARROLL CO., Henry, TN

Built 1953 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 727

FAS 140

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.2 MILE EAST OF PURYEAR, Henry, TN

Built 1948 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 1,005

NFA 1833 (SA 4103)

Fair

Over: SULPHUR FORK CREEK

5 M EAST OF PLEASANTVILLE, Hickman, TN

Built 1965 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 133

NFA 944 (SA 4113)

Fair

Over: LITTLE SPRING CREEK

3 M EAST OF PINEWOOD, Hickman, TN

Built 1950 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 982

FAP 48

Fair

Over: MOSS SPRING BRANCH

IN CENTERVILLE CITY LIMIT, Hickman, TN

Built 1931 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 3,038

NFA 1791 (SA 4204)

Fair

Over: WELLS CREEK

1.4 M S OF ERIN, Houston, TN

Built 1965 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 523

NFA 933 (SA 4314)

Fair

Over: BRANCH

4 M. E. SR 13, Humphreys, TN

Built 1965 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 332

NFA 1150 (SA 4412)

Fair

Over: BRANCH

2MI SOUTHWEST OF SR56, Jackson, TN

Built 1957 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 566

FAS 262

Fair

Over: WARTRACE CREEK

2.9 MI.N.W.OF SR085, Jackson, TN

Built 1954 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 523

FAP 53

Fair

Over: ROARING RIVER

3 MI. N. OF GAINSBORO, Jackson, TN

Built 1972 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 3,137

NFA 2451 (SA 4504)

Fair

Over: SEEHORN CREEK

3 M NW OF SR363-US25W JCT, Jefferson, TN

Built 1943 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 831

NFA A499

Fair

Over: SINKING FORK

N OF WHITE PINE-S OF I81, Jefferson, TN

Built 1984 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 110

NFA A465

Fair

Over: I40

BTWN I81 & SR113, Jefferson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 510

I81

Fair

Over: RAMP TO I40 RT LN ONLY

7.18MI FROM HAMBLEN CO LN, Jefferson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 48,169

FAS 9

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

IN OAK GROVE, Jefferson, TN

Built 1930 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 7,782

FAP 34

Fair

Over: ROAN CREEK

.4 M NE OF CENTER VIEW, Johnson, TN

Built 1956 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 5,206

NFA D714

Fair

Over: TUCKAHOE CREEK

RUSSELL RD-S OF I40 AT CO, Knox, TN

Built 1945 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 150

FAS 87

Fair

Over: BRANCH

.9 M S OF PETERS RD, Lauderdale, TN

Built 1925 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 278

NFA 1971 (SA 5208)

Fair

Over: BUGGER HOLLOW BRANCH

5.2 M. SE. FAYETTEVILLE., Lincoln, TN

Built 1935 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 2,197

NFA 1029 (SA 5205)

Fair

Over: BRANCH

6.5 M. E. TAFT., Lincoln, TN

Built 1977 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 1,462

NFA 1198 (SA 5418)

Fair

Over: LITTLE CHESTUEE CREEK

EAST OF US411, McMinn, TN

Built 1940 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 738

NFA A020

Fair

Over: CLEARWATER BRANCH

0.25 MI N OF SR305, McMinn, TN

Built 1973 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 20

FAP 33

Fair

Over: CHESTUEE CREEK

END OF ENGLEWOOD CITY LIM, McMinn, TN

Built 1997 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 4,787

NFA A307

Fair

Over: MOORE BRANCH

3.9 MI NE JCT SR5&SR197, Madison, TN

Built 1965 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 390

NFA A396

Fair

Over: FISH TRAP RD. / I-24

9.6 MI N OF KIMBALL TN, Marion, TN

Built 1963 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 380

FAS 270

Fair

Over: WILSON CREEK

.5 M W OF BEDFORD CO LN, Marshall, TN

Built 1970 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 2,719

NFA 1914 (SA 6017)

Fair

Over: SILVER CREEK

6 M. NE. CULLEOKA., Maury, TN

Built 1955 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 352

FAU 3201

Fair

Over: DUCK RIVER

IN COLUMBIA CITY LIMITS, Maury, TN

Built 1973 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 3,674

FAP 99

Fair

Over: FLAT CREEK

2.25 MI.E. JCT. I-65, Maury, TN

Built 1968 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 6,102

FAP 58

Fair

Over: AGENCY CREEK

@ BIG SPRING POST OFFICE, Meigs, TN

Built 1930 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 4,515

FAP 58

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1 MILE NORTH OF NEBO BR., Meigs, TN

Built 1930 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 2,496

NFA 1861

Fair

Over: BUDDS CREEK

3 MI SE PALMYRA, Montgomery, TN

Built 1981 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 648

NFA A412

Fair

Over: INDIAN CREEK

5 M. S. CUNNINGHAM., Montgomery, TN

Built 1982 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 170

FAS 328

Fair

Over: MUDDY CREEK

3.46 MI.N.OF ROANE CO., Morgan, TN

Built 1931 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 814

FAS 214

Fair

Over: DEER CREEK

1.3 MI.NE.OF CHAMBERS, Obion, TN

Built 1926 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 1,848

FAS 214

Fair

Over: HICKS BRANCH

NORTHEAST OF CHAMBERS, Obion, TN

Built 1926 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 1,608

NFA 1534 (SA 6615)

Fair

Over: CUB BRANCH

4.9 MI NW JCT SR5&SR22, Obion, TN

Built 1970 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 518

NFA A618

Fair

Over: RICHLAND CREEK

2.7 MI NW JCT SR183&SR211, Obion, TN

Built 1960 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 40

NFA A678

Fair

Over: ZION CREEK

5.5 MI NE JCT SR78&DYER, Obion, TN

Built 1975 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 90

NFA A731

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK HARRIS FK CR

IN THE CITY OF SO FULTON, Obion, TN

Built 1965 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 1,460

FAP 111

Fair

Over: TOWN CREEK

1 MI SO. OF LIVINGSTON, Overton, TN

Built 1987 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 21,140

FAP 68

Fair

Over: SR 40

.3 MI SOUTH OF DUCKTOWN, Polk, TN

Built 1966 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 3,340

NFA A501 (SA 7115)

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

1 MI SOUTH OF I40, Putnam, TN

Built 1940 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 370

NFA A305 (SA 7119)

Fair

Over: I40

1 MI FROM US70, Putnam, TN

Built 1961 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 130

FAP 29

Fair

Over: BRANCH

IN DAYTON CITY LIMITS, Rhea, TN

Built 1960 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 21,072

Showing 901-950 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.