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

FAU 5383

Fair

Over: BROYLES BRANCH

IN DAYTON CITY LIMITS, Rhea, TN

Built 1960 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 3,927

NFA A864

Fair

Over: BRANCH

.1 M 3RAVE EAST SR11, Robertson, TN

Built 1965 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 754

NFA A017

Fair

Over: ROCKY FORK RD / I24

3.1 MI SW JCT SR1&SR102, Rutherford, TN

Built 1968 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 1,490

NFA A056 841826K

Fair

Over: SOUTHERN RAILWAY

S OF WINFIELD-W OFF US 27, Scott, TN

Built 1975 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 50

I40-LL

Fair

Over: I-40 W.B. / WOLF RIVER

1 MI W OF SR 14 JCT, Shelby, TN

Built 1976 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 101,149

FAU 2850

Fair

Over: MADISON AVE RP K / I-240

MADISON AVE - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1969 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 13,468

FAU 2820

Fair

Over: CYPRESS CREEK

N. MCLEAN BLVD, Shelby, TN

Built 1950 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 6,200

NFA B676

Fair

Over: MAD BRANCH

N OF SR126 IN KINGSPORT, Sullivan, TN

Built 1969 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 1,470

FAP 1

Fair

Over: BOOZEY CREEK

5.69 MI.EAST OF KINGSPORT, Sullivan, TN

Built 1959 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 13,801

NFA A435

Fair

Over: LIBERTY BRANCH

3.1 MI NW JCT SR25&SR174, Sumner, TN

Built 1970 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 400

FAS 173

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.8 M SW OF CARTER CO LN, Unicoi, TN

Built 1955 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 1,232

FAP 81

Fair

Over: BRANCH

4.53 MI FROM NC/TN ST LN, Unicoi, TN

Built 1999 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 4,379

NFA A131

Fair

Over: WOODS GAP BRANCH

E OF SR61-N OF LUTTRELL, Union, TN

Built 1983 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 40

FAP 33

Fair

Over: SUCKSTONE CR

.6 M NE OF KNOX CO LN, Union, TN

Built 1967 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 14,065

NFA 1137 (SA 8915)

Fair

Over: LT FORK DRY BRANCH

1 MI EAST OF SR 56, Warren, TN

Built 1940 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 124

NFA 2187 (SA 8912)

Fair

Over: MOUNTAIN CREEK

3MI SOUTH OF DEKALB CO., Warren, TN

Built 1955 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 539

NFA A209

Fair

Over: BLACKLEY CREEK

W OF SR81-SR75 JCT, Washington, TN

Built 1940 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 120

FAP 81

Fair

Over: NOLICHUCKY RIVER

1.9 M NW OF UNICOI CO LN, Washington, TN

Built 1976 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 4,903

NFA 2038 (SA 9515)

Fair

Over: DRY FORK CREEK

2 MI WEST OF SMITH CO, Wilson, TN

Built 1965 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 561

NFA A276

Fair

Over: EAVENS BRANCH

0.7 MI WEST OF DEKALB CO., Wilson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 110

GATLINBURG BYPASS

Fair

Over: WEST PRONG LPR

0.1 MILES NORTH FROM NPS, Sevier, TN

Built 1965 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 2,630

CAMPBELL LEAD ROAD

Fair

Over: GATLINBURG BYPASS

1.8 MILES SOUTH FROM NPS, Sevier, TN

Built 1969 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 2,630

SB GATLINBURG SPUR

Fair

Over: NORTON CREEK

1.2 MILES NORTH FROM NPS, Sevier, TN

Built 1958 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 4,342

FAS 63

Fair

Over: POWELL RIVER

8 MILES FROM TAZEWELL, Claiborne, TN

Built 1978 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 368

FAU 1326 (SA 1510)

Fair

Over: I40

JUST SE OF SR32 EXCHANGE, Cocke, TN

Built 1970 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 1,976

NFA A118

Fair

Over: RICE CREEK

4 MI E OF FRIENDSHIP, Crockett, TN

Built 1960 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 10

NFA A001

Fair

Over: I40

1 MI FROM PUTNAM CO LI, Cumberland, TN

Built 1964 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 190

FAS 24

Fair

Over: MEADOW CREEK

1.3 MI.NW.OF CROSSVILLE, Cumberland, TN

Built 1997 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 7,324

I440

Fair

Over: L3-SN165-RL /L2-SN162 16

I440-I65 LOOP@MELROSE I/C, Davidson, TN

Built 1985 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 96,254

NFA A406

Fair

Over: WAGNER CREEK

.1 MI EAST OF SR16, Franklin, TN

Built 1985 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 1,260

NFA A406

Fair

Over: RICHLAND CREEK

EAST OF SR1, Grainger, TN

Built 1970 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 80

FAP 34 RL

Fair

Over: LICK CREEK

NEAR MOSHEIM, Greene, TN

Built 1980 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 15,074

NFA D836

Fair

Over: POSSUM CREEK

.3 MI EAST OF US 27, Hamilton, TN

Built 1955 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 150

FAS 138

Fair

Over: OVERFLOW

IN MERCER, Madison, TN

Built 1949 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 866

FAP 58

Fair

Over: TENNESSEE RIVER

1.5 S.W.OF KINGSTON, Roane, TN

Built 2004 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 10,295

NFA 1240 (SA 7613)

Fair

Over: BRANCH

E OF US27 NEAR WINFIELD, Scott, TN

Built 1948 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 831

FAS 205

Fair

Over: CASPER CREEK

3.76 MI. E OF SR-3 JCT., Shelby, TN

Built 1943 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 5,140

FAU 2837

Fair

Over: CYPRESS CREEK

MITCHELL RD - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1950 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 5,393

SR 385

Fair

Over: SR204

PAUL BARRETT PKWY., Shelby, TN

Built 1996 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 9,705

FAP 385

Fair

Over: SR204

PAUL BARRETT PKWY., Shelby, TN

Built 1996 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 9,705

FAP 93

Fair

Over: SR 1

JUNCTION SR 1, Sullivan, TN

Built 1965 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 25,538

NFA A349

Fair

Over: SUGAR CREEK

0.1 MI S OF SR59, Tipton, TN

Built 1975 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 50

NFA A885

Fair

Over: TOWN CREEK

.1 M N OF COVINGTON, Tipton, TN

Built 1994 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 620

FAS 287

Fair

Over: CANEY BRANCH

4 MI.S.OF CINRERTOWN, Warren, TN

Built 1959 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 1,238

NFA 2138 (SA 8920)

Fair

Over: COLLINS RIVER

1.4MI EAST OF SR56, Warren, TN

Built 1938 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 570

NFA A926

Fair

Over: SR 22

NEAR MARTIN, Weakley, TN

Built 1987 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 1,180

FAP 52

Fair

Over: CUMBERLAND RIVER

.3 MI FROM SR53, Clay, TN

Built 1988 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 6,000

NFA A013

Fair

Over: W. FORK HICKORY CREEK

3 MI FROM SR 55, Coffee, TN

Built 1965 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 40

I24 WBL 349451W

Fair

Over: NFA A092 & CFW RR

IN MANCHESTER CITY LIMITS, Coffee, TN

Built 1966 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 40,586

NFA A073

Fair

Over: I40

3.2 MI FROM SR24, Cumberland, TN

Built 1965 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 80

Showing 951-1,000 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.