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

I-240 SB

Fair

Over: I-240 E.B. / CENTRAL AVE

0.26 MI. S OF SR-4 JCT., Shelby, TN

Built 1966 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 105,381

I-240NB

Fair

Over: I-240 W.B. / CENTRAL AVE

0.26 MI S OF SR-4 JCT., Shelby, TN

Built 1966 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 105,381

FAP 4

Fair

Over: RAMPS FROM I-240 & SR-4

SR4 / I240, Shelby, TN

Built 1960 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 37,228

FAU 2867

Fair

Over: CHERRY BAYOU

QUINCE RD - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1960 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 18,385

FAU 3

Fair

Over: PAVED DITCH

BROOKS RD. INTERSECTION, Shelby, TN

Built 1931 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 36,558

FAU 3

Fair

Over: OVERFLOW

.15 M FM CORPORATE RD, Shelby, TN

Built 1935 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 16,141

NFA A606

Fair

Over: SPIVEY CREEK

SE OF SR 36-SR 81 JCT, Unicoi, TN

Built 1992 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 10

FAS 54

Fair

Over: OVERFLOW

.4 MI.SOUTH OF MT.HERMAN, Weakley, TN

Built 1985 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 2,067

MAINTENANCE CENTER

Fair

Over: FIGHTING CREEK

0.2 MILES FROM MAINTENANC, Sevier, TN

Built 1938 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 1

FAP 33

Fair

Over: SR 115 (US 129 NB)

IN MARYVILLE, Blount, TN

Built 1959 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 17,776

NFA F314

Fair

Over: I440

I440 LOOP IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1985 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 5,230

FAP 401 (SR 24)

Fair

Over: SR 24 / BRILEY PKWY

SR24/BRILEY PARKWAY, Davidson, TN

Built 2007 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 17,434

NFA A829

Fair

Over: IC RAILROAD

1.9 MI NW JCT SR20&SR104, Dyer, TN

Built 1998 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 3,321

I81

Fair

Over: NFA 2518 HARDY RD

.78 MI FROM HAMBLEN CO LN, Jefferson, TN

Built 1967 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 49,004

NFA D670

Fair

Over: UNION SCHOOL ROAD / I40

1.4 M NW OF SR9, Knox, TN

Built 1975 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 300

NFA A045

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

.8 MI. N. OF SR 87, Lauderdale, TN

Built 1988 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 200

NFA A469 (SA 9202)

Fair

Over: MIDDLE FORK OBION RIVER

4 MI E OF GIBSON CO, Weakley, TN

Built 1970 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 90

NFSR 44

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

NATIONAL FOREST, Polk, TN

Built 1985 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 50

STATE ROUTE 90

Fair

Over: CSXT RR & SHONDA LN.

1.3 M S OF WHITE OAK CR, Campbell, TN

Built 1947 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 829

NFA 814 (SA 0913)

Fair

Over: BIG SANDY RIVER

5.9 MI NW JCT I40&SR114, Carroll, TN

Built 2010 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 136

NFA A425

Fair

Over: I24

0.3 MI S OF BEECH GROVE, Coffee, TN

Built 1968 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 70

FAP 20

Fair

Over: SR 20 RAMP A / SR 20

1.1 M N JCT SR 20 & SR 54, Crockett, TN

Built 1994 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 12,706

NFA F416

Fair

Over: I65

HAMILTON AVE@ RIDLEY BLVD, Davidson, TN

Built 1966 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 3,570

NFA 1547

Fair

Over: BRANCH OF NORTH FORK CR

4.3 MI NW JCT SR18&SR57, Fayette, TN

Built 1965 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 312

I-269

Fair

Over: RAMP "H" / NORFORK S. RR

0.1 MI SOUT OF SR-57 JCT., Fayette, TN

Built 2005 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 9,887

FAP 153

Fair

Over: SR 317

SR-153 / SR-317 JCT., Hamilton, TN

Built 1961 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 78,098

NFA D754

Fair

Over: YOUNG RD. / SR 111

6.45 MI. W OF SR-29 JCT., Hamilton, TN

Built 1993 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 40

FAP 151

Fair

Over: HUDSON CREEK

1.5 MI SOUTH OF CLAY CO, Jackson, TN

Built 1950 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 464

I40 RMP

Fair

Over: I40WB-RMP/BLACKSTOCK-RR

AT I-275 JCT., Knox, TN

Built 1982 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 115,780

FAU 3776 RAMP

Fair

Over: FAU 3776 / 2 RTS.

IN KNOXVILLE, Knox, TN

Built 1973 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 2,749

FAP 73

Fair

Over: TELLICO LAKE & SR-444

5 MI.W.OF BLOUNT CO., Loudon, TN

Built 2017 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 13,140

FAS 198

Fair

Over: N. FK. FORKED DEER RIVER

1.5 MI JCT OF SR 197, Madison, TN

Built 1981 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 386

I24

Fair

Over: ROCK SPGS.CR.ROCK SPGS R

3.59 MI.SE.OF DAVIDSON CO, Rutherford, TN

Built 1969 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 128,347

FAU 2807

Fair

Over: SOUTH PARKWAY WB / I-240

SOUTH PARKWAY E-MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1963 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 11,234

I81

Fair

Over: JEARDLDSTOWN RD (2596)

1.0MI.FROM WASHINGTON C.L, Greene, TN

Built 1974 Load: 34.2 t ADT: 38,635

FAP 6

Fair

Over: SR 6-STR. 1 / SR 396

2.5 M S SR 247, Maury, TN

Built 1989 Load: 34.2 t ADT: 19,055

I40

Fair

Over: PIGEON RIVER

974 M.FROM JEFFERSON CO.L, Cocke, TN

Built 1970 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 29,828

NFA C505

Fair

Over: RICHLAND CREEK

LYWOOD BLVD@BEEKMAN DR., Davidson, TN

Built 1955 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 730

FAP 408 (SR 155)

Fair

Over: SR 155 / SR 1

SR155/SR1, Davidson, TN

Built 2004 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 38,057

FAP 56

Fair

Over: CANEY FORK RIVER

AT PEDIGO RIDGE RD., DeKalb, TN

Built 1949 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 3,861

FAP 96 348080K

Fair

Over: CSX RAILROAD

IN BURNS CITY LIMITS, Dickson, TN

Built 1962 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 7,507

FAP 96

Fair

Over: BEAVERDAM CREEK

.5 MI.EAST OF BURNS, Dickson, TN

Built 1956 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 8,918

I81

Fair

Over: PINE GROVE RD (A443)

.45 MI FROM HAMBLEN CO LN, Greene, TN

Built 1968 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 44,318

NFA 1236

Fair

Over: NFA1236 / I81 LL

NEAR BAILEYTOWN, Greene, TN

Built 1972 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 850

FAU 5404 736896N

Fair

Over: CSX RR. & NS RWY.

IN DOWNTOWN CHATTANOOGA, Hamilton, TN

Built 1999 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 7,781

FAP 54

Fair

Over: OVERFLOW

1 M W OF TURNPIKE RD, Haywood, TN

Built 1954 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 2,521

FAP 1

Fair

Over: YELLOW BANK BRANCH

1 MI E. OF MCEWEN, Humphreys, TN

Built 1925 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 9,403

NFA A207

Fair

Over: BLACKBURN FORK CREEK

3 MI FROM SR135, Jackson, TN

Built 2013 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 40

I40

Fair

Over: NFA A465

2.58 MI.FROM COCKE CO.LN., Jefferson, TN

Built 1961 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 25,031

NFA G306

Fair

Over: EAST TOWNE RD. W. / I640

1.8 M NW OF I640-I40 JCT, Knox, TN

Built 1981 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 10,420

Showing 10,301-10,350 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.