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

FAS 348

Fair

Over: LICK CREEK

.4 M S OF SKINNER CROSS R, Greene, TN

Built 1988 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 637

NFA 2201 (SA 3327)

Fair

Over: WILKERSON BRANCH

IN CITY OF COLLEGEDALE, Hamilton, TN

Built 1975 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 7,804

I24

Fair

Over: RUNNING WATER CREEK

2 MI FM WHITESIDE TN, Marion, TN

Built 1965 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 54,610

FAU 328 731089A

Fair

Over: SOUTHERN RAILWAY

IN HARRIMAN CITY LIMITS, Roane, TN

Built 1985 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 2,287

FAU 5220

Fair

Over: LICK CREEK

N BELLEVUE BLVD -MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1960 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 8,950

NFA J087

Fair

Over: CUMBY BAYOU

LEATH ST - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1970 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 210

I 269

Fair

Over: GRAYS CREEK

0.27 MI. S. OF US-64 JCT., Shelby, TN

Built 2007 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 28,518

NFA A122 (SA 1713)

Fair

Over: STOKES CREEK

5 MI NE OF FRIENDSHIP, Crockett, TN

Built 1967 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 120

FAU 45

Fair

Over: STONERS CREEK

1.2 M NW JCT SR45&SR265, Davidson, TN

Built 1975 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 29,864

NFA D257

Fair

Over: WHITES CREEK

IN NASHVILLE TN, Davidson, TN

Built 1989 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 4,350

NFA C505

Fair

Over: BRANCH

LYNNWOO BLVD@ HARDING PL., Davidson, TN

Built 1967 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 2,030

NFA B991

Fair

Over: BRANCH

REDMON CT OFF REDMON LN, Davidson, TN

Built 1982 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 240

NFA D441

Fair

Over: EARTHMAN FORK CREEK

2 M.S. JOELTON@ US431., Davidson, TN

Built 1985 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 120

NFA C832

Fair

Over: FLAT CREEK

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1984 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 1,890

I24

Fair

Over: SORGHUM BRANCH

JCT SR255, Davidson, TN

Built 1958 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 162,862

NFA D228 (SA 1916)

Fair

Over: SULPHUR CREEK

SR12 @ SCOTTSBORO, Davidson, TN

Built 1955 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 880

NFA A290

Fair

Over: TOWN CREEK

2 MI N OF NEWBERN, Dyer, TN

Built 1984 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 130

I-269

Fair

Over: I-269 / KEOUGH RD

0.5 MI S. JCT SR57& I-269, Fayette, TN

Built 2005 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 36,789

NFA 1588

Fair

Over: N. FORK OF FORKED DEER R

3.9 MI NW JCT SR43&SR187, Gibson, TN

Built 2007 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 1,169

NFA B091

Fair

Over: LICK CREEK

2.7 M SW OF I81-US11E JCT, Greene, TN

Built 1994 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 100

FAP 160 RL

Fair

Over: I81

NEAR MORRISTOWM, Hamblen, TN

Built 1968 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 3,842

I24 WB RP TO I124N

Fair

Over: I24 WB RP TO I124N/A660

.1 M E OF I124 JCT, Hamilton, TN

Built 1961 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 105,057

NFA A081

Fair

Over: LOCUS FORK CREEK

7 M. E. WRIGLEY, Hickman, TN

Built 1986 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 60

NFA A104

Fair

Over: JONES CREEK

2 M. NW. PRIMM SPRINGS, Hickman, TN

Built 1979 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 20

NFA A385

Fair

Over: BRANCH

4 M N OF CENTERVILLE, Hickman, TN

Built 1970 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 320

NFA A370

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK SUGAR CREEK

7 M W OF PINEWOOD, Hickman, TN

Built 1983 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 20

NFA A372

Fair

Over: MIDDLE FORK SUGAR CREEK

7 M EAST OF PINEWOOD, Hickman, TN

Built 1986 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 20

NFA A378

Fair

Over: TAYLOR CREEK

7.5 M NW OF CENTERVILLE, Hickman, TN

Built 1986 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 20

NFA A374

Fair

Over: PRETTY CREEK

4 M W OF PINEWOOD, Hickman, TN

Built 1980 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 40

NFA 952 (SA 4115)

Fair

Over: BIG SPRING CREEK

1.1 M NORTH OF BON AQUA, Hickman, TN

Built 1985 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 1,445

NFA 952 (SA 4115)

Fair

Over: BRISTOL CAVE BRANCH

1 M NORTH OF BON AQUA, Hickman, TN

Built 1985 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 1,445

FAP 48

Fair

Over: PINEY FORK CREEK

3 MILES SOUTH OF SR100, Hickman, TN

Built 1975 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 1,863

FAS 438

Fair

Over: LOWER SINKING CREEK

.9 MI.E.OF PERRY CO.LINE, Hickman, TN

Built 1983 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 722

FAS 50

Fair

Over: DUCK RIVER OVERFLOW

SE OF ONLY TN, Hickman, TN

Built 1996 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 1,450

NFA 1791 (SA 4204)

Fair

Over: ROSS BRANCH

1.5 M S OF ERIN, Houston, TN

Built 1965 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 523

NFA A476

Fair

Over: CHILDERS BRANCH

BEAR CR. RD. -HOUSTON CO., Houston, TN

Built 1997 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 20

NFA A123

Fair

Over: BATEMAN BRANCH

4.5 M. SE. ERIN., Houston, TN

Built 1984 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 140

NFA A134

Fair

Over: BATEMAN BRANCH

2 M. SE. ERIN., Houston, TN

Built 1983 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 60

NFA A150

Fair

Over: ERIN BRANCH

ROCKY HOLLOW RD. IN ERIN., Houston, TN

Built 1966 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 1,570

NFA 1781 (SA 4203)

Fair

Over: BRANCH

2.3 M S OF TENN RIDGE, Houston, TN

Built 1974 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 481

FAS 133

Fair

Over: BEAVERDAM CREEK

2.1 M SE OF WASHINGTON CL, Johnson, TN

Built 1956 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 531

NFA C453

Fair

Over: SPRING HILL ROAD / I40

.5 M SE OF NASH RD, Knox, TN

Built 1982 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 760

NFA A522 297438L

Fair

Over: CNIC RAILROAD

1 MI S OF RIPLEY, Lauderdale, TN

Built 1990 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 470

NFA 1968 (SA 5215)

Fair

Over: FLINT RIVER

0.25 M. E. FLINTVILLE., Lincoln, TN

Built 1984 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 837

NFA 1968 (SA 5215)

Fair

Over: MULE PEN CREEK

0.5 M. SE. FLINTVILLE., Lincoln, TN

Built 1991 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 837

NFA A250

Fair

Over: FLINT RIVER

1 M. S. FLINTVILLE., Lincoln, TN

Built 1983 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 130

FAU 4558

Fair

Over: SHORT CREEK

LOWE AVE, Putnam, TN

Built 1984 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 8,857

FAU 2831

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

MALLORY AVE - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1950 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 12,903

FAU 5095

Fair

Over: TODD CREEK

MILLINGTON ST - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1983 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 2,297

FAU 2821

Fair

Over: BRANCH

HAWKINS MILL RD - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1963 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 6,623

Showing 10,401-10,450 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.