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

I40

Fair

Over: SR 1

SOUTH NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1968 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 141,104

FAP 11 350242K

Fair

Over: L&N RAILROAD

.05 M SE JCT I440&SR11, Davidson, TN

Built 1929 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 27,908

FAS 129

Fair

Over: TRIGG BRANCH

3 MI NE JCT ST7, Giles, TN

Built 1920 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 1,286

NFA A118

Fair

Over: ROARING RIVER

.01MI. EAST OF SR135, Jackson, TN

Built 1990 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 180

FAS 88

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

2.5 MI W OF SR 3, Lauderdale, TN

Built 1985 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 857

FAU 2837 297763H

Fair

Over: CNIC RAILROAD

MITCHELL RD - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1977 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 3,078

UTSI ROAD

Fair

Over: ROWLAND CREEK

1.0 miles SOUTH OF WATTEN, Franklin, TN

Built 1965 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 546

NFA 814 (SA 0913)

Fair

Over: OVERFLOW

5.8 MI NW JCT I40&SR114, Carroll, TN

Built 2010 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 136

FAP 15

Fair

Over: HORSE CREEK

.5 MI.E.OF SAVANNAH, Hardin, TN

Built 2010 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 12,884

FAU 4183

Fair

Over: NONCONNAH CREEK

HACKS CROSS RD - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1999 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 32,535

I24

Fair

Over: I24 RL / BRICK CHURCH PK

IN NORTHERN DAVIDSON CO., Davidson, TN

Built 1972 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 29,943

FAP 70

Fair

Over: I81

2 M S OF SR34, Greene, TN

Built 1975 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 1,283

FAP 107

Fair

Over: HORSE CREEK

.3 M SE OF WASHINGTON CO, Greene, TN

Built 1948 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 4,816

I40

Fair

Over: BIG MUDDY CREEK

2.4 MI NE FAYETTE CO LN, Haywood, TN

Built 1962 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 28,765

NFA D680

Fair

Over: MCMILLAND ROAD / I40

E OF STRAWBERRY PLNS EXIT, Knox, TN

Built 1975 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 200

NFA A048

Fair

Over: SPRING BRANCH

1 M. N. SR15., Lawrence, TN

Built 1983 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 170

FAP 374

Fair

Over: SR374-LL /RUSSELL PK&RR

1.0 M NW JCT SR237&SR224, Montgomery, TN

Built 2007 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 32,679

FAU 2822 299592R

Fair

Over: CNIC RAILROAD

NEW FRAYSER BLVD - MEM., Shelby, TN

Built 1969 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 27,505

NFA B060

Fair

Over: BRANCH

.5 M E OF ELM HILL PIKE, Davidson, TN

Built 1984 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 290

NFA D884

Fair

Over: COOPER CREEK

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1965 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 600

FAU 65

Fair

Over: PAGES BRANCH

.2 M E JCT I65&SR65, Davidson, TN

Built 1969 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 26,241

FAP 11

Fair

Over: BRANCH

.5 M N SR255&SR11, Davidson, TN

Built 1928 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 31,559

NFA A333

Fair

Over: BRANCH

4 M WEST OF CENTERVILLE, Hickman, TN

Built 1981 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 40

NFA A018

Fair

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

2.3 M. NW. MCKINNON., Houston, TN

Built 1976 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 10

FAS 13

Fair

Over: GRICES CREEK

4.85 MI.NORTHEAST OF ERIN, Houston, TN

Built 1978 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 1,617

FAP 49

Fair

Over: JORDAN BRANCH

.5 M. E. OF DICKSON CO LN, Houston, TN

Built 1989 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 1,231

NFA A189

Fair

Over: DUKES BRANCH

0.5 M. E. KELSO., Lincoln, TN

Built 1984 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 30

FAS 166

Fair

Over: SUGAR CREEK

2 MI. SE OF MT. PLEASANT, Maury, TN

Built 1970 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 871

FAP 431

Fair

Over: HOOSIER CREEK

.1 MI FM SR3, Obion, TN

Built 1968 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 19,597

I40

Fair

Over: I40 / CO RD

.7 M SW JCT I40&SR96, Williamson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 34,028

MCNAIR ROAD

Fair

Over: LITTLE WEST FORK CREEK

0.5 MI S MABRY/MCNAIR RD, Montgomery, TN

Built 1950 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 300

SB GATLINBURG SPUR

Fair

Over: BYPASS RAMP

0.3 MILES NORTH FROM GATL, Sevier, TN

Built 1969 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 3,060

HORSE STABLE ENTRA

Fair

Over: DUDLEY CREEK

0.01 MILES SOUTH FROM TN, Sevier, TN

Built 1983 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 50

FAS 194

Fair

Over: SHAW CREEK

5.8 MI.SOUTH OF OAKLAND, Fayette, TN

Built 2012 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 1,948

FAU 2863

Fair

Over: MILL BRACH RD / I-240

MILL BRANCH RD - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1985 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 17,304

NFA 1474 (SA 8430)

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.3 MI N OF FAYETTE CO., Tipton, TN

Built 2007 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 242

FAS 391

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

IN CAMDEN, Benton, TN

Built 1946 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 3,395

FAU 3289

Fair

Over: SEVEN MILE CREEK

PARAGON MILLS RD@DEWIAN, Davidson, TN

Built 1986 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 9,987

NFA D452

Fair

Over: BAKERS FORK

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1950 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 200

I65

Fair

Over: I24 RAMP C

I-24-I-65 INTERCHANGE -C1, Davidson, TN

Built 2000 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 106,685

FAP 26

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

IN DOWELLTOWN CITY LIMITS, DeKalb, TN

Built 2004 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 8,478

FAP 100

Fair

Over: OVERFLOW

.9 MI.W.OF HATCHIE RIVER, Hardeman, TN

Built 1964 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 1,944

I 269

Fair

Over: ARLINGTON RD

I-269 / ARLINGTON RD JCT., Shelby, TN

Built 2007 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 28,518

I 269

Fair

Over: ARLINGTON RD

I-269 / ARLINGTON RD JCT., Shelby, TN

Built 2007 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 28,518

LBL ROAD 100

Fair

Over: PRYOR CREEK

LBL, Stewart, TN

Built 1984 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 1,000

FAU 210

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.8 M N LAUDERDALE CO, Dyer, TN

Built 2006 Load: 43.2 t ADT: 1,951

I40

Fair

Over: SR 1

IN SOUTH NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1968 Load: 43.4 t ADT: 141,104

I-65N

Fair

Over: ELK RIVER

4 MI N ALA-TN ST LI, Giles, TN

Built 1964 Load: 43.4 t ADT: 26,659

I81

Fair

Over: WESLEY RD (A178)

16.05M.FROM HAMBLEN CO.LN, Greene, TN

Built 1971 Load: 43.4 t ADT: 37,616

ELKMONT ROAD

Fair

Over: LAUREL BRANCH

1.5 MILES NORTH FROM ELKM, Sevier, TN

Built 1947 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 1

Showing 10,601-10,650 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.