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

FAP 34

Fair

Over: BENT CREEK

1 M E OF HAWKINS CO LN, Hamblen, TN

Built 1927 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 5,966

FAU 8 726098N

Fair

Over: SOUTHERN RAILWAY

0.5 MI. S OF SR-29 JCT., Hamilton, TN

Built 1922 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 23,097

NFA A050

Fair

Over: CHALK CREEK

V.R. SMALL RD @ UNION TN, Hardin, TN

Built 1950 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 60

FAS 203

Fair

Over: TURKEY CREEK

AT BURNT CHURCH, Hardin, TN

Built 1958 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 844

FAS 203

Fair

Over: TURKEY CREEK

2.1 MI.E.OF BURNT CHURCH, Hardin, TN

Built 1959 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 844

NFA A205

Fair

Over: I40

PUMING STATION RD I40, Haywood, TN

Built 1960 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 110

FAS 1

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.2 M S OF ANTHONY RD, Haywood, TN

Built 1925 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 3,214

FAP 76

Fair

Over: POPLAR CREEK

1 M S OF SR179, Haywood, TN

Built 1951 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 2,897

NFA A266 (SA 3922)

Fair

Over: HALEY CREEK

0.5 MI S OF SR20, Henderson, TN

Built 1968 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 60

NFA 5566 (SA 3911)

Fair

Over: BIG SANDY RIVER

1.3 MI S OF I40, Henderson, TN

Built 1957 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 1,146

FAS 104

Fair

Over: BRANCH

.8 MILE SOUTHEAST OF I-40, Henderson, TN

Built 1985 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 989

NFA A542

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

5 MI WEST OF HENRY, Henry, TN

Built 1972 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 50

NFA 955 (SA 4110)

Fair

Over: BIG SWAN CREEK

11 M SOUTH OF CENTERVILLE, Hickman, TN

Built 1965 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 243

NFA 925 (SA 4303)

Fair

Over: DUCK RIVER

4 M. W. SR 13, Humphreys, TN

Built 1962 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 498

NFA B242 (SA 4528)

Fair

Over: I81

7.1 MI NE JCT I40&I81, Jefferson, TN

Built 1966 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 990

NFA 1293 (SA 4720)

Fair

Over: BULL RUN CREEK

W OF SR33 ON COUNTY LINE, Knox, TN

Built 1965 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 1,255

NFA B212

Fair

Over: FIRST CREEK

NEAR BROADWAY-I640 JCT, Knox, TN

Built 1930 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 590

FAP 1

Fair

Over: LOVE CREEK

.4 M S OF KNOXVILLE, Knox, TN

Built 1927 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 15,842

FAP 9

Fair

Over: BEAVER CREEK

.2 M NE OF SR131, Knox, TN

Built 1930 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 25,986

FAU 158 RL

Fair

Over: FT LOUDON LK BACKWATERS

IN KNOXVILLE, Knox, TN

Built 1973 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 12,073

FAP 19

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.62 MI FR HAYWOOD CO LN, Lauderdale, TN

Built 1929 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 3,199

NFA 1761 350805K

Fair

Over: TENNESSEE SOUTHERN RR

1.6 M. SW. IRON CITY., Lawrence, TN

Built 1942 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 56

NFA A111

Fair

Over: BRIDY CREEK

2.5 M. W. SR-6., Lawrence, TN

Built 1940 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 200

NFA A552 (SA 5028)

Fair

Over: KNOB CREEK

5.5 M. SW. LAWRENCEBERG., Lawrence, TN

Built 1975 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 440

SR 242

Fair

Over: HOLLEY CREEK

.16 MI.NORTH OF IRON CITY, Lawrence, TN

Built 1962 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 303

NFA 1035 (SA 5224)

Fair

Over: NORRIS CREEK

2.5 M. NE. FAYETTEVILLE., Lincoln, TN

Built 1932 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 820

FAP 10

Fair

Over: SR 10 RL / ELK RIVER

.1 M S JCT SR15&SR10, Lincoln, TN

Built 1968 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 24,286

FAP 95

Fair

Over: CLINCH RIVER

1 M FM ROANE-KNOX CO LN, Loudon, TN

Built 1962 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 6,025

NFA B470

Fair

Over: COLLINS BRANCH

NEAR MEIGS COUNTY LINE, McMinn, TN

Built 1956 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 30

FAS 225

Fair

Over: KISE CREEK

2.8 MI.E.OF HARDEMAN CO., McNairy, TN

Built 1951 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 248

FAS 199

Fair

Over: HUGGINS CREEK

NEAR CHESTER COUNTY LINE, McNairy, TN

Built 1955 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 1,688

NFA A449

Fair

Over: GOOSE CREEK

3.5 M S OF LAFAYETTE, Macon, TN

Built 1950 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 150

NFA 1423 (SA 5813)

Fair

Over: GRIFFITH CREEK

4.5 MI NW JCT SR27&SR283, Marion, TN

Built 1939 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 700

FAP 11 350435J

Fair

Over: CSX RAILROAD

2 M NE JCT SR129&SR11, Marshall, TN

Built 1950 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 6,400

FAP 11

Fair

Over: ROCK CREEK

1.2 M NE JCT SR50&SR11, Marshall, TN

Built 1930 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 12,341

FAP 11

Fair

Over: SNAKE CREEK

N.EAST EDGE OF LEWISBURG, Marshall, TN

Built 1929 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 8,055

NFA A331

Fair

Over: GLOBE CREEK

3 M. E. CULLEOKA., Maury, TN

Built 1965 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 150

NFA A301

Fair

Over: LUTHER SHARP RD / I65

8 M. E. COLUMBIA., Maury, TN

Built 1965 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 170

FAP 99

Fair

Over: BRANCH

7 M NE OF LEWIS CO LINE, Maury, TN

Built 1948 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 4,055

FAP 99

Fair

Over: EAST FORK GREENLICK CREE

3.34 MI.E. JCT. FAS 6253, Maury, TN

Built 1941 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 6,849

NFA 1202 (SA 6205)

Fair

Over: TELLICO RIVER

W OF SR360-BALLPLAY RD, Monroe, TN

Built 1967 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 570

FAS 216

Fair

Over: OVERFLOW

.3 MILE EAST OF RIVES, Obion, TN

Built 1986 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 1,010

FAP 13

Fair

Over: KING BRANCH

IN LOBELVILLE CITY LIMITS, Perry, TN

Built 1931 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 2,911

FAS 313

Fair

Over: OLD FORT CREEK

1.4 MILE WEST OF SR033, Polk, TN

Built 1952 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 1,104

FAS 30

Fair

Over: GREASY CREEK

3 MILES WEST OF ARCHVILLE, Polk, TN

Built 1936 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 354

FAS 303

Fair

Over: SALE CREEK

2MI. N. OF GRAYSVILLE, Rhea, TN

Built 1960 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 1,677

FAP 49

Fair

Over: SR 49 RL / I24

0.15 MI. NE. CHEATHAM CO, Robertson, TN

Built 1972 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 17,441

FAP 49

Fair

Over: SR 49 LL / I24

0.15 MI. NE. CHEATHAM CO, Robertson, TN

Built 1972 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 17,441

NFA 1046 (SA 7533)

Fair

Over: CRIPPLE CREEK

4.2 MI SE JCT SR96&SR266, Rutherford, TN

Built 1958 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 465

FAS 99

Fair

Over: REED CREEK

.9 M W CANNON CO LINE, Rutherford, TN

Built 1956 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 664

Showing 1,051-1,100 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.