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

NFA 1534 (SA 6615)

Good

Over: N. REELFOOT CREEK

4.2 MI N JCT SR5&SR22, Obion, TN

Built 2004 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 125

NFA 1534

Good

Over: N. REELFOOT CREEK

3.1 MI NE JCT SR5&SR22, Obion, TN

Built 1975 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 587

NFA 1538 (SA 6620)

Good

Over: WALNUT GROVE BRANCH

2.7 MI SE JCT SR43&SR215, Obion, TN

Built 2006 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 409

NFA A098

Good

Over: BRANCH

3.7 MI W JCT SR5&KY LINE, Obion, TN

Built 1975 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 420

NFA A144

Good

Over: MUD CREEK

MT. ZION ROAD, Obion, TN

Built 2004 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 420

NFA A167

Good

Over: BRANCH

3.9 MI NE JCT SR3&SR21, Obion, TN

Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 100

NFA A431

Good

Over: OVERFLOW

2.5 MI E JCT SR5&SR21, Obion, TN

Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 170

NFA A550

Good

Over: GRASS CREEK

3.1 MI NW JCT SR5&SR89, Obion, TN

Built 1978 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 40

NFA A774

Good

Over: BRANCH

W. OF UNION CITY, Obion, TN

Built 1975 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 360

FAP 5

Good

Over: OVERFLOW

1.2 MI.S.OF UNION CITY, Obion, TN

Built 1930 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,625

FAS 21

Good

Over: BRANCH

NEAR LASSITER CORNER, Obion, TN

Built 1924 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 910

NFA 2295 (SA 6715)

Good

Over: BIG EAGLE CREEK

5 MI NORTH OF SR42, Overton, TN

Built 1975 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 610

NFA 2306 (SA 6707)

Good

Over: CLEEK BRANCH

.8 MI EAST OF SR136, Overton, TN

Built 1972 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 303

FAP 84

Good

Over: COPELAND CREEK

3.1 MI.S.OF LIVINGSTON, Overton, TN

Built 1948 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 4,577

NFA 1775 (SA 6801)

Good

Over: SWINDLE CREEK

14 M. NW. FLATWOODS., Perry, TN

Built 1965 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 291

NFA 2313 (SA 7016)

Good

Over: CHESTUEE CREEK

4.3 MI NW JCT SR33&SR314, Polk, TN

Built 1979 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 273

NFA A201

Good

Over: BALL PLAY CREEK

1.7 MI SE JCT SR33&SR313, Polk, TN

Built 1975 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 440

NFA 2317 (SA 7015)

Good

Over: BRANCH

2.1 MI NW JCT SR68&SR123, Polk, TN

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 148

FAP 33

Good

Over: BRANCH

.5 MI S OF JCT SR 30, Polk, TN

Built 2013 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 7,466

FAS 96

Good

Over: BATES BRANCH

1.3MI.N.OF BUFFALO VALLEY, Putnam, TN

Built 1938 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 713

NFA A481

Good

Over: HUDGENS CREEK

2 MI FROM SR 42, Putnam, TN

Built 1978 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 360

NFA 2281 (SA 7212)

Good

Over: YELLOW CREEK

3MI SOUTH OF SR 68, Rhea, TN

Built 1984 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 698

NFA A523

Good

Over: LITTLE RICHLAND CREEK

5 MI NW JCT SR29 & SR30, Rhea, TN

Built 2003 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 130

NFA 1162 (SA 7215)

Good

Over: MUDDY CREEK

1MI EAST OF US 27, Rhea, TN

Built 1942 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,068

FAP 68

Good

Over: WOLF CREEK

3 MI.EAST OF SPRING CITY, Rhea, TN

Built 1941 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 5,563

NFA A719

Good

Over: DRY FORK CREEK

NEAR MEIGS CO LINE, Roane, TN

Built 1991 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 50

NFA A714

Good

Over: BARNARD NARROWS BRANCH

3.2 M S OF SR58-SR72 JCT, Roane, TN

Built 1984 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 430

NFA 1230 (SA 7321)

Good

Over: BRANCH

2 M S OF SR 61-SR 62 JCT, Roane, TN

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,167

NFA 1947 (SA 7420)

Good

Over: POLE BRANCH

1.7 MI NW JCT SR11&SR257, Robertson, TN

Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,573

NFA 1960 (SA 7415)

Good

Over: BRANCH

3.2 MI NE JCT SR25&SR65, Robertson, TN

Built 1940 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 178

NFA A091

Good

Over: BRANCH

A091, Robertson, TN

Built 2017 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 190

NFA A174

Good

Over: BRANCH

2.5 MI NW JCT SR25&SR41, Robertson, TN

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,120

NFA A261

Good

Over: SULPHUR FORK CREEK

3.6 MI SW JCT I65&SR76, Robertson, TN

Built 1975 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 110

NFA A350

Good

Over: CARR CREEK

2.5 MI NE JCT SR49&SR257, Robertson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 370

NFA A372

Good

Over: HOLLIS CREEK

2.1 MI NE JCT I24&SR49, Robertson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 110

NFA A374

Good

Over: BATTLE CREEK

4.7 MI E JCT I24&SR49, Robertson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 120

NFA A595

Good

Over: CARR CREEK

2.3 MI NW JCT SR11&SR257, Robertson, TN

Built 1955 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 650

NFA A598

Good

Over: CARR CREEK

1.5 MI NW JCT SR11&SR257, Robertson, TN

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 880

NFA 1958 (SA 7409)

Good

Over: MILLERS CREEK

3.3 MI NE JCT I24&SR49, Robertson, TN

Built 1974 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 339

NFA A561

Good

Over: MIDDLE FORK STONES RIVER

2.8 MI NW JCT I24&BEDFORD, Rutherford, TN

Built 1968 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 80

FAU 3377

Good

Over: STEWARTS CREEK

9TH AVE NEAR G ST-SMYRNA, Rutherford, TN

Built 1945 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 909

FAP 96

Good

Over: EAST FORK STONES RIVER

1.1 M SW JCT SR96&SR266, Rutherford, TN

Built 1999 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 11,601

I840

Good

Over: I840 / NFA 1055

4.2 MI SW JCT SR10&SR266, Rutherford, TN

Built 1995 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 40,188

NFA A261

Good

Over: NFA A261 / I840

3.7 MI NW JCT SR10&SR266, Rutherford, TN

Built 1995 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 120

NFA 2229

Good

Over: JOHNSON MILL CREEK

.2 MI WEST OF SR 28, Sequatchie, TN

Built 1939 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,433

FAS 8

Good

Over: KEEL BRANCH

1.2 MI.S.OF DUNLAP, Sequatchie, TN

Built 1942 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,697

FAP 28

Good

Over: MINTON BRANCH

0.94 MI.S.OF BLEDSOE CO., Sequatchie, TN

Built 1940 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 5,167

NFA A309

Good

Over: YELLOW BREECHES CREEK

S OFF SR339, Sevier, TN

Built 1971 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 190

NFA A327

Good

Over: DUNN CREEK

1.5 M S OF SR339, Sevier, TN

Built 2000 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 180

FAS 339

Good

Over: YELLOW BREECHES CREEK

1.7 MI.E.OF JONES CR., Sevier, TN

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,069

Showing 11,651-11,700 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.