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 322

Good

Over: PAINT ROCK CREEK

2.9 M SW JCT SR72&SR322, Roane, TN

Built 1961 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 738

NFA K861

Good

Over: CLEAR CREEK

MEMPHIS-ARLINGTON RD-SHEL, Shelby, TN

Built 1994 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 1,898

FAP 385

Good

Over: CSX RAILROAD

PAUL BARRETT PKWY., Shelby, TN

Built 1996 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 16,804

NFA A790 349491U

Good

Over: CFW RAILROAD

2MI EAST OF SR56, Warren, TN

Built 1989 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 730

NFA A325

Good

Over: SEDBERRY RD. / I840

3.4 MI W JCT SR106&I840, Williamson, TN

Built 2004 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 100

FAP 10

Good

Over: TOWN CREEK

IN CITY OF LEBANON, Wilson, TN

Built 1959 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 22,265

GRAVL RD&PH ACC.

Good

Over: OCOEE RIVER

OCOEE #3 POWERHOUSE, Polk, TN

Built 1943 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 50

FAP 69

Good

Over: CANE CREEK

SOUTH OF CAMDEN, Benton, TN

Built 1926 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 6,331

NFA D976

Good

Over: RODDY CREEK

3 M.N. ROCKFORD., Blount, TN

Built 1935 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 750

NFA A554

Good

Over: REED CREEK

3 M. E. WALLAND., Blount, TN

Built 1984 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 280

NFA C122

Good

Over: BROWN CREEK

WILCOX STREET, Blount, TN

Built 1999 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 6,080

NFA 2397

Good

Over: I140

1.16 M SE KNOX CO LINE, Blount, TN

Built 1992 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 2,454

I140

Good

Over: CSX RAILROAD

1.5 M NW JCT I140 & SR115, Blount, TN

Built 1992 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 37,064

I140

Good

Over: CSX RAILROAD

1.5 M NW JCT I140 & SR115, Blount, TN

Built 1992 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 37,064

NFA A003 (SA 0604)

Good

Over: BLUE SPRINGS BRANCH

2MI WEST OF SR60, Bradley, TN

Built 1983 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 750

NFA B257

Good

Over: BLACK FOX CREEK

2MI SOUTH OF SR40, Bradley, TN

Built 1965 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 590

FAP 402 (SR 40)

Good

Over: LONDON BRANCH

7.5 MI.E.OF CLEVELAND, Bradley, TN

Built 1971 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 13,704

NFA A060

Good

Over: SR 311

1 MI. EAST OFI-75, Bradley, TN

Built 1965 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 260

NFA 2147 (SA 0810)

Good

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

.1 MI EAST OF SR96, Cannon, TN

Built 1958 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 411

FAS 145

Good

Over: MINGLE BRANCH

2.5 MI.S.OF AUBURNTOWN, Cannon, TN

Built 1951 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 945

FAS 146

Good

Over: MOUNTAIN CREEK

1 MI.N.OF OSMENT CHAPEL, Cannon, TN

Built 1948 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 1,570

NFA 814 (SA 0913)

Good

Over: HAWKINS CREEK

5.2 MI SE JCT SR22&SR364, Carroll, TN

Built 2012 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 718

NFA A644

Good

Over: DOE RIVER

S OF SR37-W OF ROAN MTN., Carter, TN

Built 1998 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 290

NFA A205

Good

Over: BRANCH

1.5 M W DAVIDSON CO LN, Cheatham, TN

Built 1950 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 260

NFA A325

Good

Over: WEST FORK POND CREEK

3 M. S. SR12., Cheatham, TN

Built 1970 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 230

NFA 979 (SA 1109)

Good

Over: BRANCH

1.5 M. NE. SR12., Cheatham, TN

Built 1969 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 577

NFA 1692 (SA 1208)

Good

Over: TURKEY CREEK

1.3 MI NW JCT SR5&SR365, Chester, TN

Built 1993 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 1,021

NFA 1696 (SA 1214)

Good

Over: FINGER CREEK

4.0 MI N JCT SR200&SR365, Chester, TN

Built 2017 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 586

NFA 1690 (SA 1220)

Good

Over: MIDDLETON CREEK

0.9 MI WEST OF SR22, Chester, TN

Built 1999 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 141

NFA A252

Good

Over: BIG SYCAMORE CREEK

4.6 M NE OF US25E-SR33 JC, Claiborne, TN

Built 1999 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 120

NFA 2251 (SA 1409)

Good

Over: LITTLE PROCTOR CREEK

4 MI FROM TN-KY STATE LN, Clay, TN

Built 1984 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 330

NFA A058

Good

Over: DRY CREEK

4 MI FROM MIDWAY ROAD, Clay, TN

Built 1997 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 30

NFA A110

Good

Over: LITTLE TRACE CREEK

2.1 MI FROM SR 52, Clay, TN

Built 1984 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 80

FAS 188

Good

Over: OVERFLOW

.1 MI.W.OF GIBSON CO.LN., Crockett, TN

Built 1988 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 448

NFA 2296 (SA 1820)

Good

Over: SANDY BRANCH

EAST OF SR68, Cumberland, TN

Built 1964 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 462

NFA 2296 (SA 1820)

Good

Over: HARRIS BRANCH

EAST OF SR68, Cumberland, TN

Built 1964 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 462

NFA B221

Good

Over: EAST FORK HAMILTON CREEK

ON MOSSDALE DR E.CR.VIEW, Davidson, TN

Built 1965 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 3,040

NFA B729

Good

Over: BRANCH

FRANKLIN LIMESTONE RD@UNA, Davidson, TN

Built 1950 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 2,337

NFA B611

Good

Over: BRANCH

GLASTONBURY DR @ AIRPORT, Davidson, TN

Built 1965 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 51,410

NFA B404

Good

Over: BRANCH

HICKORY HILL CT@NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1974 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 150

NFA B652

Good

Over: BRANCH

MCGAVOCK PK. IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1975 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 1,120

FAU 6

Good

Over: STR 17@ ELLINGTON PKY I/

.5 M N SR6&ELLINGTON IC, Davidson, TN

Built 1965 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 44,374

FAU 6

Good

Over: BP-BR#2-WB/BRIAR-RAMP-A

BRILEY PK-ELLINGTON PK, Davidson, TN

Built 2004 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 66,787

NFA 1843 (SA 2217)

Good

Over: BEAVER DAM CREEK

.6 M. S. SR96., Dickson, TN

Built 1940 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 1,510

NFA A224

Good

Over: LITTLE JONES CREEK

1.5 M. W. SR48., Dickson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 110

NFA A067

Good

Over: FURNACE CREEK

0.7 M. E. SR48., Dickson, TN

Built 2001 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 50

NFA A319

Good

Over: NAILS CREEK

IRON HILL RD., Dickson, TN

Built 1997 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 120

FAS 250

Good

Over: BRANCH

1.2 MI.W.OF CHEATHAM CO., Dickson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 1,102

FAP 96

Good

Over: GENTRYS BRANCH

.65 MI. EAST OF BURNS, Dickson, TN

Built 1956 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 8,918

I155

Good

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

0.8 M E JCT I155&SR78, Dyer, TN

Built 1979 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 14,405

Showing 12,401-12,450 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.