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 A236

Good

Over: LITTLE MARROWBONE CREEK

1 M. E. SR12., Cheatham, TN

Built 1984 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 120

SR 455

Good

Over: BRANCH

0.1 M. S. SR49-ASHLAND CT, Cheatham, TN

Built 2021 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,237

NFA A447

Good

Over: BRANCH OF TURNBULL CREEK

1.5 M W KINGSTON-SPRGS, Cheatham, TN

Built 1987 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 80

NFA A485

Good

Over: TURNIPSEED CREEK

1 M. NW. SR250., Cheatham, TN

Built 1970 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 90

NFA A525

Good

Over: BRANCH

1.5 M.S. I40., Cheatham, TN

Built 2016 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 360

NFA 979 (SA 1109)

Good

Over: RACOON CREEK

3 M. E. SR 12., Cheatham, TN

Built 1969 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 300

NFA 979 (SA 1109)

Good

Over: SPRING CREEK

2 M. NE. SR 12., Cheatham, TN

Built 2009 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 604

FAS 249

Good

Over: BLUE CREEK

.6 MI.N.E. OF LILLAMAY, Cheatham, TN

Built 1950 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,869

FAS 249

Good

Over: BRUSH CREEK

IN LILLAMAY, Cheatham, TN

Built 2005 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,869

NFA A417 (SA 1101)

Good

Over: BRANCH

1.5 MI S OF SR 1, Cheatham, TN

Built 2012 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,090

NFA 1948 (SA 1101)

Good

Over: BIG TURNBULL CREEK

1 MI S OF SR 1, Cheatham, TN

Built 1992 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,135

NFA 958 (SA 1111)

Good

Over: RACCOON CREEK

2 M. SW. SR 112., Cheatham, TN

Built 2009 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,082

FAS 249

Good

Over: SAMS CREEK

5.5 MI. N. OF PEGRAM, Cheatham, TN

Built 1968 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,788

FAP 12

Good

Over: MARROW BONE CREEK

2 MI.S.E.ASHLAND CITY, Cheatham, TN

Built 1996 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 15,685

FAP 12

Good

Over: MARROW BONE CREEK

2 MI.S.E.ASHLAND CITY, Cheatham, TN

Built 1996 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 15,685

FAP 12

Good

Over: DRY FORK CREEK

.5 MI.SE.OF ASHLAND CITY, Cheatham, TN

Built 1996 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 15,685

FAP 12

Good

Over: DRY FORK CREEK

1.4 MI.NE.OF CHEAP HILL, Cheatham, TN

Built 1955 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,778

FAS 12

Good

Over: SANDY RUN CREEK

2 MI SW JCT. SR12 & SR49, Cheatham, TN

Built 1998 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 15,685

FAS 12

Good

Over: BULL RUN CREEK

.2 M E OF DAVIDSON CO LN, Cheatham, TN

Built 1936 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 14,975

FAS 112

Good

Over: SYCAMORE CREEK

3 MI.NW.OF PINNACLE, Cheatham, TN

Built 1999 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 10,592

FAS 249

Good

Over: BRANCH

N.OF INTERSTATE 40, Cheatham, TN

Built 2009 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,480

FAU 818

Good

Over: SUGAR CREEK

IN HENDERSON CITY LIMITS, Chester, TN

Built 2007 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,665

NFA 1630 (SA 1207)

Good

Over: BRANCH

3.3 MI NE JCT SR100&SR125, Chester, TN

Built 2004 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 646

NFA 1673 (SA 1201)

Good

Over: KISE CREEK

0.4 MI WEST SR225, Chester, TN

Built 2003 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 168

NFA 1673 (SA 1201)

Good

Over: KISE CREEK

1.1 MI E OF HARDEMAN CO., Chester, TN

Built 2001 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 78

NFA 1688 (SA 1221)

Good

Over: LITTLE WHITE OAK CREEK

4.7 MI SE JCT SR22A&SR100, Chester, TN

Built 1984 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 56

NFA 1694 (SA 1216)

Good

Over: CLARKS CREEK

4.5 MI NE JCT SR200&SR365, Chester, TN

Built 1988 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 404

NFA 1584

Good

Over: RT FORK OF SWEET LIPS CR

5.0 MI W JCT SR22A&SR224, Chester, TN

Built 1993 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 84

NFA A005

Good

Over: BRANCH

0.1 MI S OF MADISON CO., Chester, TN

Built 1993 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 350

NFA A007

Good

Over: CLOVER CREEK

2.7 MI NW JCT HARD&SR100, Chester, TN

Built 1984 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 70

NFA A034

Good

Over: TURKEY CREEK

3.3 MI NW JCT SR100&SR5, Chester, TN

Built 1988 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 320

NFA A124

Good

Over: FINGER CREEK

3.6 MI N JCT SR200&SR365, Chester, TN

Built 1984 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 710

NFA A150

Good

Over: CYPRESS CREEK

2.3 MI S JCT SR197&SR200, Chester, TN

Built 2017 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 110

NFA A189

Good

Over: JACKS CREEK

2.1 MI S JCT SR22A&SR100, Chester, TN

Built 2022 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 861

NFA A211

Good

Over: LITTLE WHITE OAK CREEK

1.8 MI EAST OF SR22A, Chester, TN

Built 1984 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 80

NFA A229

Good

Over: TAR CREEK

4.4 MI SE JCT SR100&SR200, Chester, TN

Built 2016 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 180

NFA A304

Good

Over: BRANCH

0.1 MI E OF HARDEMAN CO., Chester, TN

Built 1984 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 70

NFA A334

Good

Over: HAMSTRING CREEK

2.2 MI EAST SR225, Chester, TN

Built 1996 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 40

NFA 5554 (SA 1208)

Good

Over: BRANCH

0.8 MI NORTH OF SR100, Chester, TN

Built 1991 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 739

NFA 926 (SA 1212)

Good

Over: OVERFLOW

2.4 MI NW JCT SR200&SR365, Chester, TN

Built 2002 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 882

NFA 926 (SA 1212)

Good

Over: OVERFLOW

2.3 MI NORTH OF SR365, Chester, TN

Built 2002 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 882

NFA 926 (SA 1212)

Good

Over: OVERFLOW

2.6 MI NORTH OF SR365, Chester, TN

Built 2002 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 882

FAS 200

Good

Over: CLARKS CREEK

3.5 MI.N.E.OF HENDERSON, Chester, TN

Built 2005 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,833

FAP 5

Good

Over: SUGAR CREEK

0.5 M SE JCT SR&SR100, Chester, TN

Built 1979 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 12,911

FAP 5

Good

Over: TURKEY CREEK

SOUTH OF HENDERSON, Chester, TN

Built 1979 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 17,225

FAP 100

Good

Over: SR-100 / SR-5

.SR100 / SR5 HENDERSON, Chester, TN

Built 2006 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,819

FAP 100

Good

Over: LL-SR-100 / SR-5

.SR100 / SR5, Chester, TN

Built 2006 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,819

FAS 365 299362P

Good

Over: SR 365 / ICG RR

1.5 MI N OF HENDERSON, Chester, TN

Built 1975 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,119

FAP 22

Good

Over: DRY CREEK

2.87 MI.N. MCNAIRY CO.LN., Chester, TN

Built 1958 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,887

FAS 22

Good

Over: SPRING CREEK

4.53 MI.N. JCT. FAS 8164, Chester, TN

Built 1998 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,786

Showing 13,551-13,600 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.