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 1776 (SA 9101)

Fair

Over: TALLY BRANCH

2.3 MI NW JCT SR69&ALA.LN, Wayne, TN

Built 1970 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 115

NFA 1782 (SA 9105)

Fair

Over: HOG CREEK

4.0 MI SW JCT SR13&SR15, Wayne, TN

Built 1960 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 401

NFA A187

Fair

Over: LITTLE FORTY-EIGHT CREEK

3.1 MI NW JCT SR15&LAW.CO, Wayne, TN

Built 1983 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 90

NFA 1605 (SA 9222)

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK OBION RIVER

2.2 MI W OF SR89, Weakley, TN

Built 1988 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 118

NFA A665

Fair

Over: CYPRESS CREEK

2 MI S OF SR22, Weakley, TN

Built 1975 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 20

FAP 22 RP A

Fair

Over: SR 22

NEAR MARTIN, Weakley, TN

Built 1985 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 5,636

FAS 54

Fair

Over: BRANCH

SOUTH OF DRESDEN, Weakley, TN

Built 1963 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 2,067

FAP 111

Fair

Over: SR 111 / NFA A119

3.5 MI S OF PUTMAN CO LN, White, TN

Built 1988 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 13,414

NFA 1919 (SA 9421)

Fair

Over: EAST FORK CREEK

3.6 MI W JCT SR46&SR96, Williamson, TN

Built 1984 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 279

NFA 1930 (SA 9413)

Fair

Over: MCCRORYS BRANCH

3.7 MI NW JCT SR11&SR16, Williamson, TN

Built 1997 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 785

NFA A081

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.6 M NE JCT SR6&SR106, Williamson, TN

Built 1983 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 570

NFA A183

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.5 MI NE JCT SR96&SR252, Williamson, TN

Built 1970 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 470

NFA A608

Fair

Over: CARTWRIGHT CREEK

0.9 MI E JCT SR46&SR106, Williamson, TN

Built 1965 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 270

FAS 46

Fair

Over: PINEWOOD BRANCH

4 MI. SW. LEIPERS FORK, Williamson, TN

Built 1993 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 1,737

FAP 106

Fair

Over: CARTWRIGHT CREEK

.1 M N JCT SR106&SR46, Williamson, TN

Built 1938 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 18,784

NFA A195

Fair

Over: CLENDENON BRANCH

1.5 MI WEST OF SMITH CO, Wilson, TN

Built 1950 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 120

NFA A495

Fair

Over: BRANCH

3.3 NW JCT I40&SR109, Wilson, TN

Built 1950 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 900

I40

Fair

Over: BRANCH AND NFA A852

IN WILSON CO., Wilson, TN

Built 1964 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 48,448

FAP 401 (SR 24)

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1 M E JCT SR24&SR171, Wilson, TN

Built 1932 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 19,355

FAP 401 (SR 24)

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

3.3 M NE JCT SR24&SR10, Wilson, TN

Built 1931 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 6,450

FAP 26

Fair

Over: THORN CREEK

1.3 M W JCT SR26&SR267, Wilson, TN

Built 1956 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 9,181

NFA 911 (SA 0311)

Fair

Over: RUSHING CREEK

1.4 MI E JCT SR69&HENRY C, Benton, TN

Built 1970 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 714

FAS 9

Fair

Over: HICKORY CREEK

IN RICH MT., Campbell, TN

Built 1930 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 981

FAU 67

Fair

Over: SR-359 & BUFFALO CREEK

JUST SW OF ELIZABETHTON, Carter, TN

Built 1986 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 24,080

NFA 1336 (SA 1302)

Fair

Over: DAVIS CREEK

S OFF SR63 AT SPEEDWELL, Claiborne, TN

Built 1959 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 876

NFA A055

Fair

Over: SINKING CREEK

BTWN US25E & RR-NEAR SR9, Cocke, TN

Built 1960 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 2,690

NFA A212

Fair

Over: CLEAR CREEK

S OFF SR158-E OF SR340 JC, Cocke, TN

Built 1945 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 160

NFA A123

Fair

Over: W. FORK HICKORY CREEK

2 MI FROM SR 55, Coffee, TN

Built 1965 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 170

NFA A406

Fair

Over: OVERFLOW

2.1 MI FROM SR 2, Coffee, TN

Built 1970 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 150

NFA A234

Fair

Over: DADDYS CREEK

CITY OF CRAB ORCHARD, Cumberland, TN

Built 1976 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 559

NFA A315

Fair

Over: HOGAN RD / I40 RL

2 M. E. SR46 OVER I40., Dickson, TN

Built 1962 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 750

NFA A315

Fair

Over: HOGAN RD. / I40 LL

2 M. E. SR46 OVER I40., Dickson, TN

Built 1962 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 750

NFA A155

Fair

Over: ROARING FORK CREEK

3.5 M NW OF US11E-SR70 JC, Greene, TN

Built 1930 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 260

NFA A309

Fair

Over: LICK CREEK

4 M SW OF JEAROLDSTOWN, Greene, TN

Built 1923 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 130

NFA A309

Fair

Over: LICK CREEK

3.5 M E OF I81-SR172 EXIT, Greene, TN

Built 1996 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 120

NFA 1434

Fair

Over: DODSON CREEK

E OF SR66 NEAR STEAM PLT., Hawkins, TN

Built 1945 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 781

NFA 2323 (SA 5404)

Fair

Over: SHOALS CREEK

WEST 0F I75, McMinn, TN

Built 1975 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 142

NFA A039

Fair

Over: S FK LITTLE SEWEE CREEK

5MI WEST OF I75, McMinn, TN

Built 1970 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 140

FAS 129

Fair

Over: PRICE BRANCH

.1 M W JCT SR50&SR129, Moore, TN

Built 1949 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 989

NFA A235

Fair

Over: MINNEWAUGA CREEK

3.1 MI SE JCT SR33&SR313, Polk, TN

Built 1930 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 40

NFA A174

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK RED RIVER

2.4 MI NW JCT SR25&SR41, Robertson, TN

Built 1965 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 940

NFA A151

Fair

Over: NFA A151 / I65

1.3 MI SW JCT SR41&SR109, Robertson, TN

Built 1967 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 390

FAS 8

Fair

Over: SEQUATCHIE RIVER

.3 MI.S.OF DUNLAP, Sequatchie, TN

Built 1950 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 1,697

NFA A852

Fair

Over: ROARING FORK CREEK

IN GATLINBURG, Sevier, TN

Built 1970 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 150

NFA H520

Fair

Over: TEN MILE CREEK

OLD GETWELL RD - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1964 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 1,800

FAP 3

Fair

Over: LOOSAHATCHIE RIVER

1.21 M FM FITE RD, Shelby, TN

Built 1956 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 28,110

FAP 10

Fair

Over: BIG GOOSE CREEK

IN HARTSVILLE, Trousdale, TN

Built 1949 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 8,717

NFA A129

Fair

Over: MARTIN CREEK

.02MI S. DRY BRANCH ROAD, Unicoi, TN

Built 1996 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 220

FAS 287

Fair

Over: W. FORK HICKORY CREEK

.24 MI.SE.OF MORRISON, Warren, TN

Built 1953 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 1,363

FAS 1

Fair

Over: TOWN CREEK

IN SPARTA CITY LIMITS, White, TN

Built 1923 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 5,840

Showing 1,501-1,550 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.