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

WB FRONTAGE RD.

Good

Over: I40-WB-RMP / PAPERMILL

NORTH SIDE OF I40, Knox, TN

Built 2005 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 182,502

FAU 5289

Good

Over: RMP TO I40WB / FOURTH CR

NORTH OF I40, Knox, TN

Built 2006 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 20,408

FAP 158

Good

Over: SR158 / I40-WB-RMP-1A

CITY OF KNOXVILLE, Knox, TN

Built 2007 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 26,782

SR-1

Good

Over: E.FIFTH AVE/I40 WB-RP 1A

IN KNOXVILLE @ I40 EXCH, Knox, TN

Built 1962 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 5,208

SR 33

Good

Over: HOF DR RMP 2D/I40 RMP 1A

DOWNTOWN KNOXVILLE, Knox, TN

Built 2007 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 13,784

I40 RMP C-C

Good

Over: I40-WB RMP-I75N / PMILL

.6 M NW OF I75, Knox, TN

Built 1982 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 182,502

I75 RP D-D

Good

Over: I75-SB RMP TO I40/BRIDG

AT I-75 & I-40 JCT., Knox, TN

Built 1981 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 90,947

I75 RL

Good

Over: I40 EB RP TO I75 /PMILL

AT I40 & I75 JCT, Knox, TN

Built 1981 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 90,947

NFA A823

Good

Over: MYRTLEWOOD RD. / I75

JUST NE OF SR62 EXIT, Knox, TN

Built 1981 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 730

I75 RL&LL

Good

Over: I75 /SR-9 (CLINTON HWY)

AT SHARPS GAP EXCHANGE, Knox, TN

Built 1981 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 94,386

NFA B150

Good

Over: TILLERY RD. / I75

JUST N OF SHARPS GAP, Knox, TN

Built 1981 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,350

I75 RL 730818L

Good

Over: I75 / ERWIN RD & SOU. RR

1.4 M SW OF LOREN LANE DR, Knox, TN

Built 1969 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 81,818

I75 RL

Good

Over: I75 - RL / EMORY RD.

.7 M N OF CONNER RD, Knox, TN

Built 1969 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 57,022

I75 LL

Good

Over: I75 - LL / EMORY RD.

.7 M N OF CONNER RD, Knox, TN

Built 1969 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 57,022

I75 RL & RMP

Good

Over: I75 - RL / CSX RAILROAD

JUST N. OF I-40 JCT., Knox, TN

Built 1981 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 90,947

I75 LL

Good

Over: I75 - LL / CSX RAILROAD

IN KNOXVILLE, Knox, TN

Built 1981 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 90,947

I140

Good

Over: I140 / FOX RD.

1.5 M SE 0F I40, Knox, TN

Built 1993 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 54,523

I140

Good

Over: I140 /GEORGE WILLIAMS RD

2 M SE OF I40, Knox, TN

Built 1993 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 54,523

I140

Good

Over: I140 / EMORY CHURCH RD.

2.5 M SE OF I40, Knox, TN

Built 1993 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 54,523

I140

Good

Over: SINKING CR. EMBAYMENT

2 M NW OF SR332, Knox, TN

Built 1993 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 54,523

I140

Good

Over: I140 / WESTLAND DR.

JCTOF I140&WESTLAND DR., Knox, TN

Built 1992 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 47,990

I140

Good

Over: I140 / BLUEGRASS RD.

JCT OF I140 &BLUE GRASS, Knox, TN

Built 1992 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 47,990

I140

Good

Over: I140-RL / TEDFORD RD.

.5 M E OF SR332&SR162, Knox, TN

Built 1991 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 43,920

I140

Good

Over: I140-LL / TEDFORD RD.

.5 M E OF JCT SR332&SR162, Knox, TN

Built 1991 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 43,920

NFA G380

Good

Over: SCOTT LANE / I140

SCOTT LANE IN KNOXVILLE, Knox, TN

Built 1991 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 100

I140

Good

Over: I140 / TOOLES BEND RD.

2 M NW OF BLOUNT CO LINE, Knox, TN

Built 1991 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 43,920

I140

Good

Over: I140 / CONNECTOR "A"

1 M NW OF BLOUNT CO LN, Knox, TN

Built 1991 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 43,920

I140

Good

Over: I140 / PARKSIDE DR.

CITY OF KNOXVILLE, Knox, TN

Built 1996 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 60,213

I140

Good

Over: I140 / SR1(KINGSTON PK)

CITY OF KNOXVILLE, Knox, TN

Built 1996 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 60,213

I275 RP 5-I

Good

Over: I275-SB EXT RP-I / 2 RTS

CITY OF KNOXVILLE, Knox, TN

Built 1994 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 67,587

FAU 1256 (SA 4716)

Good

Over: BRUHIN RD. / I640

2.5 M SE OF SR33, Knox, TN

Built 2002 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 11,280

I640 RL

Good

Over: I640-RL / WASHINGTON PK.

E. OF SR 33, Knox, TN

Built 1981 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 69,368

I640 LL

Good

Over: I640-LL / WASHINGTON PK.

E. OF SR 33, Knox, TN

Built 1981 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 69,368

I640

Good

Over: I640E RAMP / SR33

1 M SE OF WHITTLE SPRINGS, Knox, TN

Built 2018 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 71,684

FAU 5289

Good

Over: FOURTH CREEK

WEISGARBER RD-AT BEARDEN, Knox, TN

Built 2010 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 20,408

FAU 3771

Good

Over: SECOND CREEK

AT I75-N OF SHARPS GAP, Knox, TN

Built 1965 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 21,982

FAU 3775 730612L

Good

Over: SOUTHERN RR

GAY ST IN KNOXVILLE, Knox, TN

Built 2007 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,085

NFA 1256 (SA 4716)

Good

Over: KNOB FORK CREEK

CENTRAL AVE-E OF I75, Knox, TN

Built 2006 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 8,099

FAU 1

Good

Over: TURKEY CREEK

.2 M E OF FARRAGUT, Knox, TN

Built 1939 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 26,329

FAU 1 730622S

Good

Over: SOUTHERN RAILWAY

KINGSTON PK.(KNOXVILLE), Knox, TN

Built 2011 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 16,770

FAU 1 730613T

Good

Over: SOUTHERN RAILWAY

1.3 M N OF SR33, Knox, TN

Built 2022 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 28,673

FAP 1

Good

Over: FLAT CREEK

2 M NE OF GRAINGER CO LN, Knox, TN

Built 2000 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 11,074

FAP 1

Good

Over: FLAT CREEK

2 M NE OF GRAINGER CO LN, Knox, TN

Built 1999 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 11,074

FAU 1

Good

Over: FIRST CREEK

IN THE CITY OF KNOXVILLE, Knox, TN

Built 1997 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 10,860

FAP 158

Good

Over: NEYLAND DR / E. FIFTH AV

CITY OF KNOXVILLE, Knox, TN

Built 2006 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 26,782

FAU 33 347582T

Good

Over: CSX RAILROAD

2 M NE OF SR71, Knox, TN

Built 1986 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 5,874

FAP 33

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

.7 M NE OF SR131, Knox, TN

Built 1963 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 38,142

FAP 62

Good

Over: SR62 /S33 RP-G HENLEY ST

CITY OF KNOXVILLE, Knox, TN

Built 1994 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 11,735

SOUTH BROADWAY

Good

Over: SOUTHERN RAILROAD

CITY OF KNOXVILLE, Knox, TN

Built 2022 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 28,358

NFA C560

Good

Over: GLENWOOD / HALL FAME DR.

.3 M NW OF SR33, Knox, TN

Built 2006 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,870

Showing 15,551-15,600 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.