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

I40(RAMP)

Good

Over: I40-EB-RMP/OLD MAGNOLIA

DOWNTOWN KNOXVILLE, Knox, TN

Built 2007 Load: 53.8 t ADT: 89,950

I24 WBL

Good

Over: I24 WB / CSX RR

.1 MI EAST OF I124, Hamilton, TN

Built 1990 Load: 54.1 t ADT: 69,132

NFA 1720 (SA 0905)

Good

Over: REEDY CREEK

4.5 MI SW JCT SR1&SR364, Carroll, TN

Built 2010 Load: 54.4 t ADT: 527

FAS 22

Good

Over: OVERFLOW

IN HUNTINGDON, Carroll, TN

Built 2010 Load: 54.8 t ADT: 2,076

FAU 4938

Good

Over: BRANCH

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1985 Load: 54.8 t ADT: 9,624

I24

Good

Over: CLAYLICK CREEK

IN NORTHERN DAVIDSON CO., Davidson, TN

Built 1976 Load: 54.8 t ADT: 74,643

FAP 254

Good

Over: BRANCH

2.04 MI. E. I-65, Davidson, TN

Built 1993 Load: 54.8 t ADT: 39,622

NFA A417

Good

Over: BARGER HOLLOW BRANCH

.1MI NORTH OF US70, DeKalb, TN

Built 1994 Load: 54.8 t ADT: 160

NFA A187

Good

Over: BELL BRANCH

2 M E OF NUNNELLY, Hickman, TN

Built 1980 Load: 54.8 t ADT: 70

NFA A264

Good

Over: BLUE BUCK CREEK

4 MI SW OF SHADY GROVE, Hickman, TN

Built 1979 Load: 54.8 t ADT: 70

NFA A264

Good

Over: BLUE BUCK CREEK

4 M SW OF SHADY GROVE, Hickman, TN

Built 1981 Load: 54.8 t ADT: 70

NFA A387

Good

Over: BRANCH

2.5 M W OF NUNNELLY, Hickman, TN

Built 1972 Load: 54.8 t ADT: 30

NFA A260

Good

Over: BUCK BRANCH

2 M W OF SHADY GROVE, Hickman, TN

Built 1979 Load: 54.8 t ADT: 10

NFA 1898 (SA 5201)

Good

Over: BRANCH

4 M. NW. TAFT., Lincoln, TN

Built 1984 Load: 54.8 t ADT: 196

NFA A101

Good

Over: GINGERBREAD CREEK

8 M. N. FAYETTEVILLE, Lincoln, TN

Built 1994 Load: 54.8 t ADT: 80

NFA B286

Good

Over: CANE CREEK OVERFL0W

IN CITY OF COOKEVILLE, Putnam, TN

Built 1980 Load: 54.8 t ADT: 1,286

NFA A199

Good

Over: LITTLE CREEK

2MI FROM JACKSON CO. LINE, Putnam, TN

Built 1994 Load: 54.8 t ADT: 90

FAS 290

Good

Over: LITTLE CREEK

1 M W OF COOKEVILLE, Putnam, TN

Built 1991 Load: 54.8 t ADT: 10,215

I24

Good

Over: STEWARTS CREEK

.3 M SE JCT I24&SR102, Rutherford, TN

Built 1969 Load: 54.8 t ADT: 121,118

NFA 2061

Good

Over: AUSTIN BRANCH

3.4 MI JCT SR76&SR109, Sumner, TN

Built 1964 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 910

ROARING FORK MOTOR

Good

Over: ROARING FORK

4.1 MILES FROM NPS ROUTE, Sevier, TN

Built 1963 Load: 55.3 t ADT: 130

NATCHEZ TRACE PARK

Good

Over: DUCK RIVER

0.35 MILES TO TN ROUTE 50, Hickman, TN

Built 1987 Load: 55.3 t ADT: 210

NFA A169

Good

Over: SR 3

0.5 MI N OF SR214, Obion, TN

Built 1978 Load: 55.4 t ADT: 100

NFA F006

Good

Over: BRANCH

CRAIG AVE @ GALE LANE, Davidson, TN

Built 1986 Load: 55.7 t ADT: 550

NFA 1814

Good

Over: TURKEY CREEK

2.3 M. S. HOUSTON CO. LN., Humphreys, TN

Built 2006 Load: 55.7 t ADT: 754

I24

Good

Over: I-24 / SR-27 (US-72)

3.5 MI FM SR156, Marion, TN

Built 2014 Load: 55.7 t ADT: 36,821

FAP 381

Good

Over: SR 34

1.5 M NE OF I181, Washington, TN

Built 1992 Load: 55.7 t ADT: 18,141

FAP 15

Good

Over: CROWSON CREEK

IN LAWRENCEBURG, Lawrence, TN

Built 1955 Load: 56.4 t ADT: 10,403

NFA 1929 (SA 1901)

Good

Over: TRACE CREEK

TEMPLEGATE RD-DAVIDSON CO, Davidson, TN

Built 2005 Load: 56.7 t ADT: 7,174

NFA A260 (SA 9213)

Good

Over: BRANCH

0.5 MI W OF SR22, Weakley, TN

Built 2005 Load: 58.3 t ADT: 110

NFA B571

Good

Over: BRANCH

ON ATRUM WAY@NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1982 Load: 58.6 t ADT: 3,340

NFA A316

Good

Over: LOWE BRANCH

8 M NE OF PLEASANTVILLE, Hickman, TN

Built 1988 Load: 58.6 t ADT: 60

NFA A056

Good

Over: LITTLE INDIAN CREEK

2MI FROM SMITH CO. LINE, Putnam, TN

Built 1988 Load: 58.6 t ADT: 40

NB GATLINBURG SPUR

Good

Over: HUSKEY GROVE BRANCH AND

1.8 MILES NORTH FROM NPS, Sevier, TN

Built 1958 Load: 59.0 t ADT: 4,342

FAU 33

Good

Over: LITTLE RIVER

.1 M N OF ROCKFORD, Blount, TN

Built 1925 Load: 59.9 t ADT: 17,917

NFA A026

Good

Over: LITTLE CYPRESS CREEK

BRADEN RD., Fayette, TN

Built 2014 Load: 59.9 t ADT: 170

NFA B430

Good

Over: A LAKE

.1 M E CENTURY BLVD, Davidson, TN

Built 1980 Load: 60.3 t ADT: 34,160

NFA C380

Good

Over: SORGHUM CREEK

METROPLEX DR @ HARDING PL, Davidson, TN

Built 1978 Load: 61.2 t ADT: 4,040

LEBANON PK.

Good

Over: RACHELS LN.

1.5 M SE @ LAKEWOOD, Davidson, TN

Built 1987 Load: 61.2 t ADT: 27,684

PARKER BRANCH ROAD

Good

Over: NATCHEZ TRACE PARKWAY

3.35 MILES TO TN ROUTE 46, Williamson, TN

Built 1992 Load: 61.7 t ADT: 215

NFA 2590

Good

Over: I81

3.1 M SW OF I81-SR70 EXCH, Greene, TN

Built 1971 Load: 61.9 t ADT: 491

FAU 2896

Good

Over: TOWN CREEK

IN COVINGTON, Tipton, TN

Built 2006 Load: 62.2 t ADT: 3,765

FOOTHILLS PARKWAY

Good

Over: MURRAY GAP ROAD

7.0 MI NORTHEAST FROM U.S, Blount, TN

Built 1962 Load: 62.6 t ADT: 300

NATCHEZ TRACE PARK

Good

Over: CYPRESS CREEK BRANCH

6.5 MILES FROM AL ROUTE 2, Wayne, TN

Built 1964 Load: 62.6 t ADT: 675

FAS 220

Good

Over: OVERFLOW

.7MI.N.OF WHITTHORNE, Carroll, TN

Built 2007 Load: 64.8 t ADT: 608

I24

Good

Over: I24 / SPRING STREET

I24 / SPRING ST, Davidson, TN

Built 1961 Load: 64.8 t ADT: 113,584

LEATHERWOOD FORD R

Good

Over: BANDY CREEK

3.97 MILES FROM EAST PARK, Scott, TN

Built 1983 Load: 66.2 t ADT: 370

FAU 3250

Good

Over: WEST FORK BROWNS CREEK

1.7 M N JCT SR6&SR255, Davidson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 66.7 t ADT: 15,941

FAU 112

Good

Over: BRANCH

1.7 M N JCT SR95&SR65, Davidson, TN

Built 1934 Load: 66.7 t ADT: 9,297

NFSR 23

Good

Over: WOLF CREEK

NATIONAL FOREST, Polk, TN

Built 1984 Load: 66.7 t ADT: 50

Showing 19,401-19,450 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.