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 A320

Poor

Over: DRY CREEK

7MI WEST OF SR146, DeKalb, TN

Built 1970 Load: 5.5 t ADT: 10

NFA A024

Poor

Over: WILDER CREEK

1.3 MI SW JCT I40&SR59, Fayette, TN

Built 1965 Load: 5.5 t ADT: 40

NFA A048

Poor

Over: CHALK CREEK

MARSHALL RD @ UNION TN, Hardin, TN

Built 1970 Load: 5.5 t ADT: 50

NFA A339 730185Y

Poor

Over: SOUTHERN RAILWAY

NEAR PHIPPS BEND, Hawkins, TN

Built 1977 Load: 5.5 t ADT: 10

NFA A327

Poor

Over: MIDDLE PRONG DOE CREEK

0.3 MI W OF DECATUR CO., Henderson, TN

Built 1977 Load: 5.5 t ADT: 20

NFA A451

Poor

Over: VAN CREEK

5 MI W OF LEXINGTON, Henderson, TN

Built 1986 Load: 5.5 t ADT: 620

NFA 2153 (SA 5801)

Poor

Over: DRY CREEK

5.9 MI SW JCT SR27&SR156, Marion, TN

Built 1979 Load: 5.5 t ADT: 93

NFA 2462

Poor

Over: BEECH GROVE CREEK

NW OF LAKE CITY, Anderson, TN

Built 1930 Load: 5.8 t ADT: 177

NFA A129

Poor

Over: SAWMILL BRANCH

NELSON RD NEAR BUCKTOWN, Hardin, TN

Built 1975 Load: 5.8 t ADT: 90

NFA 2138 (SA 8920)

Poor

Over: HILLS CREEK

1MI EAST OF SR56, Warren, TN

Built 1961 Load: 5.8 t ADT: 570

NFA 1555 (SA 2417)

Poor

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

5.1 MI NE JCT SR59&SR222, Fayette, TN

Built 1963 Load: 6.2 t ADT: 60

NFA A071

Poor

Over: BRANCH

2.5 MI NE JCT SR15&SR194, Fayette, TN

Built 1960 Load: 6.2 t ADT: 10

NFA A083

Poor

Over: SMART CREEK

3.2 MI NE JCT SR59&SR222, Fayette, TN

Built 1965 Load: 6.2 t ADT: 60

NFA A021

Poor

Over: WARTRACE CREEK

.2MI EAST OF SMITH CO., Jackson, TN

Built 1970 Load: 6.2 t ADT: 10

NFA A785

Poor

Over: BRANCH

3.1 MI SW JCT SR138&SR223, Madison, TN

Built 1968 Load: 6.2 t ADT: 100

NFA 5568 (SA 5708)

Poor

Over: ROBERTSON CREEK

E OF HAYWOOD COUNTY, Madison, TN

Built 1965 Load: 6.2 t ADT: 418

NFA A169

Poor

Over: HALL CREEK

0.1 MI N OF SR14, Tipton, TN

Built 1969 Load: 6.2 t ADT: 180

FAS 116

Poor

Over: STOCKSTILL CREEK

2 MI.N.OF SR-62, Morgan, TN

Built 1970 Load: 6.5 t ADT: 240

NFA A506

Poor

Over: SOUTH HARPETH RIVER

1.2 M. S. I40., Cheatham, TN

Built 1950 Load: 7.1 t ADT: 50

I24 EBL 349451W

Poor

Over: NFA A092 & CFW RR

IN MANCHESTER CITY LIMITS, Coffee, TN

Built 1966 Load: 7.1 t ADT: 40,586

FAU 269

Poor

Over: N. WASHINGTON ST.

IN TULLAHOMA, Coffee, TN

Built 1993 Load: 7.1 t ADT: 3,418

NFA A718

Poor

Over: NANCY BRANCH

0.8 MI WEST OF SR141, Wilson, TN

Built 1945 Load: 7.1 t ADT: 410

NFA A300

Poor

Over: PISTOL CREEK

8.5 M. NE. MARYVILLE., Blount, TN

Built 1960 Load: 7.5 t ADT: 1,456

NFA A988

Poor

Over: STONY CREEK

S OF SR91-NE CORNER OF CO, Carter, TN

Built 1965 Load: 7.8 t ADT: 240

FAS 127

Poor

Over: BRADLEY CREEK

3.6 MI.N.E.OF HILLSBORO, Coffee, TN

Built 1940 Load: 7.8 t ADT: 2,285

FAP 11

Poor

Over: SEVEN MILE CREEK

.05 M S SR255&SR11, Davidson, TN

Built 1928 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 41,823

NFA A114

Poor

Over: BIG MUDDY CREEK

3.3 MI SW JCT SR15&HARDEM, Fayette, TN

Built 1970 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 30

NFA A121

Poor

Over: MORROW CREEK

4.3 MI SW JCT SR15&HARDEM, Fayette, TN

Built 2000 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 40

NFA A831

Poor

Over: WHITE BRANCH

5.5 MI NW JCT SR100&SR114, Henderson, TN

Built 1970 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 20

NFA K640

Poor

Over: BEAVER CREEK

GALLAWAY LEVEE RD-SHELBY, Shelby, TN

Built 1956 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 461

NFA B181

Poor

Over: LITTLE CHEROKEE CREEK

N OFF SR67-1 M E OF SR81, Washington, TN

Built 1930 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 610

NFA A052 347452W

Poor

Over: CSX RAILROAD

2.7 M E OF LAUREL GROVE, Anderson, TN

Built 1914 Load: 8.4 t ADT: 660

NFA A078

Poor

Over: NORTH FORK OBION RIVER

6 MI. N. OF SR 69, Henry, TN

Built 1980 Load: 8.4 t ADT: 40

NFA A098

Poor

Over: BUFFALO RIVER

7 M. S. HOHENWALD., Lewis, TN

Built 1965 Load: 8.4 t ADT: 50

NFA 1675 (SA 1205)

Poor

Over: BRANCH

1.3 MI WEST OF SR 225, Chester, TN

Built 1955 Load: 8.7 t ADT: 198

FAP 76

Poor

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

2.6 MI.SW.OF GADSDEN, Crockett, TN

Built 1930 Load: 8.7 t ADT: 3,582

NFA B100

Poor

Over: OBION R. DRAINAGE CANEL

0.75 MI N OF DYER COUNTY, Obion, TN

Built 1928 Load: 8.7 t ADT: 1,380

NFA A320

Poor

Over: CHESTUEE CREEK

5.1 MI W JCT SR30&SR33, Polk, TN

Built 1965 Load: 8.7 t ADT: 100

NFA 1486

Poor

Over: NFA 1486 / I40

OVERHEAD OVER I40, Wilson, TN

Built 1962 Load: 8.7 t ADT: 288

NFSR 65

Poor

Over: TUMBLING CREEK

NATIONAL FOREST, Polk, TN

Built 1936 Load: 8.7 t ADT: 50

NFA 1282 (SA 0713)

Poor

Over: DAVIS BRANCH

3.9 M NE OF DUFF-E OF SR9, Campbell, TN

Built 1977 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 676

NFA A230

Poor

Over: TAR CREEK

0.1 MI NORTH OF MCNAIRY, Chester, TN

Built 1965 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 1,430

NFA A330

Poor

Over: DRY CREEK

.1MI SOUTH OF US70, DeKalb, TN

Built 1922 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 20

NFA 2706

Poor

Over: STAFFORD CREEK

2.2 MI NW JCT SR57&SR76, Fayette, TN

Built 1968 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 564

NFA A309

Poor

Over: BEAR CREEK

2.6 MI NE JCT SR43&SR54, Gibson, TN

Built 2006 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 40

NFA A094

Poor

Over: LITTLE HURRICANE CREEK

NEWMAN CEM RD @ HINKLE, Hardin, TN

Built 1970 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 50

NFA A264

Poor

Over: BEECH RIVER

2 MI S OF SR20, Henderson, TN

Built 1975 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 40

NFA A628

Poor

Over: ANTIOCH CREEK

3 M. N. CUNNINGHAM., Montgomery, TN

Built 1974 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 60

NFA A664

Poor

Over: STOKES BRANCH

1 M. S. WARTRACE., Bedford, TN

Built 1940 Load: 9.4 t ADT: 20

NFA A021

Poor

Over: MARSHALL CREEK

1MI NORTH OF SR96, Cannon, TN

Built 1950 Load: 9.4 t ADT: 270

Showing 19,601-19,650 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.