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 A414

Poor

Over: HOLLIS CREEK

SOUTHWEST OF WOODBURY, Cannon, TN

Built 1965 Load: 9.4 t ADT: 50

NFA 1669 (SA 1211)

Poor

Over: HORSE CREEK

0.9 MI EAST OF SR5, Chester, TN

Built 1990 Load: 9.4 t ADT: 767

NFA 1175 (SA 3724)

Poor

Over: HOLSTON RIVER

JUST S OF SR346-US11W JCT, Hawkins, TN

Built 1964 Load: 9.4 t ADT: 4,225

NFA A515

Poor

Over: NORTH FORK CANE CREEK

1.5 MI. W. OF RIPLEY, Lauderdale, TN

Built 1970 Load: 9.4 t ADT: 50

NFA A249

Poor

Over: BRIMSTONE CREEK

5.4 M E OF US27-SR52 JCT, Scott, TN

Built 1940 Load: 9.4 t ADT: 30

NFA A839

Poor

Over: HARPERS CREEK

WYATT HOLLOW RD-N OF 421, Sullivan, TN

Built 1988 Load: 9.4 t ADT: 120

NFA A354

Poor

Over: BEAR CREEK

3 MI. NE OF CARROLL CO., Henry, TN

Built 1950 Load: 9.7 t ADT: 60

FAS 203

Poor

Over: BEAR CREEK

4 MI.EAST OF HARDIN CO., Wayne, TN

Built 1962 Load: 9.7 t ADT: 436

NFSR 35-1

Poor

Over: CITICO CREEK

NATIONAL FOREST, Monroe, TN

Built 1916 Load: 9.7 t ADT: 43

NFA 1751 (SA 0314)

Poor

Over: CHARLIE CREEK

0.9 MI NE JCT SR1&SR69A, Benton, TN

Built 1975 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 1,563

NFA A919

Poor

Over: STONEY CREEK

E OF SR91-NE OF ELIZABETH, Carter, TN

Built 1960 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 230

NFA A018

Poor

Over: OVERFLOW

3.8 MI SW JCT SR59&SR194, Fayette, TN

Built 1944 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 120

NFA 942 (SA 4101)

Poor

Over: CANE CREEK

5 M SE OF PLEASANTVILLE, Hickman, TN

Built 1960 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 186

NFA B100

Poor

Over: OVERFLOW

1.4 MI N OF DYER COUNTY, Obion, TN

Built 1928 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 1,380

NFA B100

Poor

Over: OVERFLOW

1.9 MI N OF DYER COUNTY, Obion, TN

Built 1928 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 1,380

FAU 2825

Poor

Over: CHERRY CREEK

GETWELL RD - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1958 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 44,832

NFA A194

Poor

Over: BRANCH

1 MI N OF SHELBY CO., Tipton, TN

Built 1965 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 300

NFA A906

Poor

Over: STONEY CREEK

NE OF ELIZABETHTON-S OF91, Carter, TN

Built 1960 Load: 10.4 t ADT: 80

NFA A134

Poor

Over: BRANCH

1.5 MI. W. OF SR3, Lauderdale, TN

Built 1999 Load: 10.4 t ADT: 140

NFA A645

Poor

Over: SHOAL CREEK

.2 M. S. SR15@ LAWRENCEBE, Lawrence, TN

Built 1933 Load: 10.4 t ADT: 80

FAS 116

Poor

Over: STOCKSTILL CREEK

IN PETROS AREA, Morgan, TN

Built 1970 Load: 10.4 t ADT: 240

FAU 5696

Poor

Over: CUMBERLAND RIVER

IN THE CITY OF CARTHAGE, Smith, TN

Built 1934 Load: 10.4 t ADT: 6,931

NFSR 210

Poor

Over: TELLICO RIVER

NATIONAL FOREST, Monroe, TN

Built 1931 Load: 10.4 t ADT: 375

NFA A189

Poor

Over: DRY CREEK

3.3 MI SE JCT SR106&SR365, Chester, TN

Built 1973 Load: 10.7 t ADT: 861

NFA A232

Poor

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

2.7 MI NE JCT SR57&SR194, Fayette, TN

Built 1996 Load: 10.7 t ADT: 180

NFA A237

Poor

Over: BRANCH

0.5 MI N JCT SR86&SR196, Fayette, TN

Built 1965 Load: 10.7 t ADT: 90

FAS 347

Poor

Over: BIG CREEK

0.2 M FM MCKINNEY RD, Hawkins, TN

Built 1941 Load: 10.7 t ADT: 1,147

NFA A373

Poor

Over: LITTLE CANE CREEK

1 M. N. OF ALABAMA, Lincoln, TN

Built 1970 Load: 10.7 t ADT: 70

NFA A463

Poor

Over: CARR CREEK

6 M SW OF LAFAYETTE, Macon, TN

Built 1950 Load: 10.7 t ADT: 80

NFA A980 (SA 5710)

Poor

Over: OVERFLOW

1.2 MI JCT OF SR 1, Madison, TN

Built 1922 Load: 10.7 t ADT: 2,294

NFA A301

Poor

Over: BRANCH

4.5 MI NE JCT SR5&SR18, Madison, TN

Built 1970 Load: 10.7 t ADT: 430

NFA A255

Poor

Over: BIG LAUREL CREEK

.1 MI WEST OF FENTRESS CO, Overton, TN

Built 1903 Load: 10.7 t ADT: 30

NFA A012

Poor

Over: BIG INDIAN CREEK

1MI FROM I40, Putnam, TN

Built 1935 Load: 10.7 t ADT: 20

NFA 2534 (SA 2902)

Poor

Over: RICHLAND CREEK

EAST OF SR1, Grainger, TN

Built 1975 Load: 11.0 t ADT: 887

FAS 340

Poor

Over: BRANCH

1 M SE OF I81, Hamblen, TN

Built 1941 Load: 11.0 t ADT: 1,770

NFA A375

Poor

Over: ROAN CREEK

SE OFF SR167-SW OF AIRPRT, Johnson, TN

Built 1962 Load: 11.0 t ADT: 100

FAU 4189

Poor

Over: JOHNS CREEK

RAINES RD, Shelby, TN

Built 1963 Load: 11.0 t ADT: 20,846

FAS 353

Poor

Over: NOLICHUCKY RIVER

.5 M NE JCT SR107&SR353, Washington, TN

Built 1958 Load: 11.0 t ADT: 1,355

NFA A210

Poor

Over: MILL CREEK

1.5 MI FROM OVERTON CO LN, Clay, TN

Built 1941 Load: 11.3 t ADT: 40

FAU 4470 (SA 3305)

Poor

Over: NORTH CHICKAMAUGA CREEK

.8 MI EAST OF SR 153, Hamilton, TN

Built 1955 Load: 11.3 t ADT: 4,488

NFA A104

Poor

Over: JONES CREEK

3 M. NW. PRIMM SPRINGS, Hickman, TN

Built 1975 Load: 11.3 t ADT: 20

NFA A482

Poor

Over: DUMPLIN CREEK

1.9 M NW OF SR92-I40 JCT., Jefferson, TN

Built 1938 Load: 11.3 t ADT: 250

NFA A413

Poor

Over: FLAT FORK CREEK

FROZEN HEAD STATE PARK, Morgan, TN

Built 1935 Load: 11.3 t ADT: 150

FAU 5012

Poor

Over: JOHNS CREEK

KNIGHT ARNOLD RD - MEMPHI, Shelby, TN

Built 1962 Load: 11.3 t ADT: 23,199

NFA 1679

Poor

Over: JACKS CREEK

3.4 MI SE JCT SR100&SR200, Chester, TN

Built 1991 Load: 11.7 t ADT: 929

NFA A733

Poor

Over: DECATUR BRANCH

IN DECATUR CITY LIMITS, Meigs, TN

Built 1931 Load: 11.7 t ADT: 2,330

FAP 60

Poor

Over: TENNESSEE RIVER

S. OF DAYTON, Meigs, TN

Built 1995 Load: 11.7 t ADT: 4,894

NFA A140

Poor

Over: SIMMONS BRANCH

1.0 M NE JCT. SR15&SR99, Wayne, TN

Built 1999 Load: 11.7 t ADT: 30

FAU 3599 350044P

Poor

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN RR

IN CHATTANOOGA, Hamilton, TN

Built 1955 Load: 12.0 t ADT: 4,753

NFA A897

Poor

Over: LOST CREEK

2.7 M SW OF US11E-SR92 JC, Jefferson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 12.0 t ADT: 70

Showing 19,651-19,700 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.