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 862 (SA 8335)

Poor

Over: LITTLE TRAMMEL CREEK

3.2 MI NW JCT SR6&SR52, Sumner, TN

Built 1930 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,825

FAS 174

Poor

Over: LITTLE TRAMMEL CREEK

.3 M S KENTUCKY STATE LN, Sumner, TN

Built 1930 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 775

FAU 3328 343824X

Poor

Over: CSX RAILROAD

IN GALLATIN, Sumner, TN

Built 1957 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 5,029

FAS 41

Poor

Over: RIGHT FORK SLATERS CREEK

1.8 M NE JCT SR41&I65, Sumner, TN

Built 1939 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 9,891

NFA A080

Poor

Over: CHARLES CREEK

5MI NORTH OF US 70S, Warren, TN

Built 1965 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 170

FAP 96

Poor

Over: HARPETH RIVER

.4 M SE JCT SR96&SR6, Williamson, TN

Built 1958 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 19,656

NFA 2032 (SA 9510)

Poor

Over: SMITH FORK CREEK

5 MILES SOUTH OF WATERTOW, Wilson, TN

Built 1928 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 320

NFA 2032 (SA 9510)

Poor

Over: SMITH FORK CREEK

5 MI SOUTH OF WATERTOWN, Wilson, TN

Built 1927 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 320

NFA A284

Poor

Over: WEBB BRANCH

1.6 MI NORTH OF SR267, Wilson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 190

NFA A426

Poor

Over: NORTH FORK SUGGS CREEK

1.4 MI SOUTH OF SR265, Wilson, TN

Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,820

NFA 1368

Poor

Over: NORTH FORK SUGGS CREEK

0.1 MI NORTH SR265, Wilson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,786

FAP 10

Poor

Over: FALL CREEK

.3 M N RUTHERFORD CO LINE, Wilson, TN

Built 1956 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 5,258

FAP 401 (SR 24)

Poor

Over: SINKING CREEK

7.0 M E JCT SR24&SR109, Wilson, TN

Built 1931 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 8,355

FAP 28

Poor

Over: BYRDS CREEK

2 MI.SOUTH OF CROSSVILLE, Cumberland, TN

Built 1961 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 11,148

FAP 404 (SR 65)

Poor

Over: S. FORK SYCAMORE CREEK

ON THE ROBERTSON CO LN, Davidson, TN

Built 1947 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 11,214

NFA A044

Poor

Over: OVERFLOW-COW CREEK

3.0 MI SW JCT SR5&SR77, Gibson, TN

Built 1972 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 100

FAU 3615

Poor

Over: CHATTANOOGA CREEK

0.1 MI OF GA TN ST LI, Hamilton, TN

Built 1962 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 5,594

NFA A468

Poor

Over: BRANCH

1.7 MI MI JCT SR5&SR216, Obion, TN

Built 1975 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 50

NFA A024

Poor

Over: ROARING CREEK

1MI WEST OF US 27, Rhea, TN

Built 1993 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 210

FAS 175

Poor

Over: BRANCH OF JOHNS CREEK

0.91 MI. E OF SR-4 JCT., Shelby, TN

Built 1979 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 31,787

FAS 177

Poor

Over: WOLF RIVER

1.7 MI N OF SR 57 JCT, Shelby, TN

Built 1958 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 59,405

NFA A645

Poor

Over: SEQUATCHIE RIVER

1 MILE EAST OF US-127, Cumberland, TN

Built 1974 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 100

FAP 1

Poor

Over: MILL CREEK

.9 M SE JCT I24&SR1, Davidson, TN

Built 1940 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 29,173

I40

Poor

Over: I40-LL / EAST PINEY RD.

3.97 MI W OF SR46, Dickson, TN

Built 1963 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 34,978

FAP 70 730216V

Poor

Over: SOUTHERN RAILWAY

.4 M W OF SR066, Hawkins, TN

Built 1967 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 3,196

FAS 180

Poor

Over: LOST CREEK

1.2 MI CURRIN SCHOOL RD, Haywood, TN

Built 1961 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 601

NFA 1920 (SA 6006)

Poor

Over: DUCK RIVER

4 M. W. WILLIAMSPORT., Maury, TN

Built 1960 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 199

FAS 141

Poor

Over: BOLLING BRANCH

2.4 MI.SE.OF GORDONSVILLE, Smith, TN

Built 1949 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 713

NFA A252

Poor

Over: LITTLE SHAWNETTE CREEK

4.6 MI NE JCT SR13&SR203, Wayne, TN

Built 1970 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 70

FAP 10

Poor

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

2.8 M S JCT SR10&SR265, Wilson, TN

Built 1955 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 6,984

NFA 2202 (SA 1814)

Poor

Over: WEST FORK CREEK

SOUTH OF US70, Cumberland, TN

Built 1960 Load: 25.2 t ADT: 651

NFA A064

Poor

Over: DOE CREEK

S OF SR67-N OF SR167, Johnson, TN

Built 1975 Load: 25.2 t ADT: 40

FAS 1

Poor

Over: FALL CREEK

5 MI.NW. OF ROANE CO., Cumberland, TN

Built 1926 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 2,039

NFA 1854 (SA 2204)

Poor

Over: EAST FORK PINEY RIVER

1.5 M. N. I40., Dickson, TN

Built 1970 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 849

NFA 827

Poor

Over: BRANCH

3.5 MI NE JCT SR20&SR104, Dyer, TN

Built 1982 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 759

NFA A031

Poor

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

BOLING RD IN HARDIN CO, Hardin, TN

Built 1945 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 80

FAP 1

Poor

Over: SR 70

NEAR ROGERSVILLE, Hawkins, TN

Built 1966 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 12,492

NFA A178

Poor

Over: HOLLEY FORK CREEK

2 MI. S. OF SR140, Henry, TN

Built 1962 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 50

NFA A326

Poor

Over: CAMPBELL STATION BRANCH

3.5 M. S. CULLEOKA., Maury, TN

Built 1935 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 150

FAP 76

Poor

Over: SULPHUR FORK CREEK

.1 M E MONTGOMERY CO LI, Robertson, TN

Built 1957 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 998

NFA A039

Poor

Over: LANKFORD BRANCH

2.1 MI NE JCT SR85&SR263, Smith, TN

Built 1960 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 210

FAS 285

Poor

Over: GLADE CREEK

AT CUMBERLAND CO. LINE, Van Buren, TN

Built 1986 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 388

NFA 1114 (SA 8907)

Poor

Over: N.PRONG BARREN FORK RIVE

1.5 MI FROM CANNON CO, Warren, TN

Built 1977 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 770

FAP 34 244038W

Poor

Over: CSX RAILROAD

1.6 M SW JCT SR34&SR91, Washington, TN

Built 1931 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 27,789

NFA A730

Poor

Over: SINKING CREEK

IN CITY OF LEBANON, Wilson, TN

Built 1920 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 3,290

FAS 1

Poor

Over: RENFROE CREEK

7 MI. NW. OF ROANE CO., Cumberland, TN

Built 1929 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 2,039

FAP 15

Poor

Over: BRANCH

.5 MI.E.OF SHELBY CO.LINE, Fayette, TN

Built 1992 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 21,609

FAS 340

Poor

Over: LITTLE CHUCKY CREEK

.4 M SW OF COCKE CO LN, Greene, TN

Built 1986 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 613

FAP 1

Poor

Over: OBED RIVER

.53 MI.E.OF CROSSVILLE, Cumberland, TN

Built 1959 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 9,135

FAU 6

Poor

Over: SR 6 RL / DOUGLAS AVENUE

ELLINGTON PK - DOUGLAS AV, Davidson, TN

Built 1969 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 46,596

Showing 20,101-20,150 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.