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

FAS 1

Fair

Over: MAMMYS CREEK

3.37 MI.NWO OF ROANE CO., Cumberland, TN

Built 1928 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,039

FAS 1

Fair

Over: KING CREEK

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

Built 1928 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,039

FAU 1952 (SA 1914)

Fair

Over: STONES CREEK

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1940 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 4,607

FAU 3287

Fair

Over: STONERS CREEK

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 16,063

FAU 3292

Fair

Over: MCCRORY CREEK

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1955 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 11,565

FAU 4938

Fair

Over: BRANCH

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 9,624

NFA A209

Fair

Over: CROCKER SPRINGS BRANCH

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1987 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 830

FAU 4169

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

ANTIOCH PK @ RICHARDS RD, Davidson, TN

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 10,583

NFA B893

Fair

Over: SORGHUM BRANCH

WILLARD DR @RIDGE DR., Davidson, TN

Built 1955 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,190

FAU 4967

Fair

Over: STONER CREEK

.3 M E LEBANON RD-SR 24, Davidson, TN

Built 1953 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 12,547

NFA F416 350205H

Fair

Over: CSX RAILROAD

HAMILTON AVE @ HAGAN AVE., Davidson, TN

Built 1955 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,570

NFA F427

Fair

Over: BROWNS CREEK

CRAIGHEAD AVE@FAIRGROUNDS, Davidson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 7,030

NFA B312

Fair

Over: HOLLOWAY BRANCH

J.P. HENNESSEY DRIVE, Davidson, TN

Built 1975 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 6,780

NFA C499

Fair

Over: RICHLAND CREEK

CHANCERY ST @ TYNE BLVD., Davidson, TN

Built 1955 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 980

NFA C509

Fair

Over: RICHLAND CREEK

FOXWOOD RD @ BEEKMAN DR., Davidson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 450

NFA C646

Fair

Over: BROWNS CREEK

BATES DR @ CALDWELL LN., Davidson, TN

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 440

NFA C745

Fair

Over: RICHLAND CREEK

JACKSON BLVD@ DEER PARK, Davidson, TN

Built 1925 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,770

NFA C180

Fair

Over: BRANCH

MARCHANT DR @ HOGAN RD, Davidson, TN

Built 1940 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,010

NFA D226

Fair

Over: SULPHUR CREEK

OLD HYDES FERRY PK@OLDH.B, Davidson, TN

Built 1980 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 290

NFA A009

Fair

Over: LONG CREEK

BIDWELL RD. S. BAXTER RD., Davidson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 320

FAU 4921

Fair

Over: DRAKES BRANCH

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1930 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,159

NFA A132

Fair

Over: EATONS CREEK

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1940 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 240

NFA A135

Fair

Over: BRANCH

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1940 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 50

NFA A301

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK SYCAMORE CREE

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 930

NFA A141

Fair

Over: SULPUR CREEK

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 150

NFA D454

Fair

Over: BRANCH

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1955 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 310

NFA D700

Fair

Over: PAGES BRANCH

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 300

NFA A486 350169P

Fair

Over: CSX RAILROAD

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1965 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,740

NFA A298

Fair

Over: BRANCH

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 320

NFA B355

Fair

Over: BRANCH

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 630

NFA C908

Fair

Over: BEECH CREEK

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,740

NFA D152

Fair

Over: RICHLAND CREEK

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1940 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 6,780

NFA E489

Fair

Over: MANSKER CREEK

IN GOODLETTSVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1841 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 30

FAU 4897

Fair

Over: FLAT CREEK

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1965 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 12,236

NFA E992

Fair

Over: SCOTTS CREEK

LADY NASHVILLE DR., Davidson, TN

Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,240

NFA F209

Fair

Over: BRANCH

WILSON BLVD @ ROLLAND, Davidson, TN

Built 1913 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,400

I24

Fair

Over: LAFAYETTE

I440 -I24 LOOP IN NASHVIL, Davidson, TN

Built 1985 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 148,679

FAP 1

Fair

Over: I440 RP F & H

I440 INNERCHANGE, Davidson, TN

Built 1985 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 32,580

FAU 3248

Fair

Over: OTTER CREEK

IN OAK HILL, Davidson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 7,347

FAU 4939 350231X

Fair

Over: CSX RAILROAD

2.67 MI. E. SR-11, Davidson, TN

Built 1951 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,982

FAU 3268

Fair

Over: N FORK EWING CREEK

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 5,362

FAP 1

Fair

Over: BRANCH

.1 M NE JCT SR100&SR1, Davidson, TN

Built 1923 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 28,658

FAP 1

Fair

Over: CSX RAILROAD

.05 M SE SR155&SR1, Davidson, TN

Built 1940 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 30,432

FAP 6

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

1.5 M NE SR45&SR6, Davidson, TN

Built 1926 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 23,985

FAP 12

Fair

Over: EATONS CREEK

1.8 M NW JCT SR12&SR112, Davidson, TN

Built 1947 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 6,848

FAU 24

Fair

Over: BROWN CREEK

.1 M SW JCT SR24&SR251, Davidson, TN

Built 1932 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,043

FAU 24

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

2 M W JCT SR29&SR255, Davidson, TN

Built 1928 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 17,434

FAS 202

Fair

Over: PANTHER CREEK

3.2 M NW JCT SR69&SR100, Decatur, TN

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 961

NFA 1739 (SA 2004)

Fair

Over: TERRAPIN CREEK

3.2 MI NE JCT SR20&SR69, Decatur, TN

Built 1976 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 342

NFA 1758 (SA 2002)

Fair

Over: WHITES CREEK

0.9 MI WEST OF PERRY CO., Decatur, TN

Built 1945 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 193

Showing 2,101-2,150 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.