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

FAP 7

Fair

Over: EAST LYNN CREEK

13.5 MI.N.OF PULASKI, Giles, TN

Built 1927 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 3,402

FAP 15

Fair

Over: LEATHERWOOD CREEK

.6 M E OF I65, Giles, TN

Built 2000 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 5,617

I24

Fair

Over: SR 27 (ROSSVILLE BLVD.)

2 MI FROM SR58, Hamilton, TN

Built 1961 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 110,983

I24 WB

Fair

Over: I24 WB / SR2 BROAD ST

.25 M E OF I124 JCT, Hamilton, TN

Built 1990 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 105,057

NFA A168

Fair

Over: TURKEY CREEK

CAMPGROUND RD N SR 203, Hardin, TN

Built 1970 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 80

FAS 69

Fair

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

5.3 MI.WEST OF SALTILLO, Hardin, TN

Built 1987 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 1,227

FAP 66

Fair

Over: NFA 1449

2.0 M SE OF ROGERSVILLE, Hawkins, TN

Built 1968 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 1,461

I40

Fair

Over: OVERFLOW

0.1 M SE OF GROUND RD, Haywood, TN

Built 1962 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 28,765

FAP 7

Fair

Over: LICK CREEK

7.23 M SE OF SR 100, Hickman, TN

Built 1991 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 2,580

NFA 1024 (SA 5204)

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

5 M. W. FAYETTEVILLE., Lincoln, TN

Built 1940 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 501

NFA A045

Fair

Over: S FK LITTLE SEWEE CREEK

4MI WEST OF I75, McMinn, TN

Built 2001 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 80

FAP 57

Fair

Over: OVERFLOW

1.4 MI.W.OF RAMER, McNairy, TN

Built 1939 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 1,606

NFA A707

Fair

Over: FALLING WATER RIVER

.5MI SOUTH OF I40, Putnam, TN

Built 1975 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 1,360

FAP 52 841844H

Fair

Over: SOUTHERN RAILWAY

.19 MI.EAST OF MORGAN CO., Scott, TN

Built 2000 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 1,259

FAU 2819

Fair

Over: BRANCH

HAWKINS MILL RD-MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1968 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 2,182

I55 NB

Fair

Over: I240 EB RAMP

.1 MI S OF I240 JCT, Shelby, TN

Built 1958 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 131,916

NFA A019 (SA 8410)

Fair

Over: HODGES CREEK

3 MI N OF GILTEDGE, Tipton, TN

Built 1978 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 130

NFA A022

Fair

Over: HODGES CREEK

3 MI N OF SR59, Tipton, TN

Built 1981 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 50

NFA 1351 (SA 8604)

Fair

Over: NORTH INDIAN CREEK

IN UNICOI, Unicoi, TN

Built 1976 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 1,607

NFA A547

Fair

Over: BULL PEN CREEK

.3MI FROM CANNON CO.LINE, Warren, TN

Built 1988 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 40

FAU 441

Fair

Over: MOORES LN LL / I65

2.2 MI SE JCT SR6&SR253, Williamson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 17,725

ATTU STREET

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE CANAL

1 KM E OF SINGLETON AVE., Shelby, TN

Built 1942 Load: 24.8 t ADT: 1,000

NFA A360

Fair

Over: HARPETH RIVER

0.75 M.N. I40 IN PEGRAM, Cheatham, TN

Built 1987 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 1,240

FAS 125

Fair

Over: PINEY CREEK

1.4 M N HARDEMAN CO LINE, Chester, TN

Built 1972 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 258

FAU 3411

Fair

Over: LITTLE DUCK RIVER

IN MANCHESTER CITY LIMITS, Coffee, TN

Built 1930 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 3,756

FAU 1017 343814S

Fair

Over: MYATT DR /CSX RR-NFA A67

IN NASHVILLE, Davidson, TN

Built 1966 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 26,942

I24

Fair

Over: I24-SR1

I440-I24 LOOP - C6, Davidson, TN

Built 1985 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 148,679

FAU 5333

Fair

Over: SHELBY AVE / I-24

SHELBY ST / I24, Davidson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 17,329

NFA 1118 (SA 2118)

Fair

Over: GOOSE CREEK

.3MI NORTH OF US70, DeKalb, TN

Built 1972 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 688

I40

Fair

Over: PORTER RD.

2 M SW JCT I40&SR59, Fayette, TN

Built 1963 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 38,372

NFA 2316 (SA 2513)

Fair

Over: POPLAR COVE CREEK

4MI NORTH OF SR 52, Fentress, TN

Built 2006 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 229

FAP 16

Fair

Over: BOILING FORK CREEK

IN WINCHESTER CITY LIMITS, Franklin, TN

Built 1941 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 16,421

NFA A975

Fair

Over: BRANCH OF BUCK CREEK

3.8 MI SE JCT SR104&SR188, Gibson, TN

Built 1990 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 30

I65

Fair

Over: I65 RL/CLOCK CK-NFA A15

2.4 MI S MARSHALL CO LI, Giles, TN

Built 1965 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 24,295

I24

Fair

Over: GERMANTOWN RD (FAU 3577)

IN CHATTANOOGA, Hamilton, TN

Built 2022 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 91,448

FAU 319 / FAU 5395

Fair

Over: FAU 5395

SR-319 / FAU 5395 JCT., Hamilton, TN

Built 1981 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 22,330

NFA A091

Fair

Over: RICHLAND CREEK

1 MI E OF FAYETTE CO., Hardeman, TN

Built 1969 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 110

FAS 346 243954T

Fair

Over: CSX RAILROAD

1/2 MI. OF CHURCH HILL, Hawkins, TN

Built 1980 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 3,153

NFA A190

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK BLOOD RIVER

1 MI. N. OF SR140, Henry, TN

Built 1955 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 50

I40

Fair

Over: GARNER CREEK RD.

.9 MI.SW.OF DICKSON CO., Hickman, TN

Built 1964 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 33,414

I40

Fair

Over: GARNER CREEK RD.

.9 MI.SW.OF DICKSON CO., Hickman, TN

Built 1964 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 33,414

NFA 910 (SA 4308)

Fair

Over: LITTLE RICHLAND CREEK

3 M.N. WAVERLY-, Humphreys, TN

Built 1960 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 1,266

FAU 4830

Fair

Over: INSKIP RD. / I75

.8 M N OF SHARPS GAP, Knox, TN

Built 1969 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 6,735

FAU 1

Fair

Over: TEN MILE CREEK

4.5 M NE OF SR332, Knox, TN

Built 1936 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 30,276

FAP 73

Fair

Over: TELLICO LAKE & SR-444

5 MI.W.OF BLOUNT CO., Loudon, TN

Built 1975 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 13,140

NFA A251

Fair

Over: BRANCH

2.9 MI SE JCT SR43&SR215, Obion, TN

Built 1970 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 40

FAS 96

Fair

Over: BRANCH

2.3 MI FROM SR 24, Putnam, TN

Built 1987 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 285

FAP 52

Fair

Over: SR 52 / I65

.3 M W SUMNER CO LN, Robertson, TN

Built 1967 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 3,352

I40-LL

Fair

Over: I-40 W.B. / WOLF RIVER

0.2 MI S OF I40-SR300 JCT, Shelby, TN

Built 1976 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 103,151

FAU 385

Fair

Over: SR385 / WINCHESTER RD

0.5 MI E OF SR177 JCT., Shelby, TN

Built 1996 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 90,458

Showing 3,151-3,200 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.