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 1486

Fair

Over: DRY FORK CREEK

0.3 MI NORTH OF I40, Wilson, TN

Built 1984 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 288

NFA A721

Fair

Over: BIG CANEY BRANCH

1.9 M SW JCT I40&SMITH CL, Wilson, TN

Built 1950 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 60

NFA B127

Fair

Over: BRANCH

ON GREEN HILL RD, Wilson, TN

Built 1989 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 4,780

NFA 1067 (SA 9525)

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.7 MI NORTH OF I40, Wilson, TN

Built 1950 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 2,107

FAP 10

Fair

Over: SINKING CREEK

.3 M N JCT I40&SR10, Wilson, TN

Built 1958 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 22,265

FAP 401 (SR 24)

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.2 M E JCT SR24&SR171, Wilson, TN

Built 1930 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 19,355

NFSR 210

Fair

Over: TELLICO RIVER

NATIONAL FOREST, Monroe, TN

Built 1984 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 386

FOOTHILLS PARKWAY

Fair

Over: LOOK ROCK ACCESS ROAD

7.9 MILES NORTHEAST FROM, Blount, TN

Built 1964 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 300

I75

Fair

Over: COAL CREEK

1.5 M E OF LAKE CITY, Anderson, TN

Built 1971 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 49,351

FAS 9 730870R

Fair

Over: SOUTHERN RAILWAY

0.47 MI.FR.JCT.FAS 2589, Anderson, TN

Built 1970 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 6,157

FAS 9 730870R

Fair

Over: SOUTHERN RAILWAY

0.47 MI.S.OF JCT.FAS 2589, Anderson, TN

Built 1970 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 6,157

FAP 62

Fair

Over: RAMPS TO & FROM SR 170

AT KNOX CO. LN., Anderson, TN

Built 1979 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 48,147

FAP 37

Fair

Over: BRANCH

AT TIGER VALLEY, Carter, TN

Built 1958 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 8,247

I40

Fair

Over: HARTFORD ROAD (931)

1.7 MI E CHEROKEE NAT PK, Cocke, TN

Built 1970 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 29,849

I40

Fair

Over: HARTFORD ROAD (931)

1.7 MI E CHEROKEE NAT PK, Cocke, TN

Built 1970 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 29,849

NFA 1442 (SA 2405)

Fair

Over: BRANCH

.9 MI SE JCT SR76 & SR195, Fayette, TN

Built 1975 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 1,465

NFA A212

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1 MI N OF SR179, Haywood, TN

Built 1988 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 30

NFA 1698 (SA 3902)

Fair

Over: PINEY CREEK

4 MI E OF SR22A, Henderson, TN

Built 1960 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 185

NFA A451

Fair

Over: BELL BRANCH

3 MI E OF MADISON, Henderson, TN

Built 1984 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 240

FAP 100

Fair

Over: EAST FORK CANE CREEK

1 MI S OF SR104, Henderson, TN

Built 1931 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 3,646

FAP 22

Fair

Over: FLAT CREEK

1 MI S OF SR114, Henderson, TN

Built 1931 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 3,081

NFA A076

Fair

Over: PINE LICK CREEK

3MI NORTH OF SR56, Jackson, TN

Built 1985 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 70

NFA A212

Fair

Over: GIBSON HOLLOW BRANCH

.1MI EAST OF SR56, Jackson, TN

Built 1965 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 1,550

NFA A235

Fair

Over: RUSH FORK CREEK

5MI WEST OF SR56, Jackson, TN

Built 1978 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 50

FAS 275

Fair

Over: FLINT RIVER

.15 M S OF STEWART CHP RD, Lincoln, TN

Built 1963 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 703

I40

Fair

Over: SR 95

.6 M W OF ROANE CO LN, Loudon, TN

Built 1959 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 42,725

FAP 10

Fair

Over: DRY BRANCH

5.14 MI S OF LAFAYETTE, Macon, TN

Built 1942 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 4,889

FAP 151

Fair

Over: LITTLE SALT LICK CREEK

.2 M SW OF RED BOILING SP, Macon, TN

Built 1985 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 313

NFA A471

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

4 M. S. MT. PLEASANT., Maury, TN

Built 2011 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 330

NFA A023

Fair

Over: BRANCH

7. M. SW. LOBELVILLE., Perry, TN

Built 1984 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 40

NFA A101

Fair

Over: RED BANK CREEK

3.5 M NW OF LOBELVILLE, Perry, TN

Built 1984 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 70

NFA A113

Fair

Over: LAGOON BRANCH

1 M.E.SR13-LOBELVILLE, Perry, TN

Built 1984 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 50

FAP 1 RAMP D

Fair

Over: SR 1 RP D/SR 1 & RP C

3.4 M SE JCT SR1&SR266, Rutherford, TN

Built 1982 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 34,465

NFA 5161

Fair

Over: BRANCH

FARMINGTON BLVD-SHELBY, Shelby, TN

Built 1993 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 16,531

NFA K300

Fair

Over: WORKHOUSE BAYOU

GUERNSEY AVE - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1940 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 470

MILL BRANCH RD.

Fair

Over: CORPORATE AVE.

MILL BRANCH RD - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1985 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 17,304

I55 NB

Fair

Over: NONCONNAH CREEK

.5 MI S OF I240 JCT, Shelby, TN

Built 1962 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 131,916

I240

Fair

Over: I-240 WB. / SR-4

I-240NB OVER SR-4, Shelby, TN

Built 1968 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 82,917

I-240 EXIT RAMP

Fair

Over: DITCH

AT SR-4 JCT., Shelby, TN

Built 1968 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 148,274

FAU 2821

Fair

Over: CYPRESS CREEK

N. HOLLYWOOD ST - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1955 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 21,144

FAU 2831

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

MALLORY AVE - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1960 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 12,903

FAP 385

Fair

Over: HALL CREEK

0.4 MI N OF I-40 JCT., Shelby, TN

Built 2000 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 16,804

FAP 385

Fair

Over: HALL CREEK

0.4 MI N OF I-40 JCT., Shelby, TN

Built 2000 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 16,804

NFA 1797 (SA 8112)

Fair

Over: BLUE CREEK

3 MI NW OF SR 76, Stewart, TN

Built 1966 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 68

NFA A113

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

2.5 MI S LEWIS CO LINE, Wayne, TN

Built 1984 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 20

NFA A354

Fair

Over: CYPRESS CREEK

0.5 MI NW JCT SR227&ALA L, Wayne, TN

Built 1965 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 80

NFA A369

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

3 MI S OF SR124, Weakley, TN

Built 1999 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 40

FAS 190

Fair

Over: CUPP BRANCH

NEAR PALMERSVILLE, Weakley, TN

Built 1960 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 279

FAP 43 RAMP L

Fair

Over: SR-43 / SR-431 S.B.

SR 431, Weakley, TN

Built 1994 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 4,733

NFSR 35-1

Fair

Over: CANEY BRANCH

NATIONAL FOREST, Monroe, TN

Built 1922 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 79

Showing 4,551-4,600 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.