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

I24

Fair

Over: SR 8 (US41) WESTSIDE DR.

2 MI S OF SR27, Hamilton, TN

Built 1963 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 98,487

FAU 1258 297434J

Fair

Over: CNIC RAILROAD

IN RIPLEY, Lauderdale, TN

Built 1987 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 4,194

NFA A166 (SA 5526)

Fair

Over: COON CREEK

3 MI S OF CHESTER CO., McNairy, TN

Built 1979 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 107

I40 LF LN

Fair

Over: SR 29

1.7 M SE JCT I40&SR61, Roane, TN

Built 1970 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 36,375

FAP 35

Fair

Over: GISTS CREEK RL

IN SEVIERVILLE, Sevier, TN

Built 1956 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 15,031

FAU 4196

Fair

Over: CYRESS CREEK

WEAVER RD - MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1969 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 5,203

FAS 204

Fair

Over: WOLF RIVER

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

Built 1975 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 42,256

NFA 1006 (SA 9517)

Fair

Over: OLD HICKORY LAKE

3.4 MI NW JCT SR24& SR171, Wilson, TN

Built 1945 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 7,537

NFA 2314 (SA 2505)

Fair

Over: SO. PRONG CLEAR FK. CR

1MI WESTOF MORGAN CO LINE, Fentress, TN

Built 1945 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 348

I40 RAMP TO I75 SB

Fair

Over: I75 NBL

NEAR KNOX CO. LINE, Loudon, TN

Built 1964 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 41,804

FAS 138

Fair

Over: PENNYCOST CREEK

.5 MI.SOUTHEAST OF MERCER, Madison, TN

Built 1992 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 866

I24

Fair

Over: BIG FIERY GIZZARD CREEK

1 MI S OF SR2, Marion, TN

Built 1963 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 36,821

NFA A141

Fair

Over: PUMPKIN CREEK

9.5 M. NE. COLUMBIA, Maury, TN

Built 2011 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 170

NFA E721

Fair

Over: OLIVE AVE / I-55

OLIVE AVE @ I55-MEMPHIS, Shelby, TN

Built 1962 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 280

NFSR 103

Fair

Over: LITTLE LOST CREEK

NATIONAL FOREST, Polk, TN

Built 1989 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 50

SR 444

Fair

Over: LITTLE TENNESSEE RIVER

BELOW TELLICO DAM, Loudon, TN

Built 1981 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 9,302

I75

Fair

Over: HINDS CREEK

2.5 M N OF SR61, Anderson, TN

Built 1972 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 53,108

NFA A131

Fair

Over: GLADE CREEK

BLEDSOE STATE FOREST, Bledsoe, TN

Built 2005 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 10

NFA 2145 (SA 0809)

Fair

Over: EAST FORK STONES RIVER

.09 MI NORTH OF US70S, Cannon, TN

Built 1971 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 813

FAP 364

Fair

Over: SR 364/SR1&CSX RAILROAD

1.9 MI NE JCT SR1&SR22, Carroll, TN

Built 1982 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 3,507

FAU 359

Fair

Over: BUFFALO CREEK

IN JOHNSON CITY, Carter, TN

Built 1925 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 7,010

I40

Fair

Over: SR 1 (HWY 70S)

I40/SR1, Davidson, TN

Built 1959 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 57,507

I40

Fair

Over: I40 / MORROW RD

I40/ MORROW RD, Davidson, TN

Built 1963 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 119,563

I65

Fair

Over: BERRY ROAD

I65-BERRY RD, Davidson, TN

Built 1972 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 107,707

I65

Fair

Over: L1-I65 & SR6

I440-I65 @ MELROSE I/C, Davidson, TN

Built 1985 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 162,710

NFA A227

Fair

Over: PINE CREEK

3 MI EAST OF SR56, DeKalb, TN

Built 1984 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 70

NFA A323

Fair

Over: SMITH FORK CREEK

01 MI FROM WILSON CO LI, DeKalb, TN

Built 1985 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 100

NFA 954

Fair

Over: BEAVERDAM CREEK

CATHEY RD - DICKSON CO, Dickson, TN

Built 1996 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 219

FAP 1

Fair

Over: OVERFLOW

NORTH EAST OF BRADEN, Fayette, TN

Built 1929 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 4,571

FAP 59

Fair

Over: OVERFLOW

7.9 MILES EAST OF BRADEN, Fayette, TN

Built 1997 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 1,813

I-269

Fair

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN RWY

0.1 MI SOUT OF SR-57 JCT., Fayette, TN

Built 2005 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 9,887

I-269

Fair

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN RWY

0.1 MI S. OF SR-57 JCT., Fayette, TN

Built 2005 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 9,887

NFA A029

Fair

Over: PARKER BRANCH

1.1 MI SE JCT SR105&DYER, Gibson, TN

Built 1970 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 100

FAP 11

Fair

Over: SHOAL CREEK

7 MI NE ALA-TN ST LI, Giles, TN

Built 1973 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 2,874

NFA A473 731250F

Fair

Over: SOUTHERN RAILWAY

.5 M N OF 11E AT TUSCULUM, Greene, TN

Built 1970 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 720

NFA 1350 (SA 3016)

Fair

Over: LICK CREEK

1.3 M S OF I81-US11E JCT, Greene, TN

Built 1990 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 1,254

FAS 2

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

2.4 MI.NORTH OF MONTEAGLE, Grundy, TN

Built 1926 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 1,171

NFA A547

Fair

Over: LONG CREEK

LONG CREEK RD, Hamblen, TN

Built 1999 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 180

I81 730393A

Fair

Over: SOUTHERN RAILWAY

.2 M.FROM JEFFERSON CO.LN, Hamblen, TN

Built 1967 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 49,004

I24

Fair

Over: SR 2

2.9 MI E OF GA STATE LINE, Hamilton, TN

Built 1964 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 64,258

I24

Fair

Over: SR 2

2.9 MI E OF GA STATE LINE, Hamilton, TN

Built 1964 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 64,258

I75

Fair

Over: BRANCH

5 MI S OF BRAD HAM CO LI, Hamilton, TN

Built 1960 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 60,977

FAU 2

Fair

Over: SR 153

SR-2 / SR-153 JCT., Hamilton, TN

Built 1961 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 21,368

FAP 29 NBL

Fair

Over: BIG OPOSSUM CREEK

2.79 MI. N OF SR-111 JCT., Hamilton, TN

Built 1992 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 16,788

FAP 29 SBL

Fair

Over: BIG OPOSSUM CREEK

2.79 MI. N OF SR-111 JCT., Hamilton, TN

Built 1992 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 16,788

FAS 63

Fair

Over: MULBERRY CREEK

3.4 M SW OF CLAIBORNE CO, Hancock, TN

Built 1959 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 362

I40

Fair

Over: BIG MUDDY CREEK

2.4 MI NE FAYETTE CO LI, Haywood, TN

Built 1962 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 28,765

I40

Fair

Over: POPLAR CREEK

2 M N OF SR76, Haywood, TN

Built 1962 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 36,373

I40

Fair

Over: POPLAR CREEK

2 M N OF SR76, Haywood, TN

Built 1962 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 36,373

I40

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.9 MI N JCT SR179, Haywood, TN

Built 1962 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 36,373

Showing 4,901-4,950 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.