National Bridge Inventory: Kentucky



  • The state has identified needed repairs on 3,172 bridges.
  • This compares to 3,377 bridges that needed work in 2019.
  • Over the life of the IIJA, Kentucky will receive a total of $472.7 million in bridge formula funds, which will help make needed repairs.
  • Kentucky currently has access to $189.1 million of that total, and has committed $47.5 million towards 79 projects as of June 2023.
  • Of the 14,493 bridges in the state, 1,012, or 7.0 percent, are classified as structurally deficient. This means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition.
  • This is down from 1,042 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2019.
  • The deck area of structurally deficient bridges accounts for 4.9 percent of total deck area on all structures.

County Year Built Daily Crossings Type of Bridge Location
Jefferson 1988 151,835 Urban Interstate I-65 over Standiford Ln
Jefferson 1965 144,000 Urban Interstate I-64 over Ky 3077 (River Rd)
Jefferson 1957 119,270 Urban Interstate I-65 over Bradley Ave
Jefferson 1957 114,308 Urban Interstate I-65 over Hill, CSX RR & Burnett
Jefferson 1959 114,308 Urban Interstate I-65 over E Kentucky & S Brook St
Jefferson 1972 87,355 Urban Interstate I-64 over Ky 3077 & Belvedere
Jefferson 1974 81,002 Urban Interstate I-264 EB over I-264 WB On Ramp
Jefferson 1969 65,180 Urban Interstate I-64 EB Ramp over Ky 3064 (Northwestern)
Jefferson 1984 65,147 Urban Interstate I-265 over Avoca-Quarry Rd
Jefferson 1970 59,068 Urban Interstate I-264 over P&L Railway
Jefferson 1976 58,404 Urban Interstate I-64 over Parking Lots (7-13 St)
Jefferson 1974 51,998 Urban Interstate I-264 EB over I-264 WB Off Ramp
Jefferson 1985 51,078 Urban freeway/expressway Ky 841 over Big Bee Lick Creek
Jefferson 1967 41,584 Urban other principal arterial US 42 over I-264
Jefferson 1963 40,582 Urban Interstate I-64 WB over Tucker Station Rd
Jefferson 1970 33,286 Urban Interstate I-265 SB over Ky 22 (Brownsboro Rd)
Jefferson 1970 33,286 Urban Interstate I-265 NB over Ky 22 (Brownsboro Rd)
Jefferson 1967 32,874 Urban Interstate I-71 SB over US 42
Jefferson 1966 30,163 Urban Interstate I-64 EB over Mid Fork Beargrass Creek
Jefferson 1966 30,163 Urban Interstate I-64 WB over Mid Fork Beargrass Creek
Hopkins 1968 29,492 Urban Interstate Edward T Breathitt over Pennyrile Parkway
Jefferson 1965 28,333 Urban minor arterial Ky 864 over Branch of Greasy Ditch
Franklin 1963 23,900 Rural Interstate I-64 EB over Kentucky River
Franklin 1963 23,900 Rural Interstate I-64 WB over Kentucky River
Fayette 1963 22,616 Urban minor arterial US-25 over I-75
Type of Bridge Number of Bridges Area of All Bridges
(sq. meters)
Daily Crossings on All Bridges Number of Structurally Deficient Bridges Area of Structurally Deficient Bridges
(sq. meters)
Daily Crossings on Structurally Deficient Bridges
Rural Interstate 457 541,852 8,857,078 9 9,408 165,654
Rural arterial 785 1,042,912 4,823,790 5 10,837 33,500
Rural minor arterial 662 449,752 2,725,772 21 10,035 82,961
Rural major collector 1,935 788,544 3,750,139 134 38,065 208,586
Rural minor collector 2,436 582,506 1,552,396 202 40,774 127,078
Rural local road 5,932 836,793 1,228,354 517 65,253 98,028
Urban Interstate 468 937,230 27,558,113 19 89,448 1,341,721
Urban freeway/expressway 132 161,896 2,961,165 1 327 51,078
Urban other principal arterial 274 442,689 3,916,298 8 11,727 134,318
Urban minor arterial 505 557,014 5,223,034 22 29,833 227,326
Urban collector 427 230,097 1,724,043 29 11,436 102,638
Urban local road 480 112,369 668,954 45 7,341 43,617
Total 14,493 6,683,653 64,989,136 1,012 324,482 2,616,505
Type of Work Number of Bridges Cost to Repair
(in millions)
Daily Crossings Area of Bridges
(sq. meters)
Bridge replacement 523 $668 1,027,501 271,926
Widening & rehabilitation 1,946 $1,690 18,909,720 1,078,386
Rehabilitation 583 $293 936,447 169,726
Deck rehabilitation/replacement 2 $5 3,721 2,464
Other structural work 118 $253 989,951 168,102
Total 3,172 $2,909 21,867,340 1,690,605

About the data:

Data and cost estimates are from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on July 3, 2023. Note that specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections.

Effective January 1, 2018, FHWA changed the definition of structurally deficient as part of the final rule on highway and bridge performance measures, published May 20, 2017 pursuant to the 2012 federal aid highway bill Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). Two measures that were previously used to classify bridges as structurally deficient are no longer used. This includes bridges where the overall structural evaluation was rated in poor or worse condition, or where the adequacy of waterway openings was insufficient.

The new definition limits the classification to bridges where one of the key structural elements—the deck, superstructure, substructure or culverts, are rated in poor or worse condition. During inspection, the conditions of a variety of bridge elements are rated on a scale of 0 (failed condition) to 9 (excellent condition). A rating of 4 is considered “poor” condition.

Cost estimates have been derived by ARTBA, based on 2022 average bridge replacement costs for structures on and off the National Highway System, published by FHWA. Bridge rehabilitation costs are estimated to be 68 percent of replacement costs. A bridge is considered to need repair if the structure has identified repairs as part of the NBI, a repair cost estimate is supplied by the bridge owner or the bridge is classified as structurally deficient. Please note that for a few states, the number of bridges needing to be repaired can vary significantly from year to year, and reflects the data entered by the state.

Bridges are classified by FHWA into types based on the functional classification of the roadway on the bridge. Interstates comprise routes officially designated by the Secretary of Transportation. Other principal arterials serve major centers of urban areas or provide mobility through rural areas. Freeways and expressways have directional lanes generally separated by a physical barrier, and access/egress points generally limited to on- and off-ramps. Minor arterials serve smaller areas and are used for trips of moderate length. Collectors funnel traffic from local roads to the arterial network; major collectors have higher speed limits and traffic volumes and are longer in length and spaced at greater intervals, while minor collectors are shorter and provide service to smaller communities. Local roads do not carry through traffic and are intended for short distance travel.

20
Compared to 19 in 2022

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridges

1. West Virginia 20.0%
19. North Carolina 7.0%
20. Kentucky 7.0%
21. Montana 7.0%

17
Compared to 17 in 2022

in the nation in # of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 4,558
16. Indiana 1,018
17. Kentucky 1,012
18. South Dakota 985

29
Compared to 28 in 2022

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridge deck area

1. Rhode Island 15.0%
28. Tennessee 5.0%
29. Kentucky 5.0%
30. Nebraska 5.0%
Full State Ranking

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  • Source: Data is from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on July 3, 2023. Note that specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections.

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