National Bridge Inventory: Tennessee



  • The state has identified needed repairs on 7,358 bridges.
  • This compares to 7,448 bridges that needed work in 2021.
  • Over the life of the IIJA, Tennessee will receive a total of $403.3 million in bridge formula funds, which will help make needed repairs.
  • Tennessee currently has access to $322.6 million of that total, and has committed $245.6 million towards 48 projects as of June 2025.
  • Of the 20,374 bridges in the state, 887, or 4.4 percent, are classified as structurally deficient. This means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition.
  • This is up from 841 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2021.
  • The deck area of structurally deficient bridges accounts for 4.7 percent of total deck area on all structures.

Top Most Traveled Structurally Deficient Bridges in Tennessee

County Year Built Daily Crossings Type of Bridge Location
Davidson 1958 155,629 Urban Interstate I24 over Mill Creek
Davidson 1960 154,055 Urban Interstate I40 over I24
Davidson 1963 131,122 Urban Interstate I40 over Mill Creek
Hamilton 1960 115,412 Urban Interstate I24 EBL & WBL over Branch
Davidson 1961 113,584 Urban Interstate I-24 WB Ramp over I-24 EB
Hamilton 1959 110,093 Urban Interstate I75 over Branch
Williamson 1963 109,713 Urban Interstate I65 over Branch
Davidson 1967 101,986 Urban Interstate I65 343316H over Cumberland Rv & Cowan St
Hamilton 1963 98,487 Urban Interstate I24 over Sou Rwy (Abandoned)
Davidson 1962 97,513 Urban Interstate I40 over I40 / Westboro Road
Hamilton 1964 94,104 Urban Interstate I24 WBL over Missionary Ridge
Hamilton 1965 94,104 Urban Interstate I24 EBL over Missionary Ridge
Williamson 1963 94,031 Urban Interstate I65 over I65 / SR106 & Harpeth Rv
Williamson 1963 94,031 Urban Interstate I65 over I65 / SR106 & Harpeth Rv
Davidson 1972 74,643 Rural Interstate I-24W over Old Hickory Blvd.
Davidson 1972 74,643 Rural Interstate I-24E over Old Hickory Blvd.
Hamilton 1964 69,132 Urban Interstate I24 over Brown S Ferry (FAU 3622)
Hamilton 1964 69,132 Urban Interstate I24 over Browns Ferry Rd(FAU 3622
Shelby 1966 62,695 Urban Interstate I40-EB-Rp to I240 over I40-Rp-K / I240-Rl-Ex-Rp
Wilson 1964 57,395 Urban Interstate I40 over I40 / SR 26
Shelby 1968 53,975 Urban freeway/expressway Fau 4032 over Waring Rd
Shelby 1973 53,211 Urban Interstate I40-Ll-Exit-Ramp over I40-WB-Ex Rp / N 3rd St.
Marion 1965 52,102 Rural Interstate I24 over Sequatchie River
Marion 1965 52,102 Rural Interstate I24 over Sequatchie River
Shelby 1929 48,162 Urban other principal arterial Fap 14 297767K over IC RR & Nonconnah Creek

Bridge Inventory: Tennessee

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 624 719,733 23,263,456 21 21,856 927,286
Rural arterial 1,084 942,663 8,375,476 31 30,416 220,602
Rural minor arterial 1,212 745,698 5,296,771 48 37,308 194,607
Rural major collector 1,888 699,143 2,880,250 91 40,983 152,549
Rural minor collector 2,891 713,010 1,999,724 134 43,633 111,874
Rural local road 6,334 958,838 1,403,717 286 42,806 59,320
Urban Interstate 995 1,719,422 76,570,836 25 46,451 2,043,071
Urban freeway/expressway 379 653,717 14,155,592 6 5,016 231,960
Urban other principal arterial 1,320 1,651,268 26,677,324 72 106,640 1,436,683
Urban minor arterial 1,059 984,911 12,095,068 59 79,295 694,698
Urban collector 1,009 435,791 4,470,758 45 23,601 176,438
Urban local road 1,579 412,693 2,275,301 69 27,211 101,911
Total 20,374 10,636,886 179,464,273 887 505,217 6,350,999

Proposed Bridge Work

Type of Work Number of Bridges Cost to Repair
(in millions)
Daily Crossings Area of Bridges
(sq. meters)
Bridge replacement 836 $766 3,984,110 350,286
Widening & rehabilitation 3,433 $2,070 20,347,576 1,394,602
Rehabilitation 2,627 $2,906 42,821,045 1,785,343
Deck rehabilitation/replacement 121 $309 1,114,106 187,841
Other structural work 341 $307 1,896,313 207,260
Total 7,358 $6,357 70,163,150 3,925,332

About the data:

Data and cost estimates are from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on June 24, 2025. 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 2023 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.

40
Compared to 41 in 2024

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 19.0%
39. Maryland 4.0%
40. Tennessee 4.0%
41. New Mexico 4.0%

20
Compared to 20 in 2024

in the nation in # of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 4,424
19. South Dakota 945
20. Tennessee 887
21. Arkansas 695

28
Compared to 28 in 2024

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridge deck area

1. West Virginia 13.0%
27. Nebraska 5.0%
28. Tennessee 5.0%
29. Minnesota 5.0%
Full State Ranking

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  • Source: Data is from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on June 24, 2025. Note that specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections.

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