Counties with the most bridges in dire need of repair in Kentucky

One in three U.S. bridges is in need of repair or replacement, according to data from the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, including 29% of interstate bridges. The cost to make these repairs is estimated to be in excess of $54 billion.

Stacker investigated which counties in Kentucky have the most bridges in dire need of repair using data from the Federal Highway Administration. The data is accurate as of June 15, 2022. Counties are ranked by percent of bridges in “poor” condition and ties are broken by percent square meters of bridges in poor condition. Counties that have no bridges or have no bridges in poor condition are excluded from the list.

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#20. Bell County

– Bridges in poor condition: 10.2% (21 of 205 bridges)
– Square meters of bridges in poor condition: 3.9% (2,681 of 68,887 square meters of bridges)

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#19. Green County

– Bridges in poor condition: 10.5% (6 of 57 bridges)
– Square meters of bridges in poor condition: 4.6% (732 of 16,016 square meters of bridges)

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#18. Spencer County

– Bridges in poor condition: 10.5% (6 of 57 bridges)
– Square meters of bridges in poor condition: 6.6% (1,903 of 28,749 square meters of bridges)

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#17. Whitley County

– Bridges in poor condition: 10.7% (16 of 149 bridges)
– Square meters of bridges in poor condition: 4.8% (3,651 of 76,570 square meters of bridges)

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#16. Hopkins County

– Bridges in poor condition: 10.8% (27 of 250 bridges)
– Square meters of bridges in poor condition: 8.1% (7,940 of 98,084 square meters of bridges)

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#15. Pike County

– Bridges in poor condition: 11.7% (38 of 324 bridges)
– Square meters of bridges in poor condition: 1.5% (3,929 of 254,809 square meters of bridges)

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#14. Shelby County

– Bridges in poor condition: 11.8% (16 of 136 bridges)
– Square meters of bridges in poor condition: 8.9% (5,779 of 64,933 square meters of bridges)

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#13. Carroll County

– Bridges in poor condition: 11.8% (8 of 68 bridges)
– Square meters of bridges in poor condition: 16.8% (5,310 of 31,541 square meters of bridges)

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#12. McLean County

– Bridges in poor condition: 12.0% (9 of 75 bridges)
– Square meters of bridges in poor condition: 6.9% (1,978 of 28,514 square meters of bridges)

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#11. Franklin County

– Bridges in poor condition: 12.6% (15 of 119 bridges)
– Square meters of bridges in poor condition: 13.3% (10,240 of 76,928 square meters of bridges)

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#10. Martin County

– Bridges in poor condition: 12.9% (9 of 70 bridges)
– Square meters of bridges in poor condition: 4.3% (1,258 of 29,566 square meters of bridges)

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#9. Letcher County

– Bridges in poor condition: 13.2% (22 of 167 bridges)
– Square meters of bridges in poor condition: 5.7% (3,371 of 58,654 square meters of bridges)

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#8. Knott County

– Bridges in poor condition: 13.7% (16 of 117 bridges)
– Square meters of bridges in poor condition: 5.6% (1,003 of 18,021 square meters of bridges)

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#7. Ballard County

– Bridges in poor condition: 14.0% (12 of 86 bridges)
– Square meters of bridges in poor condition: 2.4% (1,096 of 45,509 square meters of bridges)

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#6. McCreary County

– Bridges in poor condition: 15.4% (6 of 39 bridges)
– Square meters of bridges in poor condition: 8.9% (973 of 10,902 square meters of bridges)

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#5. Bracken County

– Bridges in poor condition: 16.3% (8 of 49 bridges)
– Square meters of bridges in poor condition: 9.3% (1,172 of 12,644 square meters of bridges)

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#4. Elliott County

– Bridges in poor condition: 16.7% (9 of 54 bridges)
– Square meters of bridges in poor condition: 5.5% (875 of 15,941 square meters of bridges)

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#3. Clay County

– Bridges in poor condition: 18.8% (31 of 165 bridges)
– Square meters of bridges in poor condition: 12.0% (4,214 of 34,989 square meters of bridges)

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#2. Leslie County

– Bridges in poor condition: 18.9% (21 of 111 bridges)
– Square meters of bridges in poor condition: 12.7% (2,356 of 18,550 square meters of bridges)

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#1. Harlan County

– Bridges in poor condition: 22.0% (56 of 254 bridges)
– Square meters of bridges in poor condition: 8.5% (9,642 of 113,779 square meters of bridges)