WESTERN BYPASS
Carrying WESTERN BYPASS over BLACK WARRIOR RIVER
NORTHPORT-TUSCALOOSA, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: WESTERN BYPASS
The WESTERN BYPASS bridge in Tuscaloosa, Alabama carries WESTERN BYPASS over BLACK WARRIOR RIVER. It was built in 1998, making it 28 years old today. The structure is built primarily of prestressed concrete continuous and spans 3 sections, stretching 292.9 meters (961 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 7,835 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Alabama bridges. It is owned and maintained by Private.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. All reported major components score above the Poor range. Its NBI inventory load rating is 28.7 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How WESTERN BYPASS compares
Live comparison across Alabama.
Historical Sufficiency Rating
PlainBridge-computedFHWA discontinued this calculated item; it does not determine current condition, funding eligibility, posting, or closure. How the historical reference is calculated.
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1998
- Material
- Prestressed Concrete Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 292.9 m (961 ft)
- Deck Width
- 19.2 m (63 ft)
- Owner
- Private
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 7,835 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 017328
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • At 6/9, the deck (driving surface) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • At 7/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
- • At 7/9, the substructure (piers and abutments) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether WESTERN BYPASS is safe to cross today. Here is how to use it.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Learn how the 0–9 condition scale and Good/Fair/Poor categories are defined. How condition ratings work
- Compare WESTERN BYPASS against other structures in Tuscaloosa and across Alabama. Alabama bridges
- Noticed visible damage or a safety concern? Report it to the agency that owns the bridge, or call 911 in an emergency. How to report a bridge
Condition codes come straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory and are not a real-time safety judgment. Only the owning agency, a state DOT, county, or other owner, can post, restrict, or close a bridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the condition ratings mean for WESTERN BYPASS?
WESTERN BYPASS in Tuscaloosa, Alabama has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is WESTERN BYPASS inspected?
WESTERN BYPASS's responsible agency sets its routine interval under FHWA's risk-based inspection rules; this page does not expose the scheduled interval. It carries about 7,835 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. WESTERN BYPASS is currently shown as Fair condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for WESTERN BYPASS?
WESTERN BYPASS has an NBI inventory load rating of 28.7 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining WESTERN BYPASS?
WESTERN BYPASS is owned and maintained by Private.
How old is WESTERN BYPASS and does age affect safety?
WESTERN BYPASS was built in 1998, making it 28 years old.
Disclaimer: Bridge condition data is from the FHWA NBI and reflects the last reported inspection. A Poor condition rating is not a live declaration that a bridge is closed or unsafe for travel. For current closure, posting, or safety information, contact the responsible transportation agency.
Every figure on PlainBridge is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.