AL38 / US280
Carrying AL38 / US280 over NORFOLK SOUTHERN R/R
TOWN OF CHILDERSBURG, Talladega, Alabama
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: AL38 / US280
The AL38 / US280 bridge in Talladega, Alabama carries AL38 / US280 over NORFOLK SOUTHERN R/R. It was built in 2019, making it 7 years old today. The structure is built primarily of prestressed concrete and spans 3 sections, stretching 51.0 meters (167 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 24,518 vehicles, placing it in the heavily-trafficked tier of Alabama bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 8/9, superstructure at 8/9, substructure at 8/9. The weakest component sits in good condition. None of this bridge's reported major components fall into the Poor condition range. Its NBI inventory load rating is 53.8 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How AL38 / US280 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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 2019
- Material
- Prestressed Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 51.0 m (167 ft)
- Deck Width
- 28.0 m (92 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 24,518 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 021207
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in good condition (8/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • At 8/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates good at 8/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether AL38 / US280 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 AL38 / US280 against other structures in Talladega 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 AL38 / US280?
AL38 / US280 in Talladega, Alabama has a deck rating of 8/9, superstructure rating of 8/9, and substructure rating of 8/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is AL38 / US280 inspected?
AL38 / US280'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 24,518 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. AL38 / US280 is currently shown as Good condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for AL38 / US280?
AL38 / US280 has an NBI inventory load rating of 53.8 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining AL38 / US280?
AL38 / US280 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is AL38 / US280 and does age affect safety?
AL38 / US280 was built in 2019, making it 7 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.