US 231/SR 53
Carrying US 231/SR 53 over WHITESBURG DRIVE
US231 OVER WHITESBURG DR, Madison, Alabama
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
US 231/SR 53 in Madison, Alabama sits above 87% of rated Alabama bridges on inventory load rating (56 t), while its 2009 build year is earlier than 8% of Madison's recorded-year cohort (710 bridges).
US 231/SR 53 in Madison, Alabama is rated Good in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 2009, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 7. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Good result describes the weakest reported component rather than the structure as a whole. No NBI category is a closure decision or a live crossing-safety verdict.
NBI record plate
Structure AL:018346
POST-2000 · PRESTRESS · MULTI-SPAN · TIED-CTRL · HEAVY-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-GOOD
- POST-2000 2000+
- PRESTRESS Prestressed concrete
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- TIED-CTRL Tied control
- HEAVY-ADT Heavy ADT
- HEAVY-LOAD Heavy load
- CAT-GOOD Good
Inspection-sheet codes from this record’s year, material family, spans, controlling component, ADT, inventory load, and NBI category, not a live closure verdict.
Bridge Snapshot: US 231/SR 53
The US 231/SR 53 bridge in Madison, Alabama carries US 231/SR 53 over WHITESBURG DRIVE. It was built in 2009, making it 17 years old today. The structure is built primarily of prestressed concrete and spans 3 sections, stretching 123.1 meters (404 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 40,203 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 7/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in good condition. None of this bridge's reported major components fall into the Poor condition range.
How US 231/SR 53 compares
Age against the county: built in 2009, earlier than 59 of Madison's 710 bridges with a recorded construction year (8%), against a county median build year of 1970. This is one of the newer structures in its county.
Live comparison across Alabama bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (16,191 of 16,205 rated).
US 231/SR 53 vs every rated Alabama bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
56 Top 13% higher than 87% of 16,191 bridges
rated Alabama bridges, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more bridges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · August 2026
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Reported 0–9 component ratings from the FHWA NBI. The highlighted component is the lowest reported input to this record’s current condition category; it is not a closure or live crossing-safety decision.
Madison inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 710 bridges in this county. Orthogonal to this structure's component profile above: a county catalog share, not a live crossing-safety verdict.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 2009
- Material
- Prestressed Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 123.1 m (404 ft)
- Deck Width
- 14.8 m (49 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 40,203 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 018346
Condition Analysis
- • At 7/9, the deck (driving surface) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether US 231/SR 53 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 US 231/SR 53 against other structures in Madison 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 US 231/SR 53?
US 231/SR 53 in Madison, Alabama has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is US 231/SR 53 inspected?
US 231/SR 53'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 40,203 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. US 231/SR 53 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 US 231/SR 53?
US 231/SR 53 has an NBI inventory load rating of 56.2 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining US 231/SR 53?
US 231/SR 53 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is US 231/SR 53 and does age affect safety?
US 231/SR 53 was built in 2009, making it 17 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.
Share this inspection record
Send this source-bounded record or download its data card. An NBI condition category is not a closure or live crossing-safety verdict.
Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Component ratings, ADT, and condition category on this page are copied from the NBI record for this structure; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.