County profile · official public datasets

Madison County, AL

710 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 41.8% rated Good, 56.9% Fair, 1.3% Poor.

710
Public bridges
41.8%
Good condition
1.3%
Poor condition

The verdict

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.

Madison County posts a top-quartile lowest Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state across large county bridge inventory.

Top 22%
lowest Poor share in state
1.3%
Poor-condition share
710
public highway bridges
1972
avg year built

Poor is an FHWA condition category from the lowest applicable component rating (4 or below), not a live crossing-safety or closure decision. Rankings cover counties with at least five public highway bridges.

Madison County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Madison County ranks #15 of 67 Alabama counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 1.3%). Madison County, Alabama contains 710 public highway bridges. Roughly 41.8% are rated “Good,” 56.9% “Fair,” and 1.3% “Poor.” Poor means the lowest applicable deck, superstructure, substructure, or culvert rating is 4 or below on the 0–9 NBI scale. It is a condition category, not a live safety or closure decision.

Responsible agencies inspect covered bridges on risk-based intervals under current NBIS rules and submit inventory data to FHWA annually. The list below shows every NBI-tracked bridge in the county. Use the “Sort by” controls to change the ordering, and click any row for its reported inspection date, traffic count, and condition fields.

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See methodology for full definitions.

Total bridges

710

Public highway bridges in Madison County

Good condition

41.8%

297 of 710 rated 7-9

Fair condition

56.9%

404 of 710 rated 5-6

Poor condition

1.3%

9 of 710 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#15 of 67

Among Alabama counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better

Condition distribution

Share of 710 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
41.8% (297)
Fair
56.9% (404)
Poor
1.3% (9)

Madison County's Poor-condition bridges carry 35,312 vehicle crossings a day

That is 0.5% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 1.3% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 3,924 crossings a day against 10,801 for a Good-condition one. A Poor rating is a condition category, not a closure or a live safety judgement; it means the lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below.

Computed over the 709 of 710 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

55.5% of Madison County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

394 of the 710 bridges with a recorded construction year were built in 1974 or earlier. Age alone is not a defect: a well-maintained older bridge can rate Good, and 41.8% of this county's inventory does. Even so, this older cohort is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn, which is why the age profile below matters alongside the condition split above.

Cutoff derives from the 2024 release year minus a 50-year design life. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

One structure carries 54.1% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

SPARKMAN DR over PINHOOK CREEK, built 1968, carries 19,100 vehicles a day, the most of any Poor-rated structure here. The county's Poor-condition exposure is concentrated rather than evenly spread, so the 9-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 35,312 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Madison County's bridges were built

710 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1990s, when 99 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 13.9% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 25 to 34 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1972) matches the Alabama average (1974).

Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory (year built) As of 2024 NBI release

How Madison County compares with Alabama's closest counties by inventory size

The 5 Alabama counties nearest Madison County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 1.3% Poor share is the 2nd-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1972 against a peer-group mean of 1979 is 7 years older.

Showing the 5 closest of 66 Alabama counties eligible for comparison.

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Madison County and the 5 Alabama counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Madison County (this page) 710 1.3%
Mobile County 612 2.8%
Montgomery County 596 2.2%
Tuscaloosa County 482 0.6%
Calhoun County 386 3.9%
Baldwin County 381 1.3%

Each share is of that county's own total tracked bridges; peers are the counties with 5 or more bridges whose inventory size is closest to Madison County's. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

Nationwide counties with similar inventory size or average build year

Two NBI-derived peer sets for Madison County, both outside Alabama so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside AL (710 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside AL (1972 here).

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.

All 710 Good 297 Fair 404 Poor 9

All bridges (710)

BALCH ROAD

Good

Over: KNOX CREEEK

0.6 MI. N OF JCT US 72 W, Madison, AL

Built 1939 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 4,070

MARTIN ROAD WB

Good

Over: HUNTSVILLE SPRING BRANCH

0.2 MI E GATE 1, Madison, AL

Built 2007 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 14,800

US 431

Good

Over: BRANCH

2.5 MI N PAINT ROCK RIVER, Madison, AL

Built 1957 Load: 44.2 t ADT: 10,814

EASTERN BYPASS

Good

Over: BIG COVE CREEK

0.2 MILE EAST OF U.S. 431, Madison, AL

Built 2002 Load: 44.3 t ADT: 11,800

HOBBS ISLAND RD

Good

Over: YELLOW BANK CREEK

0.2 MI W JCT HWY 431 S, Madison, AL

Built 1928 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 4,060

HOBBS ROAD

Good

Over: ALDRIDGE CREEK

1.2 M EAST OF HWY 231 S, Madison, AL

Built 1988 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 5,000

GURLEY PIKE

Good

Over: KILLINGSWORTH COVE BR

4.0 MI SE MAYSVILLE, Madison, AL

Built 1992 Load: 44.6 t ADT: 520

PATTON ROAD

Good

Over: MARTIN ROAD

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Madison, AL

Built 1962 Load: 44.7 t ADT: 10,064

RAMP TO US 231 S

Good

Over: HOLMES AVE.

0.6 MI N JCT US231 *US431, Madison, AL

Built 1991 Load: 45.0 t ADT: 10,001

STRINGFIELD ROAD

Good

Over: UN NAMED CREEK

1.2 MILE EAST OF HWY 53, Madison, AL

Built 1996 Load: 45.0 t ADT: 5,600

US 431

Good

Over: BRANCH

2.9 MI S FLINT RIVER, Madison, AL

Built 1984 Load: 45.2 t ADT: 15,934

OLD 431 HWY

Good

Over: TARKLIN BRANCH

1.4MI S OWEN X ROADS, Madison, AL

Built 1945 Load: 45.3 t ADT: 1,500

CALDWELL LANE

Good

Over: BIG COVE CREEK

1/4 MI. EAST OF HWY. 431, Madison, AL

Built 2006 Load: 45.3 t ADT: 1,700

OLD R R BED RD

Good

Over: JENKINS CREEK

2.4 MI N JCT US HWY72, Madison, AL

Built 1965 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 3,798

BRADFORD DRIVE

Good

Over: SHERWOOD BRANCH

BRADFORD DR. A/SHERWOOD B, Madison, AL

Built 1987 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 15,200

RAMP TO SR 255*RA

Good

Over: NORTHFORK SOUTHERN R. R.

0.3 MI W SR 255 * I-565, Madison, AL

Built 1990 Load: 45.6 t ADT: 4,820

MARTIN ROAD

Good

Over: STREAM W OF MCDONALD CRK

0.8 MILES WEST OF GATE 1, Madison, AL

Built 1962 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 14,800

WALL TRIANA HWY

Good

Over: LIMESTONE CREEK

1.5 MI. N OF 53 HWY.?????, Madison, AL

Built 2005 Load: 46.4 t ADT: 890

Gillespie road

Good

Over: STREAM

?????????????????????????, Madison, AL

Built 2010 Load: 46.6 t ADT: 950

CHERRY ROAD

Good

Over: RAINBOW CREEK

150 FT. N STEELE DR, Madison, AL

Built 1987 Load: 46.8 t ADT: 450

NATURES WAY

Good

Over: SPRING BRANCH

1 MILE WEST OF ZERDT RD, Madison, AL

Built 2007 Load: 46.8 t ADT: 125

KELLY SPRINGS RD

Good

Over: HAM CREEK

0.5 MI W JCT HWY 53, Madison, AL

Built 1992 Load: 46.9 t ADT: 780

ZIERDT RD

Good

Over: SWAN POND CREEK

1 MI. NE OF BEADLE LANE, Madison, AL

Built 2000 Load: 46.9 t ADT: 650

JEFF RD

Good

Over: NICHOLS SPR. BRANCH

1.6 MI N US HWY 72W, Madison, AL

Built 1987 Load: 47.3 t ADT: 5,500

EASTERN BYPASS

Good

Over: BIG COVE CREEK

.2 MILE EAST OF 431, Madison, AL

Built 2003 Load: 47.4 t ADT: 11,800

MEDARIS RD

Good

Over: PINHOOK CREEK

2305 MEDARIS RD, Madison, AL

Built 1974 Load: 47.7 t ADT: 4,180

RAMP 45 TO SR 20

Good

Over: RAMP43 INTO AIRPORT RD

.3 M W JCT I565*AIRPRT RD, Madison, AL

Built 1989 Load: 47.7 t ADT: 2,310

BOBO SECTION RD.

Good

Over: BRIAR FORK CREEK

1.2 MI. W CO. RD.138, Madison, AL

Built 2007 Load: 48.0 t ADT: 875

_Top Golf DR

Good

Over: Canal

_0.5 mile south u.s. 72, Madison, AL

Built 2017 Load: 48.0 t ADT: 150

SR 255

Good

Over: OLD MONROVIA RD

0.3MI.N.JCT US 72 *SR255, Madison, AL

Built 1992 Load: 48.4 t ADT: 45,856

HAMPTON RIDGE

Good

Over: UNNAMED CREEK

0.5 MILE EAST BIG COVE RD, Madison, AL

Built 2007 Load: 48.4 t ADT: 120

MARTIN ROAD

Good

Over: CREEK

0.4 MI W OF INDIAN CREEK, Madison, AL

Built 1940 Load: 48.6 t ADT: 7,800

NEW MARKET RD

Good

Over: MTN FORK CREEK

0.3 MI W NEW MARKET, Madison, AL

Built 1995 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 1,330

US 231; SR 53

Good

Over: GOLF ROAD

US 231 OVER GOLF ROAD, Madison, AL

Built 1993 Load: 49.2 t ADT: 48,892

OLD MADISON PIKE

Good

Over: INDIAN CREEK RELIEF

1 mile north I-565, Madison, AL

Built 2014 Load: 49.2 t ADT: 14,000

WALKER LANE

Good

Over: FLINT RIVER

1.0 W CO RD 267, Madison, AL

Built 2007 Load: 49.3 t ADT: 907

FARROW ROAD

Good

Over: INDIAN CREEK

0.10 MI EAST SLAUGHTER RD, Madison, AL

Built 2004 Load: 49.4 t ADT: 9,520

Pratt Ave

Good

Over: Pinhook Creek

0.5 mile east 231, Madison, AL

Built 2019 Load: 49.5 t ADT: 17,797

JETPLEX IND. RD.

Good

Over: JETPLEX IND. RD.

.3 MI E JCT I-565, Madison, AL

Built 1990 Load: 50.3 t ADT: 32,324

JETPLEX IND. RD.

Good

Over: JETPLEX IND. RD.

.3 MI E JCT I565*JET PLEX, Madison, AL

Built 1990 Load: 50.3 t ADT: 32,324

CHRISTOPHER DRIVE

Good

Over: TRIB TO INDIAN CREEK

0.25 MILE NORTH U.S. 72, Madison, AL

Built 1968 Load: 50.3 t ADT: 250

GRIMWOOD ROAD

Good

Over: BRIAR FORK CREK

.5 MI.WEST OF HWY. 231-N?, Madison, AL

Built 2005 Load: 51.5 t ADT: 2,522

WESTCHESTER RD

Good

Over: BRADFORD BRANCH

0.3 MI N HWY 20, Madison, AL

Built 1986 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 600

PLUMMER RD

Good

Over: DRY CREEK

0.4 MI E JCT CO RD 053, Madison, AL

Built 1985 Load: 52.6 t ADT: 3,569

AIRPORT ROAD

Good

Over: CREEK

.1 MI E. OF US 31 SOUTH, Madison, AL

Built 1987 Load: 52.7 t ADT: 32,000

Lantern pointe Way

Good

Over: Copper Creek Branch

0.1 mi w old railroad bed, Madison, AL

Built 2021 Load: 52.9 t ADT: 55

SR 255

Good

Over: STREAM

2.5MILES N JCT US 72, Madison, AL

Built 1992 Load: 53.0 t ADT: 45,553

US 431

Good

Over: BRANCH

4.5 MI S FLINT RIVER, Madison, AL

Built 1957 Load: 54.6 t ADT: 15,934

FLOOD LANE

Good

Over: WEST FORK FLINT RIVER

0.3 MI W US HWY 231, Madison, AL

Built 2010 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 150

LOVE BRANCH RD.

Good

Over: LESLIE BRANCH

0.25 MI. S OF CORD 1333, Madison, AL

Built 1940 Load: 55.2 t ADT: 680

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Related

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Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges

Every figure on PlainBridges 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. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.