County profile · official public datasets

Shelby County, AL

344 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 41% rated Good, 58.1% Fair, 0.9% Poor.

344
Public bridges
41%
Good condition
0.9%
Poor condition

The verdict

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

Shelby County pairs a top-quartile lowest Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state with a newer average build year than the state inventory.

Top 15%
lowest Poor share in state
0.9%
Poor-condition share
344
public highway bridges
1981
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.

Shelby County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Shelby County ranks #10 of 67 Alabama counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 0.9%). Shelby County, Alabama contains 344 public highway bridges. Roughly 41% are rated “Good,” 58.1% “Fair,” and 0.9% “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

344

Public highway bridges in Shelby County

Good condition

41%

141 of 344 rated 7-9

Fair condition

58.1%

200 of 344 rated 5-6

Poor condition

0.9%

3 of 344 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#10 of 67

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

Condition distribution

Share of 344 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
41% (141)
Fair
58.1% (200)
Poor
0.9% (3)

Shelby County's Poor-condition bridges carry 29,411 vehicle crossings a day

That is 1.2% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 0.9% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry more traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 9,804 crossings a day against 2,663 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 344 of 344 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

32.3% of Shelby County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

111 of the 344 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% 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 96.9% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

AL - 3 NORTH over PEAVINE CK * ACL RR, built 1924, carries 28,511 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 3-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 29,411 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Shelby County's bridges were built

344 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 2000s, when 82 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 23.8% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 15 to 24 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year is 1981, 7 years newer than the Alabama average of 1974.

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

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

The 5 Alabama counties nearest Shelby County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 0.9% Poor share is the 1st-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1981 against a peer-group mean of 1973 is 8 years newer.

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

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Shelby County and the 5 Alabama counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Calhoun County 386 3.9%
Baldwin County 381 1.3%
Shelby County (this page) 344 0.9%
Covington County 332 5.1%
Limestone County 324 2.2%
Jackson County 314 3.8%

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 Shelby 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 Shelby County, both outside Alabama so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside AL (344 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside AL (1981 here).

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

All 344 Good 141 Fair 200 Poor 3

All bridges (344)

MILL CREEK

Good

Over: CR-311

CR 311 .02mi AL 145, Shelby, AL

Built 2017 Load: 20.2 t ADT: 177

CO. HWY. 71

Good

Over: SPRING CREEK

1.7 MI. SO JCT CO.42, Shelby, AL

Built 1963 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 675

CO. HWY. 22

Good

Over: SHOAL CREEK

0.64 MI. E JCT. CO. 17, Shelby, AL

Built 1956 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 2,228

CR 404

Good

Over: UT TO LAY LAKE

INT OF CR 404 * 71, Shelby, AL

Built 2011 Load: 22.2 t ADT: 100

Blackridge Dr.

Good

Over: CSX Railroad

Elvira road over CSX, Shelby, AL

Built 2021 Load: 23.1 t ADT: 500

CO. HWY. 16

Good

Over: DRY CREEK

0.37 mi. east CR 23, Shelby, AL

Built 1960 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 769

CR 334

Good

Over: PEAVINE CREEK

0.13 MI EAST CR 11, Shelby, AL

Built 2005 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 75

OLD CAHABA PARKWAY

Good

Over: LAKE SPILLWAY

OLD CAHABA SUBDIVISION, Shelby, AL

Built 2002 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 600

TALL TIMBER DRIVE

Good

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH FROM LAKE

SOUTHERN PINES SUBDIVISIO, Shelby, AL

Built 1985 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 700

BRIDGE DRIVE

Good

Over: CAHABA VALLEY CREEK

STONEBRIDGE SUBDIVISION, Shelby, AL

Built 1980 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 75

TIMBERLINE TRAIL

Good

Over: TIMBERLINE LAKE

TIMBERLINE SUBDIVISION, Shelby, AL

Built 2004 Load: 25.7 t ADT: 500

CR 52

Good

Over: WALKING TRAIL

0.7 MI WEST AL 261, Shelby, AL

Built 2009 Load: 25.7 t ADT: 8,500

CO. HWY. 11

Good

Over: COOPER BRANCH

0.1 MI. NO. CR 36 INT., Shelby, AL

Built 1957 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 7,378

I - 65

Good

Over: AL - 119

I 65 * AL 119, Shelby, AL

Built 1980 Load: 26.4 t ADT: 41,800

CO RD 52

Good

Over: I - 65

CO RD 52 * I65, Shelby, AL

Built 1979 Load: 26.6 t ADT: 8,500

CROSSCREEK TRAIL

Good

Over: BISHOP CREEK

JCT FRONTIER DR, Shelby, AL

Built 1959 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 4,300

CROSSCUT ROAD

Good

Over: BIG CREEK BRANCH

1 MILE N. JCT. CO RD 26, Shelby, AL

Built 2002 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 200

CR 16

Good

Over: LAFARGE QUARRY RD

0.4 MI FROM CR 23, Shelby, AL

Built 2009 Load: 27.8 t ADT: 1,120

GLADES PKWY

Good

Over: UT TO BUXAHATCHEE CREEK

GLADES PKWY AND WHIPPORWI, Shelby, AL

Built 2006 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 40

CO RD 377

Good

Over: COOPER BRANCH

.2M N JCT CO RD 11, Shelby, AL

Built 1997 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 10

SILVER CK. LANE

Good

Over: UT SPRING CK

SILVER CK SUBDIVISION, Shelby, AL

Built 2008 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 25

_Liberty Road

Good

Over: _Little Creek

_0.9 MI. South CR 439, Shelby, AL

Built 2018 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 25

CO. HWY. 32

Good

Over: N.FORK YELLOWLEAF CREEK

1.4MI. E JCT. CO. 49, Shelby, AL

Built 1996 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 400

CR 17

Good

Over: BEAVERDAM CREEK

0.5 MI NO. CR 26, Shelby, AL

Built 2011 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 7,730

COUNTY ROAD 81

Good

Over: SPRING BRANCH

1/2 MILEM FROM CR83, Shelby, AL

Built 2002 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 500

COUNTY ROAD 17

Good

Over: WOODS CREEK

0.3 MI. NO. CR 22, Shelby, AL

Built 2005 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 3,736

SHADY ROAD

Good

Over: BIG CREEK

1.2 MI NO. JCT. CO. RD 26, Shelby, AL

Built 2002 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 80

US 31

Good

Over: BRANCH

1 MI N JCT AL 70, Shelby, AL

Built 1920 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,830

CO. HWY. 55

Good

Over: BEAR CREEK

2 MI. SO. JCT. CO. 43, Shelby, AL

Built 1989 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 446

Shelby St.

Good

Over: SHOAL CREEK

Shelby st / shoal ck., Shelby, AL

Built 1994 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,400

CO HWY 77

Good

Over: LITTLE BEESWAX CREEK

0.75 MI SOUTH CO 28, Shelby, AL

Built 1996 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 150

SOUTH FORTY DR

Good

Over: LIT BUCK CREEK

OFF CO RD 340, Shelby, AL

Built 1987 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 333

CO RD 71

Good

Over: SPRING CREEK BRANCH

0.2 MI S JCT CO RD 405, Shelby, AL

Built 1998 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 357

CO RD 40

Good

Over: N. BRANCH FOURMILE CREEK

.3 KM E CO RD 109, Shelby, AL

Built 1997 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 821

TOLBERT ST

Good

Over: BRANCH CREEK

50 South CR 10, Shelby, AL

Built 1998 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 25

CO RD 215

Good

Over: S.FORK BUXAHATCHEE CREEK

.2 K S JUNC CO RD 202, Shelby, AL

Built 1999 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 161

CO RD 202

Good

Over: S BRANCH BUXATCHEE CREEK

.3 MIN JCT CO RD 215, Shelby, AL

Built 1999 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

SEASON ROAD

Good

Over: BEAR CREEK

.25 SE JCT CO RD 43, Shelby, AL

Built 2001 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50

SEASON ROAD

Good

Over: BRANCH OF BEAR CREEK

.30 SE JCT CO RD 43, Shelby, AL

Built 2001 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50

CROSS CREEK DRIVE

Good

Over: BEAR CREEK

.3 MILES FROM CR 43, Shelby, AL

Built 2000 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50

CR 97

Good

Over: UT TO CAMP BRANCH

1.1 MI. FROM AL 70, Shelby, AL

Built 2003 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 600

CR 12

Good

Over: FLOOD RELIEF

.2 MI. WEST CR 22, Shelby, AL

Built 2000 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,000

DOUG BAKER BLVD.

Good

Over: CAHABA VALLEY CREEK

.1 MI. FROM AL 119, Shelby, AL

Built 2003 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,500

CR 42

Good

Over: UT TO COOSA RIVER

1.7 MILES EAST AL 145, Shelby, AL

Built 2000 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,250

KELLY CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: UT TO KELLY CREEK

.1 MILE EAST OF CR 59, Shelby, AL

Built 2005 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50

SHELBY FARMS

Good

Over: UT SPRING CK

SUBDIVISION, Shelby, AL

Built 2006 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 75

FORREST VILLAGE LN

Good

Over: UT SPRING CREEK

SUBDIVISION, Shelby, AL

Built 2000 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 200

CR 495

Good

Over: UT TO LAKE PURDY

0.25 MILES FROM US 280, Shelby, AL

Built 1997 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 300

CR 51

Good

Over: UT MUDDY PRONG CREEK

0.2 MILES SOUTH CR 55, Shelby, AL

Built 2010 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,000

Plantation Place

Good

Over: Lee Brook

0.1 MI FROM CR 52, Shelby, AL

Built 1992 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 500

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.