State profile · Below median Poor share

Alabama bridge safety

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, condition ratings, load ratings, and Poor-condition shares for every public highway bridge in Alabama.

16,205
Public bridges
37.0%
Good condition
3.4%
Poor condition

Alabama holds 16,205 public highway bridges (#15 of 52 by inventory) with a 3.35% Poor share (#43 of 52 by Poor share).

That is 3.4% of the state's inventory, against an average of 7.5% across the 54 states and territories with Poor-rated bridges on file, which places it 10 of 54 ordered from the lowest Poor share upward. A bridge is rated Poor when its weakest applicable component scores 4 or below on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, so the category is a maintenance and funding signal rather than a closure order or a live crossing-safety verdict.

Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026

Total Bridges

16,205

Public highway bridges in Alabama

Good Condition

37.0%

5,993 bridges rated 7-9

-13.0pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

3.4%

543 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

-4.2pp vs national avg 7.5%

Alabama vs national bridge condition

Alabama - Good condition share 37.0%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

Alabama - Poor-condition share 11.2%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.5%.

Alabama in the national condition pattern

Each point is a state or territory in the FHWA NBI; the highlighted point is this profile.

Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Alabama has 16,205 bridges and a 3.4% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #10 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold. Scatter plot of 54 data points. 0%10%20%30%40% 0k20k40k60k Public bridges in inventory (thousands) Poor-condition share (%) AL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.35%AK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.89%AZ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.15%AR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.43%CA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 25.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.91%CO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.82%CT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.72%DE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.26%DC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.95%FL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.79%GA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.59%GU, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.77%HI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.53%ID, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.9%IL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.35%IN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.22%IA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 19.16%KS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.26%KY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.37%LA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 12.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.48%ME, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.41%MD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.56%MA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.88%MI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 11.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.27%MN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.44%MS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.03%MO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.95%MT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.81%NE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.9%NV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.14%NH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.51%NJ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 6.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.01%NM, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.51%NY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 17.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.43%NC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.76%ND, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 10.98%OH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.74%OK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 22.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.7%OR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.61%PA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.58%PR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 13.92%RI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.2%SC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.17%SD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 16.36%TN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 20.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.41%TX, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 56.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.23%UT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.91%VT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.9%VI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 29.17%VA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.39%WA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.45%WV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 7.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 18.64%WI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.52%WY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.51%
Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Alabama has 16,205 bridges and a 3.4% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #10 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold.

Alabama vs all states by public bridge inventory

Where this state's FHWA NBI public-highway bridge count sits among every state and territory on PlainBridges

16,205 15th of 54 higher than 39 of 54 states

States and territories, banded by public bridge inventory size

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. 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 · 2024

Read the rank neighborhood for Alabama

The highlighted point is Alabama: 16,205 bridges and 3.35% in Poor condition, rank #10 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below Alabama on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • Vermont: 2,862 bridges · 2.90% Poor
  • Utah: 3,125 bridges · 2.91% Poor
  • Alabama: 16,205 bridges · 3.35% Poor
  • Virginia: 14,120 bridges · 3.39% Poor
  • Tennessee: 20,379 bridges · 4.41% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in Alabama

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 16,205 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains Alabama’s inventory

State agency holds 36.0% of the 16,205 public highway bridges filed under Alabama in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When Alabama’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 15.3% of the 16,205 bridges with a recorded original year in Alabama. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

Alabama37%59.7%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - Alabama (FHWA NBI)

Counties (67)

Autauga 118 Baldwin 381 Barbour 192 Bibb 126 Blount 180 Bullock 136 Butler 189 Calhoun 386 Chambers 185 Cherokee 167 Chilton 189 Choctaw 154 Clarke 155 Clay 129 Cleburne 165 Coffee 216 Colbert 172 Conecuh 224 Coosa 126 Covington 332 Crenshaw 171 Cullman 246 Dale 206 Dallas 225 DeKalb 300 Elmore 202 Escambia 200 Etowah 236 Fayette 186 Franklin 194 Geneva 205 Greene 204 Hale 177 Henry 133 Houston 247 Jackson 314 Jefferson 1068 Lamar 181 Lauderdale 266 Lawrence 215 Lee 214 Limestone 324 Lowndes 157 Macon 177 Madison 710 Marengo 203 Marion 255 Marshall 172 Mobile 612 Monroe 142 Montgomery 596 Morgan 271 Perry 162 Pickens 233 Pike 169 Randolph 165 Russell 205 Shelby 344 St. Clair 183 Sumter 241 Talladega 243 Tallapoosa 149 Tuscaloosa 482 Walker 275 Washington 177 Wilcox 168 Winston 78

Alabama vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states by Poor-condition share (lower share = better)

States are ranked by the share of bridges whose lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below. This describes recorded condition; it does not measure funding effectiveness or live crossing safety. States here sit immediately above and below Alabama on the same metric.

VT

Vermont

2.90% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$2,862

UT

Utah

2.91% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$3,125
Selected

AL

Alabama

3.35% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$16,205

VA

Virginia

3.39% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$14,120

TN

Tennessee

4.41% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$20,379

Bridges Needing Most Attention in Alabama

Six lowest-condition bridges in Alabama, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

COUNTRY CLUB ROAD

Poor

Over: BLACKWATER CREEK

1 MILE EAST HWY 195, Walker, AL

Built 1898 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 400

KINGS MILL ROAD

Poor

Over: LOST CREEK

1 MILE N OAKMAN HWY, Walker, AL

Built 1900 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 150

CAHABA BEACH ROAD

Poor

Over: LITTLE CAHABA RIVER

1.8 MILES NORTH OF US 280, Shelby, AL

Built 1904 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 100

19TH AVE

Poor

Over: MOORES CREEK

VALLEY, Chambers, AL

Built 1910 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 350

ROADWAY

Poor

Over: CO RT 1065 SUCARNOCHEE R

4.0 MI N CO RT 1064, Sumter, AL

Built 1912 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 40

SMITH CHAPEL RD

Poor

Over: MILL CREEK

1 MILE N HWY 78, Walker, AL

Built 1915 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 125

All Bridges in Alabama

US 11

Fair

Over: WARRIOR RIVER RELIEF

3.3 MI N WARRIOR RIVER, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1941 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,700

SR 204

Fair

Over: BRANCH

4.7 MI E JCT US 431, Calhoun, AL

Built 1953 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,808

US 82

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.6 MI E OF WOODLEY RD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1955 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 42,870

SHADY GROVE RD

Fair

Over: VILLAGE CREEK

2.5 M N MAYTOWN, Jefferson, AL

Built 1962 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,604

CO RT 305

Fair

Over: TURKEY CREEK

0.5 MI S JCT CO RT 214, Lawrence, AL

Built 1964 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 200

CO 109-AIRPORT RD

Fair

Over: I-20

2.3 MI W JCT SR 21, Calhoun, AL

Built 1967 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,950

Sawmill Road

Fair

Over: Purgatory Creek

.5 MI N US 278, Marion, AL

Built 1967 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 200

36TH ST. ENS.

Fair

Over: FRISCO * SOU RR

36TH ST ENS * RR, Jefferson, AL

Built 1967 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 14,000

CO RT 415

Fair

Over: LITTLE HAYS CREEK

1 MILE WEST OF BASIN, Coffee, AL

Built 1968 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 276

I - 59 SOUTH

Fair

Over: AL - 7 (US 11)

I59 * US 11, Jefferson, AL

Built 1976 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 34,590

I - 20/59 SOUTH

Fair

Over: 15TH ST BESSEMER

I59 * 15TH ST BESS, Jefferson, AL

Built 1977 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 23,360

I - 59/20 NORTH

Fair

Over: L& N RR

I 59 * L*N RR, Jefferson, AL

Built 1979 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 23,555

SR 26

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK COWIKEE CREEK

3.6 MI E JCT SR 51, Russell, AL

Built 1985 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,060

US 29

Fair

Over: 1ST CONECUH RIVER RELIEF

1 MI S CO RD 53, Escambia, AL

Built 1986 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,099

CO RD 442

Fair

Over: TAN TROUGH CREEK

SEC 29 T20N R17E, Elmore, AL

Built 1990 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 15

RAMP N31N65

Fair

Over: AL - 3 (US 31)

NO. I-22/I-65 INT., Jefferson, AL

Built 2016 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 500

SR 35

Fair

Over: STREAM

IN TOWN OF WOODVLLE, Jackson, AL

Built 1934 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 1,616

AL 17

Fair

Over: UT SANUSI CREEK

.9 MI. N. OF BOYD, Sumter, AL

Built 1940 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 926

SR 17

Fair

Over: BRANCH

2.3 MI. N. OF FREIBURG, Washington, AL

Built 1940 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 4,750

COUNTY HIGHWAY140

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

1145 FT S JCT 1513, Marshall, AL

Built 1951 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 600

COUNTY ROAD 27

Fair

Over: BLACKBURN FORK RIVER

4 MI N OF HOLLY SPRINGS, Blount, AL

Built 1957 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 2,664

NB COLUMBIANA RD

Fair

Over: SHADES CREEK

1500 S LAKESHORE DR, Jefferson, AL

Built 1957 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 14,680

SB COLUMBIANA RD

Fair

Over: SHADES CREEK

1500 S LAKESHORE DR, Jefferson, AL

Built 1958 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 14,680

CR 48

Fair

Over: I-65

4.7 MI N JCT SR 145, Chilton, AL

Built 1960 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 350

CO. RD. 177

Fair

Over: I-85

CHAMBERS / LEE CO LINE, Chambers, AL

Built 1961 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 840

US 431 SPUR

Fair

Over: LITTLE WILLS CREEK

CLEVELAND AVE, Etowah, AL

Built 1936 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 9,878

CAROL PLANTATION

Fair

Over: I-10

0.9 MI W JCT US 90, Mobile, AL

Built 1964 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 6,902

CR 32(KEENES MILL)

Fair

Over: I-59 (MP 82.14)

2.3 MI N US 11, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1964 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 801

CO RD 61

Fair

Over: I65

4.9 MI N OF US 31, Autauga, AL

Built 1965 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 1,000

JULIANTOWN ROAD

Fair

Over: I65

1.7 MI.S.OF AL.97, Lowndes, AL

Built 1966 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 375

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: POND CREEK

.7MI E ATMORE PRISON FARM, Escambia, AL

Built 1971 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 210

64TH PLACE

Fair

Over: BRANCH

64TH PL * KENTUCKY AVE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1973 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 1,000

I - 20 WEST

Fair

Over: CITY STREET 64 TH PL NO

I20 * 64TH PLACE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1974 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 30,680

I - 59 SOUTH

Fair

Over: 4 TH AVE SO

I 59 * 4 TH AVE SO, Jefferson, AL

Built 1975 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 34,590

I - 59 NORTH

Fair

Over: 4 TH AVE SO

I 59 * 4 TH AVE SO, Jefferson, AL

Built 1975 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 34,590

SR 133

Fair

Over: COX CREEK

0.1 M E JCT SR133 & SR157, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1975 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 16,400

SR 59

Fair

Over: MAJORS CREEK

4.5 MI N CO RD 96, Baldwin, AL

Built 1989 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 997

CO. RT. 593

Fair

Over: BRANCH AT DRY CREEK

1.0 MI.S.CO.RT.55, Marengo, AL

Built 1993 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 50

AL 219

Fair

Over: STREAM

2.8 MI N AL 14, Dallas, AL

Built 1996 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 1,150

CO RD 29

Fair

Over: FOSTER CREEK

10.7KM S OF HWY 5, Wilcox, AL

Built 1952 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 500

AL 229

Fair

Over: TALLAPOOSA RIVER

MACON / ELMORE LINE, Macon, AL

Built 2007 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 7,140

CR 53

Fair

Over: HOLLINGSWORTH MILL CREEK

3.1 MI. S OF HUBBERTVILLE, Fayette, AL

Built 1954 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 200

US 11

Fair

Over: BRANCH

US 11 * STEELE, St. Clair, AL

Built 1932 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 1,970

SR 165

Fair

Over: SWEETWATER BRANCH

7.5 MI S PHENIX CITY, Russell, AL

Built 1952 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 8,510

CO RT 184

Fair

Over: ROCKY BRANCH

0.03 MI S JCT CO RT 87, Lawrence, AL

Built 1953 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 1,129

SR 3

Fair

Over: FLINT CREEK

3.7 M N JCT SR 3 & SR 36, Morgan, AL

Built 1955 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 7,205

COUNTY ROAD 41

Fair

Over: SHINGLEPILE CREEK

MT. IDA RD., Crenshaw, AL

Built 1964 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 118

cr 1486

Fair

Over: BUCK BRANCH

CR 1486, Cullman, AL

Built 1970 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 25

US 80

Fair

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN

3.2 MI. E. OF DEMOPOLIS, Marengo, AL

Built 1984 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 4,410

GA SR 37-ALA SR 10

Fair

Over: CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER

AT GA & ALA STATE LINE, Henry, AL

Built 1972 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 2,360

Showing 5,151-5,200 of 16,205 bridges

Related

All states → | National rankings → | Understanding conditions → | Retired SD term explained →
Data sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI), latest released cycle. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Poor condition is an inspection-record category, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult the bridge owner for current status.

Understanding Bridge Conditions

How FHWA rates bridge condition on a 0-9 scale.

Check Your Daily Bridges

How to look up bridge condition data for bridges on your route.

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

What to do with this

Use Alabama's inventory picture to drill to a county or a specific span.

  • Browse counties in Alabama and open the highest-Poor shares first. County list
  • See where this state sits among peers on Poor-condition share. State rankings
  • Compare this state with another jurisdiction on the same measures. State compare

NBI condition ratings are inventory snapshots, not live crossing-safety verdicts.

Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Alabama Good/Fair/Poor shares and county rollups on this page are computed from the same NBI extract as the national boards; 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.