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

CO RT 47

Fair

Over: KIRBY CREEK

3.3 MI N JCT SR 35, Jackson, AL

Built 1932 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,040

CR 75

Fair

Over: WIDOWS CREEK RELEIF

3.8 MI W JCT SR 72, Jackson, AL

Built 1932 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 540

CO 8

Fair

Over: COBBS CREEK

0.4MI E JCT SR 35, Jackson, AL

Built 1933 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 255

CO RT 93

Fair

Over: LONG ISLAND BRANCH

0.7 MI NW JCT SR 73, Jackson, AL

Built 1933 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 145

CO.RT.16

Fair

Over: KIRBY BRANCH

0.8 MI.SE.AL.71, Jackson, AL

Built 1934 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 300

CO RT 48

Fair

Over: STRINGER CREEK

1.0 MI E JCT CR 43, Jackson, AL

Built 1934 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 165

CO RT 61

Fair

Over: JONES CREEK

0.75 MI E FAS 12, Jackson, AL

Built 1934 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 235

AL 9

Fair

Over: SOCAPATOY CRK.

0.4 MI N JCT US 280, Coosa, AL

Built 1924 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,809

JC 4

Fair

Over: WILLIAMS CREEK

1.8 MI N MT NEBO CHSR 65, Jackson, AL

Built 1935 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 38

CHOSEA SPR. RD. E

Fair

Over: BRANCH

CHOSEA SPRINGS RD. EAST, Calhoun, AL

Built 1935 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 194

SR 22

Fair

Over: ELKAHATCHEE CREEK

COOSA*TALLAPOOSA CO. LINE, Coosa, AL

Built 1935 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,964

S HOUSTON ST

Fair

Over: TOWN CREEK

BETWEEN WASH*BFERRY, Limestone, AL

Built 1935 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,601

ROCKY RIDGE ROAD

Fair

Over: SHADES CREEK

ROCKY RIDGE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1935 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,930

AL - 119

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.4 MI N JEFF SHELBY LINE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1935 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 11,090

AL - 119

Fair

Over: LITTLE CAHABA RIVER

AL 119 * LIL CAHABARIVER, Jefferson, AL

Built 1935 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 7,650

OLD BRADFORD RD

Fair

Over: BEAVER CREEK(PINSON)

200 FT E HWY 79 PINSON, Jefferson, AL

Built 1935 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 671

OLD TENN PIKE ROAD

Fair

Over: GURLEY CREEK TRIBUTARY

0.25 MILES OFF HWY 79, Jefferson, AL

Built 1935 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 473

WALL TRIANA RD.

Fair

Over: KNOX CREEK

0.9 MI N. JCT US 72, Madison, AL

Built 1919 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 22,750

CR 81

Fair

Over: COON CREEK

2.4 MI NW JCT SR 117, Jackson, AL

Built 1936 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 93

MADISON STREET

Fair

Over: CONECUH VALLEY R.R.

CITY OF TROY, Pike, AL

Built 1937 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,650

3RD AVE N

Fair

Over: EAST BRANCH

0.1 MI W JCT US 78, Marion, AL

Built 1937 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 400

CHEROKEE DR

Fair

Over: CAHABA RV

CHEROKEE DR * PKWY DR, Jefferson, AL

Built 1937 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,000

AL-69

Fair

Over: Indian Creek

AL-69 Indian Creek, Walker, AL

Built 1937 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,694

SR 79

Fair

Over: BOSHART CREEK

4.5 MI N JCT US431 * SR79, Marshall, AL

Built 1937 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,147

CO 95

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.4 OFF CO 26, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1937 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

MACEDONIA RD

Fair

Over: TYRONE CREEK

0.5 MI E CO RD 336, Madison, AL

Built 1937 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 934

CO 159

Fair

Over: LITTLE BLUEWATER CREEK

1 MI E * N OF SR 64, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1937 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 190

WALL TRIANA HWY

Fair

Over: KNOX CREEK

1.15 MI N. JCT. US 72, Madison, AL

Built 1919 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 22,500

GREENSPRINGS AVE

Fair

Over: RAILROAD

GREENSPRINGS AVE * CENTER, Jefferson, AL

Built 1938 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 20,500

AV W

Fair

Over: VILLAGE CK

AVENUE W ENS * VILLAGE CK, Jefferson, AL

Built 1938 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 20,200

SR 67

Fair

Over: BRANCH

6.5 MI S JCT SR 67 & I 65, Morgan, AL

Built 1938 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,950

CO RT 91

Fair

Over: GLOVER CREEK

1.1 MI S JCT CR 93, Jackson, AL

Built 1938 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 210

ALBERT MANN RD

Fair

Over: CEDAR CREEK

3.0 MI E OF NEW HOPE, Madison, AL

Built 1938 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 400

AL 179

Fair

Over: BRANCH

3 . 3 MI N JCT US 278, Etowah, AL

Built 1938 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,799

AL 219

Fair

Over: UT SHULTZ CREEK

1.7 MI S JCT SR 5, Bibb, AL

Built 1938 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,182

NEW CASTLE RD

Fair

Over: CUNNINGHAM CREEK

1.5 MILES N NEW CASTLE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1938 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,798

BROWNSBORO RD

Fair

Over: FLINT RIVER (RELIEF)

0.25 MI NE US HWY 72 E, Madison, AL

Built 1938 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 450

COUNTY HIGHWAY147

Fair

Over: BRANCH

6765 FT N JCT 431, Marshall, AL

Built 1938 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 150

GADSDEN ROAD

Fair

Over: BRANCH

GADSDEN RD, Calhoun, AL

Built 1939 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 869

CO RT 33

Fair

Over: MUD CREEK RELEIF

6.5 MI NE JCT SR 72, Jackson, AL

Built 1939 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 541

CO RD 33

Fair

Over: MUD CREEK

6.7 MI NW JCT SR 72, Jackson, AL

Built 1939 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 541

CR 55

Fair

Over: BIG COON CREEK

3.7 MI N JCT CR 42, Jackson, AL

Built 1939 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 56

US 231

Fair

Over: COPELAND CREEK

2.1 MI. SO US 278, Blount, AL

Built 1939 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,400

US 231

Fair

Over: COPELAND CREEK

.1 MI.NO.278, Blount, AL

Built 1939 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,460

SR 77

Fair

Over: BRANCH

CITY OF TALLADEGA, Talladega, AL

Built 1939 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,790

CR 81

Fair

Over: FLAT ROCK CREEK

0.65 MI NW JCT SR 117, Jackson, AL

Built 1939 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 82

SLAUGHTER RD

Fair

Over: COON CREEK

0.7 N JCT CO RD 016, Madison, AL

Built 1939 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,241

AL.94

Fair

Over: SCL RR

RAMER, Montgomery, AL

Built 1939 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 820

E FT WILLIAMS ST

Fair

Over: CROOKED CREEK

SYLACAUGA, Talladega, AL

Built 1940 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 700

CORDOVA GORGAS RD

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1 MILE NW COPELAND BRIDGE, Walker, AL

Built 1940 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 300

Showing 5,251-5,300 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.