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

Williams Road

Fair

Over: TAYLOR CREEK

SEC 32 T19N R19E, Elmore, AL

Built 1976 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 730

Chase Drive

Fair

Over: CALLOWAY CREEK N

SEC 10 T19N R17E, Elmore, AL

Built 1977 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 88

CO RD NO 259

Fair

Over: HURRICANE BRANCH

SEC 22 T19N R17E, Elmore, AL

Built 1977 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 500

Fieldcrest Road

Fair

Over: WELONA CREEK

SEC 34 T21N R17E, Elmore, AL

Built 1977 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 60

Fire Tower Road

Fair

Over: CORN CREEK

SEC 14 T18N R19E, Elmore, AL

Built 1977 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 2,271

Fire Tower Road

Fair

Over: CORN CREEK

SEC 15 T18N R19E, Elmore, AL

Built 1977 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 2,271

CO RD 259

Fair

Over: CALLOWAY CREEK

SEC 23 T19N R17E, Elmore, AL

Built 1978 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 500

West Central Road

Fair

Over: PATTERSON CREEK

SEC 36 T20N R19E, Elmore, AL

Built 1979 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 300

Ceaserville Road

Fair

Over: BAKER SPRING BRANCH

2.0 MI S OF AL 111, Elmore, AL

Built 1980 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 4,473

Rifle Range Road

Fair

Over: BRENSEN CREEK SPUR

SEC.24 T17N R19E, Elmore, AL

Built 1981 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 4,160

Titus Road

Fair

Over: TOWN CREEK

SEC.13 T20N R17E, Elmore, AL

Built 1981 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 160

I459

Fair

Over: I20

I20 I459 INTR, Jefferson, AL

Built 1984 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 37,915

Liberty Road

Fair

Over: TRIB TO TUMKEEHATCHEE CR

SEC 24 T18N R20E, Elmore, AL

Built 1984 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 50

COUNTY ROAD NO 26

Fair

Over: SHOAL CREEK

SEC 4 T19N R17E, Elmore, AL

Built 1985 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 100

Milam Road

Fair

Over: FOURMILE CREEK

SEC 33 T19N R19E, Elmore, AL

Built 1986 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 12

I - 65

Fair

Over: 26TH AVE NORTH

I65 * 26TH AVE. NORTH, Jefferson, AL

Built 1970 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 110,580

I - 65

Fair

Over: 33RD AVE. NORTH

I65 * 33RD AVE. NORTH, Jefferson, AL

Built 1970 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 108,610

Nobles Road

Fair

Over: S.FORK SOFKAHATCHEE CK

SEC 8 T19N R19E, Elmore, AL

Built 1989 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 100

SR 165

Fair

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN R/R

4.9 MI S PHENIX CITY, Russell, AL

Built 1989 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 9,750

MADISON PIKE

Fair

Over: I-565

1.4 MI E JCT SR 255, Madison, AL

Built 1991 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 12,826

COUNTY ROAD 24

Fair

Over: W PRONG OF MAGNOLIA RI.

0.5 MI. E. OF CO. RD. 55, Baldwin, AL

Built 1995 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 1,042

CO. RD. 49

Fair

Over: WEEKS BRANCH

2.7 MI. S. OF U. S. 98, Baldwin, AL

Built 1995 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 1,157

CO. RD. 20

Fair

Over: SANDY CREEK

3.9 MI. E. OF AL. HWY. 59, Baldwin, AL

Built 1996 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 2,508

CO.RD.32

Fair

Over: THREE MILE CREEK

0.5 MI. W. OF CO. RD. 95, Baldwin, AL

Built 1996 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 478

CO. RD. 65

Fair

Over: MAGNOLIA RIVER

1.2 MI. N. OF U. S. 98, Baldwin, AL

Built 1996 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 3,405

CO. RD. 83

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.4 MI. S. OF U. S. 98, Baldwin, AL

Built 1997 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 1,454

CO. RD. 20

Fair

Over: WOLF CREEK

3.6 MI. E. OF AL. HWY. 59, Baldwin, AL

Built 1996 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 2,445

NORTH PKE

Fair

Over: COLBERT CREEK

NORTH PKE COLBERT CREEK, Colbert, AL

Built 1938 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 250

SR 35

Fair

Over: STREAM

.3 MI S TOWN OF WOODVILLE, Jackson, AL

Built 1934 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 1,616

AL-69

Fair

Over: Poley Creek

AL-69 Poley Creek, Walker, AL

Built 1936 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 5,100

US 31

Fair

Over: UT CHESTNUT CREEK

0.6 MI N OF COOPER, Chilton, AL

Built 1925 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 9,710

CO RD 80

Fair

Over: CR INTO LITTLE MUD CR

3 MI W CO 80 CO 90 JCT, Franklin, AL

Built 1957 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 330

CO RD 80

Fair

Over: RELIEF DITCH TO MUD CK

2.9 MI W CO 80 CO 90 JCT, Franklin, AL

Built 1957 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 330

SR15/US29

Fair

Over: I-85

JCT I-85 / US 29(EXIT 79), Chambers, AL

Built 1959 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 25,772

I-65 SB

Fair

Over: CO RD 20

2 MI N JCT US 84, Conecuh, AL

Built 1960 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 13,772

I-65 NB

Fair

Over: CO RD 20

2 MI N JCT US 84, Conecuh, AL

Built 1960 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 13,772

CO RT24SCOTTSTATR

Fair

Over: BOGUECHITTO CK FAS 07

5 MILE WEST AL#14 CORT24, Perry, AL

Built 1962 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 345

CHEROKEE #107

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.9 MI W INT ALA #35, Cherokee, AL

Built 1965 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 81

COUNTY ROAD 2219

Fair

Over: ROBERTSON BRANCH

SEC 22 T9N R19E, Pike, AL

Built 1966 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 100

I-65

Fair

Over: HELLS SWAMP CREEK

1.1 MI N CELESTE ROAD, Mobile, AL

Built 1967 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 46,104

SCRANAGE RD.

Fair

Over: HORSENECK CREEK

5.2 MI. E. OF AL. HWY. 59, Baldwin, AL

Built 1975 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 72

I - 65 NORTH

Fair

Over: FIELDSTOWN ROAD

GARDENDALE EXIT, Jefferson, AL

Built 1983 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 30,755

PAVED ROAD

Fair

Over: BLUEGUT CREEK

.5 MILE WEST CO RD 26, Marion, AL

Built 1978 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 75

RIVERVIEW ROAD

Fair

Over: I20

RIVERVIEW RD * I20, Jefferson, AL

Built 1984 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 1,000

US 82

Fair

Over: SLAUGHTER CRK.

0.35 MI.W.OF AL 110, Bullock, AL

Built 1984 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 1,070

I-65

Fair

Over: OLD SHELL RD

0.5 MI S US 98, Mobile, AL

Built 1962 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 96,438

US 29

Fair

Over: 3RD CONECUH RIVER RELIEF

IMMEDIATELY S CO RD 53, Escambia, AL

Built 1986 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 835

ST. LUKE ROAD

Fair

Over: TRIB. TO HARDIN CREEK

1.6 MI. E. OF HAVANA, Hale, AL

Built 1950 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 20

Bass Road

Fair

Over: FIVE RUNS CREEK

Bass Road, Covington, AL

Built 1996 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 80

KING ROAD

Fair

Over: JONES CREEK

1/2 MI S OF HENDRIX, Blount, AL

Built 2003 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 240

Showing 5,551-5,600 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.