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 80

Fair

Over: MARINGO CREEK

5.5 MI EAST LEE CO LINE, Russell, AL

Built 1940 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 4,520

US 29 MP 52.280

Fair

Over: BRANCH

2.5 MI. N. COV. #70, Covington, AL

Built 1940 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 4,820

AL 17

Fair

Over: SUCARNOOCHEE CREEK REL.

1.3 MI. S. OF BOYD, Sumter, AL

Built 1940 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 919

AL 17

Fair

Over: SANUSI CREEK

0.7 MI N OF CR 12, Sumter, AL

Built 1940 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 926

AL 17

Fair

Over: BODKA CRK. REL.

.5 MI. N. OF S.R.116, Sumter, AL

Built 1940 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 796

SR 55 MP 8.453

Fair

Over: NORTH CREEK

.16 MI. S. COV.20, Covington, AL

Built 1940 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 2,130

SR 55 MP 19.494

Fair

Over: FIVE RUN CREEK

1 MI.N.COV.CO.32, Covington, AL

Built 1940 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 3,110

US 431 MP 57.766

Fair

Over: WHITE OAK CREEK

2 MI.S.JCT.SR 95, Barbour, AL

Built 1941 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 4,495

SR 10 MP 223.400

Fair

Over: MOUNTAIN CREEK

4.9 MI. E. OF ABBEVILLE, Henry, AL

Built 1941 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 1,880

SR 17

Fair

Over: LITTLE SOUWILPA CREEK

SILAS, Choctaw, AL

Built 1941 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 1,930

SR 17

Fair

Over: SOUWILPA CREEK

3.7 MI.N.OF SILAS, Choctaw, AL

Built 1941 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 2,830

AL-17

Fair

Over: Buttahatchee Crk Relief

0.6 MI N JCT SR 118, Lamar, AL

Built 1941 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 2,392

AL-17

Fair

Over: Buttahatchee Crk Relief

0.8 MI N JCT SR 118, Lamar, AL

Built 1941 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 2,392

AL-17

Fair

Over: Buttahatchee Crk Relief

0.9 MI N JCT SR 118, Lamar, AL

Built 1941 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 2,392

AL-17

Fair

Over: Buttahatchee Crk Relief

1.1 MI N JCT SR 118, Lamar, AL

Built 1941 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 2,392

SR 71

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.1 MI N JCT SR71 * SR 40, Jackson, AL

Built 1948 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 3,535

ROADWAY

Fair

Over: CO RT 1107 SPRING CREEK

4.5 MI E AL HWY 28, Sumter, AL

Built 1948 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 290

SR21

Fair

Over: N.SOUTH. RR/SNOW CREEK

0.6 MI NO JCT US 78, Calhoun, AL

Built 1957 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 11,927

CO RD 33

Fair

Over: CREEK

3 MI WEST OF CO RD 37, Lowndes, AL

Built 1958 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 460

COUNTY HWY 61

Fair

Over: COX MILL CREEK

2 MILES NORTH OF HARTFORD, Geneva, AL

Built 1958 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 220

I65

Fair

Over: MARIOT CREEK

6 MI N JCT SR 91, Cullman, AL

Built 1960 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 44,987

CR # 83

Fair

Over: MULBERRY CREEK

4.1 mi north of AL 14, Dallas, AL

Built 1962 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 640

CO RD 108

Fair

Over: CANEY CREEK

.2MI E OF AL 75, DeKalb, AL

Built 1961 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 866

BELL RD

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

1.2 MI N OF US 231, Montgomery, AL

Built 1963 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 1,000

SR 205

Fair

Over: CLEAR CREEK

0.6 MI S JCT SR 168, Marshall, AL

Built 1923 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 3,300

AL-33

Fair

Over: Sipsey Fork Warrior Rvr

5 MI N JCT US-278, Winston, AL

Built 1966 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 1,107

Lee Road 80

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.2 MI E JCT LEE RD 188, Lee, AL

Built 1974 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 212

US 231

Fair

Over: GOVERNORS DR * BRANCH

JCT GOVERNORS DR * US 231, Madison, AL

Built 1978 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 82,289

US 90 WB

Fair

Over: APALACHEE RIVER

2.4 MI W SPANISH FT, Baldwin, AL

Built 1978 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 11,394

US 90 WB

Fair

Over: BLAKELEY RIVER

0.8 MI W SPANISH FT, Baldwin, AL

Built 1978 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 11,394

4 MI W JVILLE

Fair

Over: TALLASEEHATCHEE CREEK

OLD BROADWELL MILL CONC, Calhoun, AL

Built 1983 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 422

PARKWOOD RD

Fair

Over: I - 459

I459 * PARKWOOD RD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1983 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 5,500

I - 65

Fair

Over: 29TH AVE. * RR

I65 * 29TH AVE., Jefferson, AL

Built 1970 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 110,580

CO RT 15

Fair

Over: BURCHAM CREEK

3.0MI N CO 14, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1992 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 505

BRASHER ROAD

Fair

Over: SELF CREEK TRIBUTARY

1.1MI NW NEJ PARK, Jefferson, AL

Built 1996 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 110

SR 273

Fair

Over: BRANCH

12 MI N JCT SR273 * SR68, Cherokee, AL

Built 1960 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 821

HORNE STREET

Fair

Over: BRANCH

INT. OF ALLEN STREET, Talladega, AL

Built 1940 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 400

AL 25

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

NO. OF VINCENT, Shelby, AL

Built 1936 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 6,040

LOWER WETUMPKA RD

Fair

Over: CSX RR

0.2 MI S of BROADWAY ST, Montgomery, AL

Built 1937 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 9,100

AL - 5 (US 78)

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.2 MI W CHERRY AVE., Jefferson, AL

Built 1939 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 19,565

AL 21

Fair

Over: STREAM

2.2 MI.N.OF HAYNEVILLE, Lowndes, AL

Built 1940 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 3,500

AL 97

Fair

Over: STREAM

0.7 MI.N.OF AL 21, Lowndes, AL

Built 1940 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 1,510

US 90

Fair

Over: BOLTON BRANCH

0.6 MI E I-65, Mobile, AL

Built 1952 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 18,048

AL 219

Fair

Over: UT OAKMULGEE CREEK

3.4 MI N CO RD 30, Perry, AL

Built 1957 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 900

I-65 SB

Fair

Over: SR 21

JCT I-65 * SR 21, Escambia, AL

Built 1964 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 11,998

I-65 NB

Fair

Over: SR 21

JCT I-65 * SR 21, Escambia, AL

Built 1964 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 11,998

CR. 18

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.1 MI. E. FRIENDSHIP CH., Butler, AL

Built 1965 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 25

CO RT 143

Fair

Over: WOLF CREEK

2.45 MI W JCT SR 101, Lawrence, AL

Built 1968 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 380

SR 35

Fair

Over: BRANCH

IN CITY OF FORT PAYNE, DeKalb, AL

Built 1968 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 20,486

CR 48

Fair

Over: POLE CAT CREEK FAS 08

4MILE EAST HALE CO LINE, Perry, AL

Built 1968 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 245

Showing 6,001-6,050 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.