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

AL - 3 NORTH

Fair

Over: AL - 4 * 3RD AVE SO

US 31 * 3RD AVE SO, Jefferson, AL

Built 1969 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 36,875

US 11

Fair

Over: TOMBIGBEE RVR REL

2.8 MI N SUMTER CO LINE, Greene, AL

Built 1930 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 684

I-65 NB

Fair

Over: RAMP 2 * NORFOLK SO RR

0.2 MI N E US 43, Mobile, AL

Built 1970 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 11,145

US 11

Fair

Over: TOMBIGBEE RVR REL

3.8 MI N SUMTER CO LINE, Greene, AL

Built 1930 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 684

AL152-I65 RAMP D

Fair

Over: AL.RIVER RELIEF

0.4 MI.N.OF AL.RIVER, Montgomery, AL

Built 1972 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 3,242

US 11

Fair

Over: TOMBIGBEE RVR REL

1.5 MI N SUMTER CO LINE, Greene, AL

Built 1930 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 684

FAP 94 (DAY ST)

Fair

Over: OAK ST

I65 AND I85 INTERCHANGE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1973 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 7,440

CO RD NO 11

Fair

Over: RELIEF HURRICANE CREEK

5 MILES EAST MISS SLINE, Marion, AL

Built 1975 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 200

US 231 MP 39.061

Fair

Over: KLONDIKE CREEK

2 MI. S. SR 123, Dale, AL

Built 1959 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 17,180

SR 193

Fair

Over: SOUTH DEER RIVER

3.5 MI S HAMILTON BLVD, Mobile, AL

Built 1976 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 7,959

I - 65 SOUTH

Fair

Over: CAHABA RIVER

I 65 * CAHABA RIVER, Shelby, AL

Built 1978 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 56,815

I - 65 NORTH

Fair

Over: CAHABA RIVER

I 65 * CAHABA RIVER, Shelby, AL

Built 1978 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 56,815

I - 65 SOUTH

Fair

Over: OAK MOUNTAIN ROAD

I 65 * OAK MT RD, Shelby, AL

Built 1979 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 41,800

AL - 269 NORTH

Fair

Over: B HAM SOU RR

3.5 MI. SO.CO RD 65, Jefferson, AL

Built 1980 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 3,705

SR 20

Fair

Over: SOUTHERN RR

4 M W JCT SR 20 & SR 33, Lawrence, AL

Built 1984 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 4,275

SR 68

Fair

Over: LITTLE WILLS CREEK

0.2 MI E JCT US11 * SR68, DeKalb, AL

Built 1984 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 5,267

AL-96

Fair

Over: Trib. of Luxapallila Ck.

4.4 MI E Lamar Co Line, Fayette, AL

Built 1984 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 1,846

I - 65

Fair

Over: AL - 3

HOOVER INTERCHANGE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1972 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 117,910

GRANDBAY WILMER S

Fair

Over: MILLERS CREEK

3.1 MI S CO RD 56, Mobile, AL

Built 1990 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 4,817

JORDAN LN

Fair

Over: I565

JCT SR 53 * I 565, Madison, AL

Built 1990 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 30,998

CO RD 34

Fair

Over: BRIER CREEK

2.42 KM E OF MILLRY, Washington, AL

Built 1995 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 1,276

FLYOVER RAMP B

Fair

Over: RAMP C

.1 MI. SO. US 31, Jefferson, AL

Built 2002 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 6,997

COUNTY ROAD 43

Fair

Over: BOONE CREEK

1 MILE NORTH CORD 41????, Winston, AL

Built 2003 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 400

SR 205

Fair

Over: LITTLE DRUM CREEK

2.8 MI N JCT SR75 * SR205, Marshall, AL

Built 1923 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 2,969

ELKTON RD

Fair

Over: SWAN CREEK

0.9 MI N ELM ST, Limestone, AL

Built 1932 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 1,368

I85 NBL (RAMP 53)

Fair

Over: HOLT ST

I85 AND I65 INTERCHANGE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1973 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 9,497

SR 193

Fair

Over: THEODORE INDS CANAL

1.3 MI S HAMILTON BLVD, Mobile, AL

Built 1976 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 11,122

I59/20 SOUTH

Fair

Over: VALLEY CREEK

I59 * VALLEY CREEK, Jefferson, AL

Built 1979 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 23,555

AL-19

Fair

Over: Aston Branch

0.7 MI N JCT AL-17, Marion, AL

Built 1979 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 297

AL-19

Fair

Over: Factory Creek

2.3 MI N JCT AL-17, Marion, AL

Built 1979 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 371

AL-19

Fair

Over: Barnsville Creek

8 MI N JCT AL-17, Marion, AL

Built 1979 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 498

OLD SPRINGVILLE RD

Fair

Over: FIVE MILE CREEK

100 S BREWSTER ROAD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1980 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 15,470

I - 65 SOUTH

Fair

Over: FIELDSTOWN ROAD

GARDENDALE EXIT, Jefferson, AL

Built 1983 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 30,755

MT OLIVE RD

Fair

Over: I - 65

I65 * MT OLIVE RD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1984 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 5,000

GOLDEN RD.

Fair

Over: CEDAR CREEK

GOLDEN RD., Crenshaw, AL

Built 1984 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 45

I - 65

Fair

Over: 4TH AVE SO

I-65*4TH AVE SO, Jefferson, AL

Built 1970 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 69,245

AL 51

Fair

Over: LOCKHART CREEK

11.0 MI.N.OF US 82, Bullock, AL

Built 1989 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 1,200

AL38/US280

Fair

Over: LITTLE LOBLOCKEE CREEK

3.9 MI E OF WAVERLY, Lee, AL

Built 2000 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 5,650

CHERRY AVE

Fair

Over: I - 22

CHERRY AVE OVER I-22, Jefferson, AL

Built 2002 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 1,000

AL - 23

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0 . 3 MI NORTH I 59, St. Clair, AL

Built 1924 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 3,370

CR-29

Fair

Over: Breastworks Creek

0.55 MI S CR-78, Coosa, AL

Built 1952 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 761

SR 3

Fair

Over: TOWN CREEK

3 MI N JCT SR 3 & I 65, Morgan, AL

Built 1953 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 5,290

COUNTY ROAD 26

Fair

Over: GRAVES CREEK

1 1/2 MI NW OF ROYAL, Blount, AL

Built 1955 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 1,083

I 59

Fair

Over: LITTLE WILLS CREEK

0.2 MI SO US 11, Etowah, AL

Built 1962 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 8,381

SR 158 W.B.

Fair

Over: COLLEGE PARKWAY

1.7 MI E US 45, Mobile, AL

Built 1967 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 15,250

NATURE DR

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

200 FT S OF PINEBROOK DR, Montgomery, AL

Built 1968 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 560

S DRIVEWAY

Fair

Over: TOWN CREEK

S JEFFERSON AT KROGERS, Limestone, AL

Built 1975 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 2,443

COUNTY ROAD 47

Fair

Over: HELLS CREEK

1.0 MI W BLUFF, Fayette, AL

Built 1979 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 79

PINEHOLE RD

Fair

Over: CROOKED CREEK

3.5 MI SE LINEVILLE, Clay, AL

Built 1979 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 19

MEDICAL CENTER DR

Fair

Over: AL - 3 (US 31)

US 31 * BROOKWOOD HOSP, Jefferson, AL

Built 1985 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 3,800

Showing 6,251-6,300 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.