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

I - 65

Fair

Over: AL - 149

I65 * 8TH AVE.SOU., Jefferson, AL

Built 1970 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 132,060

CO RT NO 80

Fair

Over: CHICKASAW BOGUE

1 35 E AL 25, Marengo, AL

Built 1989 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 400

MT MILLS RD

Fair

Over: WHITLEY BRANCH

MT MILLS N OF HWY 72, Colbert, AL

Built 1947 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 600

ROAD

Fair

Over: INDIAN CREEK

BR. CULVT. ON PAVEDRD. 58, Henry, AL

Built 1957 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 25

SHAW ROAD

Fair

Over: POPLAR CR

SEC12 T3S R6W, Limestone, AL

Built 1960 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 675

I20

Fair

Over: HEAD SPRINGS

0.4 E CO RD 10, St. Clair, AL

Built 1961 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 51,890

CO.RD. 40

Fair

Over: I85

1.48 MI.N.OF SHORTER EXIT, Macon, AL

Built 1962 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 1,210

US 90

Fair

Over: RATTLESNAKE BRANCH

0.1 MI E I-10, Mobile, AL

Built 1952 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 22,127

Lee Road 188

Fair

Over: LOBLOCKEE CREEK

MACONS MILL, Lee, AL

Built 1970 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 362

US 231

Fair

Over: LAKE JORDAN

9.7MI.S.COOSA CO. LINE, Elmore, AL

Built 1976 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 5,960

US 31

Fair

Over: SEPULGA RIVER

1.6 MI N CO RD 26, Conecuh, AL

Built 1977 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 601

CO RD 33

Fair

Over: I 65

I 65 * CO RD 33, Shelby, AL

Built 1979 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 1,200

I - 65 NORTH

Fair

Over: CO RD 17

I 65 * VALLEYDALE RD, Shelby, AL

Built 1980 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 47,910

FLETCHER SMITH RD

Fair

Over: BUCK CREEK

ST MARY CH RD TO CWOOD, Houston, AL

Built 1980 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 235

County Road 25

Fair

Over: Boardtree Creek

2 MILES NORTH US 78, Marion, AL

Built 1987 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 210

565

Fair

Over: CREEK

Cr 565, Cullman, AL

Built 1962 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 650

I - 20

Fair

Over: PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD

1.8 MI. E. US 231, St. Clair, AL

Built 1991 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 43,320

COUNTY RD 32

Fair

Over: NO NAME CREEK

Bass Bridge Road, Covington, AL

Built 1995 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 80

COUNTY RD 8

Fair

Over: CORNER CREEK

Prescott Road, Covington, AL

Built 1958 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 110

OLD HWY #5 CR47

Fair

Over: TRIBUTARY TAYLOR CREEK

2.5M.NORTH HEIBERGER, Perry, AL

Built 1948 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 200

SR 134 MP 24.450

Fair

Over: STREAM

0.699 MI INSIDE CR., Coffee, AL

Built 1948 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 3,380

STONEY CREEK DRIVE

Fair

Over: CABAHA RIVER

0.5 MI NE GOODNER MT RD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1950 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 72

JEFFERSON AVE

Fair

Over: SOU RR * CITY STR

JEFF AVE * 24 TH ST SW, Jefferson, AL

Built 1962 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 20,200

JULE DR

Fair

Over: WARES FERRY DITCH

200FT S OF RAY DR, Montgomery, AL

Built 1964 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 500

I65

Fair

Over: STREAM

1.2 MI N OF AL 10, Butler, AL

Built 1965 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 29,320

AL - 4 (US 78)

Fair

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN

.7 MI.W. I-20, St. Clair, AL

Built 1965 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 8,520

COUNTY ROAD 8

Fair

Over: BRYANS CREEK

WILSON MILL TO STATE PARK, Houston, AL

Built 1968 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 280

3RD AVE EAST

Fair

Over: I-59 (MP 72.24)

SKYLAND SCHOOL, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1970 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 6,500

MAUDELAYNE DR.N.

Fair

Over: SPRING BRANCH

200 W BROOKLINE DR, Mobile, AL

Built 1973 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 3,690

US 231 SBL

Fair

Over: CORN CREEK

0.5 MI.N.OF WETUMPKA, Elmore, AL

Built 1976 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 5,740

US 231 NBL

Fair

Over: CORN CREEK

0.5MI.N.OF WETUMPKA, Elmore, AL

Built 1976 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 5,740

AL-96

Fair

Over: NS RailRoad

Fayette, Fayette, AL

Built 1929 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 2,803

CO RD 538

Fair

Over: REEDY CREEK

SEC 26 T6S R6E, DeKalb, AL

Built 1987 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 121

RED MILL ROAD

Fair

Over: FIVEMILE CREEK

RED MILL RD * CREEK, Jefferson, AL

Built 1988 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 2,500

US231; US431; SR1

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE EASEMENT

JCT US 231 * OAKWOOD AVE, Madison, AL

Built 1993 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 44,169

CR # 142

Fair

Over: LIAS CREEK

0.2 MI S CR 139, Dallas, AL

Built 1996 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 30

CO. 1210

Fair

Over: TRIB.TO OSELIGEE CREEK

1.4 MI. NW OF LANNET, Chambers, AL

Built 1962 Load: 36.1 t ADT: 622

W LAWRENCE ST

Fair

Over: TOWN BRANCH

0.1 MI W JCT GAINES AVE, Franklin, AL

Built 1915 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 250

PULASKI PIKE

Fair

Over: W FORK BEAVER DAM CREEK

0.25 MI EAST CO RD 1110, Madison, AL

Built 1935 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 1,050

GILES ROAD

Fair

Over: L*N SPUR LINE(ABANDONED)

0.9 MI NE OF JCT US NO 11, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1940 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 20

SR 56

Fair

Over: ESCATAWPA RIVER

2.8 MI. E. OF MISS.ST.LN., Washington, AL

Built 1950 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 1,280

US 31

Fair

Over: UT CHESTNUT CREEK

0.5 MI N JCT SR 22, Chilton, AL

Built 1925 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 5,720

AL 183

Fair

Over: BOILING MILL CREEK

1.1 MI N JCT S.R.# 219, Perry, AL

Built 1955 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 410

SR 53

Fair

Over: CREEK

3 M S JCT SR53 & SR251, Limestone, AL

Built 1957 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 7,300

CR 18

Fair

Over: I-65

1.3 MI N JCT U S #31, Chilton, AL

Built 1958 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 242

I-65 SB

Fair

Over: BURNT CORN CREEK

3.6 MI N JCT SR 41, Conecuh, AL

Built 1959 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 11,863

FRIENDSHIP RD.

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.9 MI E AL 21, Calhoun, AL

Built 1963 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 12,000

COUNTY ROAD NO40

Fair

Over: PANTHER CREEK

RC BRIDGE CULVT. ONFAS 18, Henry, AL

Built 1974 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 200

RAMP C

Fair

Over: I - 65

FULTONDALE INTERCHANGE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1975 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 7,575

VALLEY FORD ROAD

Fair

Over: JOHNSON BRANCH

2.8 MI N JOHNS RD ADGER, Jefferson, AL

Built 1982 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 142

Showing 6,301-6,350 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.