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 RD A73

Fair

Over: STREAM INTO TOLLISON CR.

1.9 MI W CO A73 CO 65 JCT, Franklin, AL

Built 1971 Load: 13.7 t ADT: 35

CR # 432

Fair

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

0.7 MI W SR 22 N, Dallas, AL

Built 1992 Load: 13.7 t ADT: 60

TERRACE G

Fair

Over: OPOSSUM CREEK

TERRACE G * 38 TH ST, Jefferson, AL

Built 1935 Load: 13.8 t ADT: 40

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: CONECUH RIVER RELIEF

3MI WNW DIXIE, Escambia, AL

Built 1964 Load: 13.8 t ADT: 175

COUNTY ROAD 3310

Fair

Over: WHITE WATER CREEK

SEC 29 T9N R22E, Pike, AL

Built 1967 Load: 13.8 t ADT: 100

COUNTYROAD

Fair

Over: NARROW GAP CREEK

3MI SW WALLACE, Escambia, AL

Built 1973 Load: 13.8 t ADT: 35

CR 89

Fair

Over: BEAVER POND CREEK

CR 89, Covington, AL

Built 1900 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 210

WHISENHUNT ROAD

Fair

Over: YELLOWLEAF CREEK

WHISENHUNT RD 0.2MIE OF47, Shelby, AL

Built 1983 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 120

COUNTY DIRT RD

Fair

Over: NO NAME BRANCH

Sellers Pond Road, Covington, AL

Built 1936 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 60

CO RD 461

Fair

Over: CUTNOSE CREEK

3 MI SW BETHEL, Randolph, AL

Built 1926 Load: 14.0 t ADT: 52

JEFF RD

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

0.2 MI N ALA HWY 53, Madison, AL

Built 1939 Load: 14.0 t ADT: 1,050

BROWNSBORO RD

Fair

Over: FLINT RIVER

0.2 MI NE US HWY 72 E, Madison, AL

Built 1950 Load: 14.0 t ADT: 450

1225

Fair

Over: LITTLE ROCK CREEK

CR 1225, Cullman, AL

Built 1968 Load: 14.0 t ADT: 30

BLAYLOCK RD

Fair

Over: LOST REED CREEK

1.6 MI. S. CO. RD. 35, Lamar, AL

Built 1969 Load: 14.0 t ADT: 100

Davis Road

Fair

Over: NO NAME BRANCH

Davis Road, Covington, AL

Built 1936 Load: 14.0 t ADT: 80

CAGLE RD.

Fair

Over: MUDDY CR

SEC15 T2S R4W, Limestone, AL

Built 1960 Load: 14.1 t ADT: 370

WINSTON BAILEY RD.

Fair

Over: STREAM

CO 26 TO 2.5 NE FLATROCK, Conecuh, AL

Built 1997 Load: 14.1 t ADT: 40

COUNTY ROAD

Fair

Over: BROKEN LEG CREEK

.6 MI S CANAAN CHURCH, Escambia, AL

Built 1968 Load: 14.1 t ADT: 10

TOM NALL RD.

Fair

Over: A BRANCH OFF BUSHY CREEK

1.75 MI WEST LENOX, Conecuh, AL

Built 1950 Load: 14.1 t ADT: 50

JACK GREEN CR100

Fair

Over: WALLACE CREEK

.5M WEST CO RT 17, Perry, AL

Built 1979 Load: 14.1 t ADT: 125

TONEY SCHOOL RD

Fair

Over: HARDIN BRANCH

0.3 MI N JCT MCKEE RD, Madison, AL

Built 1952 Load: 14.1 t ADT: 175

CR 65

Fair

Over: UNNAMED BRANCH

0.8 MI. E JCT CR 59, Lawrence, AL

Built 2006 Load: 14.1 t ADT: 70

CHEROKEE #89

Fair

Over: NORTH SPRING CREEK

0.1 MI NE INT CHERO #87, Cherokee, AL

Built 1940 Load: 14.2 t ADT: 73

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: SMITH CREEK

1.5MI NE DAMASCUS, Escambia, AL

Built 1962 Load: 14.2 t ADT: 175

COUNTY ROAD

Fair

Over: WETWEATHER CREEK

2.5MI S HUXFORD, Escambia, AL

Built 1941 Load: 14.2 t ADT: 200

INDIAN SPRINGS RD

Fair

Over: SMITH CREEK

INDIAN SPRINGS RD, Colbert, AL

Built 1986 Load: 14.2 t ADT: 44

COUNTY ROAD

Fair

Over: SIZEMORE CREEK

1.5 MI N ROBINSONVILLE, Escambia, AL

Built 1940 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 65

WHITTLE(DIRT)

Fair

Over: PIGEON CREEK

1.0 MI.SE MACEDONIACHURCH, Butler, AL

Built 1950 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 20

FDR 726

Fair

Over: UNION CHURCH BRANCH

OAKMULGEE DISTRICT, Bibb, AL

Built 1980 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 50

CO 400

Fair

Over: KELLEY CREEK

0.5 MI W CO RT 399, Talladega, AL

Built 1932 Load: 14.4 t ADT: 375

COUNTY RT 21

Fair

Over: DOUBLE CREEK

4.3 MI NE JEFFERSON, Marengo, AL

Built 1935 Load: 14.4 t ADT: 400

ALAWASHKY RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE HILLABEE

1.0 MI S MILLERVILLE, Clay, AL

Built 1979 Load: 14.4 t ADT: 20

CO RT 167

Fair

Over: BONE CREEK

0.1 MI E JCT CR 43, Jackson, AL

Built 1935 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 36

CO 49

Fair

Over: MUSCADINE CREEK

CR 49 MUSCADINE CREEK, Cleburne, AL

Built 1951 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 600

CO 644

Fair

Over: MORGAN BRANCH

MORGAN BRANCH CR 644, Cleburne, AL

Built 1976 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 80

Varner Lane

Fair

Over: Peckerwood Creek

.64 Mi S Tall Co Line, Coosa, AL

Built 1973 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 13

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: HALL CREEK

1MI W PINEVIEW, Escambia, AL

Built 1960 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 365

CO RD 38

Fair

Over: BRANCH OFF IGAHEE CREEK

4.5 MI S E OSWICHEE, Russell, AL

Built 1962 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 80

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: MENDENHALL CREEK

3MI NE ELAM CHURCH, Escambia, AL

Built 1964 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 175

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: MONROE CREEK

1MI SW 1ST MARIETTA CH, Escambia, AL

Built 1964 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 175

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: CONECUH RIVER RELIEF

3MI W DIXIE, Escambia, AL

Built 1964 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 175

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: INDIAN BRANCH

1 MI S OSAKA, Escambia, AL

Built 1965 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 390

OLD US 411

Fair

Over: TURKEY CREEK

OLD US 411 * TURKEY CK, Etowah, AL

Built 1930 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 7,405

CR 309

Fair

Over: WALKER CREEK

0.4 MI N CR 170, Lawrence, AL

Built 2006 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 50

PANTHER CREEK

Fair

Over: PANTHER CREEK

CONCECUH DISTRICT, Covington, AL

Built 1980 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 50

CO. HWY. 55

Fair

Over: RAILROAD

.1 MI W JCT ST RT 25, Shelby, AL

Built 1970 Load: 14.7 t ADT: 621

CR 1670

Fair

Over: INDIAN CREEK

CR 1670, Cullman, AL

Built 1976 Load: 14.8 t ADT: 80

CO RD 53

Fair

Over: NO BUSSINESS CREEK

CALDWELL BR OFF CR15, Randolph, AL

Built 1992 Load: 14.8 t ADT: 35

J B HAWKINS RD

Fair

Over: KILLINGWORTH COVE BRANCH

0.1 MI JCT CO RD 409, Madison, AL

Built 1937 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 65

CO RT 1

Fair

Over: LESTER BRANCH

2 MI S TENN LINE, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1947 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 73

Showing 601-650 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.