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

SR 75

Fair

Over: SHORT CREEK

1.1MI S JCT SR68 * SR75, Marshall, AL

Built 1995 Load: 37.5 t ADT: 10,686

HWY 41

Fair

Over: JOHNSON CHAPEL CREEK

2.5 MI N HWY 36, Morgan, AL

Built 1950 Load: 37.5 t ADT: 3,010

HIDDEN LAKE

Fair

Over: UNKNOWN TRIBUTARY

HIDDEN LAKE AND MOSSY PT., Madison, AL

Built 2001 Load: 37.5 t ADT: 500

AL - 7 (US 11)

Fair

Over: LIL CAHABA RV

US 11 NORTH OF TRUSSVILLE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1928 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 6,009

AL-171

Fair

Over: Lynn Creek

Brotherton Cemetery, Fayette, AL

Built 1952 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 2,230

AL 219

Fair

Over: Branch

0.7 MI N CO RD 51, Bibb, AL

Built 1957 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 1,120

CO RD #35

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

1 MI NE OF BROOKS, Covington, AL

Built 1961 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 220

I-10 EB

Fair

Over: RICES BRANCH

2.9 MI W FLA ST LINE, Baldwin, AL

Built 1965 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 30,265

US 11

Fair

Over: NS RR Active

BOLIGEE, Greene, AL

Built 1968 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 748

CO HWY 24

Fair

Over: SNELL BRIDGE CREEK

SEC-28 T-4-N R-23-E, Dale, AL

Built 1968 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 1,406

GREEN SPRINGS AVE

Fair

Over: I - 65

I65 * GREEN SPRINGSAVE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1970 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 20,000

SR 2

Fair

Over: BUZZARD ROOST CREEK

4.7 M E AL & MS ST LINE, Colbert, AL

Built 1971 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 4,850

SEMINOLE DR

Fair

Over: BROGLAN BRANCH

212 SEMINOLE DR, Madison, AL

Built 1972 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 2,660

I - 59 NORTH

Fair

Over: I20 RAMP A*B

I59 * I20 INTERCHANGE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1974 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 66,700

US72; SR2

Fair

Over: SR 279 * ROSEBERRY CREEK

JCT EBL US 72 * SR 279, Jackson, AL

Built 1975 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 17,791

US 331

Fair

Over: CATOMA CREEK

1.0 MI.S.OF SOU.BYPASS, Montgomery, AL

Built 1976 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 3,615

US 331

Fair

Over: CATOMA CREEK

1.0 MI.S.OF SOU BYPASS, Montgomery, AL

Built 1976 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 3,615

WILLOW LANE

Fair

Over: BRANCH

.1 MI E US 78 CARBON HILL, Walker, AL

Built 1976 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 1,500

AL. 41 NBL

Fair

Over: WATER AVE

INT.WATER AVE.*ALA#41, Dallas, AL

Built 1976 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 5,510

I - 65 SOUTH

Fair

Over: ROCKY RIDGE ROAD

I 65 * ROCKY RIDGE ROAD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1977 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 59,055

SPRINGHILL RD

Fair

Over: TRIBUTARY OLD TOWN CREEK

1MILE WEST CO RT 29, Perry, AL

Built 1977 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 55

US 72; SR 2

Fair

Over: ABANDONED RR SPUR

2.5 MI E JCT SR279 * US72, Jackson, AL

Built 1977 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 8,606

US 72; SR 2

Fair

Over: ABANDONED RR SPUR

2.5 MI E JCT SR279 * US72, Jackson, AL

Built 1977 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 8,606

CO RD 131

Fair

Over: PIPPEN BRANCH

5.0 MI W EUTAW, Greene, AL

Built 1977 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 577

29TH STREET

Fair

Over: 29th Street Drainage

0.8 MI W MOODY SWAMP ROAD, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1977 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 4,752

I - 459 SOUTH

Fair

Over: LITTLE SHADES CREEK

I459 * LITTLE SHADES CK, Jefferson, AL

Built 1978 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 51,820

OLLIE AVENUE

Fair

Over: STREAM

0.4 MI E US 31, Chilton, AL

Built 1979 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 5,760

OLD PASCAGOULA RD

Fair

Over: RABBIT CREEK

1.7 MI W HWY 90, Mobile, AL

Built 1981 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 7,448

VULCAN RD

Fair

Over: I - 459

CO RD 26 * I459, Jefferson, AL

Built 1982 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 1,200

AL 50

Fair

Over: TALLAPOOSA RIVER

2.4 MI.E.OF AL 229, Elmore, AL

Built 1982 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 1,040

AL 14

Fair

Over: COOSA RIVER RELIEF NO.1

0.8 MI.W.OF COOSA RIVER, Elmore, AL

Built 1983 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 12,690

JAYBIRD ROAD

Fair

Over: VALLEY CREEK

100 S BRIGHTON CL, Jefferson, AL

Built 1983 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 8,378

RIDGE BROOK ROAD

Fair

Over: I - 65

I65 * RIDGE BROOK ROAD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1984 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 700

COTTAGE HILL ROAD

Fair

Over: MONTLIMAR CREEK

0.3 MI W I 65, Mobile, AL

Built 1986 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 28,689

HUFFMAN RD

Fair

Over: FIVE MILE CREEK

HUFFMAN ROAD * AL 75, Jefferson, AL

Built 1988 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 6,200

AL 9

Fair

Over: CORN CREEK

0.4MILES N US231, Elmore, AL

Built 1989 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 6,790

AL. 9

Fair

Over: FLAT BRANCH

2MI.N.US 231, Elmore, AL

Built 1989 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 6,790

Canoe Road

Fair

Over: CONTRIBUTARY CONECUH R.

Canoe Road, Covington, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 80

US 90/COCHRANE BR

Fair

Over: MOBILE RIVER

0.2 MI E US 43, Mobile, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 19,190

COUNTY DIRT ROAD

Fair

Over: COWHEAD CREEK

2.7 MI E PINE LEVEL CH, Covington, AL

Built 1994 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 50

CO RT 277

Fair

Over: LINDSEY CREEK

0.1MI S CO 6, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1992 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 130

COUNTY ROUTE 39

Fair

Over: YELLOWLEAF CREEK

0.12MI E OF CR 47, Shelby, AL

Built 1996 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 817

SR 162

Fair

Over: GOOSE CREEK REL.

1.3 M. E. OF KIMBROUGH, Wilcox, AL

Built 2003 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 510

COUNTY DIRT ROAD

Fair

Over: CHINQUAPIN CREEK

Raymond Loop., Covington, AL

Built 2005 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 50

THOMASVILLE DR.

Fair

Over: STREAM

0.2 MI N US 280, Lee, AL

Built 1981 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 2,000

AL - 5 (US 78)

Fair

Over: DUGAN AVE.

US 78 / DUGAN AVE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1936 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 45,380

AL 17

Fair

Over: ALAMUCHEE * TOOMSUBA CR

.8 M. S. OF YORK, Sumter, AL

Built 1938 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 1,680

AL 69

Fair

Over: FIVE MILE CREEK

5.0 MI S OF HAVANA, Hale, AL

Built 1939 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 4,676

SR 5

Fair

Over: TURKEY CREEK RELIEF

0.8 MI.S.OF KIMBROUGH, Wilcox, AL

Built 1940 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 2,700

SR4/US78

Fair

Over: SNOW CREEK

2.3 MI WEST JCT SR 21, Calhoun, AL

Built 1952 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 12,708

Showing 6,601-6,650 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.