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 11; SR 7

Fair

Over: I-59

US11 OVP MP 224.7, DeKalb, AL

Built 1960 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 5,190

DEODARA DR

Fair

Over: LAKE DRAINAGE

DEODARA DR * STARLAKE DR, Jefferson, AL

Built 1964 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 3,723

US 90 WB

Fair

Over: I-10

US90/I-10(1 MI E SP FT), Baldwin, AL

Built 1969 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 21,834

AL-269

Fair

Over: BNSF Railroad

AL-269 Burlington RR, Walker, AL

Built 1967 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 6,079

AL - 38 WEST

Fair

Over: MUDDY PRONG CREEK

US 280 * MUDDY PRONG CK, Shelby, AL

Built 1976 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 9,075

AL - 38 EAST

Fair

Over: MUDDY PRONG CREEK

US 280 * MUDDY PRONG CK, Shelby, AL

Built 1976 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 9,075

I-59 SOUTH

Fair

Over: RAMP D TO I-59

I59 * VALLEY ROAD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1980 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 30,650

I-59/20 NORTH

Fair

Over: RAMP D TO 59/20

I59 * VALLEY RD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1980 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 30,650

COUNTY ROAD 9

Fair

Over: LITTLE PRAIRIE CREEK

3.5 MI. N. OF PRARIE EDEN, Hale, AL

Built 1950 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 100

I-59

Fair

Over: LLOYD NOLAN PKWY

I-59*Lloyd Nolan Parkway, Jefferson, AL

Built 1968 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 70,884

MARLER ROAD

Fair

Over: CREEK

.1 MI N OF AL 110, Montgomery, AL

Built 1988 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 3,022

CO RD 23

Fair

Over: TISHLARKA CREEK

2.1 MI S INT RT 87 * 130, Choctaw, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 950

SR 106 MP 34.147

Fair

Over: SUCKER CREEK

.6 MI.E.CRENSHAW 77, Crenshaw, AL

Built 1950 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 440

AL 183

Fair

Over: CAMP BRANCH

250 N of CR2, Perry, AL

Built 1952 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 350

NICK DAVIS RD

Fair

Over: COPPERRUN BRANCH

0.1 MI E LIMESTONE CO, Madison, AL

Built 1954 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 420

COUNTY RD. 16

Fair

Over: BIG GERMAN CREEK REL.

0.5 MI. W. OF CEDARVILLE, Hale, AL

Built 1962 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 250

CO RD 131

Fair

Over: BRUSH CREEK

3.2 MI W EUTAW, Greene, AL

Built 1968 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 786

CO RD 131

Fair

Over: PIPPEN CREEK

3.8 MI W EUTAW, Greene, AL

Built 1968 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 730

VALLEY FORD ROAD

Fair

Over: SHERRET BRANCH

1 MI N JOHNS ROAD (ADGER), Jefferson, AL

Built 1992 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 565

US 90

Fair

Over: TURKEY BRANCH

0.8 MI E JCT SR 181, Baldwin, AL

Built 1971 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 6,076

COBBS FORD RD EBL

Fair

Over: I65

2.3 MI S OF AL 14, Elmore, AL

Built 1972 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 8,000

RAMP B

Fair

Over: I - 65

FULTONDALE INTERCHANGE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1975 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 7,575

CO RD 131

Fair

Over: WATKINS BRANCH

4.0 MI W EUTAW, Greene, AL

Built 1977 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 682

AL-18

Fair

Over: Yellow Creel

Vernon City Limits, Lamar, AL

Built 1979 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 3,590

ZELDA RD

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

0.2 MI E OF ANN ST, Montgomery, AL

Built 1983 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 6,500

RAMP

Fair

Over: I-20 * I-459

I-20 * I459 INTR., Jefferson, AL

Built 1984 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 7,000

AL-18

Fair

Over: Hell Creek

1.2 MI E Lamar Co Line, Fayette, AL

Built 1984 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 1,620

COUNTY ROAD 59

Fair

Over: MIDDLE CREEK

SEC-15 T-5-N R-25-E, Dale, AL

Built 1986 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 407

55TH STREET

Fair

Over: BRANCH

55TH ST, Calhoun, AL

Built 1990 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 210

I 59

Fair

Over: US 431

I 59 * ATN RR/US 431, Etowah, AL

Built 1992 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 14,038

I-59

Fair

Over: US 431 * ATN RR

ATTALLA, Etowah, AL

Built 1993 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 14,038

I-22

Fair

Over: US-43

JCT US 43 & AL-4, Marion, AL

Built 1992 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 12,178

US 90 NORTH SER RD

Fair

Over: WRAGG SWAMP CANAL

0.5 MI W I-65, Mobile, AL

Built 2004 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 5,695

AL - 23

Fair

Over: CANOE CREEK

.8 MI. NO. OF PRISON, St. Clair, AL

Built 1924 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 870

SR 35

Fair

Over: STREAM

1.5 MI N JCT SR 79, Jackson, AL

Built 1936 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 1,534

US 82

Fair

Over: C. OF GA. RR(ABAND.)

2.7 MI E OF JCT AL 110, Bullock, AL

Built 1954 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 8,040

CO RT 222

Fair

Over: FOX CREEK

3.8 MI E JCT CO RT 217, Lawrence, AL

Built 1954 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 150

FAUST AVENUE

Fair

Over: COUNTY LAKE BRANCH

SEC-22 T-6-N R-24-E, Dale, AL

Built 1957 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 900

SR 221

Fair

Over: ROCK WEST CREEK

2 MI. N. OF INT. OFS.R.10, Wilcox, AL

Built 1960 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 1,260

CR-36

Fair

Over: ROCKY FORD CREEK RELIEF

10.7 MI. N.E. VERNON, Lamar, AL

Built 1961 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 450

CO RD 45

Fair

Over: SHAMBLEY CREEK

1.4 MI NE ALA HWY 14, Greene, AL

Built 1967 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 93

SR 38 / US280

Fair

Over: STREAM

11.3 MI E TALL CO LINE, Coosa, AL

Built 1972 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 11,926

COUNTY ROAD 2209

Fair

Over: DOUBLE BRANCH

SEC 35 T10N R20E, Pike, AL

Built 1973 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 400

CR- 56

Fair

Over: I-20/59

I-20/59 MM 55.2, Greene, AL

Built 1974 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 94

SR 55 MP 42.481

Fair

Over: PIGEON CREEK RELIEF

4.1 MI.N.RED LEVEL, Covington, AL

Built 1976 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 3,800

AL 14

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.2 MI.E.OF AL 63, Elmore, AL

Built 1929 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 4,060

I-10 WB * EB

Fair

Over: SOUTH CAROLINA ST

3.1 MI E SR 163, Mobile, AL

Built 1966 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 70,156

I - 20

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

I 20 / CANE CREEK, St. Clair, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 51,010

US 80 WBL * EBL

Fair

Over: CANEY CREEK

.9 MI. E OF DANNLEY FIELD, Montgomery, AL

Built 2003 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 25,080

US 80 WBL

Fair

Over: CAHABA RIVER

5.5 MI. W. OF AL 219, Dallas, AL

Built 2004 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 2,450

Showing 6,651-6,700 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.