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

SR4/US78

Fair

Over: PLUM SPRING BRANCH

5.1 MI E JCT SR 77, Talladega, AL

Built 1929 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 4,725

US 43

Fair

Over: PAULINES BRANCH

2.5 MI N CO RD 84, Mobile, AL

Built 1930 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 16,962

AL.5

Fair

Over: LITTLE CHILATCHEE CREEK

JCT.AL.5 AND AL 66, Dallas, AL

Built 1929 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 2,350

AL - 70

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0 . 5 MI E JCT US 31, Shelby, AL

Built 1966 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 10,680

CO RD 181

Fair

Over: MURPHY CREEK

6.2 MI N ALA 14, Greene, AL

Built 1968 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 395

CO RD 72

Fair

Over: TAYLOR CREEK

1.0 MI N BRAGGVILLE, Greene, AL

Built 1970 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 320

CO RD 48

Fair

Over: MCCONNICO CREEK

1.7 MI S WATSONIA, Greene, AL

Built 1973 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 156

CR 32

Fair

Over: STREAM

3 MI E JCT CR 33, Jackson, AL

Built 1975 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 134

RUTH MTN ROAD

Fair

Over: COTACO CREEK

1.0 MI E CR 296, Morgan, AL

Built 1980 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 225

ELIZA JORDAN RD S

Fair

Over: PIERCE CREEK

1.6 MI S OF COUNTY RD 70, Mobile, AL

Built 1981 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 3,565

NARROWS ROAD

Fair

Over: SAND VALLEY CREEK

4 MI SW OF REMLAP, Blount, AL

Built 1989 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 149

US 31

Fair

Over: PERSIMMON CREEK RELIEF

2.4 MI NORTH OF MCKENZIE, Butler, AL

Built 2003 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 3,960

16TH STREET

Fair

Over: BUXAHATCHEE CREEK

AT 16TH STREET CHURCH., Shelby, AL

Built 1984 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 500

CHERRY TREE RD

Fair

Over: GOOSE CREEK

0.2 MI SE JCT CO RD413, Madison, AL

Built 1937 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 595

OLD TUSC HWY

Fair

Over: FIVEMILE CREEK

50 N POWDER PLT RD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1950 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 5,135

CR 93 Peacock St

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK

2 MI. SE OF MALVERN, Geneva, AL

Built 1955 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 207

US 43 NB

Fair

Over: COLD CREEK

0.5 MI N CO RD 84, Mobile, AL

Built 1930 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 10,772

CO RT 315

Fair

Over: COWPEN CREEK

2.5 MILES SW OF JACK, Coffee, AL

Built 1957 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 180

AIRPORT BLVD

Fair

Over: MONTLIMAR CREEK

0.2 MI W I65, Mobile, AL

Built 1960 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 54,377

ATLANTA HWY

Fair

Over: THREE MILE BRANCH

200 FT E. OF COLISEUM, Montgomery, AL

Built 1961 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 35,710

CO RD 191

Fair

Over: SPENCER CREEK

3.0 MI NE CLINTON, Greene, AL

Built 1969 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 315

I - 59 NORTH

Fair

Over: EDWARDS LAKE ROAD

I59 * EDWARDS LAKE RD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1970 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 29,395

COUNTY ROAD 6628

Fair

Over: PEA RIVER RELIEF

SEC 6 T10N R24E, Pike, AL

Built 1971 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 300

WATER ST TO I10E/W

Fair

Over: ROYAL ST

WEST TUNNEL INTERCHANGE, Mobile, AL

Built 1972 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 11,019

I65 SBL * NBL

Fair

Over: AL.RIVER RELIEF NO 1

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

Built 1972 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 81,240

I65 SERV. RD EAST

Fair

Over: BRANCH

915 N SAILORS RD, Mobile, AL

Built 1975 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 315

AL 152 WBL

Fair

Over: 6TH ST

6TH ST INTERCHANGE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1975 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 12,415

AL 152 EBL

Fair

Over: 6TH ST

6TH ST INTERCHANGE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1975 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 12,415

AL 28

Fair

Over: I-59

2.9 MI. W. OF LIVINGSTON, Sumter, AL

Built 1974 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 1,214

MCLAUGHLIN DRIVE

Fair

Over: FLEETWOOD DRAINAGE

0.26MI. W. NAVCO ROAD, Mobile, AL

Built 1981 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 181

CO RD 11

Fair

Over: COSBY CREEK

MILLRY ON COPELAND ROAD, Washington, AL

Built 1982 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 350

SR 63

Fair

Over: SUGAR CREEK

.03 MI S JCT US 280, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 1931 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 5,964

AL - 75 SOUTH

Fair

Over: BLACKBURN FORK WARRIOR R

.4 MI SO CO RD 15, Blount, AL

Built 1998 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 4,105

CO. RD. 30

Fair

Over: TINDALL BRANCH

1.5 MILES S.W. OF MALVERN, Geneva, AL

Built 1966 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 525

SR 9

Fair

Over: LIGON CREEK

11.8 MI N LINEVILLE, Clay, AL

Built 1928 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 2,284

SR 227

Fair

Over: SAND VALLEY CREEK

6 MI S JCT SR 68, DeKalb, AL

Built 1943 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 416

COUNTY ROAD 43

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

0.5 MI NW OF COUNTY53, Barbour, AL

Built 1960 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 80

AL 69

Fair

Over: BLUE CREEK

2.5 MI N WINDHAM SPRINGS, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1950 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 1,480

COUNTY ROAD 55

Fair

Over: BLUE SPRINGS CREEK

2 MI NE OF BLOUNTSVILLE, Blount, AL

Built 1959 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 1,662

AL - 38 (US 280)

Fair

Over: MORGAN CREEK

.1 MI. E. CO RD 280, Shelby, AL

Built 1931 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 18,130

I - 59 SOUTH

Fair

Over: 75 TH ST NO

I 59 * 75 TH ST NO, Jefferson, AL

Built 1976 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 33,120

I - 59 NORTH

Fair

Over: 75TH ST NO

I59 * 75TH ST NO, Jefferson, AL

Built 1976 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 33,120

I - 459 SOUTH

Fair

Over: SHADES CK RELIEF

.4 MI. NO. SHADES CREEK, Jefferson, AL

Built 1982 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 26,365

MAYFIELD ROAD

Fair

Over: WARD CREEK

2.5 MI SE CORNER, Jefferson, AL

Built 1984 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 535

US 82

Fair

Over: RICE CREEK

2.8 MI W US 43, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1986 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 14,930

I - 65

Fair

Over: OXMOOR ROAD

I65 * OXMOOR ROAD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1970 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 126,780

LINDALL RD

Fair

Over: I - 22

.1 MI. NO.GRAYSVILLE INT., Jefferson, AL

Built 2001 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 2,000

US 31

Fair

Over: PERSIMMON CREEK RELIEF

2.7 MI NORTH OF MCKENZIE, Butler, AL

Built 2003 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 8,226

AL-124

Fair

Over: Downey Branch

2.1 MI E US 78, Walker, AL

Built 1924 Load: 38.3 t ADT: 435

SR 35

Fair

Over: STREAM

3.6MI N JCT SR 35 *CO 17, Jackson, AL

Built 1934 Load: 38.3 t ADT: 1,534

Showing 6,701-6,750 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.