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

I85 NBL

Fair

Over: AL 8

MITYLENE INTERCHANGE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1966 Load: 38.8 t ADT: 19,245

CO RD 6

Fair

Over: POSSUM CREEK

2 2M EAST AL#14 ON CORT#6, Perry, AL

Built 1968 Load: 38.8 t ADT: 305

I - 20/59 WEST

Fair

Over: FAIRFIELD BLVD

I59 * FAIRFIELD BLVD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1980 Load: 38.8 t ADT: 30,650

EULATON PIKE RD.

Fair

Over: BRANCH

EULATON PIKE RD, Calhoun, AL

Built 1984 Load: 38.8 t ADT: 3,388

SR 53

Fair

Over: TN RIVER RELIEF

3 MI N JCT SR 36 & SR 53, Morgan, AL

Built 2006 Load: 38.8 t ADT: 10,175

CO. RD. 1428

Fair

Over: BRANCH

Cr 1428, Cullman, AL

Built 2010 Load: 38.8 t ADT: 80

AL 382

Fair

Over: UT SANDY CREEK

3.9 MI E OF CENTREVILLE, Bibb, AL

Built 1935 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 865

US 80/AL8

Fair

Over: BRUSH CREEK

2.6 MI EAST LEE CO LINE, Russell, AL

Built 1940 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 4,520

CR-33

Fair

Over: Bethesda Creek

0.37 Mi S SR-9, Coosa, AL

Built 1950 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 32

CO RD 16

Fair

Over: I65

6.1 MI.N.OF CONECUH CO, Butler, AL

Built 1960 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 600

AL 77

Fair

Over: I 59

AL 77 * I 59, Etowah, AL

Built 1962 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 12,210

COUNTY ROAD 13

Fair

Over: LOCUST FORK RIVER

2 1/2 MI SW OF NECTAR, Blount, AL

Built 1976 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 495

US 82

Fair

Over: Hubbard Springs Branch

0.1 MI E TUSC CO LINE, Bibb, AL

Built 1929 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 6,350

AL-17

Fair

Over: Town Creek

Reform, Pickens, AL

Built 1981 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 3,160

I 565

Fair

Over: LIMESTONE CREEK

2.5 MI E JCT I 565 & I 65, Limestone, AL

Built 1987 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 550

MT. GILEAD RD.

Fair

Over: OHATCHEE CREEK

MT GILEAD RD, Calhoun, AL

Built 1989 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 582

CO RD 1492

Fair

Over: EIGHT MILE CREEK

CO RD 1492 dunn, Cullman, AL

Built 2006 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 90

AL-124

Fair

Over: Hurricane Creek

0 9 MI E JCT AL 102, Walker, AL

Built 1924 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 1,273

CO RT 354

Fair

Over: PEA CREEK

1.6 MI S OF LEE COMMUNITY, Coffee, AL

Built 1957 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 50

AL - 4 (US 78)

Fair

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN

US 78 * N/S RR, St. Clair, AL

Built 1928 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 3,170

CO. HWY. 280

Fair

Over: N. FORK OF MUDDY PRONG

300 EAST CO 51, Shelby, AL

Built 1931 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 642

MC CLAIN ST

Fair

Over: BIG COVE CK

MC CLAIN ST * BIG COVE CK, Etowah, AL

Built 1950 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 500

SR 2

Fair

Over: ROYAL AVENUE

3 M W JCT SR 2 & SR 133, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1954 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 11,170

AL 269 M.P.1.43

Fair

Over: T C I STEEL MILL

AL - 269, Jefferson, AL

Built 1954 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 17,410

COUNTY ROAD 67

Fair

Over: WALNUT CREEK

SEC-6 T-6-N R-26-E, Dale, AL

Built 1961 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 934

SR 77

Fair

Over: BRANCH

6.7 MI NO JCT SR 34, Talladega, AL

Built 1939 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 16,171

I - 65 NORTH

Fair

Over: ROCKY RIDGE RD

I 65 * ROCKY RIDGE RD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1977 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 59,055

16TH AVE

Fair

Over: STREAM

0.3 MI W OF US 31, Chilton, AL

Built 1980 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 2,500

County Road 99

Fair

Over: Moore Creek

.5 MILE NORTH JCT 129, Marion, AL

Built 1900 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 125

COUNTY ROAD 52

Fair

Over: BARRON CREEK

2.5 MI S OF BAZEMORE, Fayette, AL

Built 1982 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 85

MOORES MILL RD

Fair

Over: YELLOW CREEK TRIBUTARY

2 MI. W. HIGHTOGY, Lamar, AL

Built 1983 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 30

DIRT ROAD

Fair

Over: BLACK CREEK

(5 MI W JCT SR 195, Winston, AL

Built 1939 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 50

C.R.61 LEO PLUMMER

Fair

Over: BOGUECHITTO CREEK

LEO PLUMMER RD., Perry, AL

Built 1984 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 165

CR. 50

Fair

Over: PIGEON CREEK

PIGEON CREEK, Butler, AL

Built 1985 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 1,457

ARMSTRONG LOOP

Fair

Over: HAYES CREEK

2 MI E OF HAYDEN, Blount, AL

Built 1987 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 254

I85

Fair

Over: HULL ST

1.11 MI N OF I65, Montgomery, AL

Built 1966 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 83,530

I85

Fair

Over: DECATUR ST

1.18 MI N OF I65, Montgomery, AL

Built 1966 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 83,530

SANDERS LANE

Fair

Over: YELLOW BRANCH

2.5 MI N OF TAITS GAP, Blount, AL

Built 1991 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 213

CR 85

Fair

Over: LOCUST CREEK

.2 MI FROM INT CR 85 *463, Shelby, AL

Built 2003 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 1,278

CO RD #22

Fair

Over: CRIPPLE CREEK

Perry Store Road, Covington, AL

Built 1950 Load: 39.1 t ADT: 280

CARROL RD

Fair

Over: LOVE DITCH

0.2 MI S CO RD 068, Madison, AL

Built 1960 Load: 39.1 t ADT: 237

Lee Road 208

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.3 MI N RUSSELL CO, Lee, AL

Built 1962 Load: 39.1 t ADT: 4,151

Lee Road 208

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.6 MI N RUSSELL CO, Lee, AL

Built 1962 Load: 39.1 t ADT: 4,151

CR-56

Fair

Over: Paint Creek

1.58 Miles E of CR-5, Coosa, AL

Built 1963 Load: 39.1 t ADT: 327

CO RD 1169 MP308.8

Fair

Over: I65

1 MI N JCT US 278 * I65, Cullman, AL

Built 1965 Load: 39.1 t ADT: 1,118

DAUPHIN ST.

Fair

Over: MONTLIMAR CREEK

0.5 MI W I65, Mobile, AL

Built 1975 Load: 39.1 t ADT: 23,251

I - 59 SO RAMP

Fair

Over: 80th St. North

I59 * 80 TH STREET, Jefferson, AL

Built 1976 Load: 39.1 t ADT: 6,918

US 80

Fair

Over: CHILDERS CREEK

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

Built 1933 Load: 39.1 t ADT: 6,750

I - 459 SOUTH

Fair

Over: CO RD 52

I459 * CO RD 52(MORGAN RD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1982 Load: 39.1 t ADT: 27,200

I - 459 NORTH

Fair

Over: CO RD 52

I459 * CO RD 52(MORGAN RD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1982 Load: 39.1 t ADT: 27,200

Showing 6,851-6,900 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.