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

I - 65

Fair

Over: AL - 3 (US 31)

I-65 OVER US 31, Blount, AL

Built 1998 Load: 42.5 t ADT: 42,750

CO. HWY. 4

Fair

Over: WRIGHTS CREEK

7 MILES S. OF SLOCOMB, Geneva, AL

Built 1993 Load: 42.5 t ADT: 485

COUNTY ROAD 45

Fair

Over: POPLAR CREEK

Red Oak Road, Covington, AL

Built 2002 Load: 42.5 t ADT: 235

US 80

Fair

Over: SOAPSTONE CREEK

6.8 MI. E. OF AL 41, Dallas, AL

Built 2010 Load: 42.5 t ADT: 3,695

KELLYTOWN ROAD

Fair

Over: HAMMER CREEK

.2 MI. W SIPSEY VALLEY RD, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2001 Load: 42.5 t ADT: 400

COUNTY ROAD 57

Fair

Over: SANDY CREEK

S. GLENWOOD RD., Crenshaw, AL

Built 1955 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 640

AL-17

Fair

Over: Branch

1 MI N JCT SR-19 Detroit, Marion, AL

Built 1958 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 1,774

AL-118

Fair

Over: Branch

0.3 MI W JCT SR 107, Marion, AL

Built 1963 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 2,425

MADISON RD.

Fair

Over: CEDAR CREEK

1.0 MILE SE BERRY, Fayette, AL

Built 1992 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 60

US 82 EBL

Fair

Over: BRANCH

5.0 MI.E OF U S 29, Bullock, AL

Built 1967 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 1,635

BURROW RD.

Fair

Over: DAVIS CREEK

7 MI. SE OF FAYETTE, Fayette, AL

Built 1982 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 65

AL-171

Fair

Over: Dougan Creek

5 MI S JCT SR 17, Marion, AL

Built 1985 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 3,300

COUNTY LINE RD

Fair

Over: POPLAR CREEK

CLR POPLAR CREEK SOUTH, Colbert, AL

Built 1987 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 1,260

ARMY ROAD

Fair

Over: BAYOU SARA

0.3 MI. W. CO. 41, Mobile, AL

Built 1987 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 525

AL-118

Fair

Over: Branch

1.0 MI W of Beaverton, Lamar, AL

Built 1926 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 2,323

CO RD 75

Fair

Over: CEDAR CREEK

0.1 MI N CO 75 CO 74 JCT, Franklin, AL

Built 1989 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 225

WYNLAKES BLVD

Fair

Over: POND

350 FT E OF LAKERIDGE DR, Montgomery, AL

Built 1999 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 500

AL 219

Fair

Over: UT BEAVERDAM CREEK

JCT SR 183, Perry, AL

Built 1957 Load: 42.7 t ADT: 900

SR 3

Fair

Over: BRANCH

4.1 MI N JCT SR 3 & SR 20, Limestone, AL

Built 1941 Load: 42.7 t ADT: 14,720

COUNTY RT 75

Fair

Over: LINDSEY BRANCH

4.1 MI NORTH OF US # 14, Pickens, AL

Built 1959 Load: 42.7 t ADT: 550

SAM WOOD ROAD

Fair

Over: DUNBAR CREEK

4 MI NO MILLRY, Washington, AL

Built 1961 Load: 42.7 t ADT: 150

CORINTH RD

Fair

Over: WHITE OAK CREEK

1.5 MI S CRAGFORD, Clay, AL

Built 1967 Load: 42.7 t ADT: 123

SR1/US431

Fair

Over: TALLASSEEHATCHEE CREEK

2.7 MI N JCT SR 144, Calhoun, AL

Built 1971 Load: 42.7 t ADT: 7,225

SR 59

Fair

Over: LITTLE LAGOON

.4 MI N JCT SR 182, Baldwin, AL

Built 1975 Load: 42.7 t ADT: 38,520

RAMP E

Fair

Over: GRASSY AREA

FROM 5TH AVE. TO RAMP E-H, Jefferson, AL

Built 1987 Load: 42.7 t ADT: 15,241

CO RD 108

Fair

Over: PURSLEY CREEK

1.1 MILES S.ON ROAD 110, Wilcox, AL

Built 1987 Load: 42.7 t ADT: 100

US 84 MP 218.257

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.5 MI. W. OF ASHFORD, Houston, AL

Built 1988 Load: 42.7 t ADT: 16,530

CO RD 19

Fair

Over: ROCKWEST CREEK

0.4 MILES N. ON CO RD 19, Wilcox, AL

Built 1993 Load: 42.7 t ADT: 400

BENTON ROAD

Fair

Over: BIG SWAMP CREEK

5 MI WEST OF CO RD 23, Lowndes, AL

Built 1995 Load: 42.7 t ADT: 310

AL-96

Fair

Over: Stream

4.6MI W Millport, Lamar, AL

Built 2000 Load: 42.7 t ADT: 2,443

2ND AVE E

Fair

Over: CREEK

0.2 mi s hargrove rd., Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1968 Load: 42.7 t ADT: 3,912

AL - 4 (US 78)

Fair

Over: BRANCH

.9 MI. E. AL 25, Jefferson, AL

Built 1928 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 4,260

AL-17

Fair

Over: Ragsdale Creek

0.2 MI N JCT US 278, Marion, AL

Built 1931 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 14,158

COUNTY ROAD 7708

Fair

Over: INDIAN CREEK

SEC 4 T10N R21E, Pike, AL

Built 1955 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 230

AL - 79

Fair

Over: WILSON CK

SO. OF MARSH MT. RD., Jefferson, AL

Built 1959 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 13,050

US 84

Fair

Over: I-65

EVERGREEN, Conecuh, AL

Built 1959 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 5,623

SR 113

Fair

Over: I-65

SR 113 @ I65, Escambia, AL

Built 1960 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 5,704

AL - 7 (US 11)

Fair

Over: I - 59

US 11 / I - 59, St. Clair, AL

Built 1961 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 5,130

CO RT 330

Fair

Over: PEA CREEK

3.3 MILE SOUTH OF NEWBY, Coffee, AL

Built 1964 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 250

AL - 38 EAST

Fair

Over: AL - 149

US 280 * AL 149, Jefferson, AL

Built 1964 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 33,735

AZALEA RD/SERV RD

Fair

Over: BOLTON BRANCH

0.9 MI S AIRPORT BLVD, Mobile, AL

Built 1973 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 13,628

AL 41

Fair

Over: WATER AVE.

INT. WATER AVE. AL.#4 1, Dallas, AL

Built 1976 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 5,510

HOWELLS FERRY RD

Fair

Over: FLAT CREEK

1 MI E MS LINE, Mobile, AL

Built 1995 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 1,040

SR 172

Fair

Over: HOLCOMB BRANCH

1.1 M E JCT SR172 & SR187, Franklin, AL

Built 1997 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 750

I-22

Fair

Over: Clifty Creek

2.14 Miles East of AL-129, Marion, AL

Built 2001 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 12,834

U.S.431

Fair

Over: ABANDONED R.R. * CO. RD

SEALE, Russell, AL

Built 2001 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 7,750

US 431

Fair

Over: ABANDONED R.R. * CO RD.

SEALE, Russell, AL

Built 2001 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 7,750

CENTURY ROAD

Fair

Over: TALLASSEEHATCHEE CREEK

CENTURY RD., Calhoun, AL

Built 2001 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 200

SR 17

Fair

Over: BRANCH

3.4 MI. N. OF CHATOM, Washington, AL

Built 1929 Load: 42.9 t ADT: 1,810

AL 382

Fair

Over: UT SANDY CREEK

3.3 MI E OF CENTREVILLE, Bibb, AL

Built 1935 Load: 42.9 t ADT: 4,220

Showing 7,351-7,400 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.