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

LYNWOOD DR.

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

200 FT W OF E AUDUBON RD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1953 Load: 42.9 t ADT: 500

US 231

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.2 MI S TENN ST LINE, Madison, AL

Built 1929 Load: 42.9 t ADT: 12,887

CO RD 18

Fair

Over: I - 459

CO RD 18 * I459, Jefferson, AL

Built 1982 Load: 42.9 t ADT: 5,000

SR 255

Fair

Over: OAKWOOD RD

1.0 MILES N JCT US 72, Madison, AL

Built 1992 Load: 42.9 t ADT: 45,856

US 431

Fair

Over: STREAM

INTERSECTION OF SR26, Russell, AL

Built 2000 Load: 42.9 t ADT: 11,340

MOORES MILL RD.

Fair

Over: MOORES MILL CREEK

1.0 MI.EAST OF I-85, Lee, AL

Built 2000 Load: 42.9 t ADT: 21,407

MOBILE STREET

Fair

Over: NALL ST. DRAINAGE CANAL

0.4M N OF SPRING HILL, Mobile, AL

Built 1987 Load: 42.9 t ADT: 12,663

I - 59 SOUTH

Fair

Over: CAHABA RIVER

I59 * CAHABA RIVER, Jefferson, AL

Built 1967 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 20,105

I - 59 NORTH

Fair

Over: CAHABA RIVER

I59 * CAHABA RIVER, Jefferson, AL

Built 1967 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 20,105

I-59

Fair

Over: NS RR Active (-)

1.0 MI S JCT I-359, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1972 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 15,645

I-59

Fair

Over: NS RR Active (+)

1.0 MI S JCT I-359, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1972 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 34,450

AL - 38 (US 280)

Fair

Over: BRANCH

3 TH E CO RD 47, Shelby, AL

Built 1976 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 25,070

BIBB CO.44

Fair

Over: YEAGER BRANCH

S.W.BIBB NEAR P.C.LCO.44, Bibb, AL

Built 1980 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 85

COBURN MTN RD

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

COBURN MTN @ SPRING CREEK, Colbert, AL

Built 1981 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 310

I - 20 WEST

Fair

Over: RATLIFF ROAD

I20 AND RATLIFF RD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1983 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 35,000

COLEMAN RD

Fair

Over: BRANCH

.3 MI N US 78:ANNISTON, Calhoun, AL

Built 1960 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 3,500

1087

Fair

Over: SULLIVAN CREEK

CR 1087, Cullman, AL

Built 1961 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 50

RIVERTON ROSE TR

Fair

Over: BIG BEAR CREEK BACKWATER

RRT GINHOUSE HOLLOW, Colbert, AL

Built 1987 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 200

GLENWOOD ROAD

Fair

Over: COLLINS CREEK

0.8 MI N HIGHWAY 98, Mobile, AL

Built 1990 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 1,359

GLENWOOD ROAD

Fair

Over: JUNIPER CREEK

2.3 MI N US HIGHWAY98, Mobile, AL

Built 1990 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 961

WARREN CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: FRANKLIN CREEK

0.05 MI E JCT MCGREGOR RD, Mobile, AL

Built 1990 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 263

Taylor Road

Fair

Over: Hurricane Creek

0.3 MILE EAST OF CORD 11, Marion, AL

Built 1991 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 30

DAUPHIN IS.PKWY S

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK DEER RIVER

0.4 MI S OF SORREL ROAD, Mobile, AL

Built 1992 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 1,067

EARLVILLE RD

Fair

Over: PUPPY CREEK

4.5 MI W OF LOTT RD, Mobile, AL

Built 1994 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 123

FOXFIRE ROAD

Fair

Over: ENGINE CREEK

2.8 MI N JCT CO RD 2, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1995 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 55

CO. RT. 1398 RR

Fair

Over: CSX RAILROAD * FLINT CRK

CR 1398, Cullman, AL

Built 1995 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 720

COUNTY ROAD 21

Fair

Over: ADAMS CREEK

1.8MI NORTH OF 84WEST, Covington, AL

Built 2001 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 163

HUFF LANE

Fair

Over: EARLY BRANCH

0.6 MI N US HWY 11, St. Clair, AL

Built 1968 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 170

CO RD 58

Fair

Over: BRYANT CREEK

2.0MI.N.INT.A171 JC.58, Jackson, AL

Built 1932 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 2,130

CR. 16

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.4 MI. NE NALL POND, Butler, AL

Built 1953 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 106

US 231 MP 25.356

Fair

Over: QUAIL CREEK

1 MI. N. ROSS CLARK CIRCL, Houston, AL

Built 1928 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 34,100

AL-7

Fair

Over: I-20/59

Knoxville, Greene, AL

Built 1966 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 2,088

CR-459

Fair

Over: Proctor Creek

0.80 MI. S. AL 22, Coosa, AL

Built 1971 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 306

I-20/59

Fair

Over: AGR Railroad

AGR RR, Greene, AL

Built 1972 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 18,594

I-20/59

Fair

Over: AGR Railroad

AGR RR, Greene, AL

Built 1972 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 18,594

AL - 3 (US 31)

Fair

Over: I - 65

US 31 * I 65 @ ALABASTER, Shelby, AL

Built 1974 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 25,980

AL 21

Fair

Over: TOWN CREEK

CITY OF TALLADEGA, Talladega, AL

Built 1987 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 3,934

DEERFOOT PKWY

Fair

Over: I - 59

I-59 * DEERFOOT PKWY., Jefferson, AL

Built 1989 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 1,500

I-22

Fair

Over: AL-69

M.P. 61 on I-22, Walker, AL

Built 1995 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 18,526

I-22

Fair

Over: AL-69

M.P. 61 on I-22, Walker, AL

Built 1996 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 18,526

COON ROAD

Fair

Over: NO NAME BRANCH

Coon Road, Covington, AL

Built 2000 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 80

Pinewood Road

Fair

Over: PRESTWOOD CREEK

Btwn Andy & Heath, Covington, AL

Built 2000 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 264

Perrette Road

Fair

Over: FOLEY CREEK

Hester Store Area, Covington, AL

Built 2000 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 10

I-22

Fair

Over: CR-61

10.6 MI East of US-43, Marion, AL

Built 1997 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 12,325

CO RD 32

Fair

Over: JAMES CREEK RELIEF

2.1 MI. WEST OF SR5, Wilcox, AL

Built 1950 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 540

SNOW ROAD NORTH

Fair

Over: TRIB. TO PIERCE CREEK

1.4 MI. N.OF AIRPORT BLVD, Mobile, AL

Built 1986 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 9,362

BORDEN CREEK-Bridg

Fair

Over: BORDEN CREEK

BANKHEAD DISTRICT, Lawrence, AL

Built 1989 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 50

726

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

0.2 MILES S. OF US 82, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1978 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 50

WINCHESTER RD

Fair

Over: PRATER SPRING BR

1.0 MI SOUTH TENN ST LI, Madison, AL

Built 1946 Load: 43.2 t ADT: 3,500

CO RT 636

Fair

Over: DOUBLE BRIDGES CREEK

3.7 MILE W OF BATTENS XRD, Coffee, AL

Built 1991 Load: 43.2 t ADT: 3,059

Showing 7,401-7,450 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.