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

CO RD 878

Fair

Over: SEABOARD COAST LINE RR

0.5MI S DICKERT, Randolph, AL

Built 1939 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 40

NORTH VALLEY RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE WILLS CREEK

0.1 MI N OF SR 68, DeKalb, AL

Built 1920 Load: 15.7 t ADT: 50

HICKORY ST

Fair

Over: BLACK CREEK

HICKORY ST * BLACK CREEK, Etowah, AL

Built 1950 Load: 15.7 t ADT: 1,764

BRICKYARD RD(CO 61

Fair

Over: COCHGALECHEE CREEK

2.5 MI SW US 280 (US 431), Russell, AL

Built 1950 Load: 15.7 t ADT: 1,500

CR-56

Fair

Over: Ditch Branch

0.46 Mi E of Weogufka, Coosa, AL

Built 1956 Load: 15.7 t ADT: 107

CO 483

Fair

Over: SALT CREEK

1.5 MI S ALA 21, Talladega, AL

Built 1956 Load: 15.7 t ADT: 147

COUNTY ROAD

Fair

Over: BELL CREEK

1.5 MI N POARCH, Escambia, AL

Built 1986 Load: 15.7 t ADT: 65

SR 47

Fair

Over: ROBINSONS CREEK

0.5 MI. E. OF RILEY, Monroe, AL

Built 1930 Load: 15.8 t ADT: 530

CO RT 377

Fair

Over: WHEELER BRANCH

0.5 MI N JCT SR 20, Lawrence, AL

Built 1935 Load: 15.8 t ADT: 100

ALTON ROAD

Fair

Over: SEABOARD AIRLINE RR

ALTON RD * SAL RR, Jefferson, AL

Built 1950 Load: 15.8 t ADT: 3,000

CR-49

Fair

Over: LUXAPALLILA CREEK

0.3 MI. N.W. KENNEDY, Lamar, AL

Built 1951 Load: 15.8 t ADT: 700

GROSS DIRT ROAD

Fair

Over: CREEK

SEC 28 T5N R, Conecuh, AL

Built 1993 Load: 15.8 t ADT: 50

HERSHEY ROAD

Fair

Over: TRIB.TO OTTER CREEK

0.5MI S LOREE, Conecuh, AL

Built 1993 Load: 15.8 t ADT: 85

HALLS MILL RD

Fair

Over: MONTLIMAR/MOORES CREEK

0.1 MI W AZALEA RD, Mobile, AL

Built 1959 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 9,788

COUNTY RT #247

Fair

Over: HIGDON CREEK

1.2 MI EAST OF CO RT #51, Pickens, AL

Built 1989 Load: 16.0 t ADT: 50

BROOKWOOD ROAD

Fair

Over: SELF CREEK

PALMERDALE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1960 Load: 16.0 t ADT: 548

COUNTY RT #99

Fair

Over: HOG BRANCH

0.7 MI WEST OF CO RT 30, Pickens, AL

Built 1991 Load: 16.0 t ADT: 50

ARMORY RD.

Fair

Over: LOST CREEK

ARMORY RD., Walker, AL

Built 1940 Load: 16.1 t ADT: 650

CO RD 117

Fair

Over: WILKES CREEK

2.2 MI W WEST GREENE, Greene, AL

Built 1950 Load: 16.1 t ADT: 262

15TH STREET SOUTH

Fair

Over: VALLEY CREEK

15TH ST. SO. * 22ND AVE., Jefferson, AL

Built 1950 Load: 16.1 t ADT: 4,500

CR 771

Fair

Over: TWOMILE CREEK

CR 771, Cullman, AL

Built 1976 Load: 16.1 t ADT: 175

MILL CREEK RD

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.5 MI.S.PLEASANT HOME CH, Butler, AL

Built 1978 Load: 16.1 t ADT: 15

SELLWOOD ROAD

Fair

Over: BRYANT BRANCH

0.6 MILES STH. AL 76, Talladega, AL

Built 1955 Load: 16.1 t ADT: 52

WALL-TRIANA HWY

Fair

Over: MADISON BRANCH

0.2 MI N MILL RD, Madison, AL

Built 1938 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 12,000

3 RD AV

Fair

Over: BEAVER CK

3 RD AV * BEAVER CK, St. Clair, AL

Built 1949 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 300

MIDWAY ROAD

Fair

Over: BURLINGTON-NORTHERN RR

ADAMSVILLE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1964 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 4,813

AL SEIER ROAD

Fair

Over: HURRICANE BRANCH

1 MILE SOUTH OF HOOVER, Jefferson, AL

Built 1964 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,530

CO 31

Fair

Over: CAMP BRANCH

1.3 MI N OF CO 71, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1937 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 150

NARROW LANE RD

Fair

Over: STREAM

0.1 MI.N.OF SEIBELS RD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1948 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 900

Lee Road 390

Fair

Over: HALAWAKEE CREEK

0.5 MI S E JCT S 015, Lee, AL

Built 1955 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 850

J.P.HOWARD RD.

Fair

Over: SIMMONS CREEK

.5 MI W MELROESE, Conecuh, AL

Built 1993 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 40

C0 RD # 309

Fair

Over: WILSON BRANCH

0.8 MI N JCT CO RD # 224, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1967 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 80

CO 94

Fair

Over: KEITHLY BRANCH

0.3 MI E CO 47, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1972 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 200

I - 65

Fair

Over: U.S.11 RR*CITY STREETS

I-65 2ND AVE-1ST AVE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1970 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 136,580

CO-29

Fair

Over: DUCK CK. TRIBUTARY

0.5MI SOUTH OF ANNEX, Conecuh, AL

Built 2000 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 200

Washington Street

Fair

Over: Norfolk Railroad

0.4 M E OF CO 280 280 BY, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 1931 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 530

Cr 33

Fair

Over: BEAVER DAM CREEK

1.44 MI N AL #22 FAS 03, Randolph, AL

Built 1951 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 275

COUNTY RT

Fair

Over: PATES LAKE

1.5 MILES E CO RT #29, Pickens, AL

Built 1990 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 50

FRED BATES RD

Fair

Over: DEMENT CR

SEC6 T2S R6W, Limestone, AL

Built 1947 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 120

COUNTY ROAD 33

Fair

Over: SIKES CREEK

SEC-3 T-7-N R-23-E, Dale, AL

Built 1951 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 898

F.A.S.15

Fair

Over: HILL CREEK

3 MI SE TUSC CO LI CO.9, Bibb, AL

Built 1955 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 665

GRAHAM AVE

Fair

Over: TOULMIN SPRINGS

150 N E FOREST AVE, Mobile, AL

Built 1956 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 171

WINCHESTER RD

Fair

Over: RODGERS BRANCH

0.2 MI SOUTH NEW MARKET, Madison, AL

Built 1936 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 3,500

CR-49

Fair

Over: Topopkin Creek

0.4 MI. S. U.S. 280, Coosa, AL

Built 1946 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 1,201

PATE/COLE KILN RD.

Fair

Over: JORDAN CREEK

4.8 MI S.E. BELLEVILLE, Conecuh, AL

Built 1993 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 50

COUNTY ROAD 9

Fair

Over: SUBSTATION BRANCH

3 MI. NORTH OF ST.HY.86, Pickens, AL

Built 1997 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 350

BRUSHY CREEK-Bridg

Fair

Over: BRUSHY CREEK

BANKHEAD DISTRICT, Winston, AL

Built 1934 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 100

CO 43

Fair

Over: SILAS CREEK

BETWEEN CR 665 * CR 96, Cleburne, AL

Built 1955 Load: 16.6 t ADT: 400

POTTER TRACT ROAD

Fair

Over: S FORK FRANKLIN CREEK

1.5 MI S AL 188, Mobile, AL

Built 1965 Load: 16.6 t ADT: 1,740

Cr 1508

Fair

Over: BUCK BRANCH

CR 1508, Cullman, AL

Built 1927 Load: 16.6 t ADT: 125

Showing 701-750 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.