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

E. GANTS MILL RD

Fair

Over: WAUXAMAKA CREEK

0.82 M E OF AL. NO.49, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 1961 Load: 47.3 t ADT: 175

CO RD 47

Fair

Over: I-65

2.7 MI S ESC CO LINE, Baldwin, AL

Built 1965 Load: 47.3 t ADT: 2,464

AL - 3 SOUTH

Fair

Over: 10 TH AVE SO

US 31 * 10 TH AVE SO, Jefferson, AL

Built 1966 Load: 47.3 t ADT: 36,335

FORREST ST

Fair

Over: I 65

1 M N JCT SR 2 & I 65, Limestone, AL

Built 1969 Load: 47.3 t ADT: 11,128

UPPER RIVER RD

Fair

Over: I 65

1 MI N JCT I 65 & SR 67, Morgan, AL

Built 1969 Load: 47.3 t ADT: 2,070

US 82

Fair

Over: BRANCH

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

Built 1928 Load: 47.3 t ADT: 3,580

SR 255

Fair

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN

0.1 MI N JCT I565 * SR255, Madison, AL

Built 1968 Load: 47.3 t ADT: 34,608

INDUSTRIAL ACCESS

Fair

Over: B*N RR

B * N RR, Walker, AL

Built 2001 Load: 47.3 t ADT: 8,390

AL - 79 NORTH

Fair

Over: TRIB TO TURKEY CREEK

PINSON, Jefferson, AL

Built 2005 Load: 47.3 t ADT: 10,110

COUNTY LINE RD

Fair

Over: MCKIERNAN CREEK

CLR S OF MT. PLEASANT RD, Colbert, AL

Built 2003 Load: 47.3 t ADT: 2,975

WEST CLINTON AVE

Fair

Over: BROGLAN BRANCH

.5 MILE NORTH GOV. DRIVE, Madison, AL

Built 2009 Load: 47.3 t ADT: 6,000

SR 28

Fair

Over: LITTLE WOLF CREEK

CAMDEN, Wilcox, AL

Built 1927 Load: 47.4 t ADT: 4,910

COUNTY ROAD 35

Fair

Over: PEA RIVER

SEC 18 T13 R25, Bullock, AL

Built 1968 Load: 47.4 t ADT: 400

I-65 SB

Fair

Over: AGR RR * CO RD ATMORE

6.3 MI N BALD CO LINE, Escambia, AL

Built 1964 Load: 47.4 t ADT: 11,998

I-65 NB

Fair

Over: AGR RR * CO RD ATMORE

6.3 MI N BALD CO LINE, Escambia, AL

Built 1964 Load: 47.4 t ADT: 11,998

I - 65 NORTH

Fair

Over: WISTERIA DR

I 65 * WISTERIA DR, Jefferson, AL

Built 1977 Load: 47.4 t ADT: 59,055

US 29 MP 32.078

Fair

Over: BRANCH

2 MI. S. SR 137, Covington, AL

Built 1929 Load: 47.4 t ADT: 1,210

SR 95 MP 41.803

Fair

Over: HOG BRANCH

2.1 MI.S. ABBEVILLE, Henry, AL

Built 1984 Load: 47.4 t ADT: 1,020

I59/20

Fair

Over: AVE I

I59 * AVE I, Jefferson, AL

Built 1966 Load: 47.4 t ADT: 70,884

COUNTY DIRT RD

Fair

Over: YELLOW RIVER

1 MI. W OF MT. CHAPEL CH, Covington, AL

Built 1993 Load: 47.4 t ADT: 80

COUNTY ROAD 1127

Fair

Over: LITTLE SLAB CREEK

0.50MI N CO RD 1128, Marshall, AL

Built 1970 Load: 47.4 t ADT: 200

CO. RD. 10

Fair

Over: CORNER CREEK

Co Rd 10, Covington, AL

Built 1956 Load: 47.4 t ADT: 220

US 43

Fair

Over: PAUL BAYOU RELIEF

0.6 MI. NORTH OF CALVERT, Washington, AL

Built 2002 Load: 47.4 t ADT: 6,180

US 43

Fair

Over: PAUL BAYOU CREEK

0.4 MI. NORTH OF CALVERT, Washington, AL

Built 2002 Load: 47.4 t ADT: 6,180

INNOVATION WAY

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

.5 MILE EAST PULASKI PIKE, Madison, AL

Built 2002 Load: 47.4 t ADT: 300

BARRETT TOWN ROAD

Fair

Over: GEORGE BRANCH

50FT. EAST INT. CO.RD. 15, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1987 Load: 47.4 t ADT: 40

RAILROAD STREET

Fair

Over: BIG ESCAMBIA CREEK

.1 MI. W. OF MLK AVE., Escambia, AL

Built 2008 Load: 47.4 t ADT: 232

SHERMAN ROAD

Fair

Over: BARBEE CREEK

0.1 MI SW OF JCT ALA R 43, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2010 Load: 47.4 t ADT: 150

US 29 57.273

Fair

Over: ROCKY CREEK

0.1 MI.S.OF CO.61, Covington, AL

Built 1926 Load: 47.5 t ADT: 1,720

US 231; SR 53

Fair

Over: SERVICE ROAD LOOP

USELESS DRAKE, Madison, AL

Built 1969 Load: 47.5 t ADT: 77,340

US 231

Fair

Over: WEOKA CREEK

0.7 MI.SOF COOSA CO LINE, Elmore, AL

Built 1992 Load: 47.5 t ADT: 2,120

Lee Road 177

Fair

Over: HALAWAKEE CREEK

1.6 MI N JCT S 015, Lee, AL

Built 2002 Load: 47.5 t ADT: 144

SR 77

Fair

Over: POORHOUSE BRANCH

JCT SR 34 * SR 77, Talladega, AL

Built 1939 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 14,789

US 43

Fair

Over: UT to Needham Creek

2.0 MI N FORKLAND, Greene, AL

Built 1931 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 2,930

MARTHALER LN

Fair

Over: POND CREEK

MARTHALER S OF HWY 184, Colbert, AL

Built 1963 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 833

CO RT 239

Fair

Over: RED OAK CREEK

2 MILESSOUTHEASTMIXSONXRD, Coffee, AL

Built 1951 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 459

COUNTY ROAD 14

Fair

Over: POSEY CREEK

SEC 24 T12 R24, Bullock, AL

Built 1956 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 300

I - 20/59 EAST

Fair

Over: I - 65 SOUTH

ROUTE INTERCHANGE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1969 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 135,990

SR 2

Fair

Over: I 65

JCT SR 2 & I 65, Limestone, AL

Built 1969 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 16,400

SR 2

Fair

Over: I 65

JCT SR 2 & I 65, Limestone, AL

Built 1969 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 16,400

US 331 MP 47.561

Fair

Over: BRANCH

2 MI. N. OF BRANTLEY, Crenshaw, AL

Built 1938 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 6,190

CO. RD. 77

Fair

Over: LITTLE BEESWAX CREEK

.8 MI. S. JCT. CO. RD.28, Shelby, AL

Built 2000 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 150

CO RD 39 SB

Fair

Over: I-10

10.4 MI E MISS STATELINE, Mobile, AL

Built 2005 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 5,021

CO RD 39 NB

Fair

Over: I-10

10.4 MI E MISS.STATE LINE, Mobile, AL

Built 2004 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 5,021

COUNTY ROAD 45

Fair

Over: SPRING BRANCH

Red Oak Road, Covington, AL

Built 2002 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 240

COUNTY ROAD 26

Fair

Over: SIPSEY CREEK RELIEF

3.0 MI N LAMAR CO LINE, Marion, AL

Built 2003 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 255

COUNTY ROAD 26

Fair

Over: SIPSEY CREEK

3 MI N LAMAR CO LINE, Marion, AL

Built 2002 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 255

US 98

Fair

Over: DOUBLE BRANCH RELIEF

1.58 MI E SEMMES, Mobile, AL

Built 1931 Load: 47.7 t ADT: 31,009

SR 255

Fair

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN

0.1 MI N JCT I565 * SR255, Madison, AL

Built 1968 Load: 47.7 t ADT: 34,608

COTACO-FLORETTE RD

Fair

Over: SIX MILE CREEK

0.4 MI NORTH SR67, Morgan, AL

Built 2001 Load: 47.7 t ADT: 1,530

Showing 8,001-8,050 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.