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 RT 143

Fair

Over: RELIEF STRUCTURE

2.55 MI W JCT SR 101, Lawrence, AL

Built 1968 Load: 63.0 t ADT: 380

SR 21

Fair

Over: BLUE CREEK

0.6 MI.S.OF SNOW HILL, Wilcox, AL

Built 1989 Load: 63.0 t ADT: 980

SR 26

Fair

Over: Hatchechubbee Creek

1mile e. of hatchechubbee, Russell, AL

Built 2015 Load: 63.0 t ADT: 1,670

SR 17

Fair

Over: RELIEF

BUTLER, Choctaw, AL

Built 1929 Load: 63.1 t ADT: 6,220

CO. RD. 93

Fair

Over: MIXON BRANCH

CO.RD.33 TO CO.RD.115, Houston, AL

Built 1992 Load: 63.1 t ADT: 600

US 80

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.9 MI E MACON CO LINE, Lee, AL

Built 1940 Load: 63.3 t ADT: 2,170

US 431

Fair

Over: BRANCH

.1 MI SO AL 205, Etowah, AL

Built 1927 Load: 63.3 t ADT: 17,006

I-20

Fair

Over: BRANCH

3.3 MI E JCT SR 21, Calhoun, AL

Built 1969 Load: 63.3 t ADT: 22,699

I-10 WB * EB

Fair

Over: SOUTHERN DRAIN CANAL

3.3 MI E JCT SR 163, Mobile, AL

Built 1966 Load: 63.4 t ADT: 76,852

BULL SLOUGH RD.

Fair

Over: ROBINSON CREEK

2.8 MI S.E.PAUL, Conecuh, AL

Built 1976 Load: 63.4 t ADT: 80

COUNTY ROAD 24

Fair

Over: BIG GERMAN CREEK TRIB.

5.1 MI. E. OF MILLWOOD, Hale, AL

Built 1978 Load: 63.4 t ADT: 200

CO17 EAST TO CO

Fair

Over: CREEK

2 1/2 MI EAST OF CO17, Lowndes, AL

Built 1970 Load: 63.5 t ADT: 360

US 45

Fair

Over: THREE MILE CREEK

0.8 MI N JCT US 98, Mobile, AL

Built 1991 Load: 63.5 t ADT: 11,821

AL 216

Fair

Over: Lake View

2.6 MI W OF JCT I-59, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1928 Load: 63.6 t ADT: 9,270

US 431

Fair

Over: BRANCH

4 MI N PAINT ROCK RIVER, Madison, AL

Built 1957 Load: 63.6 t ADT: 10,814

SR 3

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1 MI N JCT SR 3 & SR 2, Limestone, AL

Built 1955 Load: 63.7 t ADT: 19,490

COUNTY ROAD 8

Fair

Over: DOUBLE CREEK

SEC 10 T11 R23, Bullock, AL

Built 1955 Load: 63.8 t ADT: 350

SR4 / US78

Fair

Over: CAHULGA CREEK

2.6 MI E CALHOUN CO. LINE, Cleburne, AL

Built 1987 Load: 63.8 t ADT: 4,413

CO.RD.15

Fair

Over: CHIPOLA CREEK

SOUTH PARK, Houston, AL

Built 1992 Load: 63.8 t ADT: 600

I-165 SB SER RD

Fair

Over: TOULMINS SPRINGS BRANCH

BETW. WILSON * PRICE AVE, Mobile, AL

Built 1993 Load: 63.9 t ADT: 3,659

CHELSEA PARK TRAIL

Fair

Over: UT TO YELLOWLEAF CK

CHELSEA PARK SUBDIVISION, Shelby, AL

Built 2007 Load: 63.9 t ADT: 20

PALOS-SNWVLLE-QUIN

Fair

Over: FALLS CREEK

0.5 MI W FLAT TOP ROAD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1986 Load: 64.0 t ADT: 54

CO RD NO 94

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.3 MILES EAST MISSLINE, Marion, AL

Built 1994 Load: 64.1 t ADT: 80

AL-7

Fair

Over: Jordan Branch

6.0 MI East I-20/59, Greene, AL

Built 1918 Load: 64.2 t ADT: 2,088

US 84

Fair

Over: BRIDGE BRANCH

1 MI W SR 41, Conecuh, AL

Built 1947 Load: 64.3 t ADT: 5,273

CO RT 32

Fair

Over: WHEELER BRANCH

3 MI E JCT CO RT 389, Lawrence, AL

Built 1967 Load: 64.4 t ADT: 90

US 80

Fair

Over: CHILDERS CREEK

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

Built 1933 Load: 64.4 t ADT: 6,750

CO. RD. 10

Fair

Over: BON SECOUR RIVER

0.6 MI. E. OF CO. RD. 65, Baldwin, AL

Built 1997 Load: 64.4 t ADT: 7,261

SR 188

Fair

Over: BAYOU COMO

3.6 MI W CO RD 59, Mobile, AL

Built 1946 Load: 64.6 t ADT: 2,158

AL 25

Fair

Over: UT SIXMILE CREEK

6.5 MI S SHELBY CO LINE, Bibb, AL

Built 1940 Load: 64.7 t ADT: 2,850

SR 76

Fair

Over: BRANCH

TOWN OF CHILDERSBURG, Talladega, AL

Built 1940 Load: 64.7 t ADT: 5,965

SR 21

Fair

Over: WET WEATHER CREEK

1.7 MI S CO RD 30, Escambia, AL

Built 1930 Load: 64.8 t ADT: 4,433

AL-14

Fair

Over: Blubber Creek Branch

1.0 MI W Aliceville, Pickens, AL

Built 1950 Load: 64.8 t ADT: 2,880

COUNTY ROAD 11

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

SEC 23 T12 R22, Bullock, AL

Built 1957 Load: 64.8 t ADT: 200

US 29

Fair

Over: BELL BRANCH

3.2 MI S CO RD 22, Escambia, AL

Built 1925 Load: 64.9 t ADT: 1,482

I - 459 NORTH

Fair

Over: SCL RR * ACCESS RD

SOU RR * I459, Jefferson, AL

Built 1983 Load: 64.9 t ADT: 27,200

SR 255

Fair

Over: CREEK

2.9 MILES N JCT US 72, Madison, AL

Built 1992 Load: 64.9 t ADT: 30,649

AL - 38 WEST

Fair

Over: AL - 149

US 280 * AL 149, Jefferson, AL

Built 1964 Load: 65.0 t ADT: 33,735

SR 77

Fair

Over: TRIB. TO ENITACHOPO CK

4.5 MI N ASHLAND/CO RD130, Clay, AL

Built 1973 Load: 65.0 t ADT: 2,884

ALLIANCE ROAD

Fair

Over: BLACK WARRIOR RIVER TRIB

0.75 SW AL 269, Jefferson, AL

Built 1989 Load: 65.1 t ADT: 855

CO RD 280

Fair

Over: TRIB. TO BIG WILLS CREEK

150 FT E OF I59, DeKalb, AL

Built 1962 Load: 65.1 t ADT: 98

US 31

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE CANAL

1 MI N OF SO. BY PASS, Montgomery, AL

Built 1969 Load: 65.1 t ADT: 12,380

EASTERN VALLEY RD.

Fair

Over: MUD CREEK

1.8 MI SE OF JCT ALA 216, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1970 Load: 65.1 t ADT: 800

INSBROOKE PARKWAY

Fair

Over: TURKEY CREEK TRIBUTARY

1/4 MI E AL HWY 79, Jefferson, AL

Built 1980 Load: 65.1 t ADT: 430

AL 155

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

1.5 MI S SHELBY CO LINE, Chilton, AL

Built 1951 Load: 65.2 t ADT: 4,006

Lee Road 188

Fair

Over: LITTLE LOBLOCKEE

1 MI N OF JAMES, Lee, AL

Built 1951 Load: 65.3 t ADT: 428

CO. 460

Fair

Over: BIG SHOAL CREEK

7.3 MI. E. ALA. 33 JCT., Lawrence, AL

Built 1919 Load: 65.3 t ADT: 3,093

COUNTY ROAD 7702

Fair

Over: CHINA GROVE CREEK

SEC 9 T12N R21E, Pike, AL

Built 1966 Load: 65.3 t ADT: 225

AL-17

Fair

Over: Trib. of Lubbub Creek

2.5 MI N JCT SR 14, Pickens, AL

Built 1926 Load: 65.4 t ADT: 3,429

SR 36

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.8 M W JCT SR 36 & SR 67, Morgan, AL

Built 1984 Load: 65.6 t ADT: 3,460

Showing 8,651-8,700 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.