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

65TH STREET N.

Fair

Over: VILLAGE CREEK

65TH STREET N. 3800 BLOCK, Jefferson, AL

Built 1975 Load: 70.7 t ADT: 2,000

SR 162

Fair

Over: BRANCH

2.7MI.W.OF JCT.S.R.28, Wilcox, AL

Built 1935 Load: 70.8 t ADT: 210

PAINT ROCK RD

Fair

Over: CEDAR CREEK

0.3 MI E CO RD 387, Madison, AL

Built 1959 Load: 70.8 t ADT: 400

US 231

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.4 MI. NO. ST.CLAIR CO.L, St. Clair, AL

Built 1941 Load: 70.9 t ADT: 3,570

US 31

Fair

Over: STREAM

1.0MI N OF C.R.77, Butler, AL

Built 1950 Load: 70.9 t ADT: 1,930

CORSBIE ST.

Fair

Over: BRUSH CREEK

JCT. CORSBIE BRUSCH CK., Morgan, AL

Built 1965 Load: 70.9 t ADT: 2,346

GAILLARD DR

Fair

Over: 3-MILE CREEK

0.1KM N OF MUSEUM DR, Mobile, AL

Built 1998 Load: 70.9 t ADT: 906

COUNTY ROUTE 130

Fair

Over: CATEN SHOALS CREEK

.6 MI.WEST INT. CO.RT.12, Clay, AL

Built 1928 Load: 70.9 t ADT: 570

US 82 EBL

Fair

Over: BRANCH

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

Built 1967 Load: 71.0 t ADT: 1,635

CLEVELAND AVE

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.9 MI N TWO MILE RD, Mobile, AL

Built 1980 Load: 71.0 t ADT: 489

CR 89 SOUTH

Fair

Over: BLUE CREEK

1.6 M N LEE CO LINE, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 1975 Load: 71.1 t ADT: 175

CO RD 63

Fair

Over: WAGON TOUNGE CREEK

4.5KM NE OF CR 59S, Wilcox, AL

Built 1997 Load: 71.1 t ADT: 50

CHEROKEE #75

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

2.4 MI N JCT SR 68, Cherokee, AL

Built 1957 Load: 71.2 t ADT: 800

SR 20

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

1 M E JCT SR 20 & SR157, Colbert, AL

Built 1974 Load: 71.2 t ADT: 7,910

RUTLAND LN

Fair

Over: RUTLAND BRANCH

RUTLAND LN E OF 247, Colbert, AL

Built 1980 Load: 71.2 t ADT: 20

CO RD 49

Fair

Over: SPLUNGE CREEK

1MI N JCT CO RD 34, Winston, AL

Built 1984 Load: 71.2 t ADT: 100

AL-13

Fair

Over: Creek

1 MI N JCT US 278, Winston, AL

Built 1951 Load: 71.2 t ADT: 2,757

CO.RD.32

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.5 MI. W. OF CO. RD. 9, Baldwin, AL

Built 1964 Load: 71.3 t ADT: 2,900

COUNTY ROAD 28

Fair

Over: BIG GERMAN CREEK TRIB.

5.2 MI. W. OF GREENSBORO, Hale, AL

Built 1975 Load: 71.3 t ADT: 100

US 431 MP 21.311

Fair

Over: BURDESHAW MILLS CREEK

2.4 MI. N. JCT. SR 210, Houston, AL

Built 1962 Load: 71.5 t ADT: 16,600

US 411 M.P.247.70

Fair

Over: BRANCH

6 MI N JCT SR 9 * SR 25, Cherokee, AL

Built 1961 Load: 71.6 t ADT: 4,166

AL - 53 (US 231)

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.5 MI SO JCT ST RT 160, Blount, AL

Built 1939 Load: 71.7 t ADT: 6,460

SR 69

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.7 MI N JCT SR 91, Cullman, AL

Built 1949 Load: 71.8 t ADT: 4,371

SR 91

Fair

Over: TOWN CREEK

2.6 MI E JCT I65, Cullman, AL

Built 1954 Load: 71.8 t ADT: 2,803

OLD R R BED RD

Fair

Over: KNOX CREEK

0.9 MI N US 72 HWY, Madison, AL

Built 1965 Load: 71.8 t ADT: 6,458

COUNTY ROAD 24

Fair

Over: WHITSITT CREEK

4.3 MI. N. OF NEWBERN, Hale, AL

Built 1900 Load: 71.8 t ADT: 100

SR 48

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

0.5 MI E WOODLAND, Randolph, AL

Built 1964 Load: 72.0 t ADT: 2,475

ABERNANT LOOP RD.

Fair

Over: ROCKCASTLE CREEK

0.2 MI NW OF JCT ALA 216, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1987 Load: 72.0 t ADT: 500

CR-42

Fair

Over: Jacks Creek

1.97 Miles NE of CR-40, Coosa, AL

Built 1990 Load: 72.0 t ADT: 119

NUNNALLY LAKE ROAD

Fair

Over: UNKNOWN CREEK

NUNNALLY LAKE ROAD, Calhoun, AL

Built 2002 Load: 72.0 t ADT: 2,498

COUNTY ROAD 2

Fair

Over: YELLOW CREEK

2.7 MI. S. OF ARCLOA, Hale, AL

Built 1900 Load: 72.1 t ADT: 100

CO.460

Fair

Over: WEST SHOAL CREEK

4.0 MI. E. ALA. 24 JCT., Lawrence, AL

Built 1952 Load: 72.2 t ADT: 3,093

CR. 30

Fair

Over: FORK OF LONG CREEK

1.5 MI. NW PROVIDENCE, Butler, AL

Built 1990 Load: 72.2 t ADT: 28

US 11

Fair

Over: BEAN STACK CREEK

0.7 MI N ALLISION, Greene, AL

Built 1929 Load: 72.3 t ADT: 961

AL 69

Fair

Over: UT FIVEMILE CREEK

4.0 MI S OF HAVANA, Hale, AL

Built 1939 Load: 72.4 t ADT: 3,610

COUNTY ROAD 7702

Fair

Over: MUD CREEK

SEC 8 T12N R21E, Pike, AL

Built 1966 Load: 72.5 t ADT: 225

SR38 / US 280

Fair

Over: MANOY CREEK

.5 MI E CHIP MILL-U.S.280, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 2003 Load: 72.5 t ADT: 14,367

AL 17

Fair

Over: SAMBO CREEK

.4 MI. N. OF BOYD, Sumter, AL

Built 1940 Load: 72.6 t ADT: 926

SR1/US431

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.5 MI N OLD US 431, Calhoun, AL

Built 1960 Load: 72.6 t ADT: 19,631

NATCHEZ TRACE PARK

Fair

Over: CYPRESS CREEK

3.75 MILES NORTH OF AL RO, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1941 Load: 72.6 t ADT: 415

CO. ROAD 394

Fair

Over: FAYNE CREEK

0.6 MI N CO385 AT IRONATO, Talladega, AL

Built 1945 Load: 72.7 t ADT: 605

US 98

Fair

Over: DOUBLE BRANCH

1.5 MI E SEMMES, Mobile, AL

Built 1931 Load: 72.7 t ADT: 31,009

AL 5

Fair

Over: CONGO CREEK

1.6 MI N JCT SR 25, Bibb, AL

Built 1928 Load: 72.8 t ADT: 5,141

CO.RD. 41

Fair

Over: PERSIMMON CREEK

PERSIMMON CRK * I-65, Butler, AL

Built 1968 Load: 72.8 t ADT: 953

SR 163

Fair

Over: SALTWATER BRANCH

0.3 MI S I-10, Mobile, AL

Built 1965 Load: 73.0 t ADT: 27,141

COUNTY ROAD 24

Fair

Over: BIG GERMAN CREEK TRIB.

2.8 MI. W. OF GREENSBORO, Hale, AL

Built 1978 Load: 73.3 t ADT: 200

SR 157

Fair

Over: BRANCH

7.6 M N JCT SR157 & SR133, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1976 Load: 73.4 t ADT: 20,260

CR 549

Fair

Over: WILLIAM CREEK

SEC-32 T-4-N R-25-E, Dale, AL

Built 1992 Load: 73.5 t ADT: 140

AL-107

Fair

Over: Langston Creek

2.3 MI S of Wayside, Fayette, AL

Built 1949 Load: 73.5 t ADT: 545

ED RAY RD

Fair

Over: COPELAND BR

SEC33 T2S R3W, Limestone, AL

Built 1970 Load: 73.5 t ADT: 253

Showing 8,801-8,850 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.