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

I-65

Fair

Over: COBB CREEK

4.3 MI S SHELBY CO LINE, Chilton, AL

Built 1960 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 48,128

I-65

Fair

Over: THIRD CREEK

3.2 MI S SHELBY CO LINE, Chilton, AL

Built 1960 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 48,128

I-65

Fair

Over: WATSON CREEK

1.2 MI S SHELBY CO LINE, Chilton, AL

Built 1960 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 48,128

I65

Fair

Over: BAVERS CREEK

6 MI S JCT US 278, Cullman, AL

Built 1960 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 50,407

I-65

Fair

Over: DEAN CREEK

4 MI S SR 41, Escambia, AL

Built 1960 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 25,106

RIPLEY ROAD

Fair

Over: SIMS BRANCH

2 MILES N HWY 78, Walker, AL

Built 1960 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 1,200

AL301

Fair

Over: JACKSONS CREEK

.069 MI N JCT I-20, Calhoun, AL

Built 1960 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 5,208

SR1/US431

Fair

Over: OHATCHEE CREEK

0.4 MI N JCT SR 204, Calhoun, AL

Built 1960 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 13,897

US 431

Fair

Over: BRANCH

3 . 3 MI NO ETOWAH CO LN, Etowah, AL

Built 1960 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 20,045

OLD SAND VALLEY RD

Fair

Over: BIG NOSE CREEK

0.2 MI N INT AL68 BYPAS, Cherokee, AL

Built 1960 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 395

SR 2

Fair

Over: SIX MILE CREEK

1.7 MI E JCT SR 2 & SR 13, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1960 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 23,230

SR 2

Fair

Over: BRANCH

2.1 MI E JCT SR 2 & SR13, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1960 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 23,230

US 31

Fair

Over: UT CHESTNUT CREEK

0.1 MI S JCT I-65, Chilton, AL

Built 1960 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 9,700

CR-57

Fair

Over: Pinchoulee Creek

0.36 MI. N. CR-459, Coosa, AL

Built 1960 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 105

AL-118

Fair

Over: Bean River

01 MI. EAST I-22, Walker, AL

Built 1960 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 1,734

AL-118

Fair

Over: Paul Creek

.6 MI W of Blackwell road, Walker, AL

Built 1960 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 1,298

AL-118

Fair

Over: Cold Branch

.5 MI E I-22, Walker, AL

Built 1960 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 1,298

AL 139

Fair

Over: UT ELAM CREEK

0.3 MI N CHILTON CO LINE, Bibb, AL

Built 1960 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 1,356

CO RD 141

Fair

Over: BOYDSTON CREEK

1 MI NE AL 117 T3SR9E, DeKalb, AL

Built 1957 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 1,530

I 20

Fair

Over: WOLF CREEK

.3 MI. W. EDEN EXIT, St. Clair, AL

Built 1961 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 46,760

I 20

Fair

Over: FISHING CREEK

I 20 * FISH CREEK, St. Clair, AL

Built 1961 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 43,320

I -59

Fair

Over: BRANCH

.1 TH MI NO AGS RR, St. Clair, AL

Built 1961 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 26,510

I - 59

Fair

Over: BRANCH

2 TH MI SO JCT 174, St. Clair, AL

Built 1961 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 26,510

I59

Fair

Over: LEFT HAND PRONG

.2 MI SO JCT AL 23, St. Clair, AL

Built 1961 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 26,165

I59

Fair

Over: BRANCH

2 MI SO JCT US 231, St. Clair, AL

Built 1961 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 10,585

I - 59 NORTH

Fair

Over: BRANCH

2 MI S JCT US 231, St. Clair, AL

Built 1961 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 10,585

I - 59 NORTH

Fair

Over: BRANCH

6 MI NO US 231, St. Clair, AL

Built 1961 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 10,590

I - 59

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0 . 5 MI SO ETOWAH CO LN, St. Clair, AL

Built 1961 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 26,319

AL - 5 (US 78)

Fair

Over: CANE CK

US 78 * CANE CK, Jefferson, AL

Built 1961 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 10,054

COUNTY ROAD 30

Fair

Over: WILLOW CREEK

1.3 MI E OF JCT US 82, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1961 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 9,212

US 411

Fair

Over: BRANCH

2.1 MI W JCT SR 25 * 68, Cherokee, AL

Built 1961 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 8,626

US 411

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.6 MI W JCT SR 25 * 68, Cherokee, AL

Built 1961 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 8,626

SR 38

Fair

Over: FRAZIER CREEK

1.0 MI W OF JCT SR 14, Lee, AL

Built 1961 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 13,330

CO RD 59

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

2 MI S WOODLAND FAS 14, Randolph, AL

Built 1961 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 165

COUNTY ROAD 80

Fair

Over: TERRY MILL CREEK

2 MI. W. RED LEVEL, Covington, AL

Built 1961 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 80

I 59

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1 . 5 MI N ST CLAIR CO LN, Etowah, AL

Built 1962 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 11,472

I 59

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.9 MI NO ST CLAIR CO LN, Etowah, AL

Built 1962 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 11,472

I 59

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.9 MI NO ST CLAIR CO LN, Etowah, AL

Built 1962 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 11,472

I85 * U.S. 80

Fair

Over: BRANCH

2.6 MI S OF MACON CO LINE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1962 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 38,490

US 431 MP 19.543

Fair

Over: OMUSEE CREEK

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

Built 1962 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 16,760

US 431 MP 20.692

Fair

Over: CEDAR CREEK

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

Built 1962 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 16,600

CO RD 3

Fair

Over: WHIPPOORWILL CREEK

.8MI W PAINTER T8SR5E, DeKalb, AL

Built 1962 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 357

CO 05

Fair

Over: LYNCH CREEK

0.5 MI N. INTERSECT. 22, Clay, AL

Built 1962 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 879

US 82

Fair

Over: TWOMILE CREEK

0.1 MI W JCT HUNTERCK RD, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1962 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 34,120

US 82

Fair

Over: TWO MILE CREEK

0.1 MI E JCT HUNTERCK RD, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1962 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 34,540

SR 17

Fair

Over: LITTLE BEAR CREEK

2.2 M S JCT SR 17 & SR 13, Franklin, AL

Built 1962 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 4,200

SR 243

Fair

Over: TURKEY CREEK

8.4 M N JCT SR243 & SR195, Franklin, AL

Built 1962 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 2,330

SR 243

Fair

Over: BRANCH

9 MI S JCT SR243 & SR 24, Franklin, AL

Built 1962 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 2,330

SR 243

Fair

Over: LITTLE BEAR CREEK

8.8 M S JCT SR243 & SR 24, Franklin, AL

Built 1962 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 2,330

CO RD NO 32

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK

6 MILES SW OF HACKLEBURG, Marion, AL

Built 1900 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 105

Showing 9,151-9,200 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.