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

RAMP 3

Fair

Over: STREAM

RAMP 3 TO I459, Jefferson, AL

Built 1977 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 4,700

I - 459 SOUTH RAMP

Fair

Over: STREAM

RAMP TO I - 59 NO, Jefferson, AL

Built 1978 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 4,700

I - 459

Fair

Over: STREAM

0.1 MI S OLD US 11, Jefferson, AL

Built 1978 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 47,000

CLUB POND RD.

Fair

Over: MOODY MILL CREEK

CLUB POND RD., Crenshaw, AL

Built 1978 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 100

IRIS RD

Fair

Over: CYPRESS CREEK

US 231 TO CO RD 19, Houston, AL

Built 1978 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 240

DEMETROPOLIS ROAD

Fair

Over: SPENCERS BRANCH

800 S BURMA RD W., Mobile, AL

Built 1978 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 13,683

AL - 38 (US 280)

Fair

Over: N FORK OF YELLOW LEAF CK

0.1 MI E.JCT CO RD 41, Shelby, AL

Built 1978 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 31,530

AL - 38 (US 280)

Fair

Over: POPLAR CREEK

0.3 MI E CO RD 43, Shelby, AL

Built 1978 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 31,130

AL - 38 (US 280)

Fair

Over: DBL MT CREEK

0.5 MI E CO RD 43, Shelby, AL

Built 1978 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 31,130

CO. HWY. 52

Fair

Over: HOGPEN CREEK

0.8 MI E OF PELHAM, Shelby, AL

Built 1978 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 10,221

RIDGEWOOD DRIVE

Fair

Over: TIAWASEE CREEK

RIDGEWD DR @ GREENWOOD DR, Baldwin, AL

Built 1978 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 611

I - 459

Fair

Over: STREAM

.5 MI SO AMBER HILLS RD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1979 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 58,910

I459

Fair

Over: STREAM

AT DERBY PRKWY, Jefferson, AL

Built 1979 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 57,350

I65

Fair

Over: HOGPEN CREEK

I65 * HOGPEN CK, Shelby, AL

Built 1979 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 77,840

US72 SR2

Fair

Over: STREAM

2.3 MI E JCT US 72 * SR65, Jackson, AL

Built 1979 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 16,503

WILSON AVE

Fair

Over: TOULMIN SPRINGS

3000 S PRICHARD AVE, Mobile, AL

Built 1979 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 7,768

I 459

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.2 MI. S. ACTON RD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1980 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 103,640

I - 65

Fair

Over: BISHOP CREEK

.1 MI. SO AL 119, Shelby, AL

Built 1980 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 83,600

AL-6

Fair

Over: Branch

1.1 MI W of Reform, Pickens, AL

Built 1980 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 7,158

SR 24

Fair

Over: STREAM

3.3 M W JCT SR 24 & SR 33, Lawrence, AL

Built 1980 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 6,040

WOOD DRIVE

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

100 W SWEENY HOLLOW RD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1980 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 2,735

US 82

Fair

Over: Mooney Creek

2.4 MI E TUSC CO LINE, Bibb, AL

Built 1929 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 6,350

I 20

Fair

Over: SHADES CREEK

I20 * SHADES CREEK, Jefferson, AL

Built 1981 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 55,750

AL-6

Fair

Over: Leary Creek

0.5 MI E McShan, Pickens, AL

Built 1981 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 5,981

JOHNSON CHAPEL RD

Fair

Over: JOHNSON CHAPEL CREEK

2.5 MI N SR 36, Morgan, AL

Built 1981 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 596

SR 24

Fair

Over: LICK CREEK

1.8 M W JCT SR24 & SR187, Franklin, AL

Built 1981 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 2,570

SR 24

Fair

Over: STREAM

1.7 M W JCT SR24 & SR187, Franklin, AL

Built 1981 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 2,570

SR 24

Fair

Over: CHISHOLM CREEK

1.3 M E JCT SR24 & SR187, Franklin, AL

Built 1981 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 3,510

SR 24

Fair

Over: PINEY CREEK

1.4 M E JCT SR24 & SR187, Franklin, AL

Built 1981 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 3,510

STYX RIVER RD

Fair

Over: JUNIPER CREEK

2.1 MI. E. OF U.S. 31, Baldwin, AL

Built 1981 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 46

BLUFF CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: PRESCOTT CREEK

2.5 MILES W. ALLIANCE RD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1981 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 76

HANNA CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: HANNA MILL CREEK

2.8 MI NE JCT CO RT NO 59, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1981 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 900

AL-5

Fair

Over: Mathis Creek

447 E Mathis Creek Rd, Walker, AL

Built 1924 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 10,057

COUNTY ROAD 4

Fair

Over: BIG BRUSH CREEK TRIB.

4.8 MI. N. OF GREENSBORO, Hale, AL

Built 1982 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 65

Fair

Over: PETERMAN CREEK

RC BR. CULVERT ON FAS 17, Henry, AL

Built 1982 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 500

COWPENS RD. W.

Fair

Over: TIMBERGUT CREEK/NEW SITE

1.3 MI. N. OF AL. 22, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 1982 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 260

US 80

Fair

Over: BRANCH

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

Built 1982 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 5,790

SR 24

Fair

Over: MUD TAVERN CREEK

4.8 M W JCT SR 24 & SR 67, Morgan, AL

Built 1982 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 15,250

CO 39

Fair

Over: CALHOUN BRANCH

2 MI N E PITTSVIEW, Russell, AL

Built 1982 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 110

BYNUM-LEATH RD.

Fair

Over: BRANCH

BYNUM-LEATH RD, Calhoun, AL

Built 1982 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 10,087

CO RD 54

Fair

Over: MAHONE CREEK

4.5 MILES NORTH I-85, Macon, AL

Built 1982 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 405

AL 69

Fair

Over: LITTLE SANDY CREEK

HINTON DAIRY FARM, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1980 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 29,680

SR 193

Fair

Over: ALLIGATOR BAYOU

0.2 MI N HAMILTON BLVD, Mobile, AL

Built 1979 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 15,725

JACKSON ROAD

Fair

Over: NORTH CREEK

1500 E NEW CASTLE ROAD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1982 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 880

SR 85 MP 19.546

Fair

Over: STREAM

3.6 MI.N.SR 92, Dale, AL

Built 1943 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 6,560

US 90

Fair

Over: MOORES CREEK

1.9 MI W I-65, Mobile, AL

Built 1950 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 23,625

US 84 MP 180.508

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.1 MI.E. SR 27, Coffee, AL

Built 1960 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 27,350

CO. RT. 71

Fair

Over: BRANCH

Cr 71, Cullman, AL

Built 1961 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 50

US 80

Fair

Over: GILMER BRANCH

6.3 MI E OF AL 5, Dallas, AL

Built 1983 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 3,890

US 80

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.2 MI. E. OF DEMOPOLIS, Marengo, AL

Built 1983 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 9,300

Showing 9,401-9,450 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.