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

BOEING BLVD

Fair

Over: AIRPORT DITCH

1.5 MILE NORTH CO. LINE R, Madison, AL

Built 2002 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 2,800

CR 53

Fair

Over: BARRON CREEK

2.5 MI NE OF HUBBERTVILLE, Fayette, AL

Built 1956 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 281

CR 36

Fair

Over: DODSON CREEK

5.5 MI SW OF WINFIELD, Fayette, AL

Built 1948 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 883

CR 15

Fair

Over: SANDY PAINT CREEK

5.5 MI SW OF BERRY, Fayette, AL

Built 1965 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 108

FEDERAL WAY

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

242W BALTZELL GATE RD., Calhoun, AL

Built 1936 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 2,000

BERMAN ROAD

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

2.5 MI NE AL HWY 21, Calhoun, AL

Built 1936 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 2,000

BERMAN ROAD

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

2.4 MI NE AL HWY 21, Calhoun, AL

Built 1936 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 2,000

Future SR158/US98

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

0.2 M East of Stone RD, Mobile, AL

Built 2021 Load: 88.9 t

SR 24

Fair

Over: HARRIS CREEK

3.6 M E JCT SR24 & SR243, Franklin, AL

Built 1998 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 4,530

CR 355

Fair

Over: UNNAMED CREEK

2.0 MILES W ON ROAD 355, Wilcox, AL

Built 2010 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 50

NEVIUS RD

Fair

Over: UNNAMED CREEK

0.4 MI E OF HILLCREST RD, Mobile, AL

Built 2012 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 12,155

_Paradise point DR

Fair

Over: _UT to lay lake

_0.3 mile from CR 28, Shelby, AL

Built 1988 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 75

Deer Trace Pkwy.

Fair

Over: Hurricane creek

E of Upper Hurricane rd., Madison, AL

Built 1986 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 100

Goodwater Road

Fair

Over: Hackney Creek

0.53 MI W JCT SR 63, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 1963 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 352

Jack Warner PKWY

Fair

Over: Stream

_1.3 mi east of US 82, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1985 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 20,550

Camp Horner RD

Fair

Over: _Cahaba River Trib.

.25 Mi. So. of Acton Rd., Jefferson, AL

Built 1966 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 16,152

MATTHEWS RD

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

NORTH OF VB023, Madison, AL

Built 1995 Load: 97.2 t ADT: 3,950

WEST PERIMETER RD

Fair

Over: TRIB BOWLES CREEK

SW OF BR 24576 & 24577, Dale, AL

Built 1976 Load: 97.2 t ADT: 20

US 84

Fair

Over: CREEK

0.7 MI E OF US 43, Clarke, AL

Built 1999 Load: 99.0 t ADT: 2,040

332

Good

Over: PERSIMMON CREEK

CONECUH NATIONAL FOREST, Covington, AL

Built 1976 ADT: 50

FDR 500

Good

Over: BRYMER BRANCH

NATIONAL FOREST, Cleburne, AL

Built 1977 ADT: 50

FDR 601

Good

Over: TALLASEEHATCHEE CREEK

NATIONAL FOREST, Talladega, AL

Built 2020 ADT: 20

CO RD 11

Good

Over: GUM CREEK

.5 MI N CO 1 CO 11 JCT, Franklin, AL

Built 1990 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 940

COUNTY ROUTE 63

Good

Over: CHEWACLA CREEK

S1/2 S36 T17 R24, Macon, AL

Built 1991 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 115

JOHNSON BOTTOM RD

Good

Over: SIPSEY CREEK

1 MILE WEST OF ST HWY 19, Marion, AL

Built 2008 Load: 1.8 t ADT: 30

CHEROKEE #763

Good

Over: BRANCH

0.1 MI N INT US#278, Cherokee, AL

Built 1965 Load: 2.1 t ADT: 20

Wesson Gap Road

Good

Over: Big Wills Creek

1 mile N of Attalla, Etowah, AL

Built 2018 Load: 2.3 t ADT: 175

CO. 174

Good

Over: HALAWAKEE CREEK

1 MI. S. TUCKERSBURG, Chambers, AL

Built 1949 Load: 3.6 t ADT: 50

BROOKWOOD LANE

Good

Over: TATER CREEK

0.3 MI.S OF INT.CHEAHA RD, Talladega, AL

Built 1970 Load: 3.6 t ADT: 32

WOOLEY SPRINGS RD

Good

Over: Gravel Branch

SEC31 T1S R3W, Limestone, AL

Built 1941 Load: 5.3 t ADT: 235

_CO RD 1021

Good

Over: _NF SOUTHERN RAILROAD

_2 MI. E. WAVERLY, Chambers, AL

Built 2021 Load: 8.2 t ADT: 130

MCLUNNEY ST.

Good

Over: COAL CREEK

MCLUNNEY @ MIMOSA, Etowah, AL

Built 1965 Load: 9.3 t ADT: 450

FDR 716

Good

Over: FIVE MILE CREEK

OAKMULGEE DISTRICT, Hale, AL

Built 1980 Load: 9.4 t ADT: 50

CO.RD. 299A 00

Good

Over: UNAMED PERIODIC BRANCH

????????????????????????, Talladega, AL

Built 2012 Load: 9.5 t ADT: 45

HARRIS STATION RD

Good

Over: SWAN CR RELIEF

SEC19 T4S R4W, Limestone, AL

Built 1955 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 1,689

CHEROKEE #33

Good

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

1.8 MI N JCT CO RT 8, Cherokee, AL

Built 1957 Load: 10.1 t ADT: 134

Yarbrough RD

Good

Over: Horsetrough Crk

_, Clay, AL

Built 1979 Load: 10.1 t ADT: 21

CO RT 165

Good

Over: WEST FORK LITTLE RIVER

.8MI NE DESOTO PARKT6SR10, DeKalb, AL

Built 1965 Load: 10.6 t ADT: 477

BURDESHAW RD.

Good

Over: TRIBUTARY TO SEPULGA RVR

1.5 MI S W OF ANTIOCH, Conecuh, AL

Built 2005 Load: 11.2 t ADT: 50

COUNTY RT #246

Good

Over: BEAR CREEK BRANCH

0.4 MI N OF STATE RT 159, Pickens, AL

Built 1992 Load: 11.9 t ADT: 75

FDR 707

Good

Over: BISHOP BRANCH

OAKMULGEE DISTRICT, Hale, AL

Built 1982 Load: 12.3 t ADT: 50

COUNTY ROAD 6643

Good

Over: BUCKHORN CREEK

SEC 28 T10N R23E, Pike, AL

Built 1958 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 250

CO RD 25

Good

Over: STREAM INTO BEAR CREEK

0.8 MI S SR 24 CO 25 JCT, Franklin, AL

Built 1961 Load: 13.2 t ADT: 275

FDR 616

Good

Over: TALLASEEHATCHEE CREEK

TALLADEGA DISTRICT, Clay, AL

Built 1987 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 50

COOKIE MAN RD

Good

Over: POLECAT CREEK

COOKIE MAN RD N AL14, Perry, AL

Built 1989 Load: 14.0 t ADT: 35

TEMPERANCE OAK RD

Good

Over: MAPLE SWAMP BRANCH

SEC29 T2S R6W, Limestone, AL

Built 1971 Load: 14.8 t ADT: 370

CO RT 211

Good

Over: ELAM CREEK

0.6 MI W CO RT 213, Lawrence, AL

Built 1992 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 100

DUCKNEST SPRING-Br

Good

Over: SALT CREEK

TALLADEGA DISTRICT, Cleburne, AL

Built 1988 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 50

CO RD 53

Good

Over: BOXES CREEK

1.5 E OF HUBBERTVILLE, Fayette, AL

Built 1954 Load: 15.3 t ADT: 115

CR 422

Good

Over: South Fork

Between CR-72 & CR-76, DeKalb, AL

Built 2023 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 20

Showing 9,651-9,700 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.