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

COUNTY ROAD 8

Good

Over: COHOBIE CREEK

1.5 MI NORTH FAYETTEVILLE, Talladega, AL

Built 1954 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 825

I-59

Good

Over: BLACK WARRIOR RIVER(+)

9.5 MI S TUSCALOOSA, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1971 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 30,000

SR 25

Good

Over: MICHIGAN CREEK REL.

1.7 MI. S. OF THOMASTON, Marengo, AL

Built 1988 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 1,190

HUGHES RD.

Good

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN RR

0.1 MI SOUTH OF MILL RD, Madison, AL

Built 1993 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 5,500

AL-17

Good

Over: North Fork Creek

4 MI N JCT AL-187, Marion, AL

Built 2019 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 3,350

MOORESVILLE RD

Good

Over: JOHNSON BR

SEC8 T3S R3W, Limestone, AL

Built 1950 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 1,600

CO. RD. 82

Good

Over: COHOBADIAH CREEK

4 M E MORRISON X ROADS, Randolph, AL

Built 1953 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 300

CO. 187

Good

Over: OSANIPPA CREEK

2 MI. N. CUSSETA, Chambers, AL

Built 1967 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 162

E.OLDHAYNEVILLE RD

Good

Over: DRAINAGE RELIEF

1 MI EAST OF U.S. 331, Montgomery, AL

Built 1969 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 355

B. BROOKS RD.

Good

Over: UT DOUBLE BRIDGES CK.

3mi NW GCLake off McCoull, Geneva, AL

Built 1971 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 22

_Eastern Bypass

Good

Over: _Unnamed Creek

2.5 MI South of HWY 72, Madison, AL

Built 2004 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 8,000

CO RD 33

Good

Over: CEDAR CREEK

ASHFORD TO COUNTY ROAD 75, Houston, AL

Built 1950 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 1,675

WASDEN RD

Good

Over: PINTLALA CRK RELIEF

.4 MI N OF CO LINE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1961 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 650

PREVATT RD

Good

Over: GOLF CREEK

CIRCLE TO CO RD 19, Houston, AL

Built 1967 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 810

SR 35

Good

Over: TENNESSEE RIVER

0.5 MI N JCT SR 40/35, Jackson, AL

Built 2016 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 8,167

CR-36

Good

Over: LITTLE CREEK

9.9 MI. N.E. VERNON, Lamar, AL

Built 1953 Load: 22.2 t ADT: 650

COUNTY ROAD 4409

Good

Over: SANDY RUN CREEK

SEC 30 T9N R23E, Pike, AL

Built 1955 Load: 22.2 t ADT: 250

COUNTY ROAD 3316

Good

Over: WHITEWATER CREEK

SEC 13 T8N R21E, Pike, AL

Built 1956 Load: 22.2 t ADT: 450

CR 447

Good

Over: I-65

1.1 MI N AUTAUGA CO LINE, Chilton, AL

Built 1960 Load: 22.2 t ADT: 400

SWEET SPRINGS RD

Good

Over: PINEY CR

SEC9 T1S R3W, Limestone, AL

Built 1960 Load: 22.2 t ADT: 740

CO RD 13

Good

Over: YELLOWLEAF CREEK

CR13 1MI NW NEWHARMONYCH, Chilton, AL

Built 1964 Load: 22.2 t ADT: 250

E.OLDHAYNEVILLE RD

Good

Over: RAMER CREEK

.9 MI EAST OF U.S. 331, Montgomery, AL

Built 1969 Load: 22.2 t ADT: 350

E.OLDHAYNEVILLE RD

Good

Over: DRAINAGE RELIEF

.5 MI E OF U.S. 331, Montgomery, AL

Built 1969 Load: 22.2 t ADT: 350

RAMP TO I 59

Good

Over: BIG WILLS CK

I 59 * I 759 INTR, Etowah, AL

Built 1984 Load: 22.2 t ADT: 4,254

CR 404

Good

Over: UT TO LAY LAKE

INT OF CR 404 * 71, Shelby, AL

Built 2011 Load: 22.2 t ADT: 100

OLD FEDERAL BYPASS

Good

Over: TRIB TO STURDIVANT CR

1.05 MI SW SALEM CHURCH, Monroe, AL

Built 2018 Load: 22.2 t ADT: 50

CO RT 437

Good

Over: STANLEY MILL CREEK

1.2 MILES SW OF BROOKLYN, Coffee, AL

Built 1949 Load: 22.3 t ADT: 200

CO. ROAD 135

Good

Over: DRY BRCH TO CHOCCOLOCCO

1 MI S STATE 21 AT ANTIOC, Talladega, AL

Built 1955 Load: 22.3 t ADT: 1,475

LOCKHART ROAD

Good

Over: BRANCH OF CEDAR CREEK

0.4 MI E I65, Morgan, AL

Built 1960 Load: 22.3 t ADT: 975

SR 227

Good

Over: POLECAT CREEK

2 MI S JCT US431 * SR227, Marshall, AL

Built 1938 Load: 22.3 t ADT: 6,659

CO 4

Good

Over: HATCHET CREEK

1.3 M NW BROWNVILLE, Clay, AL

Built 1961 Load: 22.3 t ADT: 236

SR 2

Good

Over: BRANCH

3.1 MI W JCT SR 2 & SR 3, Limestone, AL

Built 1934 Load: 22.3 t ADT: 11,200

AL-14

Good

Over: Brushy Creek

1.5 MI W JCT I-59, Greene, AL

Built 1984 Load: 22.3 t ADT: 2,207

US 84 MP 227.476

Good

Over: DRAINAGE AREA

0.21KM E.OF CO.RD.81, Houston, AL

Built 1998 Load: 22.3 t ADT: 6,920

HSV-BRFERRY RD

Good

Over: BRILEY CR

SEC35 T3S R5W, Limestone, AL

Built 1957 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 4,540

CR-36

Good

Over: SHILOH BRANCH

6 MI. N.E. VERNON, Lamar, AL

Built 1953 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 480

BLUFF VALLEY RD

Good

Over: SHOOL CREEK

0.7 MI E BLUFF SPRING, Clay, AL

Built 1962 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 233

US 84

Good

Over: US 43

0.4MI W OF INT 0F AL295, Clarke, AL

Built 1999 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 2,040

COUNTY ROAD 49

Good

Over: BRANCH NO NAME

2.6 MI NE OF US 82, Barbour, AL

Built 1953 Load: 22.6 t ADT: 265

CO 49

Good

Over: TERRAPIN CREEK

CO 49 TERRAPIN CREEK, Cleburne, AL

Built 1954 Load: 22.6 t ADT: 950

ROADWAY

Good

Over: CO RT 1088 YELLOW CREEK

7.1 MI N US HWY 80, Sumter, AL

Built 1964 Load: 22.6 t ADT: 433

ROADWAY

Good

Over: CO RT 1088 SOUTHERN RR

7.8 MI N US HWY 80, Sumter, AL

Built 1964 Load: 22.6 t ADT: 1,720

CO RT 101

Good

Over: WOLF CREEK

2.12 MI NW OF CLOWERSXRDS, Coffee, AL

Built 1969 Load: 22.6 t ADT: 110

1ST AVE SO

Good

Over: BRANCH

1ST AVE S * 37TH ST, Jefferson, AL

Built 1980 Load: 22.6 t ADT: 1,000

Old Salem Road

Good

Over: CHUBBEHATCHEE CREEK

SEC 30 T19N R20E, Elmore, AL

Built 1984 Load: 22.6 t ADT: 478

US 43

Good

Over: WARRIOR RIVER

1.5MI. N. OF DEMOPOLIS, Marengo, AL

Built 1988 Load: 22.6 t ADT: 4,640

OLD DOWNING MILL R

Good

Over: CHOCCOLACCO CREEK

OLD DOWNING MILL RD, Calhoun, AL

Built 2005 Load: 22.6 t ADT: 241

ROADWAY

Good

Over: CO RT 1009 STREAM

0.7 MI S US HWY 80, Sumter, AL

Built 1951 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,024

COUNTY HWY 1127

Good

Over: LITTLE SLAB CREEK

716 FT S JCT 1325, Marshall, AL

Built 1965 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 200

STINNETT HOLLOW R

Good

Over: DEMENT CR

SEC31 T1S R6W, Limestone, AL

Built 1957 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 158

Showing 9,851-9,900 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.