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

Norris Lane

Good

Over: Trib to Skunk Bayou

1 mile north of CR 12, Baldwin, AL

Built 2022 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 10

COUNTY ROAD 41

Good

Over: CHANEY BRANCH

1.8 MI N OF AL 10, Barbour, AL

Built 1957 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 250

CO RT 31

Good

Over: MILAM CREEK

0.4 MI W JCT CO RT 28, Lawrence, AL

Built 1997 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 70

CHEROKEE #113

Good

Over: COWAN CREEK

0.5 MI S INT CHEROKEE #34, Cherokee, AL

Built 1977 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 138

MERIWETHER TRAIL

Good

Over: GREENBRIER CREEK

2.6 MI N US 94, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 300

MERIWETHER TRAIL

Good

Over: OLUSTEE CREEK

.4 MI E US 231, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 200

SPRAGUE JCT. ROAD

Good

Over: DRAINAGE RELIEF

1.0 MI E US 331, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 98

SPRAGUE JCT. ROAD

Good

Over: DRAINAGE RELIEF

.8 MI E US 331, Montgomery, AL

Built 1992 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 98

SLAYTON ROAD

Good

Over: BUNCH CREEK

.3 MI. E OF JCT W/US82, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1990 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 500

SHERBROOK DR

Good

Over: STREAM

0.5 MI. S. HILLMOOR LN, Jefferson, AL

Built 1960 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 545

OLD WETUMPKA HWY.

Good

Over: DRAINAGE RELIEF

.7 MI N OF U.S. 231, Montgomery, AL

Built 1995 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 3,000

HYUNDAI BLVD.

Good

Over: WILEY CREEK

2 MI E OF U.S. 31, Montgomery, AL

Built 1994 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 3,000

CLEMENTS ROAD

Good

Over: MOTHERS BRANCH

2.1 MI. S. BUTTERMILK RD., Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2004 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 400

PLANTATION BEND

Good

Over: MCDOWELL CREEK

?????????????????????????, Montgomery, AL

Built 2007 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 75

JW MCLEAN RD

Good

Over: CAMPBELL CREEK

1.1 MI E OF AL 51, Barbour, AL

Built 1960 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 155

CO RT 117

Good

Over: HUCKLEBERRY CREEK

2.45 MI EAST OF JAVA, Coffee, AL

Built 1966 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 142

SR 279

Good

Over: DRY CREEK

E CITY LIMITS OF SBORO, Jackson, AL

Built 1929 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 3,526

SNWDN-CHAMBERS RD.

Good

Over: DRAINAGE RELIEF

2.7 MI EAST OF CO 61, Montgomery, AL

Built 1981 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 430

GATSBY DR

Good

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

0.05 MI W OF ZELDA RD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1982 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 200

US 84

Good

Over: ALABAMA RIVER REL.

1.1 MI. W. OF CLAIBORN, Monroe, AL

Built 1983 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 3,316

SR 10 MP 187.441

Good

Over: PEA RIVER RELIEF

.2 MI.E.PIKE LINE, Barbour, AL

Built 1984 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 1,760

SR 10 MP 186.987

Good

Over: PEA RIVER RELIEF

.7 MI.E.PIKE 83, Pike, AL

Built 1984 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 1,760

SR 95 MP 42.060

Good

Over: ABBIE CREEK NORTH FORK

1.9 MI. S. OF ABBEVILLE, Henry, AL

Built 1984 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 1,020

SR 10 MP 143.452

Good

Over: LITTLE PATSALIGA CREEK

.5 MI.W.OF RUTLEDGE, Crenshaw, AL

Built 1985 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 3,690

SR 17

Good

Over: BASSETTS CREEK

CHATOM, Washington, AL

Built 1985 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 4,990

SR 17

Good

Over: TAYLORS CREEK

8.5 MI. N. OF CHATOM, Washington, AL

Built 1985 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 1,800

US 72; SR 2

Good

Over: HURRICANE CREEK RELIEF

3.2 MI E FLINT RIVER, Madison, AL

Built 1986 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 10,490

AL-17

Good

Over: Yellow Creek Relief

0.8 MI S JCT AL-18, Lamar, AL

Built 1986 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 2,033

SR 17

Good

Over: MILLRY CREEK

MILLRY, Washington, AL

Built 1986 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 1,900

SR 41

Good

Over: MCCALLS CREEK

2.9 MI. N. OF HYBART, Wilcox, AL

Built 1986 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 790

PROVIDENCE MAIN

Good

Over: INDIAN CREEK

.2 MI N OF US 72 W., Madison, AL

Built 1986 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 9,200

SR 10 MP 185.075

Good

Over: RICHLAND CREEK

3.5 MI. E. OF BRUNDIDGE, Pike, AL

Built 1987 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 1,940

MOORE ROAD

Good

Over: GREENBRIER CREEK

4.6 MI N PIKE CO LINE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 25

GLENWOOD AVE

Good

Over: STREAM

LUVERNE, Crenshaw, AL

Built 1995 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 400

South Frontage Rd

Good

Over: I-22

M.P. 57.4 on I-22, Walker, AL

Built 1996 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 500

CO. RD. 240

Good

Over: BRANCH

JCT CO RD 216 * CO RD 240, Cullman, AL

Built 2000 Load: 29.3 t ADT: 100

CO RD 624

Good

Over: WEDOWEE CREEK

1.5MI S NAPOLEON, Randolph, AL

Built 1989 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 50

CO 65

Good

Over: BRANCH OFF UCHEE CREEK

4.7 N E UCHEE, Russell, AL

Built 1963 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 129

CO. RT. 1570

Good

Over: PIED CREEK

CO. RT 1570, Cullman, AL

Built 1965 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 120

COUNTY 49

Good

Over: TRAIL BRANCH

2.3 MI S W OF ACTIVCO.49, Bibb, AL

Built 1967 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 186

CO.RD 21

Good

Over: DRY BRANCH

SWIFT CREEK PARK, Autauga, AL

Built 1984 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 215

POLLY REED ROAD

Good

Over: FIVE MILE CREEK

100FT W SERENE ROAD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1986 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 5,350

SR4 / US78

Good

Over: SNOW CREEK

0.1 MI EAST JCT SR 21, Calhoun, AL

Built 1996 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 8,591

SR4 / US78

Good

Over: SNOW CREEK

0.1 MI EAST JCT SR 21, Calhoun, AL

Built 1995 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 9,597

BETHEL ROAD

Good

Over: MORGAN CREEK

0.15 MI SW US 78, Jefferson, AL

Built 1997 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 505

US 80

Good

Over: CHEWACLA CREEK

3.3 MI. E. OF JCT US 29, Macon, AL

Built 2005 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 2,820

SR22

Good

Over: HILLABEE CREEK

4 MI E OF ALEX CITY, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 2012 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 2,524

CO RD 114

Good

Over: THREET CREEK

.1 N.E. OF CO RD 143, Lauderdale, AL

Built 2010 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 65

DUCK SPRINGS RD.

Good

Over: FISHER CREEK

0.2 MI N. OF COX GAP RD, Etowah, AL

Built 1952 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 850

AIRPORT AVE

Good

Over: BRANCH

0.8 MI S OF AIRPORT, DeKalb, AL

Built 1967 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 1,700

Showing 10,651-10,700 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.