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

CO RT 528

Good

Over: WOOTEN MILL CREEK

3.69 MI NE OF DAMASCUS, Coffee, AL

Built 1970 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 100

WOODLEY ROAD

Good

Over: BLACKS SLOUGH

21.6 MI N OF PIKE CO LINE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1993 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 900

US 43

Good

Over: BASSETTS CREEK

1.7 MI. N. OF WAGERVILLE, Washington, AL

Built 1987 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 4,120

SR 21

Good

Over: ROBINSON CREEK

3.3 MI. S. OF BEATRICE, Monroe, AL

Built 1988 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 1,940

CO. RD. 30

Good

Over: HILL CREEK

3.5MI SW LUCILE CO 30, Bibb, AL

Built 1989 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 85

AL 39

Good

Over: FACTORY CRK. REL.

4.7 MI. S. OF GAINESVILLE, Sumter, AL

Built 1992 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 830

HOLLAND AVENUE

Good

Over: CAMP BRANCH

MCDONALD CHAPEL, Jefferson, AL

Built 1983 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 104

R6 (I565E-US231N)

Good

Over: R-7; US 231; PINHOOK CR

RAMP 6 OVER MEM.PKWY, Madison, AL

Built 1991 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 7,715

SR 95 MP 28.023

Good

Over: FOSTER CREEK

4.7 MI N COLUMBIA, Henry, AL

Built 1999 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 1,020

STONE HEDGE DR

Good

Over: SECOND CREEK

1ST DRAIN S OF GRELOT RD, Mobile, AL

Built 1998 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 912

COUNTY ROAD 4

Good

Over: HOLMES CREEK

8 MILES SOUT OF MALVERN, Geneva, AL

Built 1994 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 200

CR 59

Good

Over: BLUE CREEK RELIEF

Petrey Highway, Crenshaw, AL

Built 2016 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 555

JIM DEAN RD

Good

Over: STREAM

1.5 MI SW FAIRNELSON, Conecuh, AL

Built 2017 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 60

CO. RT. 24

Good

Over: STREAM

0.44 MI.SW JCT.CO09*CO.24, Clarke, AL

Built 1963 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 225

SR 35

Good

Over: BRANCH

IN CITY OF FT PAYNE, DeKalb, AL

Built 1968 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 11,372

3RD ST SE

Good

Over: BRANCH

BETWEEN GODFREY * SANDERS, DeKalb, AL

Built 1969 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 475

CO. RT. 26

Good

Over: L*N RAILROAD

0.1 MI. E JCT. U.S. 31, Cullman, AL

Built 1977 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 3,000

SO SHADES CREST RD

Good

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN RR

300 W MORGAN RD (GENERY), Jefferson, AL

Built 1980 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 2,828

04

Good

Over: MILL CREEK

.3 MI W OF COTTONTON, Russell, AL

Built 1989 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 310

SR 189 MP 15.747

Good

Over: BEAVER DAM CREEK

1 MI. S.JCT US 84, Coffee, AL

Built 1990 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 1,810

SR 2

Good

Over: RAILROAD & CITY ST.

2.4 M W JCT SR 2 & SR133, Lauderdale, AL

Built 2008 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 26,710

SR 157

Good

Over: SR 2

JCT SR 157 & SR 2, Lauderdale, AL

Built 2008 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 7,400

SR 157

Good

Over: SR 2

JCT SR 157 & SR 2, Lauderdale, AL

Built 2008 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 7,400

AL 25

Good

Over: SPARKS CREEK BRANCH

7.0 MI S BIBB CO LINE, Hale, AL

Built 1999 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 640

CO RD 72

Good

Over: SNAKE CREEK

1.5 MI S OF CAPPS, Russell, AL

Built 2001 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 60

CO. RD. 4

Good

Over: COTTON CREEK

2.3 MI. E. OF AL. HWY. 59, Baldwin, AL

Built 2000 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 415

JOHN HICKS ROAD

Good

Over: HUCKLEBERRY BRANCH

.3 MI. S. ELKWOOD SECT. R, Madison, AL

Built 2000 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 160

US29 / SR15

Good

Over: HALAWAKEE CREEK

4.2 MI. N JCT I85, Lee, AL

Built 2011 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 5,880

SR-54 MP 10.237

Good

Over: STREAM

.7 mi w co. rd. 10, Geneva, AL

Built 2014 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 950

MITCHELL ROAD

Good

Over: POLEY CREEK

Mitchell Road, Covington, AL

Built 1933 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 20

Hoyle Bryars Rd

Good

Over: Trib of Bushy Creek

1.5 MI north of CR 61, Baldwin, AL

Built 2019 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 139

_MU0002

Good

Over: _CRIBBS MILL CREEK

.1 mi. s. of Hargrove Rd., Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2019 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 44

COUNTY RT 63

Good

Over: SANDERS BRANCH

12.2 MI EAST OF JCTSR 14, Pickens, AL

Built 1954 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 600

CO RT 101

Good

Over: BRANCH

2.28 MI NW OF CLOWERS XRD, Coffee, AL

Built 1967 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 225

CO RT 464

Good

Over: CRIPPLE CREEK

3 MILE N OF KINSTON, Coffee, AL

Built 1974 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 20

CO. 158

Good

Over: CARLISLE CREEK

5 MI. W. FIVE POINTS, Chambers, AL

Built 1982 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 279

SR 92 MP 7.828

Good

Over: CHOCTAWHATCHEE RIVER R.

0.3 MI. E. DALE CO. LINE, Houston, AL

Built 1984 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 1,960

844

Good

Over: BRANCH

Cr 844, Cullman, AL

Built 1937 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 35

AL-7

Good

Over: Minters Creek

5.4 MI N Eutaw, Greene, AL

Built 2001 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 1,440

HANGING ROCK ROAD

Good

Over: TALLADEGA CREEK

12 MILES N.E. OF ASHLAND, Clay, AL

Built 2004 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 130

AL 255

Good

Over: AL 53

JNT OF AL 255 * AL 53, Madison, AL

Built 2012 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 8,262

AL 255

Good

Over: AL 53

JCT OF AL255 * AL 53, Madison, AL

Built 2012 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 8,262

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: RUSH CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Clay, AL

Built 2016 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 50

US 431/231

Good

Over: BRANCH

2.5 MI N JCT US 231* 431, Madison, AL

Built 1955 Load: 31.2 t ADT: 44,169

BLUE SPRING RD

Good

Over: PINHOOK CREEK

4100 BLUE SPRING RD, Madison, AL

Built 1965 Load: 31.2 t ADT: 14,920

STREETY RD 21 TO8

Good

Over: CREEK

4 MI NORTH OF AL 21, Lowndes, AL

Built 1987 Load: 31.2 t ADT: 110

S.R. #14

Good

Over: WARRIOR RIVER RELIEF

0.8 MI E WARRIOR RIVER, Hale, AL

Built 1992 Load: 31.2 t ADT: 1,600

S. R. #14

Good

Over: WARRIOR RIVER RELIEF

1.2 MI E WARRIOR RIVER, Hale, AL

Built 1992 Load: 31.2 t ADT: 1,600

AL 14

Good

Over: WARRIOR RIVER RELIEF

1.7 MI E WARRIOR RIVER, Hale, AL

Built 1992 Load: 31.2 t ADT: 2,039

AL 110

Good

Over: JOHNSONS CREEK

200W. OF BULLOCK CO.LINE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1993 Load: 31.2 t ADT: 2,750

Showing 10,951-11,000 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.