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

SR 69

Good

Over: POWELLS CREEK

8.8 mi. North of Linden, Marengo, AL

Built 2000 Load: 31.2 t ADT: 1,450

Co Rd 2

Good

Over: Carr Creek

.25 MI OFF HWY 431, Cleburne, AL

Built 2017 Load: 31.2 t ADT: 60

FLYNN ROAD

Good

Over: L. CHOCTAWHATCHEE RIVER

0.7 MI. E. NAPIER F. ROAD, Houston, AL

Built 1964 Load: 31.3 t ADT: 4,095

SANDLIN RD

Good

Over: MUDDY CR

SEC27 T1S R4W, Limestone, AL

Built 1976 Load: 31.3 t ADT: 2,900

US 84

Good

Over: BASSETTS CREEK REL.

WHATLEY, Clarke, AL

Built 1983 Load: 31.3 t ADT: 3,890

US 84

Good

Over: BASSETT CREEK REL

WHATLEY, Clarke, AL

Built 1983 Load: 31.3 t ADT: 3,890

OLD FULTON RD.

Good

Over: POGUE CREEK

BASSETTS CREEK, Clarke, AL

Built 1947 Load: 31.3 t ADT: 175

AL. 181

Good

Over: WATER HOLE BRANCH

1.8 MI. N. OF U. S. 98, Baldwin, AL

Built 1990 Load: 31.3 t ADT: 5,371

SR 28

Good

Over: ALABAMA RIVER

MILLERS FERRY, Wilcox, AL

Built 1998 Load: 31.3 t ADT: 1,280

SR 134 MP 41.594

Good

Over: GIN BRANCH

0.9 MI W JCT 123, Dale, AL

Built 1995 Load: 31.3 t ADT: 4,400

CAVERN ROAD

Good

Over: CAHABA RIVER TRIBUTARY

0.2MI N OLD SPRINGVILLE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1965 Load: 31.3 t ADT: 1,508

0000002146103X0

Good

Over: BRANCH OF DEEP CREEK

5.5MI N CLARK CO LINE, Marengo, AL

Built 1996 Load: 31.3 t ADT: 399

SR 83

Good

Over: COWARTS BRANCH

0.9 MI NW I-65, Conecuh, AL

Built 1998 Load: 31.3 t ADT: 1,580

WOLF CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: WOLF CREEK

7.5 M NE OF FOWLERS CROSS, Fayette, AL

Built 2006 Load: 31.3 t ADT: 52

GILLESPIE RD

Good

Over: MILL CREEK

0.2 MI W OF HUGHES RD., Madison, AL

Built 2010 Load: 31.3 t ADT: 950

SR 85 MP 15.439

Good

Over: CLAYBANK CREEK

3.1 MI.N.SR 167, Dale, AL

Built 1985 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 2,820

SWANNER BRIDGE RD.

Good

Over: IVY CREEK

SWANNER BRIDGE RD., Crenshaw, AL

Built 1990 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 9

SR-192 MP 3.139

Good

Over: BLANKET CREEK

1.18 MI.W.OF SR.27, Coffee, AL

Built 1994 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 3,840

R1-0 E TO OAKWOOD

Good

Over: HALSEY AVENUE

3.4 MI E JCT I565 * SR 53, Madison, AL

Built 1991 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 5,153

US 82

Good

Over: BOX CREEK

1.2 MI W OF SIPSEY RIVER, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2004 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 6,070

US 82

Good

Over: SIPSEY RIVER RELIEF #2

0.6 MI W SIPSEY RIVER, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2004 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 12,687

TUMLIN GAP

Good

Over: SAMUELS CHAPEL CREEK

0.15 MI S OF HWY 132, Etowah, AL

Built 2004 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 518

CO. 5214

Good

Over: MOORES CREEK

0.5 MI. E. LITTLE SHAWMUT, Chambers, AL

Built 2003 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 520

CO. RD. 39

Good

Over: UNNAMED BRANCH

1.3 M. E. OF SR 59, Baldwin, AL

Built 2005 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 515

MERIDIAN STREET

Good

Over: DALLAS CREEK

MERIDAN ST @ DALLAS CREEK, Madison, AL

Built 2012 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 6,700

AL-129

Good

Over: Branch

0.8 MI N JCT US 278, Marion, AL

Built 1947 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 1,670

COUNTY RT #34

Good

Over: BUNCOMB CREEK

3.2 MI EAST CO RT #75, Pickens, AL

Built 1951 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 200

CO RD 57

Good

Over: LONG BRANCH

CO RD 105 TO CO RD 26, Houston, AL

Built 1991 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 325

COUNTY ROAD 7702

Good

Over: CROOKED CREEK

SEC 7 T12N R21E, Pike, AL

Built 1966 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 225

US 98

Good

Over: ICG RR

0.7 MI E MISS ST LINE, Mobile, AL

Built 1983 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 11,132

AL-233

Good

Over: Little New River

0.8 MI S JCT US 78, Marion, AL

Built 1985 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 576

AL 1 (US 431)

Good

Over: UCHEE CREEK RELIEF

3.89 MI N JCT SR169, Russell, AL

Built 1995 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 4,910

AL 1 (US 431)

Good

Over: UCHEE CREEK RELIEF

3.89 MI N JCT SR169, Russell, AL

Built 1995 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 4,910

AL 25

Good

Over: FIVE MILE CREEK

3.2 MI S BIBB CO LINE, Hale, AL

Built 1995 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 550

CO. RD. 73

Good

Over: NEGRO CREEK

1.4 MI. N. OF CO. RD. 32, Baldwin, AL

Built 1996 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 2,319

US 31

Good

Over: CANEY CREEK

0.5 MI NORTH OF IN 65, Montgomery, AL

Built 2003 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 14,270

SO CO RD 33

Good

Over: DOUBLE BRIDGE CREEK

STATE RD 53 TO D.HODGE RD, Houston, AL

Built 2000 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 300

SR 204

Good

Over: TALLASSEEHATCHEE CREEK

7.6 MI E JCT US431, Calhoun, AL

Built 2004 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 6,586

ROADWAY???????????

Good

Over: SCUMA CREEK

8.0 MI SE AL HWY 17??????, Sumter, AL

Built 2003 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 350

W. SAUNDERS RD.

Good

Over: SAUNDERS BRANCH

US 231 S TO CO RD 203, Houston, AL

Built 1960 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 1,654

SR 204

Good

Over: BRANCH

0.7 MI E JCT US 431, Calhoun, AL

Built 1953 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 4,537

COUNTY ROAD 6627

Good

Over: COWART BRANCH

SEC 7 T10N R24E, Pike, AL

Built 1961 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 225

SR 52 MP 76.216

Good

Over: CEDAR SPRINGS CREEK

1.8 MI.E.HOUSTON #55, Houston, AL

Built 1980 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 4,390

CO. 3

Good

Over: BRANCH

2 MI. N. WAVERLY, Chambers, AL

Built 1992 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 135

I - 65 NORTH

Good

Over: SOUTHERN RR.

BETWEEN 41ST AV AND I-22, Jefferson, AL

Built 2014 Load: 31.6 t

COUNTY ROAD 22

Good

Over: TRIBUTARY TO COLD CK.

BOOKERS MILL ROAD, Conecuh, AL

Built 2006 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 487

SR 239 MP 4.371

Good

Over: STREAM

2.3 MI. NORTH OF CLAYTON, Barbour, AL

Built 1953 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 990

COUNTY ROAD 67

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

0.5 MI N OF HENRY CO LIN, Barbour, AL

Built 1954 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 125

COUNTY ROAD 6618

Good

Over: LITTLE BUCKHORN CREEK

SEC 1 T10N R22E, Pike, AL

Built 1957 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 125

SR 20

Good

Over: BIG NANCE CREEK

2 M W JCT SR 20 & SR 33, Lawrence, AL

Built 1984 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 5,010

Showing 11,001-11,050 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.