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 17

Good

Over: WAHALAK CREEK

BUTLER, Choctaw, AL

Built 1987 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 4,410

SR 17

Good

Over: SPEARS CREEK

BUTLER, Choctaw, AL

Built 1987 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 6,220

SR 109 MP 5.820

Good

Over: BIG CREEK

4.9 MI. S. U.S. 231, Houston, AL

Built 1988 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 3,930

SR 109 MP 8.817

Good

Over: LIMESTONE CREEK

1 MI. SOUTH U.S. 231, Houston, AL

Built 1988 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 4,120

SR 157

Good

Over: TOWN CREEK

5.2 M N JCT SR157 & SR101, Colbert, AL

Built 1988 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 3,020

SR 167 MP 4.498

Good

Over: SPRING CREEK

4.5 MI. N. FLA. LINE, Geneva, AL

Built 1989 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 3,100

US 45

Good

Over: WILLIAMS CREEK

1 MI N CO RD 55, Mobile, AL

Built 1991 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 8,582

US 45

Good

Over: OUTLAW STREAM

0.3 MI S SR 158, Mobile, AL

Built 1992 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 6,146

WINDMILL RIDGE RD

Good

Over: CANAL

0.1 M S CLUBHOUSE DRIVE, Baldwin, AL

Built 2001 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 636

AL 293

Good

Over: BRANCH

.318 MI S. OF US 80, Montgomery, AL

Built 2002 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 489

UPPER RIVER ROAD

Good

Over: MADDEN BRANCH

5 MI WEST OF SR 67, Morgan, AL

Built 2005 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 1,831

SOUTH MAIN STREET

Good

Over: YANCY CREEK

.2 MI SOUTH OF US 98, Baldwin, AL

Built 2000 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 283

JETER AVE

Good

Over: GRANDBERRY CK. TRIB.

JETER AVE, Lee, AL

Built 1987 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 3,000

JETER AVE.

Good

Over: GRANDBERRY CK. TRIB.

JETER AVE, Lee, AL

Built 1987 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 3,000

FOX TRAIL

Good

Over: GRANDBERRY CK. TRIB.

FOX TRAIL, Lee, AL

Built 1990 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 3,000

CR # 21

Good

Over: TRIB TO BOGUE CHITTO CK

0.97 MI N SR 22 W, Dallas, AL

Built 1954 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 200

CO RD NO 29

Good

Over: WILLIAMS CREEK

3 MILES NO OF HAMILTON, Marion, AL

Built 1956 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 160

CO RT 608

Good

Over: TIGHT EYE CREEK

1.38M WEST GOODMAN, Coffee, AL

Built 1957 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 128

EASTER FERRY

Good

Over: BRANCH

SEC 28 TIS R5W, Limestone, AL

Built 1957 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 1,148

CR 51

Good

Over: I-65

1.5 MI N JCT CO RD 42, Chilton, AL

Built 1959 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 350

CO RD 13

Good

Over: BEECH GROVE CREEK

2 MI S JCT SR 5, Winston, AL

Built 1968 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 200

ELTON ST

Good

Over: DRY CREEK

2600 ELTON ST, Madison, AL

Built 1970 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 1,500

CO RT 164

Good

Over: STREAM

0.1 MI N JCT CO RT 125, Lawrence, AL

Built 1971 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 350

COUNTY ROAD 42

Good

Over: HARION CREEK

2.5 MI. E. OF STEWART, Hale, AL

Built 1950 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 50

CR-11

Good

Over: I-22

3.01 MI W AL-74, Marion, AL

Built 1986 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 137

US 29

Good

Over: CONECUH RIVER

1.4 MI S CO RD 53, Escambia, AL

Built 1986 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 1,099

SR 25

Good

Over: BAPTIZING CREEK

1.5 MI. N. OF VINELAND, Marengo, AL

Built 1988 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 2,080

WOODRUFF MILL ROAD

Good

Over: VILLAGE CREEK

3 MIS E PORTER ROAD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1989 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 588

GREENSPORT RD

Good

Over: CREEK

GREENSPORT RD, Calhoun, AL

Built 1940 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 210

ISLAND ROAD

Good

Over: CANAL (NO NAME)

0.3 MI. W. OF CO. RD. 17, Baldwin, AL

Built 1991 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 141

SR 21

Good

Over: CEDAR CREEK REL.

3.9 MI. N. OF FURMAN, Wilcox, AL

Built 1994 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 900

SR 21

Good

Over: CEDAR CREEK REL.

4.1 MI. N. OF FURMAN, Wilcox, AL

Built 1994 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 900

SR 21

Good

Over: CEDAR CREEK REL.

4.3 MI. N. OF FURMAN, Wilcox, AL

Built 1994 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 900

US 72; SR2

Good

Over: FLINT RIVER RELIEF

0.2 MI W FLINT RIVER, Madison, AL

Built 1994 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 11,959

US 72; SR 2

Good

Over: FLINT RIVER RELIEF

0.3 MI W FLINT RIVER, Madison, AL

Built 1994 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 11,959

AL 199

Good

Over: UPHAPEE CREEK RELIEF

4.1 MI N JCT AL 81, Macon, AL

Built 2000 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 1,270

CO RD 4

Good

Over: SCHOOL HOUSE BANCH

3.5 MI W OF GLENNVILLE, Russell, AL

Built 2001 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 24

CO RD 23

Good

Over: CEDAR CREEK

AT CO RD 90 CO RD 23 JCT., Franklin, AL

Built 2000 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 110

SR21

Good

Over: CHEAHA CREEK

.9 MI N CO. RD. 96, Talladega, AL

Built 2022 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 11,097

SR 74 (US 278)

Good

Over: LOCUST FORK

BLACK WARRIOR RIVER, Blount, AL

Built 2022 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 8,294

COUNTY ROAD 17

Good

Over: WOODS CREEK

0.3 MI. NO. CR 22, Shelby, AL

Built 2005 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 3,736

I - 65 SOUTH

Good

Over: INACTIVE I - 22

I-65/I-22 INTERCHANGE, Jefferson, AL

Built 2015 Load: 31.8 t

SHADY ROAD

Good

Over: BIG CREEK

1.2 MI NO. JCT. CO. RD 26, Shelby, AL

Built 2002 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 80

MULBERRY LN

Good

Over: MULBERRY CREEK

MULBERRY N OF TITUS DR, Colbert, AL

Built 2004 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 190

CR 2

Good

Over: SIZEMORE CREEK

1MI WEST OF CR29 ON CR2, Clarke, AL

Built 2007 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 320

Isbell Circle

Good

Over: Town Creek

.06Mi W of Jackson St, Talladega, AL

Built 2019 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 106

BROWN STREET

Good

Over: UT to Buttahatchee River

0.03 MI. NE OF ELM ST., Lamar, AL

Built 2000 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 400

OLD SALEM CREEK RD

Good

Over: LIMESTONE CREEK

1.05 MI S OF HIXON, Monroe, AL

Built 2018 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 20

ELMWOOD AVE

Good

Over: NOWLIN BRANCH

ELMWOOD AVE * NOWLIN BRAN, Etowah, AL

Built 1935 Load: 31.9 t ADT: 726

CHEROKEE #29

Good

Over: BRANCH

6.4 MI S JCT SR 25, Cherokee, AL

Built 1948 Load: 31.9 t ADT: 1,200

Showing 11,051-11,100 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.