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

CR 51

Good

Over: PANTHER CREEK

05 MI E BRADLEY, Escambia, AL

Built 2010 Load: 32.2 t ADT: 40

Convent Rd NE

Good

Over: EIGHTMILE CREEK

0.1 Mi N Jct Larkwood, Cullman, AL

Built 2019 Load: 32.2 t ADT: 600

COUNTY ROAD 2278

Good

Over: DIME BRANCH CR

SEC 21 T8N R19E, Pike, AL

Built 1962 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 185

CO 79

Good

Over: MCKAYS MILL CREEK

SEC-10 T-4-N R-26-E, Dale, AL

Built 1963 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 196

AL-118

Good

Over: Branch

0.6 MI W of Crews, Lamar, AL

Built 1926 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 2,933

COUNTY RT 053

Good

Over: MAGBY CREEK

1.4 MI N JCT US 82, Pickens, AL

Built 1979 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 150

COUNTY ROAD 54

Good

Over: WEST CHOCTAWHATCHEE R

SEC-12 T-6-N R-25-E, Dale, AL

Built 1979 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 391

OLD SIX MILE ROAD

Good

Over: TOWN CREEK

1.5 MI NW SR 36, Morgan, AL

Built 1982 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 330

US 431; SR 1

Good

Over: FLINT RIVER RELIEF #4

0.6 MI S FLINT RIVER, Madison, AL

Built 1984 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 10,772

SR 69

Good

Over: 3 MILE CREEK

2.1 MILES S. OF LINDEN, Marengo, AL

Built 1993 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 1,960

THOMPSON BRIDGE RD

Good

Over: LOCUST FORK

@ MCCOURT RD, Etowah, AL

Built 2003 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 100

RABBIT RD

Good

Over: LITTLE COWICKEE CREEK

3 MI. S SR 26, Russell, AL

Built 2005 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 185

CHEROKEE TRAIL

Good

Over: Wallahatchee Creek

SEC 4 T18N R21E, Elmore, AL

Built 2021 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 668

Pinewood Drive

Good

Over: Prestwood Creek

Pinewood Drive, Covington, AL

Built 1962 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 1,158

FAS 18 CO RD 52

Good

Over: HORTON BRANCH

1.3 MI W JCT CORT51T7SR8E, DeKalb, AL

Built 1947 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 828

US 11

Good

Over: ABS RR Active TY ROGERS

0.1 MI W OF I-359, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1983 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 21,122

US 90

Good

Over: BLACKWATER RIVER

2.7 MI E OF JCT SR 59, Baldwin, AL

Built 1983 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 6,948

COUNTY ROAD 21

Good

Over: MILLIANS CREEK

1.2 MI. S. OF POWERS, Hale, AL

Built 1984 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 150

US 29

Good

Over: 2ND CONECUH RIVER RELIEF

0.8 MI S CO RD 53, Escambia, AL

Built 1986 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 835

CO RT 249

Good

Over: BRANCH

3.1 MILES NORTHEASTOFELBA, Coffee, AL

Built 1989 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 400

Whipporwill Road

Good

Over: SAND CREEK

SEC 17 T19N R20E, Elmore, AL

Built 1990 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 100

Whipporwill Road

Good

Over: SAND CREEK

SEC 17 T19N R20E, Elmore, AL

Built 1990 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 100

Rigsby Road

Good

Over: GOODWATER CREEK

SEC 24 T17N R20E, Elmore, AL

Built 1991 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 20

CO RD NO 054

Good

Over: MORTAR CREEK

SEC 29 T19N R17E, Elmore, AL

Built 1992 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 20

HENRY RD

Good

Over: ROCK CREEK

HENRY RD AT SRYGLEY RD, Colbert, AL

Built 1992 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 200

AL - 53 (US 231)

Good

Over: LOCUST FK OF WARRIOR RIV

2.7 MI. NO. AL 160, Blount, AL

Built 2007 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 6,730

DEATSVILLE HIGHWAY

Good

Over: KENNER CREEK

2.6M NORTH OF AL 14, Elmore, AL

Built 2004 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 12,776

SR 69

Good

Over: STAVE CREEK

3.0 MI. N. OF JACKSON, Clarke, AL

Built 2007 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,200

PARKING LOT ACCESS

Good

Over: COLDWATER SPRING RUNOFF

NEAR BLG 513, Calhoun, AL

Built 2005 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 500

CR 89 NORTH

Good

Over: SANDY CREEK SPUR

1.5 M N INT CO 048 AL 50, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 1960 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 335

CO17 EAST TO CO

Good

Over: CREEK

3 1/4 MI EAST OF CO17, Lowndes, AL

Built 1970 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 360

SR 59

Good

Over: LITTLE RIVER

BALD.-MONROE CO. LINE, Baldwin, AL

Built 1987 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 820

CO RD 84

Good

Over: MIDDLE FORK OF LOST CK

.2 MI W CO B39 CO 84 JCT, Franklin, AL

Built 1990 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 150

WHISTLER TO I165NB

Good

Over: WHISTLER ST

I-165 @ WHISTLER ST, Mobile, AL

Built 1993 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 3,299

CO RT 359

Good

Over: BEAVER DAM CREEK

6.19 MI NW OF ELBA, Coffee, AL

Built 2008 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 65

FLETCHER SMITH RD

Good

Over: BUCK CREEK

ST MARY CH RD TO CWOOD, Houston, AL

Built 1980 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 231

CR-29

Good

Over: Weogufka Creek

2.5 MI. S. WEOGUFKA, Coosa, AL

Built 1982 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 775

COUNTY ROUTE 6

Good

Over: DRAIN

VREDENBURGH, Monroe, AL

Built 1983 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 150

US 80

Good

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN

3.2 MI. E. OF DEMOPOLIS, Marengo, AL

Built 1984 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 4,410

CR # 48

Good

Over: BEECH CREEK SWAMP

0.9 MI W SR 14 E, Dallas, AL

Built 1988 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 2,100

CO RT 249

Good

Over: BRANCH

2.43 MILES NORTH OFELBA, Coffee, AL

Built 1989 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 355

FAS 06 CO RD 51

Good

Over: LITTLE WILLS VALLEY BR.

2.3MI N JCT CO RT52T7SR8E, DeKalb, AL

Built 1990 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 1,644

AL 14

Good

Over: BINGHAM CREEK

2.5 MI W DALLAS CO LN, Perry, AL

Built 1997 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 1,050

CR # 434

Good

Over: TRIB. TO CEDAR CREEK

0.8 MI E SR 41 S, Dallas, AL

Built 2001 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 30

OLD U.S. 431

Good

Over: ROBINSON MILL CREEK

1.7 KM E JUNCTION U.S.431, Madison, AL

Built 1999 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 3,360

CO. RD. 87

Good

Over: BEE TREE CREEK

3.5 MI. S.OF S.R. 112, Baldwin, AL

Built 2001 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 327

CO. RD. 12

Good

Over: BRANCH

0.9 MI.W. OF STATE HWY 59, Baldwin, AL

Built 2001 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 1,866

TWIN STREET

Good

Over: TRIB. SHIRTEE CK.

END OF PELL CITY ST., Talladega, AL

Built 1960 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 310

CO RD 11

Good

Over: OAKLEY SPRINGS BRANCH

1.1 MI N INT ST RT 157, Lauderdale, AL

Built 2012 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 836

V.S. Cemetery Road

Good

Over: Givens Branch

0.3 mi East SR 36, Morgan, AL

Built 2018 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 10

Showing 11,151-11,200 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.