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. 21

Good

Over: ENOCH CREEK

1.38 MI.E.JCT AL69*CO. 21, Clarke, AL

Built 1968 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 225

LENTZVILLE RD

Good

Over: DRY BR

SEC27 T2S R6W, Limestone, AL

Built 1971 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 450

I-359 RAMP

Good

Over: I-359 I-59 US 11

JCT I-359 * I-59, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1981 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 12,661

CO.RD.8

Good

Over: LITTLE-MULLBERRY CREEK

EVER GREEN-DAWSON MILL, Autauga, AL

Built 1984 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 125

US 84 MP 187.378

Good

Over: CLAYBANK CREEK

1 MI. W. SR 85, Dale, AL

Built 1984 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 9,465

COUNTY ROAD NO.99

Good

Over: SANDY CREEK

RC BRIDGE ON PAVED RD 99, Henry, AL

Built 1991 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 850

I165SB TO WHISTLER

Good

Over: WHISTLER ST

I165 @ WHISTLER ST, Mobile, AL

Built 1993 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 3,011

CO.RD.64

Good

Over: TOOTHACHE CREEK

0.8 MI. E. OF CO. RD. 65, Baldwin, AL

Built 1996 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 1,891

Lee Road 380

Good

Over: OSANIPPA CREEK

1.2 MI NE JCT LEE ROAD379, Lee, AL

Built 1998 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 1,908

Cave Springs Rd.

Good

Over: BAKERS SPRING BRANCH

?????????????????????????, Madison, AL

Built 2009 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 1,220

MILL RD.

Good

Over: MILL CREEK

1.0 MI W OF SULLIVAN ST., Madison, AL

Built 2009 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 3,500

MADISON PIKE

Good

Over: SR255

.3 MI N JCT I565/SR255, Madison, AL

Built 2022 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 16,934

CO RT 434

Good

Over: BIG SHOAL CREEK

0.8 MI W JCT CO RT 87, Lawrence, AL

Built 1992 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 664

CO RT 712

Good

Over: WILSONS MILL CREEK

2 MILES SOUTH OF KEYTON, Coffee, AL

Built 1950 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 577

ECHOLA ROAD

Good

Over: EIGHT MILE BRANCH

4.3 MI N OF JCT US NO 82, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1956 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 400

CO RD 51

Good

Over: I-59

CO RT 51 OVP MP 216.8, DeKalb, AL

Built 1964 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 1,450

CR74 EXPERIMENT ST

Good

Over: GALE CREEK

CR74 1 MI SW OF THORSBY, Chilton, AL

Built 1991 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 400

SR 24

Good

Over: SR 67

JCT SR 24 & SR 67, Morgan, AL

Built 1982 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 5,280

SR 65

Good

Over: BRANCH

3.1 MI S JCT SR146 * SR65, Jackson, AL

Built 1986 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 532

Leonard Chapel Rd

Good

Over: I-22 at 49.4 mp

I-22 Leonard Chapel Rd, Walker, AL

Built 1996 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 500

REED RD. 185 TO 75

Good

Over: AVINGER BRANCH

1 MI E OF CO 75, Lowndes, AL

Built 2003 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 20

I20

Good

Over: SR21

INTERSECT. SR21 AND I20, Calhoun, AL

Built 2012 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 21,558

POCAHONTAS ROAD

Good

Over: CLEAR BRANCH

0.8 MI S DICKEY SPRINGS R, Jefferson, AL

Built 2010 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 2,060

Decatur St.

Good

Over: Genetta Ditch

600 S of I-85, Montgomery, AL

Built 2019 Load: 34.4 t

FAS 08 C.R.20

Good

Over: WASHINGTON CREEK

CR 20, Perry, AL

Built 1968 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 325

PETTUS ROAD

Good

Over: BALL BRANCH

7.2 MI N OF HICKORY GROVE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1969 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 250

SR 10

Good

Over: BEAR CREEK RELIEF

2.2 MI. W. OF PINE APPLE, Wilcox, AL

Built 1982 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 770

SR 10

Good

Over: BEAR CREEK RELIEF

1.7 MI. W OF PINE APPLE, Wilcox, AL

Built 1982 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 770

SR 10

Good

Over: AGR

3.6 MI E OF PINE HILL, Wilcox, AL

Built 1982 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 4,010

GRANDBAY WILMER S

Good

Over: BELL BRANCH

.7 MI S DAWES RD, Mobile, AL

Built 1984 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 5,927

UNIONACDMY-ADA RD.

Good

Over: PINTLALA CRK. RELIEF

5.9 MI EAST OF US 31, Montgomery, AL

Built 1987 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 118

CAMPGROUND RD

Good

Over: OAKTASASI CREEK

1.9 MI NORTH AL 63, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 1987 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 485

SR 225

Good

Over: RAINS CREEK

1 MI N I-65, Baldwin, AL

Built 1994 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 1,802

AL 14

Good

Over: GOOSE CREEK

1.0 MI E OF SPROTT, Perry, AL

Built 1994 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 690

CO 11

Good

Over: CHULAFINNEE CREEK

0.5 MI WEST CHULAFINNEE, Cleburne, AL

Built 1993 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 400

US 431

Good

Over: PAINT ROCK RIVER RELIEF

0.4 MI N PAINT ROCK RIVER, Madison, AL

Built 1996 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 9,519

US 72; SR 2

Good

Over: SEQUATCHIE VALLEY RR

0.2 MI S TENN ST LINE, Jackson, AL

Built 1995 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 6,513

US 45

Good

Over: PINE BARREN CREEK

4.1 MI N OF DEER PARK, Washington, AL

Built 1995 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 2,500

US 11

Good

Over: SUCARNOOCHEE RVR REL

LIVINGSTON, Sumter, AL

Built 2003 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 4,407

I-65 SOUTH

Good

Over: SOUTHERN RR.

BETWEEN 41ST AV AND CORRX, Jefferson, AL

Built 2015 Load: 34.5 t

COUNTY ROAD 37

Good

Over: BRANCH OF COALFIRE CREEK

3.3 MI NORTH OF CR#35, Pickens, AL

Built 2006 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 180

9TH STREET

Good

Over: BUXAHATCHEE CREEK

NEAR RR DEPOT., Shelby, AL

Built 1984 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 100

MCCAIN PARKWAY

Good

Over: HOGPEN CREEK

0.15 MI SE EXIT 242 I-65, Shelby, AL

Built 1986 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 7,500

US 82

Good

Over: BOX CREEK

102 MI. W. SIPSEY RIVER, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2010 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 6,070

US 82

Good

Over: SISPEY RIVER RELIEF #4

0.2 MI W SIPSEY RIVER, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2010 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 6,070

COUNTY RD 45

Good

Over: UNAMED BRANCH

.5 MI SOUTH US 280, Talladega, AL

Built 1965 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 1,372

CR 33

Good

Over: WATKINS CREEK

7.35 MI NE US 43, Marengo, AL

Built 2009 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 160

SR 117

Good

Over: BRANCH

5.9 MI N JCT SR 117* US72, Jackson, AL

Built 1948 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 618

CO RD 043

Good

Over: MIDDLE CREEK

SEC 10 T18N R17E, Elmore, AL

Built 1973 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 20

GOODE BRIDGE RD.

Good

Over: TALLASSEEHATCHEE CREEK

GOODE BRIDGE RD, Calhoun, AL

Built 1954 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 985

Showing 11,701-11,750 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.