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

1 MI E ALA 9

Good

Over: CHOCCOLOCCO CREEK

RAINBOW DR. CONC 1987, Calhoun, AL

Built 1958 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 402

PAVED ROAD

Good

Over: LUXAPALLILA CREEK

0.4 MILES SOUTH JCTUS 78, Marion, AL

Built 1987 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 50

COUNTY ROAD 32

Good

Over: LITTLE BRUSH CREEK

4.1 MI. E. OF DOMINICK, Hale, AL

Built 1962 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 200

AL - 5 (US 78)

Good

Over: VILLAGE CREEK * BNSF RR

AL 5 * BNSF RR, Jefferson, AL

Built 2017 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 47,213

BLACK CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: CSX RAILROAD

0.75 MI E US 31, Jefferson, AL

Built 2004 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 8,700

COUNTY ROAD 4

Good

Over: CONECUH RIVER RELIEF #1

0.6 MI E US 29, Escambia, AL

Built 2004 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 571

COUNTY ROAD 94

Good

Over: SOUTH SAUTY CREEK

T6S R7E SEC. 21, DeKalb, AL

Built 2005 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 146

EASTER FERRY ROAD

Good

Over: FOUR MILE BRANCH

SEC 25 T2S R5W, Limestone, AL

Built 2005 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 650

STONEHAVEN TRAIL

Good

Over: BUCK CREEK

0.25 MI. W OF JCT US 31, Shelby, AL

Built 2003 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 6,010

HARGROVE RD E.

Good

Over: LYE BRANCH

5.8 MI NE OF JCT US 82, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2014 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 7

POSSUM TROT

Good

Over: BRANCH

POSSUM TROT/ASBERRY, Calhoun, AL

Built 2013 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 369

DAY GAP RD. cul

Good

Over: STREAM

1.5 MI SW OF I65, Cullman, AL

Built 1990 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 500

cr 515

Good

Over: wedowee cr

omaha, Randolph, AL

Built 2015 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 38

NESBIT LAKE RD.

Good

Over: TALLAHATCHEE CREEK

NESBIT LAKE RD., Calhoun, AL

Built 1994 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 2,800

AL-17

Good

Over: LineBarger Branch

3.8 MI N of Reform, Pickens, AL

Built 1929 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 1,618

SR 117

Good

Over: BRANCH

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

Built 1948 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 950

SR 67

Good

Over: BRANCH

7 MI N JCT SR 67 & SR 69, Morgan, AL

Built 1952 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 2,940

FERNBANK RD

Good

Over: BRUSHY CREEK

3.9 MI. W. HWY. 17, Lamar, AL

Built 1956 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 190

CR- 80

Good

Over: I-20/59

1.1 MI S of Boligee, Greene, AL

Built 1971 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 304

COLEMAN

Good

Over: DALLAS CREEK

COLEMAN, Madison, AL

Built 1971 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 350

CO RT 470

Good

Over: CRIPPLE CREEK

2.7 MI N OF KINSTON, Coffee, AL

Built 1974 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 25

CO RD #114

Good

Over: TOWN CREEK

1.25 MI N CO RT #85T5SR9E, DeKalb, AL

Built 1981 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 283

SR 24

Good

Over: SR 67

JCT SR 24 & SR 67, Morgan, AL

Built 1982 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 5,280

CO RD 49

Good

Over: CEDAR CREEK

.1MI S CO 33 CO 49 JCT, Franklin, AL

Built 1979 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 500

SR 167 MP 6.075

Good

Over: BURCH BRANCH

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

Built 1989 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 3,100

SR 24

Good

Over: SR 13

JCT SR 24 & SR 13, Franklin, AL

Built 1998 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 3,350

SR 22

Good

Over: HIGH PINE CREEK

10 MI. E TALLAPOOSA RIVER, Randolph, AL

Built 2002 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 2,478

COUNTY ROAD 4

Good

Over: CONECUH RIVER RELIEF #3

1.1 MI E US 29, Escambia, AL

Built 2004 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 571

AL-17

Good

Over: Bear Creek

N of Hackleburg, Marion, AL

Built 2007 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 4,021

AL-17

Good

Over: Bear Creek

N of Hackleburg, Marion, AL

Built 2007 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 4,021

GUM POND ROAD

Good

Over: MUD CREEK

1.2 MI SOUTH SR 67, Morgan, AL

Built 2003 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 275

COUNTY ROAD 818

Good

Over: ROCK CREEK

Cr 818 East Logan-East, Cullman, AL

Built 2004 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 200

BELFOREST CEM. RD.

Good

Over: CONEY BRANCH

0.4 MI.W.OF CR.RD. 54W., Baldwin, AL

Built 2002 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 619

SILAS GANEY RD.

Good

Over: MAJORS CREEK

0.02 MI. N. OF CR 96, Baldwin, AL

Built 2011 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 77

COUNTY ROAD 18

Good

Over: SPRING CREEK

SEC 10 T12 R24, Bullock, AL

Built 2008 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 215

COUNTY ROAD 21

Good

Over: COLWELL CREEK

0.3 MI N OF AL HWY 14, Hale, AL

Built 2006 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 783

SR46

Good

Over: LOST CREEK

13 MI. E TALLAPOOSA RIVER, Cleburne, AL

Built 2008 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 2,690

SR15 / US29

Good

Over: OSANIPPA CREEK

4 MI N JCT CO RD 70, Chambers, AL

Built 2012 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 6,673

2 MILES E AL HWY 9

Good

Over: CHOCCOLOCCO CREK

BROWN BRIDGE CONC 2007, Calhoun, AL

Built 2007 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 320

CR 32

Good

Over: N. FORK YELLOWLEAK CK

2.6 MI EAST CR 49, Shelby, AL

Built 2007 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 500

DEAD HOLLOW ROAD

Good

Over: MORGAN CREEK

0.6 MI FROM AL 25, Shelby, AL

Built 2009 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 100

COLLEGE AVENUE

Good

Over: BRANCH

GOLD KIST RD * COLLEGE AV, Marshall, AL

Built 2006 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 1,298

CO 25

Good

Over: RICHARDSON CREEK

1.3 MI N OF SR 64, Lauderdale, AL

Built 2012 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 280

US 80

Good

Over: Little Uchee Crk

4 mi E. of JCT SR169, Russell, AL

Built 2020 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 8,500

CR 330

Good

Over: GRAY BRANCH

200 FT EAST OF CR 327 i, Lawrence, AL

Built 2016 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 11

VINA SHOTTSVILLE

Good

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

JCT CR.23 & CR A23, Franklin, AL

Built 2015 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 68

_CO RD 224

Good

Over: _WELLS CREEK

_1.8 MI S.E. WHITE PLAINS, Chambers, AL

Built 2016 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 25

SR-304

Good

Over: Swan Creek (Relief)

0.3M W SR-304/I-65, Limestone, AL

Built 2023 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 9,052

Quail Ridge road

Good

Over: Hurricane Creek

_INT of Quail creek road, Shelby, AL

Built 2000 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 100

CO. 237

Good

Over: CATY CREEK

2 MI. S.E. ABANDA, Chambers, AL

Built 1953 Load: 34.8 t ADT: 310

Showing 11,751-11,800 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.