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

CARL T. JONES DR.

Good

Over: ALDRIDGE CREEK

2.2 MILES EAST HWY 231 S, Madison, AL

Built 1988 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 29,900

LIBERTY CHURCH RD.

Good

Over: DRAINAGE RELIEF

.2 MI E OF PETTUS RD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1990 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 88

LIBERTY CHURCH RD.

Good

Over: PINTLALA CREEK

.4 MI E OF PETTUS RD., Montgomery, AL

Built 1990 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 80

HICKORY GROVE RD.

Good

Over: PINTLALA CREEK

6.3 MI EAST OF US 31, Montgomery, AL

Built 1990 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 125

HICKORY GROVE RD.

Good

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

6.4 MI EAST OF US 31, Montgomery, AL

Built 1990 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 125

HICKORY GROVE RD.

Good

Over: CREEK

6.5 MI E OF US 31, Montgomery, AL

Built 1990 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 125

SR 95 MP 26.065

Good

Over: BAKER CREEK

2.7 MI.N.OF COLUMBIA, Henry, AL

Built 1990 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 1,020

CENTERPOINT RD.

Good

Over: GREENBRIER CREEK

1.0 MI E PISGAH RD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 82

BUTLER MILL ROAD

Good

Over: BUTLER BRANCH

5.4 MI N HICKORY GROVE RD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 130

BUTLER MILL ROAD

Good

Over: PINTLALA CRK. RELIEF

5.4 MI N HICKORY GROVE RD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 130

BUTLER MILL ROAD

Good

Over: SCALYBARK TREE CRK.

8.8 MI N ADA RD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 130

BUTLER MILL ROAD

Good

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

6.7 MI N HICKORY GROVE RD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 130

PISGAH ROAD

Good

Over: JACKSON CREEK

1.2 MI E HUFFMAN RD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 52

PISGAH ROAD

Good

Over: RAIFE BRANCH

.8 MI E HUFFMAN RD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 52

PUGH ROAD

Good

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

.4 MI W OLD PIKE RD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 30

STEPHENS ROAD

Good

Over: BASKINS MILL CRK.

1.8 MI E LONG RD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 62

STEPHENS ROAD

Good

Over: BASKINS MILL CRK. RELIEF

1.7 MI E LONG RD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 62

STEPHENS ROAD

Good

Over: THOMPSON CREEK

.3 MI E LONG RD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 62

CENTERPOINT RD.

Good

Over: GREENBRIER CRK. RELIEF

1.2 MI E PISGAH RD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 75

BUTLER MILL ROAD

Good

Over: CREEK

3.1 MI N ADA ROAD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 95

E.PLEASANTGROVE RD

Good

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

.4 MI E OF US 331, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 110

BELL ROAD

Good

Over: PATSALIGA CREEK

1.3 MI N CRENSHAW CO LINE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 32

COPELAND ROAD

Good

Over: CARGILES SLOUGH

.8 MI NE GARDNER, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 52

GARDNER ROAD

Good

Over: JACKSON CRK. RELIEF

.3 MI N PIKE CO LINE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 42

GARDNER ROAD

Good

Over: JACKSON CREEK

.4 MI N PIKE CO LINE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 42

LONG ROAD

Good

Over: WHATLEY BRANCH

3.0 MI N HIWAY 94, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 62

LONG ROAD

Good

Over: THOMPSON CREEK

5.9 MI N OF HIWAY 94, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 62

MT. ZION ROAD

Good

Over: BATTLE CREEK

8.8 MI N PIKE CO LINE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 400

MT. ZION ROAD

Good

Over: THOMPSON CREEK

8.3 MI N PIKE CO LINE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 400

MERIWETHER TRAIL

Good

Over: CAT CREEK

1.1 MI E LAPINE FLASHER, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 600

MERIWETHER TRAIL

Good

Over: MITCHELL CREEK

4.6 MI E LAPINE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 600

MERIWETHER TRAIL

Good

Over: GREENBRIER CRK. RELIEF

2.5 MI N OF US 94, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 300

JADE POINT ROAD

Good

Over: UN-NAMED CREEK

CROWN POINTE SUBDIVISION, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1990 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 250

COUNTY ROAD #9

Good

Over: TRIB. TO BOGUE CHITTO CK

1 MILE WEST OF C.R. #24, Choctaw, AL

Built 1951 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 910

US 98

Good

Over: FISH RIVER

9 MI W FOLEY, Baldwin, AL

Built 2006 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 9,660

COUNTY ROAD 17

Good

Over: SPLUNGE CREEK

2 MI N JCT CORD 25, Winston, AL

Built 2003 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 330

CR 61

Good

Over: TRIB. OF FOUR MILE CREEK

0.1 MI FROM CR 56, Shelby, AL

Built 2006 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 316

I20

Good

Over: CO. LINE ROAD WEST

.5 MI W EXIT 79, Talladega, AL

Built 2008 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 42,460

COUNTY HIGHWAY116

Good

Over: BRANCH

904 FT N JCT 431, Marshall, AL

Built 1938 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 200

sumter 20

Good

Over: sicolocco creek

0.3 MI E AL HWY 17, Sumter, AL

Built 1951 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 437

COUNTY ROAD 49

Good

Over: JOHNSON CREEK

9.6 MI NE OF AL51, Barbour, AL

Built 1952 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 335

CHEROKEE #19

Good

Over: LITTLE BALL PLAY CREEK

0.3 MI S JCT CO RT 6, Cherokee, AL

Built 1956 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 1,100

COUNTY ROAD 5513

Good

Over: WALNUT CREEK

SEC 35 T10N R21E, Pike, AL

Built 1956 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 275

CO RD 33

Good

Over: CREEK

1 MI SOUTH OF AL 21, Lowndes, AL

Built 1958 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 480

GREEN TREE RD

Good

Over: SPENCERS BRANCH

0.2 MI E KNOLLWOOD DR, Mobile, AL

Built 1977 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 7,161

SR 24

Good

Over: BEAR CREEK RELIEF 3

2.6 M E JCT SR 24 & SR 19, Franklin, AL

Built 1978 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 2,230

CR # 115

Good

Over: BOGUE CHITTO CREEK

2.8 MI W CR 33, Dallas, AL

Built 1990 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 300

ROADWAY

Good

Over: CO RT 1142 FACTORY CREEK

1.0 MI N HAMNER, Sumter, AL

Built 1993 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 25

I-22

Good

Over: US-43

JCT US 43 AL-4, Marion, AL

Built 1992 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 12,178

Moon Road

Good

Over: I-22

M.P. 58.6 on I-22, Walker, AL

Built 1997 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 509

Showing 12,351-12,400 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.