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

CR18W HAROLD CULP

Good

Over: BRANCH OF POLY CRK

CR18W 1 MI NE HIGHLAND CH, Chilton, AL

Built 1971 Load: 38.5 t ADT: 200

COUNTY LINE ROAD

Good

Over: SOUTHERN RAILROAD

SEC 24 T4S R3W, Madison, AL

Built 1997 Load: 38.5 t ADT: 2,500

AL 126

Good

Over: MILLIES CREEK

4.2 MI.E.OF MITYLENE EXIT, Montgomery, AL

Built 2012 Load: 38.5 t ADT: 2,810

AL 22

Good

Over: MULBERRY CREEK

0.4 MI. E JCT SR 191, Chilton, AL

Built 2009 Load: 38.5 t ADT: 2,723

COUNTY ROAD 76

Good

Over: MILL CREEK

0.05 MI EAST JCT CO 33, Lauderdale, AL

Built 2005 Load: 38.5 t ADT: 550

CO RD 76

Good

Over: 1ST CREEK

1 MI W ST RT 207, Lauderdale, AL

Built 2010 Load: 38.5 t ADT: 292

COUNTY ROAD 359

Good

Over: BR OF LITTLE MULBERRY CR

CR359 1.5 MS ANTIOCH CH, Chilton, AL

Built 2011 Load: 38.5 t ADT: 150

Ridgedale Road

Good

Over: Dry Creek_

0.1 Mile West SR 279, Jackson, AL

Built 2016 Load: 38.5 t ADT: 1,262

COUNTY ROAD 1106

Good

Over: OLUSTEE CREEK

SEC 10 T11N R19E, Pike, AL

Built 1990 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 75

COUNTY ROAD 456

Good

Over: BLUE EYE CREEK

0.1 MI S CO 433 PATTON CH, Talladega, AL

Built 1945 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 694

702

Good

Over: LOVELESS

Cr 702 South culvert, Cullman, AL

Built 1977 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 70

GREEN CREST DR

Good

Over: DRY BRANCH

JCT SWEENY HOLLOW RD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1981 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 50

COUNTY ROAD 1105

Good

Over: DRY CREEK

SECT 9 T11N R19E, Pike, AL

Built 1986 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 60

CR # 144

Good

Over: SIX MILE CREEK

1.2 MI E SR 41, Dallas, AL

Built 1987 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 50

COUNTY 92

Good

Over: SECOND CREEK

0.4 MI E. CO. 113, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1987 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 220

CO 121

Good

Over: SHIRTEE CREEK

2.3 MI W OF AL 21, Talladega, AL

Built 1994 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 1,832

AL 255

Good

Over: STREAM

0.8MILES N JCT SR 72, Madison, AL

Built 1992 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 45,856

CR. 19

Good

Over: WOLK CREEK

2.5 MI SW MANNINGHAM, Butler, AL

Built 1996 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 114

COUNTY ROAD 28

Good

Over: PETERMAN CREEK

COUNTY ROAD 28, Henry, AL

Built 1998 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 130

AL 25

Good

Over: UT SPARKS CREEK

6.5 MI N GREENSBORO, Hale, AL

Built 1999 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 640

SR35

Good

Over: STRAIGHT CREEK

4 MI N. JCT SR 75 * SR35?, DeKalb, AL

Built 2002 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 8,028

PISGAH DRIVE

Good

Over: PINHOOK CREEK

6110 PISGAH DRIVE, Madison, AL

Built 2000 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 1,450

ALLSBORO RD

Good

Over: CRIPPLE DEER CREEK

ALLSBORO RD CRIPPLE DEER, Colbert, AL

Built 2001 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 670

VIADUCT RD

Good

Over: B-N * N-S RR SOUTH ST

0.2 MI E US 43, Mobile, AL

Built 2001 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 2,200

INDIAN HILLS ROAD

Good

Over: VILLAGE CREEK

1.4 MI NORTH SR36, Morgan, AL

Built 2004 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 1,183

COMMUNITY ST

Good

Over: WESTEND DRAINAGE DITCH

0.15 MI S OF DAY ST, Montgomery, AL

Built 2001 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 210

US 278

Good

Over: BLACK WARRIOR RIVER

US 278 @ WARRIOR RIVER, Etowah, AL

Built 2008 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 4,951

JIM JONES ROAD

Good

Over: TRIB.O COTTONDALE CREEK

1.5 MI E OF BUTTERMILK RD, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2004 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 500

I-59/20 NORTHBOUND

Good

Over: I-59/20 SOUTHBOUND

I-59/20 OVER I-59/20, Jefferson, AL

Built 2004 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 157,350

US 82

Good

Over: SIPSEY RIVER RELIEF

0.9 MI W SISPEY RIVER, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2010 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 6,070

HWY 55 WEST

Good

Over: HERRIN CREEK RELIEF

6.4 MI WEST SR31, Morgan, AL

Built 2009 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 2,040

CO. RT. 170

Good

Over: EDDY CREEK

0.7 MI. EAST JCT. S R 157, Lawrence, AL

Built 1995 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 800

SOUTH IND. PARK RD

Good

Over: BASSETTS CREEK

THOMASVILLE, Clarke, AL

Built 2006 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 100

BILLY WALKER RD E

Good

Over: BENNETS CREEK

0.8 MILES N/LONNIE WALKER, Mobile, AL

Built 2011 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 119

KELLY TRAIL

Good

Over: LOG CREEK

2.7 MI S CELESTE ROAD, Mobile, AL

Built 2011 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 25

CR 9

Good

Over: LITTLE CREEK

SHILOH, Washington, AL

Built 2013 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 305

COUNTY ROAD

Good

Over: BRUSHY CREEK BRANCH

1 MI NW ATMORE, Escambia, AL

Built 2011 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 300

COUNTY ROAD

Good

Over: COWPEN CREEK

2 MI NORTH CANOE, Escambia, AL

Built 2011 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 200

COUNTY ROAD

Good

Over: KENT BRANCH

2 MI NW OSAKA, Escambia, AL

Built 2011 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 110

_BILL LUNCEFORD RD

Good

Over: _BULGER CREEK

_.7 MI N OF JCT CO RD 12, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2015 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 150

I - 20 WB RAMP

Good

Over: _US31 I20 rmp RR 28thSTN

31ST ST RAMP TO I - 20 WB, Jefferson, AL

Built 2019 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 11,500

_Shalerock Drive

Good

Over: _

_, Limestone, AL

Built 2018 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 100

CR 27

Good

Over: DOUBLE BRANCH

2 MI NW OF MONROEVILLE, Monroe, AL

Built 2018 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 100

Greenbrier PKWY

Good

Over: Sou RR_

.6 mi south of old hwy 20, Madison, AL

Built 2020 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 4,400

NESMITH ROAD

Good

Over: BROWNS CREEK

1/2 MILE EAST OF SUMMIT, Blount, AL

Built 2022 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 237

CR 19

Good

Over: I-59

6.5 MI N OF MISS ST LINE, Sumter, AL

Built 1974 Load: 38.7 t ADT: 112

US72; RAMP B

Good

Over: ROSEBERRY CREEK

RAMP FROM SR279 TO US 72E, Jackson, AL

Built 1975 Load: 38.7 t ADT: 5,446

CO 266

Good

Over: HARDLEY CREEK

2.3 MI SE FREDONIA, Chambers, AL

Built 1994 Load: 38.7 t ADT: 25

SR 35

Good

Over: STRAIT CREEK

4 MI N JCT SR 75 * SR 35, DeKalb, AL

Built 1998 Load: 38.7 t ADT: 4,772

TALLADEGA CO.207

Good

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN R.R.

.5 MI.NORTH OF U.S.78, Talladega, AL

Built 2001 Load: 38.7 t ADT: 3,950

Showing 12,501-12,550 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.