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 76

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK

.5MI NE TENBROECK T7SR6E, DeKalb, AL

Built 1955 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 255

PEARMAN DRIVE

Fair

Over: BLACK WARRIOR RIVER

1/2 MI NE OF SNEAD, Blount, AL

Built 1957 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 672

CO RD 32

Fair

Over: CLEAR CREEK

4.8 MI W JCT SR 195, Winston, AL

Built 1959 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 500

CO RD 32

Fair

Over: WIDOWS CREEK

1.5 MI W JCT SR 195, Winston, AL

Built 1959 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 500

CO RT 305

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK

2.3MILESOUTHEASTBLUFFSPRI, Coffee, AL

Built 1959 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 225

CO RT 38

Fair

Over: BOGUECHITTO CREEK

CR 38 EAST LEO PLUMMER RD, Perry, AL

Built 1961 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 125

COUNTY ROUTE 38

Fair

Over: BOGUECHITTO CREEK REL BR

CR 38, Perry, AL

Built 1961 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 125

DUNCAN ROAD

Fair

Over: BLACKWATER CREEK

1/4 MILE N HWY 5, Walker, AL

Built 1962 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 950

Cr 87

Fair

Over: LITTLE TALL. RIVER

(MUCKFAU)N OF GRAHAM, Randolph, AL

Built 1962 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 305

CO. RD. 81

Fair

Over: UNNAMED BRANCH

1.2 MI. NO. OF AL 10, Henry, AL

Built 1963 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 70

CO. RD. 15

Fair

Over: CORNHOUSE CREEK

(CORN BR)N MALONE, Randolph, AL

Built 1963 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 245

FAS03 CORT#6 #1

Fair

Over: REL BR CAHABA RIVER

20 3M E UNIONTOWN FAS03, Perry, AL

Built 1964 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 1,575

FAS03 CORT#6

Fair

Over: REL BR CAHABA RIVER

20 3M E UNIONTOWN FAS03, Perry, AL

Built 1964 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 1,575

FAS 03 CORT#6 #4

Fair

Over: REL BR CAHABA RIVER

20 9M E UNIONTOWN FAS03, Perry, AL

Built 1964 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 1,575

COUNTY HWY 17

Fair

Over: PEA RIVER

4 MILES SOUTH OF SAMSON, Geneva, AL

Built 1964 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 812

cr 1352

Fair

Over: GAY BRANCH

CR 1352, Cullman, AL

Built 1964 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 110

AL 157

Fair

Over: I65

JCT I65 * SR 157, Cullman, AL

Built 1965 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 16,718

CO RD 45

Fair

Over: HOWARD BRANCH

S OF CEDAR GROVE, Autauga, AL

Built 1993 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 29

HATCH RD #1

Fair

Over: BROOKING MIll CREEK

W OF HANCHEY FIELD RD, Dale, AL

Built 1978 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 540

CHEROKEE #8

Fair

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

1.3 MI E INT CHEROKEE #29, Cherokee, AL

Built 1935 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 325

WALKER LA

Fair

Over: SPELCE BRANCH

0.5 W CO RD 1324, Madison, AL

Built 1940 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 550

JACKSON STREET

Fair

Over: TOMBIGBEE BACKWATER

DEMOPOLIS, Marengo, AL

Built 1950 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 6,100

CO. HWY. 26

Fair

Over: WOLF CREEK

1.5 MI NW JCT AL 70, Shelby, AL

Built 1950 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 4,401

Lovelady Road

Fair

Over: Wind Creek

6.4 M N AL. 49, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 1950 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 405

SR 50

Fair

Over: WIND CREEK

2.4 MI E TALLAPOOSA RIV., Tallapoosa, AL

Built 1952 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 1,139

FAS 24 CO RD 27

Fair

Over: BIG WILLS CREEK

0.7MI W JCT US 11, DeKalb, AL

Built 1952 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 2,580

CO RT 102

Fair

Over: SOUTH SAUTY CREEK

2.0 MI W CO RT 47, DeKalb, AL

Built 1955 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 503

CR # 2

Fair

Over: BIG SWAMP CREEK

2.77 MI E OF SR 22, Dallas, AL

Built 1956 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 200

US 72; SR 2

Fair

Over: BROGLIN CREEK

0.8 MI E JCT US 72 * SR53, Madison, AL

Built 1956 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 39,849

CO. RD. 67

Fair

Over: WEDOWEE CREEK

(BURNSLAKE BR)SW NEWHOPE, Randolph, AL

Built 1957 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 120

CHEROKEE #818

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.1 MI NW INT CHERO #15, Cherokee, AL

Built 1958 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 75

COUNTY ROAD 33

Fair

Over: CALVERT PRONG AT ROSA

1 MI SW OF ROSA, Blount, AL

Built 1959 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 622

CO RD 49

Fair

Over: SIPSEY RIVER

0.5 S OF HUBBERTVILLE, Fayette, AL

Built 1960 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 121

ST CLAIR CO HWY27

Fair

Over: WOLF CREEK

2 0 MI SW WOLF CREEK CH, St. Clair, AL

Built 1962 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 1,008

CR # 21

Fair

Over: CAINE CREEK

1.8 MI S SR 22 W, Dallas, AL

Built 1963 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 100

CO.RD.75

Fair

Over: GUSS CREEK

1MI S BACON LEVEL FAS 02, Randolph, AL

Built 1973 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 325

SR 273

Fair

Over: DANIELS BRANCH

8.7 MI N JCT SR 68*273, Cherokee, AL

Built 1925 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 681

I-565; ALT US 72

Fair

Over: N/S R.R / CITY STREETS

1.3 MI E JCT I565 * SR53, Madison, AL

Built 1991 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 98,210

CO RD 1197

Fair

Over: BROCK BRANCH

212FT N JCT 1418, Marshall, AL

Built 1951 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 100

WINSTON BELL ROAD

Fair

Over: BURNT CORN CREEK

1.5MI NE OF LENOX, Conecuh, AL

Built 2006 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 50

CO RD 438

Fair

Over: SHOAL CREEK

BOBBY JOHNSON)S GRAHAM, Randolph, AL

Built 1936 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 60

AL 17

Fair

Over: NOXUBEE RIVER

4.1 MI. N. OF GEIGER, Sumter, AL

Built 1939 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 796

CO RD 53

Fair

Over: CHEWACLA CREEK

1.5 MI. NORTH OF SR 8, Macon, AL

Built 1951 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 400

SR 204

Fair

Over: ABAND RR/RABES BRANCH

5.7 MI E JCT US 431, Calhoun, AL

Built 1953 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 6,000

HENSON SPRINGS RD

Fair

Over: ESTILL BRANCH

4 MI. E. HENSON SPRINGS, Lamar, AL

Built 1957 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 200

SR 176

Fair

Over: JOHNNY CREEK

8.4 MI N JCT SR 68, DeKalb, AL

Built 1957 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 1,127

CO.#26/PINE GROVE

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK

1.5 MI.N OF S.R.86, Pickens, AL

Built 1958 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 550

CO.RT 1669

Fair

Over: DUCK CREEK

CR 1669, Cullman, AL

Built 1958 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 2,000

COUNTY ROAD 103

Fair

Over: COWIKEE CREEK

SEC 12 T14 R25, Bullock, AL

Built 1964 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 250

COUNTY ROAD NO97

Fair

Over: HARDRIDGE CREEK

RC BRIDGE ON FAS RT21, Henry, AL

Built 1960 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 726

Showing 1,301-1,350 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.