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

CR. 16

Good

Over: BRUSHY CREEK

2.0 MI. S.E. AVANT, Butler, AL

Built 2002 Load: 44.2 t ADT: 163

CR. 65

Good

Over: HALLS CREEK

1.0 MI. S. JONES LAKE, Butler, AL

Built 2002 Load: 44.2 t ADT: 247

CR. 43

Good

Over: FORK OF FOUR MILE BRANCH

MASHVILLE, Butler, AL

Built 2002 Load: 44.2 t ADT: 82

D. HODGE ROAD

Good

Over: DOUBLE BRIDGES CREEK

CO RD 37 TO US 231, Houston, AL

Built 2003 Load: 44.2 t ADT: 250

S HOOK ST

Good

Over: SPRING CREEK

HOOK STREET TUSCUMBIA, Colbert, AL

Built 2006 Load: 44.2 t ADT: 9,010

MICROWAVE ROAD

Good

Over: MILL CREEK

2.0MI FM INT/W ROMULUS RD, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2005 Load: 44.2 t ADT: 50

CO RD 51

Good

Over: MILL CREEK

0.3 MI S INT AL 101, Lauderdale, AL

Built 2006 Load: 44.2 t ADT: 766

US 431

Good

Over: BRANCH

2.5 MI N PAINT ROCK RIVER, Madison, AL

Built 1957 Load: 44.2 t ADT: 10,814

CO 045 OLD.SYL.HWY

Good

Over: UNNAMED PERIODIC BRANCH

0.5MI S.INT FLAG.MT.RD, Talladega, AL

Built 1955 Load: 44.2 t ADT: 2,015

Kirby Bridge Road

Good

Over: West Flint Creek

1.5mi South CR 087, Morgan, AL

Built 2016 Load: 44.2 t ADT: 2,350

CO RD # 89

Good

Over: PANTHER CREEK

1 MI SW LAWRENCE TOWER, Covington, AL

Built 1951 Load: 44.3 t ADT: 250

CO RT 304

Good

Over: SWEETWATER CREEK

1.2 MILES NE OF BLUFF SPR, Coffee, AL

Built 1969 Load: 44.3 t ADT: 183

MOORES MILL DRIVE

Good

Over: MOORES MILL CREEK

1.7 MI E OF I-85, Lee, AL

Built 1993 Load: 44.3 t ADT: 2,870

CR. 56

Good

Over: FORK OF THREE RUNS CREEK

0.25 MI.NW SPRING CRK.CH., Butler, AL

Built 1993 Load: 44.3 t ADT: 321

CHEROKEE #101

Good

Over: BRANCH

0.9 MI N INT US #411, Cherokee, AL

Built 1995 Load: 44.3 t ADT: 258

SR38 / US280

Good

Over: SANDY CREEK

1.0 MI E JUNCT SR50, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 2004 Load: 44.3 t ADT: 6,627

SR38 / US280

Good

Over: SANDY CREEK

1.0 MI E JUNCT SR50, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 2004 Load: 44.3 t ADT: 6,627

EASTERN BYPASS

Good

Over: BIG COVE CREEK

0.2 MILE EAST OF U.S. 431, Madison, AL

Built 2002 Load: 44.3 t ADT: 11,800

DYAS ROAD

Good

Over: TRIB. TO BUSHY CREEK

1.0 MI. N. OF US. 31, Baldwin, AL

Built 2007 Load: 44.3 t ADT: 320

RAMP NWCDX

Good

Over: N. S. Railroad

INTERCHANGE, Jefferson, AL

Built 2014 Load: 44.3 t

AIRPORT ROAD

Good

Over: MAGNOLIA RIVER

0.3 MI. S. OF CR 24, Baldwin, AL

Built 2010 Load: 44.3 t ADT: 109

COUNTY ROAD 5513

Good

Over: PERSIMMON CREEK

EAST SIDE OF TROY AL, Pike, AL

Built 2015 Load: 44.3 t ADT: 2,190

SR 75

Good

Over: BRANCH

0.4 MI N JCT SR 40, DeKalb, AL

Built 1947 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 3,955

CO RD 17

Good

Over: ASH CREEK

7 MI SOUTH OF US 80, Lowndes, AL

Built 1956 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 450

SR 53 MP 4.856

Good

Over: GUM SLOUGH BRANCH

4.9 MI. N. FLA. LINE, Houston, AL

Built 1985 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 1,820

CO RD 60

Good

Over: CARPENTER CREEK

0.3 MI E LEWISTON, Greene, AL

Built 1990 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 530

AL 108 RAMP #2

Good

Over: IN 85/ AL 126

In 85 / Al 126 Intersect, Montgomery, AL

Built 2014 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 5,120

US 80

Good

Over: RELIEF

0.4 MI. E. OF TUSKEGEE, Macon, AL

Built 2002 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 4,450

MYERS ROAD

Good

Over: BLACKWATER CREEK

1.7 MI NE HWY 5, Walker, AL

Built 2005 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 345

AL0002

Good

Over: BRANCH

1 MILE EAST SR117, Jackson, AL

Built 1999 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 13,930

BEVERLY ROAD

Good

Over: HAMMAR CREEK

1.1 MI S OF HALF MILE RD, Mobile, AL

Built 2008 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 984

2nd Avenue

Good

Over: Great Southern Railroad

0.25 miles S of Bryant DR, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2021 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 1,500

NATCHEZ TRACE PARK

Good

Over: COUNTY ROAD

1.49 MILES SOUTH OF AL RO, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1956 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 670

HOBBS ISLAND RD

Good

Over: YELLOW BANK CREEK

0.2 MI W JCT HWY 431 S, Madison, AL

Built 1928 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 4,060

MACEDONIA CH RD

Good

Over: WILSON CREEK

CO RD 38 TO CO RD 42, Houston, AL

Built 1987 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 135

HOLLAND FIN. RD.

Good

Over: WEAVER CREEK

HOLLAND FINLEY, Calhoun, AL

Built 1953 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 414

CO RD 80

Good

Over: MUD CREEK

0.8 MI E CO 48 CO 80 JCT, Franklin, AL

Built 1994 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 430

CO. RT. 1718

Good

Over: MUD CREEK

CR 1718, Cullman, AL

Built 1991 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 400

COUNTY RD 17

Good

Over: HINES CREEK

2.9 MI. S. OF SAWYERVILLE, Hale, AL

Built 1965 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 100

US 331 MP 6.321

Good

Over: BRANCH

6.3 M.N.OF FLORALA, Covington, AL

Built 1924 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 3,430

REEDY BRANCH RD

Good

Over: SATILPA RELIEF

CLARKSVILLE, Clarke, AL

Built 1972 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 125

OLD MOORES BR RD.

Good

Over: SIMMON BRANCH

1.1 MI NW OF JCT ALA 171, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1993 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 110

CO RT 24

Good

Over: TURKEY CREEK

1.0 E OF WHITES SPRING.CH, Fayette, AL

Built 1974 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 147

CARRIAGE HILL DR

Good

Over: BRANCH

CARRIAGE HILLS DR *ROYAL, Jefferson, AL

Built 1975 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 100

US 84 MP 136.923

Good

Over: FIVE RUN BRANCH

5.2 MI.E.US 29, Covington, AL

Built 1982 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 4,150

UPPER COLUMBUS RD.

Good

Over: SIPSEY RIVER RELIEF

9.2 MI NW OF JCT US NO 82, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1993 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 750

CR89 GENE WYATT RD

Good

Over: WALNUT CREEK

CR89 0.5 NW WALNUT CRK CH, Chilton, AL

Built 1984 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 200

POOLE ROAD

Good

Over: BUNCH CREEK

0.1 MI E OF JCT US NO 82, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1995 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 45

HERREN STREET

Good

Over: CHATTASOFKA CREEK

DADEVILLE, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 1986 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 138

LOUINA STREET

Good

Over: CREEK

ROANOKE, Randolph, AL

Built 1988 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 1,000

Showing 13,501-13,550 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.