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

EBENEZER RD

Good

Over: CEDAR SPRINGS BRANCH

CO RD 26 TO CO RD 54, Houston, AL

Built 1998 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 300

WEBB RD

Good

Over: OMUSEE CREEK

AL 52 TO THE CIRCLE, Houston, AL

Built 1998 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 1,442

CUMBIE RD

Good

Over: PANTHER CREEK

US 84 TO GENEVA CO, Houston, AL

Built 1998 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 370

CO LINE RD

Good

Over: NEWTON CREEK

CO RD 49 TO CO RD 59, Houston, AL

Built 1998 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 160

BOYD ROAD

Good

Over: CLEVELAND CREEK

3.7 MI. N JCT. US 82, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1979 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 150

BOYD ROAD

Good

Over: BOX CREEK

0.3 MILES N JCT. U.S. 82, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1980 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 200

COUNTY ROAD 200

Good

Over: NO BUSINESS CREEK

1.3 MI. N OF AL. HWY. 157, Lawrence, AL

Built 1998 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 500

CO. RD. 319

Good

Over: CREEK

0.3 MI. S. CORD. 460, Lawrence, AL

Built 1998 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 250

CO. RD. 231

Good

Over: WADE CREEK

1.0MI. N. JCT.CORD. 170, Lawrence, AL

Built 1998 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 100

KINSEY RD

Good

Over: OMUSSE CREEK

CIRCLE TO CO RD 55, Houston, AL

Built 2000 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 1,503

CO. RD. 51

Good

Over: BUCK CREEK

Hester Store Road, Covington, AL

Built 1978 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 290

CO. RD. 362

Good

Over: FOX CREEK

0.5 MI N. JCT. CORD 364, Lawrence, AL

Built 1998 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 75

SOUTH PARK RD

Good

Over: BIG CREEK

CIRCLE TO GENEVA CO, Houston, AL

Built 1998 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 790

WEST SMITHVILLE RD

Good

Over: WATFORD BRANCH

US 109 TO US 231, Houston, AL

Built 1998 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 430

COUNTY ROAD 1

Good

Over: ESCATAWPA RIVER RELIEF

.25MI WEST OF HWY 45, Washington, AL

Built 1998 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 275

COOLEYTOWN RD.

Good

Over: BEAR CREEK

.05 MI. SOUTH OF HWY. 82, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1999 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 20

PHILLIPS DRIVE

Good

Over: LITTLE HURRICANE CREEK

.5 MI SOUTH HWY 11 VANCE, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1994 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 25

COUNTY RD. 20

Good

Over: PINE BARREN CREEK

5 MI.EAST OF 4POINTS, Washington, AL

Built 2000 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 280

SHELLY HUGHES RD.

Good

Over: WARDS MILLS CREEK

.5 MI. W UP COLUMBUS ROAD, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1994 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 60

UPPER COLUMBUS RD.

Good

Over: SIPSEY RIVER RELIEF BRG.

7.6 MI. NW U.S.82, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1999 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 400

CYPRESS CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: GRANT CREEK

3.0 MI. SE OF JCT. US 11, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1958 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 70

JORDAN MCGEE ROAD

Good

Over: BRANCH

.7 MI. EAST HWY 11, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1998 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 20

CO RD 214

Good

Over: UNNAMED CREEK

0.4 MI E JCT CO RT 434, Lawrence, AL

Built 1999 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 1,200

DAVIS CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: DAVIS CREEK

.7 MI. E WOODLAND LAKE RD, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2000 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 100

CO. DIRT RD.

Good

Over: CORNER CREEK

Eason Road, Covington, AL

Built 1959 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 110

CO.RD.61

Good

Over: YELLOWLEAF CREEK

CR61 2MI N OF JCT. CR 55, Chilton, AL

Built 1940 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 194

BOYD ROAD

Good

Over: MCDANIEL BRANCH

.8 MI. N INT BVILLE PIKE, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2000 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 100

BOYD ROAD

Good

Over: BUCK CREEK

12.7 MI N JCT US NO. 82, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2000 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 125

SR 71

Good

Over: FLAT ROCK CREEK

0.1MINJCT.SR117*SR71, Jackson, AL

Built 2003 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 2,056

JOHN SWINDLE ROAD

Good

Over: PATTYS CREEK

3.1 MI. NE OF JCT. US 43, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2001 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 40

CO.1179

Good

Over: WATER WORKS CREEK

5 MI. S.E. FIVE POINTS, Chambers, AL

Built 2002 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 7

MARY C. SMITH ROAD

Good

Over: BRONSON CREEK

2.5 MI NW OF CO 79, Barbour, AL

Built 2006 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 50

DAN SNEAD ROAD

Good

Over: PEA CREEK TRIBUTARY

1.5MI N OF AL 51, Barbour, AL

Built 2005 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 30

COUNTY ROAD 43

Good

Over: AMOS MILL CREEK

4 MI N TEDDY, Escambia, AL

Built 2003 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 210

MALONE CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: ELROD CREEK

.2 MI. SOUTH COUNTY 140, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2002 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 100

MYERS ROAD

Good

Over: CLEAR BRANCH

0.8 MI. E OF JCT ALA 69, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2002 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 75

BIRCH RD.

Good

Over: STREAM

.2 MI S AL 84, Clarke, AL

Built 2001 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 50

COUNTY ROAD 17

Good

Over: CUNNINGHAM BRANCH

1.1 MI. NO. CR 22, Shelby, AL

Built 2005 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 3,736

AL 22

Good

Over: BENSON CREEK

2.9 MI. E JCT SR 191, Chilton, AL

Built 2008 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 2,350

COUNTY ROAD 31

Good

Over: LITTLE CONECUH RIVER

SEC 26 T13 R23, Bullock, AL

Built 2003 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 420

COUNTY ROAD 31

Good

Over: LITTLE CONECUH RIVER REL

SEC 26 T13 R23, Bullock, AL

Built 2003 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 420

CO RD 85

Good

Over: THOBOLOCCO BRANCH

.8 MILES SOUTH OF US 80, Macon, AL

Built 2005 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 118

COUNTY ROAD 46

Good

Over: MUD CREEK

2 MILES EAST OF SR 183, Perry, AL

Built 2004 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 60

PHELPS ROAD

Good

Over: YELLOW CREEK

1.5 MI SE OF JCT CR 252, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2004 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 115

OLD MARION ROAD

Good

Over: BEAR CREEK BRANCH

1.8 MI. NE JCT W/CO 309, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2004 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 600

.25 MI E ALHWY 431

Good

Over: TRIB TO ALEXANDRIA CREEK

RAILROAD DR., Calhoun, AL

Built 2005 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 760

COUNTY ROAD 55

Good

Over: TURKEY CREEK

3 MILES EAST OF AL 25, Marengo, AL

Built 2006 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 370

HURRICANE RD

Good

Over: COTTON DALE CREEK

.7 MI. NE OF JCT US 11, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2004 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 100

OLD FAYETTE RD.

Good

Over: BINION CREEK

.4 MI. SOUTH OF CO. RD.38, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2006 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 300

CO RT 43

Good

Over: WALKER CREEK

1.0 MI N JCT CO RT 31, Lawrence, AL

Built 1997 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 150

Showing 13,601-13,650 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.