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

HSV-BRFERRY RD

Good

Over: CSX RAILROAD

SEC32 T3S R4W, Limestone, AL

Built 1966 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 4,540

CO RD 46

Good

Over: POPLAR SPRING BRANCH

ALA 52 TO CIRCLE, Houston, AL

Built 1966 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 1,822

OLD LOCK ROAD

Good

Over: UNNAMED STREAM

1.2 MI.SW. AL 69, Clarke, AL

Built 1997 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 100

1ST STREET S.W.

Good

Over: BRANCH

0.1 MI SO US 31 ALABASTER, Shelby, AL

Built 1982 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 3,200

GREATHOUSE RD

Good

Over: MILL CREEK

1.75 MI N ROBBINS, Jefferson, AL

Built 1984 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 885

TURNER RD.

Good

Over: INDIAN CREEK

5.0 NW OF FAYETTE, Fayette, AL

Built 1986 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 58

OLD TOWN RD

Good

Over: CREEK

1.5 MI NORTH OF CO RD 12, Lowndes, AL

Built 1987 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 95

BRADFORD DRIVE

Good

Over: SHERWOOD BRANCH

BRADFORD DR. A/SHERWOOD B, Madison, AL

Built 1987 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 15,200

ST CLAIR CO 40

Good

Over: CANOE CREEK

4 3 MI NE SPRINGVILLE, St. Clair, AL

Built 1990 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 368

ST CLAIR CO HW 79

Good

Over: BROKEN ARROW CREEK

0.3 MI NW REFUGE CHURCH, St. Clair, AL

Built 1990 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 350

AL 108 RAMP #3

Good

Over: AL 0126

AL108 / AL 126 intersect, Montgomery, AL

Built 2014 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 5,120

SHELL BELT ROAD S

Good

Over: TIDAL STREAM

2.8 MI SW HWY 188, Mobile, AL

Built 1999 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 260

AL-74

Good

Over: Buttahatchee River

AL-74 b/t AL-241*129, Marion, AL

Built 2010 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 1,057

I-22

Good

Over: Dora Flat Creek Rd

I-22 over CR-81, Walker, AL

Built 2004 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 25,062

I-22

Good

Over: CR-81

I-22 over CR-81, Walker, AL

Built 2004 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 25,062

OLD BATESVILLE RD

Good

Over: COPPER CREEK

5.8 MILES NW OF CO 93, Barbour, AL

Built 2004 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 50

WOODY JOHNSON RD

Good

Over: S FORK COWIKEE CK TRIB

.1 MILE SOUTH CO 79, Barbour, AL

Built 2003 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 40

CR # 201

Good

Over: DRY CREEK

2.0 MI NE CR 45, Dallas, AL

Built 2004 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 80

CR # 960

Good

Over: BIG SWAMP BRANCH

0.3 MI W CR 959, Dallas, AL

Built 2004 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 60

OLD TRINITY ROAD

Good

Over: BAKERS CREEK

3.5 MI EAST OF CO. LINE, Morgan, AL

Built 2003 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 1,033

COUNTY ROAD 54

Good

Over: TOWN CREEK

0.35 MI N JCT CR 59, Lawrence, AL

Built 2003 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 50

COUNTY ROAD 30

Good

Over: BUNCOMB CREEK RELIEF

1 MILE NORTH OF US82, Pickens, AL

Built 2004 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 47

Good

Over: WOLF CREEK BRANCH

1.8 MI N INT ALA #273, Cherokee, AL

Built 2005 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 500

COUNTY ROAD 4

Good

Over: BATES CREEK

2.5 MI E OF CR35, Washington, AL

Built 2004 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 980

COUNTY ROAD 2262

Good

Over: BIG CREEK

SEC12 T8N R20E, Pike, AL

Built 2004 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 385

COUNTY ROAD 7759

Good

Over: BROWNS MILL CREEK

SEC5 T10N R22E, Pike, AL

Built 2004 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 25

COUNTY ROAD 7755

Good

Over: BROWNS MILL CREEK

SEC1 T10N R21E, Pike, AL

Built 2004 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 370

DYAS ROAD

Good

Over: BUSHY CREEK

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

Built 2007 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 328

PREVATT ROAD

Good

Over: COWARTS CREEK

APPR .19 M EAST OF CR 65, Houston, AL

Built 2006 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 215

CO RD 400

Good

Over: SPRING CREEK

4 MI N JCT CO RT 150, Lawrence, AL

Built 1994 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 400

AL - 269

Good

Over: BHAM SOU. RR

SYLVAN TOWN LIMITS, Jefferson, AL

Built 2011 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 5,250

CR. 53

Good

Over: BRANCH

1.0 MI.W. OAKEY STREAKCH, Butler, AL

Built 2013 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 32

12th Avenue

Good

Over: Holland Creek

Phenix City, Russell, AL

Built 2016 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 1,000

JACKSON STREET

Good

Over: TOMBIGBEE BACKWATER

DEMOPOLIS, Marengo, AL

Built 2020 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 2,622

Co. Rd. 137

Good

Over: Big Wills Creek

360 ft. N of SR 117, DeKalb, AL

Built 2018 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 100

CR107 ED LEACH RD

Good

Over: BROWN BRANCH

CR107 2M NW MARS HILL CH, Chilton, AL

Built 1992 Load: 45.5 t ADT: 225

CROMWELL MILL ROA

Good

Over: YANTLEY CREEK

1.1 MI N INT RT 187 * 226, Choctaw, AL

Built 1953 Load: 45.5 t ADT: 600

CR. 24

Good

Over: NO NAME BRANCH

1.0 MI.E.HOPEWELL CHURCH, Butler, AL

Built 1987 Load: 45.5 t ADT: 142

AL 25

Good

Over: Washington Creek

3.4 MI S BIBB CO LINE, Hale, AL

Built 1995 Load: 45.5 t ADT: 550

DR M.L.K. DRIVE

Good

Over: KINGS BRANCH

500FT N DACUS ST, Escambia, AL

Built 1998 Load: 45.5 t ADT: 2,325

CO RD 9 ROCK CRK

Good

Over: GIVENS BRANCH

HCP 34-07-94, Henry, AL

Built 1996 Load: 45.5 t ADT: 405

AL. 158 E.B.

Good

Over: COLLEGE PARKWAY

1.7 MI. E US 45, Mobile, AL

Built 2005 Load: 45.5 t ADT: 13,067

SR 17

Good

Over: TUCKABUM CREEK

3.1 MI S OF JACHIN, Choctaw, AL

Built 2004 Load: 45.5 t ADT: 1,160

COUNTY ROAD 30

Good

Over: BR OFF HIGH LOG CREEK

2.2 MI. S. OF INT.30*26, Russell, AL

Built 2005 Load: 45.5 t ADT: 400

COUNTY ROAD 57

Good

Over: BUCK CREEK

S. GLENWOOD RD, Crenshaw, AL

Built 1955 Load: 45.5 t ADT: 440

CO RT 33

Good

Over: DRY BRANCH

1 MI S OF U.S 72, Lauderdale, AL

Built 2010 Load: 45.5 t ADT: 510

County Road 56

Good

Over: Branch

Vredenburgh, Monroe, AL

Built 1951 Load: 45.5 t ADT: 80

CO.RD.19

Good

Over: WYATT-BRANCH-VIDA-JCT.

VIDA-JCT, Autauga, AL

Built 1956 Load: 45.6 t ADT: 611

CO. RT. 18

Good

Over: BEE BRANCH

0.84 MI.NE JCT CO18*CO.23, Clarke, AL

Built 1965 Load: 45.6 t ADT: 250

CO.RD.63

Good

Over: WEDOWEE CREEK

JIM TOM)CULVERT HAYWOOD, Randolph, AL

Built 1970 Load: 45.6 t ADT: 225

Showing 13,851-13,900 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.