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 89 NORTH

Fair

Over: ANDREW BRANCH

3.9 MI N OF INT 048* AL50, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 1960 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 335

CR. 56 J.B. CHAPMA

Fair

Over: HARRISON MILL CREEK

SEC 2 T-3-N R-25-E, Dale, AL

Built 1962 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 1,853

STEPHENS GAP

Fair

Over: BIG WILLS CREEK

.4 MI SO DUCK SPRINGS RD, Etowah, AL

Built 1962 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 330

US 431

Fair

Over: COCHGALECHEE CREEK

1.6 MI N JCT SR 165, Russell, AL

Built 1966 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 26,110

STATE LINE RD

Fair

Over: LIMESTONE CREEK

0.4 MI W JCT CO RD 495, Madison, AL

Built 1966 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 915

CHEROKEE #275

Fair

Over: CHINQUAPIN CREEK

10 MI N JCT SR273, Cherokee, AL

Built 1970 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 60

COUNTY ROAD 17

Fair

Over: PANTHER CREEK

5 MI NW CASTLEBERRY, Conecuh, AL

Built 1981 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 100

Lee Road 307

Fair

Over: HOLLAND CREEK

0.3 MI. N. JCT LEE RD 427, Lee, AL

Built 1983 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 554

SR 10

Fair

Over: TOMBIGBEE RIVER

11 MI. E. OF BUTLER, Choctaw, AL

Built 1989 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 2,220

US431; SR1; SR79

Fair

Over: TENNESSEE RIVER

CITY OF GUNTERSVILLE, Marshall, AL

Built 1994 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 15,516

OWL ROAD

Fair

Over: Owl Road Creek

1.75 MILES WEST CO RD 16, Hale, AL

Built 2012 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 125

SR 2

Fair

Over: TENNESSEE RIVER

COLBERT-LAUDERDALE CO., Colbert, AL

Built 1939 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 27,850

SR 49

Fair

Over: CROOKED CREEK

2 MI SO LINEVILLE, Clay, AL

Built 1948 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 1,466

HWY 36

Fair

Over: WEST CHOCTAWHATCHEE R

SEC-22 T-6-N R-25-E, Dale, AL

Built 1952 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 1,595

CO RD NO 56

Fair

Over: BULL MT CREEK

5 MILES NORTH OF USHYW 78, Marion, AL

Built 1953 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 100

CO 007

Fair

Over: BLUE EYE CREEK

.8 MI.W.OF 78/LINCOLN, Talladega, AL

Built 1953 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 1,490

CO RD 23

Fair

Over: UNNAMED CREEK

2MI NORTH OF US 80, Lowndes, AL

Built 1954 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 460

CO RD 23

Fair

Over: BIG SWAMP CREEK

4MI NORTH OF US HWY80, Lowndes, AL

Built 1954 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 460

CO. RD. 33

Fair

Over: CORNHOUSE CREEK

1.6 MI N LEVEL RD, Randolph, AL

Built 1955 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 250

PEPPER RD

Fair

Over: PINEY CREEK SLOUGH

SEC7 T3S R3W, Limestone, AL

Built 1955 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 1,066

COUNTY HWY 55

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

2 MILES NORTH OF BLACK, Geneva, AL

Built 1956 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 126

COUNTY ROAD 7

Fair

Over: CHOCTAWHATCHEE RIVER

RCDG BRIDGE ON FAS 14, Henry, AL

Built 1958 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 200

CO RD 7

Fair

Over: GREEN BRANCH

4 MI NORTH OF AL 21, Lowndes, AL

Built 1956 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 710

COUNTY ROAD 14

Fair

Over: KILLEBREW MILL CREEK

SEC-12 T-4-N R-24-E, Dale, AL

Built 1956 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 442

CO.HWY. 14

Fair

Over: KELLY CREEK

SEC-3 T-4-N R-25-E, Dale, AL

Built 1956 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 442

CO RT 33

Fair

Over: BLUEWATER CREEK

1 MI N INT US 72, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1956 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 345

SR 105 MP 12.272

Fair

Over: CHOCTAWH. RIVER RELIEF

3 MI.N.SKIPPERVILLE, Dale, AL

Built 1956 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 530

COUNTY ROAD 165

Fair

Over: WILLIAMS CREEK

SEC 23 T14 R22, Bullock, AL

Built 1964 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 250

COUNTY ROAD 165

Fair

Over: TOWN CREEK

SEC1 T14 R22, Bullock, AL

Built 1966 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 100

CO. RT. 940

Fair

Over: CROOKED CREEK

CR 940, Cullman, AL

Built 1957 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 613

CO RD 73

Fair

Over: BLACKWOOD CREEK

SEC-28 T-5-N R-26-E, Dale, AL

Built 1957 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 439

CO RD 37

Fair

Over: LUXAPALLILA RELIEF

0.6 W OF COVIN, Fayette, AL

Built 1958 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 115

CO. RT. 15

Fair

Over: SALT CREEK

4.06 MI.S JACKSON CTY.LT, Clarke, AL

Built 1955 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 450

CO RD 06

Fair

Over: LUXAPALLILLA CR (RELIEF)

1.0 N OF BELK, Fayette, AL

Built 1959 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 110

CO RD 40

Fair

Over: CALEBEE CREEK

2.0 MI WEST OF SR 229, Macon, AL

Built 1958 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 350

COUNTY HWY 41

Fair

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

5 MILE NORTH OF HARTFORD, Geneva, AL

Built 1958 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 180

CO RD 49

Fair

Over: LITTLE CHOCTAWHATCHEE

DALE CO TO GENEVA CO LINE, Houston, AL

Built 1958 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 1,289

COUNTY HWY 64

Fair

Over: TIGHT EYE CREEK

2 MI EAST PINEY GROVE, Geneva, AL

Built 1959 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 134

COUNTY ROAD 68

Fair

Over: WEST CHOCTAWHATCHEE R

SEC-10 T-7-N R-25-E, Dale, AL

Built 1959 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 89

HWY 68

Fair

Over: LITTLE JUDY CREEK

SEC-7 T-7-N R-25-E, Dale, AL

Built 1959 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 132

COUNTY ROAD 83

Fair

Over: EAST CHOCTAWHATCHEE R

SEC-10 T-5-N R-26-E, Dale, AL

Built 1959 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 552

SOUTHLAND DR

Fair

Over: PATTON CREEK

SOUTHLAND DR * PATTON CK, Jefferson, AL

Built 1968 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 7,899

CO RT 179

Fair

Over: SCARHAM CREEK

1 MI E KILPATRICK T8SR5E, DeKalb, AL

Built 1960 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 1,899

HWY # 68

Fair

Over: NEWTON CREEK

3 MI N OF MALVERN, Geneva, AL

Built 1961 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 480

CO RD 12

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

1.5 W OF NEWTONVILLE, Fayette, AL

Built 1961 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 168

COUNTY HWY 64

Fair

Over: DOUBLE BRIDGES CREEK

5 MI W COFFEE SPGS, Geneva, AL

Built 1961 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 129

HWY 121

Fair

Over: LITTLE CHOC RIVER

SEC-33 T-4-N R-24-E, Dale, AL

Built 1961 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 121

CR 12

Fair

Over: SIPSEY RIVER RELIEF

0.8 E OF NEWTONVILLE, Fayette, AL

Built 1962 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 168

CO. RT. 35

Fair

Over: MULBERRY FORK

CR 35, Cullman, AL

Built 1962 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 398

CO 28

Fair

Over: LITTLE UCHEE CREEK

8 MI W PHENIX CITY, Russell, AL

Built 1962 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 900

Showing 1,351-1,400 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.