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

COUNTY ROAD 7707

Good

Over: CROOKED CREEK

SEC 20 T12N R21E, Pike, AL

Built 1998 Load: 52.0 t ADT: 300

CO RD 39 SBL

Good

Over: US 90/CSX RR/SERVICE RD

CO RD 39 @ US 90, Mobile, AL

Built 2009 Load: 52.0 t ADT: 8,446

CO RT 8

Good

Over: COWPEN CREEK

4.5 MI E INT AL 17, Lauderdale, AL

Built 2006 Load: 52.0 t ADT: 570

US 80 W.B.L.

Good

Over: PINTLALA CREEK

MONTG.* LOWNDES CO. LINE, Lowndes, AL

Built 2017 Load: 52.0 t ADT: 17,390

SR 3

Good

Over: Swan Creek

4.3 MI N JCT SR 3 & SR 20, Limestone, AL

Built 2015 Load: 52.0 t ADT: 10,098

VIRGINIA LANE

Good

Over: BLACK BRANCH

VIRGIANA MINES, Jefferson, AL

Built 1978 Load: 52.1 t ADT: 720

SR 54 MP 11.025

Good

Over: CORNER CREEK

.04 MI. E. GENEVA CO. 10, Geneva, AL

Built 2001 Load: 52.1 t ADT: 890

SO.FRONTAGE RD.

Good

Over: BEAN RIVER

400WEST HENSLEY RD, Walker, AL

Built 2000 Load: 52.1 t ADT: 100

CO. RD. 78

Good

Over: LITTLE MUD CREEK

CO78 1.4 MI E OF CO48JCT, Franklin, AL

Built 2003 Load: 52.1 t ADT: 379

SR-10

Good

Over: McRae Mill Creek

0.5 mi w Henry 97, Henry, AL

Built 2021 Load: 52.1 t ADT: 2,320

US 29 MP 57.721

Good

Over: BRANCH

0.4 MI.N. OF CO.61, Covington, AL

Built 1927 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 1,720

WESTCHESTER RD

Good

Over: BRADFORD BRANCH

0.3 MI N HWY 20, Madison, AL

Built 1986 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 600

AL 25

Good

Over: BIG BRUSH CREEK

4.0 MI N GREENSBORO, Hale, AL

Built 1996 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 1,104

_11TH AVE RAMP

Good

Over: _16TH STREET NORTH

_11TH AVE NORTH, Jefferson, AL

Built 2017 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 2,017

_County Road 6618

Good

Over: _BuckHorn Branch

_SECT 9 T10 RE, Pike, AL

Built 2022 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 198

CO RT 14

Good

Over: BLUFF CREEK

0.1 MI E INT CO RT 10, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1992 Load: 52.3 t ADT: 605

SR 9

Good

Over: BRANCH

4.2 MI N JCT SR4/US78, Calhoun, AL

Built 1955 Load: 52.3 t ADT: 3,475

CO RD 26

Good

Over: STEEP CREEK

3 MI EAST OF CO RD 37, Lowndes, AL

Built 1960 Load: 52.3 t ADT: 780

BYNUM-LEATH RD.

Good

Over: BRANCH

BYNUM LEATHERWOOD, Calhoun, AL

Built 1973 Load: 52.3 t ADT: 11,398

Lee Road 146

Good

Over: CHEWACLA CREEK

0.7 MI. E. JCT. S 051, Lee, AL

Built 1985 Load: 52.3 t ADT: 3,950

COUNTY ROAD 98

Good

Over: ROCK CREEK

3.2 MI. S. OF CO. RD. 64, Baldwin, AL

Built 1996 Load: 52.3 t ADT: 4,583

BIVENS-BROOKSIDE R

Good

Over: FIVE MILE CREEK

EAST BROOKSIDE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1996 Load: 52.3 t ADT: 1,330

AL-69

Good

Over: Lost Creek

AL-69 at Lost Creek, Walker, AL

Built 2004 Load: 52.3 t ADT: 3,454

CR # 205

Good

Over: TRIB TO CAHABA RIVER

0.24 MI E CR 189, Dallas, AL

Built 2004 Load: 52.3 t ADT: 90

COUNTY 1847

Good

Over: MILL POND CREEK

9101 FT S JCT 1418, Marshall, AL

Built 2003 Load: 52.3 t ADT: 215

LOCK 17 ROAD

Good

Over: UNNAMED CREEK

0.5 MI W CAMP OLIVER ROAD, Jefferson, AL

Built 2006 Load: 52.3 t ADT: 2,765

County Rd 22

Good

Over: CHEWACHLECHATCHEE CREEK

cr 22, Macon, AL

Built 2015 Load: 52.3 t ADT: 416

1755

Good

Over: CABINCREEK

CR 1755, Cullman, AL

Built 2013 Load: 52.3 t ADT: 200

Lee Road 14

Good

Over: Choctafaula Creek

0.7 mi w jct Lee Rd 191, Lee, AL

Built 2019 Load: 52.3 t ADT: 32

AL - 25

Good

Over: BULLEY CREEK

AL - 25 / BULLEY CREEK, Shelby, AL

Built 2019 Load: 52.3 t ADT: 5,310

CO RD 49

Good

Over: CREEK

2.6 MI NW CO RD 49, Greene, AL

Built 1965 Load: 52.4 t ADT: 110

CO. RT.21

Good

Over: WEST BEND CREEK

0.48 MI.E.JCT.CO.31*CO.21, Clarke, AL

Built 1968 Load: 52.4 t ADT: 250

PAVED ROAD

Good

Over: DOG WOOD CREEK

0.3 MILE EAST JCT RD 47, Marion, AL

Built 1993 Load: 52.4 t ADT: 40

U.S. 72

Good

Over: RELIEF NO 1

2.1 MI WEST TENN ST LINE, Jackson, AL

Built 1997 Load: 52.4 t ADT: 10,719

US 72 SR 2

Good

Over: RELIEF NO 1

2.1 MI WEST TENN ST LINE, Jackson, AL

Built 1997 Load: 52.4 t ADT: 10,719

US 72 SR 2

Good

Over: RELIEF NO 2

1.7 MI WEST TENN ST LINE, Jackson, AL

Built 1997 Load: 52.4 t ADT: 10,719

CARSON ROAD

Good

Over: BLACK CREEK TRIBUTARY

100 S YARBROUGH RD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1979 Load: 52.4 t ADT: 17,505

COUNTY ROAD 17

Good

Over: CHITTA CREEK

SEC 6 T11 R24, Bullock, AL

Built 1997 Load: 52.4 t ADT: 50

I-22

Good

Over: Clifty Creek

2.14 Miles East of AL-129, Marion, AL

Built 2001 Load: 52.4 t ADT: 12,834

SR 10 MP 198.654

Good

Over: SIKES CREEK

0.5 MI.W.BLUE SPRINGS, Barbour, AL

Built 2002 Load: 52.4 t ADT: 840

COUNTY HWY O34

Good

Over: KAHATCHEE CREEK

0.8 MI. WEST JCT CO. 008?, Talladega, AL

Built 2000 Load: 52.4 t ADT: 508

COUNTY ROAD 186

Good

Over: COLD BRANCH

1 MI S JCT CR 87, Lawrence, AL

Built 2005 Load: 52.4 t ADT: 124

COUNTY 8

Good

Over: MAYBERRY CREEK

.4 MI W SHELBY CO LINE, Bibb, AL

Built 1992 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 85

SR 9

Good

Over: LITTLE KETCHEPEDRAKEE CK

7.5 MI N LINEVILLE, Clay, AL

Built 1925 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 2,313

COUNTY ROUTE 37

Good

Over: BRANCH

2 MI. S. EXCEL, Monroe, AL

Built 1960 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 460

CHEROKEE #127

Good

Over: BRANCH

.5 MI N CO RT 15, Cherokee, AL

Built 1986 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 105

COUNTY ROAD 544

Good

Over: MILL CREEK

100FT OFF ST RD 146, Jackson, AL

Built 1987 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 48

CO RD 54

Good

Over: CHOCTAFAULA CREEK

0.75 MI. SO I-85, Macon, AL

Built 1986 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 57

COUNTY HIGHWAY 64

Good

Over: SLAB CREEK

189 FT W JCT 1003, Marshall, AL

Built 1987 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 400

CRAWFORD BOTTM RD

Good

Over: COTACO CREEK

0.7 MI E OF CO RD 1401, Morgan, AL

Built 1987 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 35

Showing 14,451-14,500 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.