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

CO RD 2

Good

Over: UNNAMED BRANCH

2 MI WEST OF SR 51, Macon, AL

Built 2003 Load: 54.9 t ADT: 95

DENVER RD

Good

Over: COUNTY LINE CREEK

0.9 M E OF CO RD 530, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 2003 Load: 54.9 t ADT: 50

COLLEGE AVENUE

Good

Over: ROCK CREEK

0.3 MI. S. OF US 90, Baldwin, AL

Built 2014 Load: 54.9 t ADT: 5,092

MELLON BRIDGE RD.

Good

Over: LITTLE HILLABEE CREEK

MELLON BRIDGE RD., Calhoun, AL

Built 1985 Load: 55.0 t ADT: 1,388

SR 117

Good

Over: US 72

JCT US 72 * SR 117, Jackson, AL

Built 1990 Load: 55.0 t ADT: 3,549

SR74/US278

Good

Over: DRY CREEK

.4 MI W JCT SR21-OLD 200, Calhoun, AL

Built 1991 Load: 55.0 t ADT: 7,682

CO RD 47

Good

Over: TALLASSARR CREEK

2.3 MI. SOUTH OF US 29, Macon, AL

Built 1958 Load: 55.0 t ADT: 425

CO RD 2

Good

Over: REEDER BRANCH

1.29 MI WEST OF SR 51, Macon, AL

Built 2003 Load: 55.0 t ADT: 78

CO RD 2

Good

Over: LOCKHART CREEK

4.0 MI WEST OF SR51, Macon, AL

Built 2003 Load: 55.0 t ADT: 153

CO RD 2

Good

Over: CALEBEE CREEK

2.1 MI. E. OF ROBA, Macon, AL

Built 1952 Load: 55.0 t ADT: 142

COUNTY ROAD 1

Good

Over: CREEPING SWAMP CREEK

5.5 MI SOUTH CHATOM-CR1, Washington, AL

Built 2003 Load: 55.0 t ADT: 385

COUNTY ROAD 31

Good

Over: FIVE MILE CREEK

?????????????????????????, Hale, AL

Built 1949 Load: 55.0 t ADT: 399

CO RD 18

Good

Over: OKATUPPA CREEK

0.4 MI W INT RT 113 * 105, Choctaw, AL

Built 2003 Load: 55.0 t ADT: 280

CO RD 18

Good

Over: OKATUPPA CREEK RELIEF

0.1 MI W INT 113 * 105, Choctaw, AL

Built 2003 Load: 55.0 t ADT: 280

KILKERRAN LANE

Good

Over: SPILLWAY FOR LAKE

NE QUADRANT GOLF COURSE, Shelby, AL

Built 2003 Load: 55.0 t ADT: 862

SR 10

Good

Over: TUCKABUM CREEK

8.1 ml. west of Lisman, Choctaw, AL

Built 2020 Load: 55.0 t ADT: 3,040

COUNTY ROAD 30

Good

Over: POLEY CREEK

BODIFORD POOL RD., Crenshaw, AL

Built 1965 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 95

SR 10

Good

Over: GILMER CREEK

6 MI E OF BUTLER, Choctaw, AL

Built 1999 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 3,200

SETTLEMENT ROAD

Good

Over: PIGPEN CREEK

SETTLEMENT RD., Crenshaw, AL

Built 2000 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 310

COUNTY ROAD 4

Good

Over: SPRING CREEK

3 MI EAST OF GENEVA, Geneva, AL

Built 2002 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 2,180

COUNTY ROAD 69

Good

Over: PATES CREEK

6 MILES NE OF HARTFORD, Geneva, AL

Built 2005 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 202

COUNTY ROAD 11

Good

Over: GIN CREEK

CENTENARY RD., Crenshaw, AL

Built 2001 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 350

CR. 24

Good

Over: PERSIMMON CREEK

1.5 MI.E. HOPEWELL CHURCH, Butler, AL

Built 2001 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 142

CODY KENNEDY ROAD

Good

Over: PEA CREEK TRIBUTARY

0.3 MI E OF CO 17, Barbour, AL

Built 2004 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 50

COUNTY ROAD 16

Good

Over: PICKS CREEK

1.9 MI. W. OF WHITSITT, Hale, AL

Built 2002 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 140

ACADEMY RD

Good

Over: CUT BANK CREEK

.4 MI NW ACADEMY CHURCH, Lamar, AL

Built 2002 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 80

COUNTY ROAD 48

Good

Over: FISH RIVER

2.6 MI. E. OF CO. RD. 27, Baldwin, AL

Built 2004 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 2,483

COUNTY ROAD 48

Good

Over: PENSACOLA BRANCH

2.4 MI. E. OF CO. RD. 27, Baldwin, AL

Built 2004 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 2,640

COUNTY ROAD 16

Good

Over: SKUNK BAYOU

1.2 MI.E.OF CO.RD.49, Baldwin, AL

Built 2003 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 329

CO 672

Good

Over: LOST CREEEK

BETWEEN CR 95 AND CR 34, Cleburne, AL

Built 2002 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 20

COUNTY ROAD 25

Good

Over: SHADY BAND CREEK

Padgett Road, Covington, AL

Built 2003 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 180

COUNTY ROAD 8

Good

Over: SAND DITCH

Mc Phail Farm Road, Covington, AL

Built 2003 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 206

MASON FERRY ROAD

Good

Over: ESCATAWPA RIVER

1100N. CR688 (RELOCATED), Mobile, AL

Built 2006 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 160

Lee Road 254

Good

Over: WACOOCHEE CREEK

1 MI N.E JCT S 001, Lee, AL

Built 2003 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 689

COUNTY ROAD 77

Good

Over: LITTLE ROCKY CREEK

84 TO ROCKY CREEK RD, Houston, AL

Built 2003 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 315

ST JOSEPH Avenue

Good

Over: BRANCH OFF MURDER CRK

2040 N EAST STREET, Escambia, AL

Built 2003 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 37

CR. 468

Good

Over: SCARHAM CREEK

1 MI. N.CO.RD.179, DeKalb, AL

Built 2004 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 94

C.O. 267

Good

Over: VEASEY CREEK

1.5 MI. N FREDONIA, Chambers, AL

Built 2003 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 612

ELAM ROAD

Good

Over: BASHI CREEK

1.5MI STH CORD 48 ON ELAM, Clarke, AL

Built 2005 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 150

COUNTY ROAD 104

Good

Over: SCARHAM CREEK

1 MILE NORTH C.R. 24, DeKalb, AL

Built 2004 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 169

COUNTY ROAD 29

Good

Over: BRUSH CREEK

NORTH PERRY, Perry, AL

Built 2004 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 305

CANOE CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: BIG CANOE CREEK

4.4 MI NW SPRINGVILLE, St. Clair, AL

Built 2005 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 14

COUNTY ROAD 20

Good

Over: OAKATUPPA CREEK

3.3 MI.W.INT.C.R.#20*#9, Choctaw, AL

Built 2005 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 400

COUNTY ROAD 4

Good

Over: FENACHE CREEK

0.6 MI N CO RT 1176, Sumter, AL

Built 2005 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 296

CR 444

Good

Over: TANYARD BRANCH

.25 MI. FROM AL 25, Shelby, AL

Built 2004 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 250

CUNTY ROAD 42

Good

Over: KINTERBISH CREEK

?????????????????????????, Choctaw, AL

Built 2006 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 87

Good

Over: BIG SHOALS CREEK

1.1 MI NE JCT CR 203, Lawrence, AL

Built 2007 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 1,233

COUNTY ROAD 1126

Good

Over: BOYDS MILL CREEK

SEC 5 T10N R20E, Pike, AL

Built 2006 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 104

BOYD ROAD

Good

Over: BRANCH OF DUNN CREEK REL

6.3 MI N OF JCT US NO 82, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2009 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 120

DRY CREEK RD

Good

Over: DRY CREEK

.4 MI W CO RD 15, Lamar, AL

Built 2006 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 52

Showing 14,651-14,700 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.