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

ADA HANNA RD(DIRT)

Fair

Over: SIPSEY CREEK

0.4 MILES WEST OF CR 33, Marion, AL

Built 2007 Load: 1.8 t ADT: 30

SYMPHONY WAY

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

1.212 MI NE AL 21, Calhoun, AL

Built 1936 Load: 1.8 t ADT: 50

CHEROKEE #42

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.1 MI N INT US #411, Cherokee, AL

Built 1935 Load: 2.0 t ADT: 120

CHEROKEE #62

Fair

Over: MILLS CREEK

0.5 MI E CHEROKEE #99, Cherokee, AL

Built 1940 Load: 2.0 t ADT: 133

COUNTY HWY 1141

Fair

Over: CLEAR CREEK

360 FT S JCT 1096, Marshall, AL

Built 1958 Load: 2.1 t ADT: 50

SHEPPARD SPUR

Fair

Over: BRANCH NO NAME

0.2 MI. N OF DALE CO LN, Barbour, AL

Built 1940 Load: 2.2 t ADT: 15

CO 134

Fair

Over: POLE BRIDGE BRANCH

1.2 MI E OF 89 ON ST LINE, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1967 Load: 2.4 t ADT: 140

CO 49

Fair

Over: OWEN CREEK

CO 49 OWEN CREEK, Cleburne, AL

Built 1979 Load: 2.4 t ADT: 705

CO 82

Fair

Over: KELLY CREEK

500 FT W CO 399, Talladega, AL

Built 1937 Load: 2.6 t ADT: 385

BRIARWOOD LANE

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.1 MI N JCT COTTONWOOD L, Cullman, AL

Built 1970 Load: 2.6 t ADT: 489

COUNTY DIRT ROAD

Fair

Over: BAMA OIL BRANCH

1.0 MILE WEST OF ALA 107, Fayette, AL

Built 1990 Load: 2.6 t ADT: 20

CLAUDE HILL RD.

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

3420 FT N JCT 1513, Marshall, AL

Built 1951 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 136

PUTMAN ROAD

Fair

Over: BRASHER CREEK

1 MI NE OF APPALACHAIN, Blount, AL

Built 1979 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 213

GRAVEL ROAD

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

.5M SOUTH P.D.HILL ROAD, Perry, AL

Built 1971 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 60

SALLY BURNS RD

Fair

Over: ROCK CREEK

SALLY BURNS @ ROCK CREEK, Colbert, AL

Built 1950 Load: 2.8 t ADT: 50

CO RD 59

Fair

Over: LITTLE BEAR CREEK

1.8 MI N CO 59 CO 16 JCT, Franklin, AL

Built 1955 Load: 2.9 t ADT: 240

COOK LN

Fair

Over: COOK CREEK

COOK LN S TO N BRIDGE, Colbert, AL

Built 1939 Load: 3.0 t ADT: 543

TAYLORS CHAPEL RD

Fair

Over: BRANCH

.1 MI S ALA 202, Calhoun, AL

Built 1939 Load: 3.1 t ADT: 150

ERIN RD

Fair

Over: TALLADEGA CREEK

0.7 MI S OF ERIN, Clay, AL

Built 1919 Load: 3.2 t ADT: 20

PENDER ROAD

Fair

Over: WHITLEYS CREEK

4 MI SOUTH OF HUBBERTVILL, Fayette, AL

Built 1984 Load: 3.3 t ADT: 15

COUNTY DIRT RD

Fair

Over: PATSALIGA CREEK BRANCH

Music Road, Covington, AL

Built 1975 Load: 3.4 t ADT: 50

MOUNTAIN VIEW LN

Fair

Over: COOK CREEK

COOK CREEK W TO E BRIDGE, Colbert, AL

Built 1939 Load: 3.5 t ADT: 22

CO. 150

Fair

Over: SANDY CREEK

2.2 MI. S.W. MILLTOWN, Chambers, AL

Built 1920 Load: 3.6 t ADT: 20

CO RD 28

Fair

Over: STREAM INTO MUD CREEK

.7 MI E CO C28 CO 28 JCT, Franklin, AL

Built 1934 Load: 3.6 t ADT: 120

W 14TH ST

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

W 14TH & Boynton Ave, Calhoun, AL

Built 1936 Load: 3.6 t ADT: 625

COUNTY HWY 1064

Fair

Over: RE-BREAK CREEK

217 FT N JCT 1003, Marshall, AL

Built 1965 Load: 3.6 t ADT: 80

64TH STREET

Fair

Over: BRANCH

64TH ST., Calhoun, AL

Built 1958 Load: 3.6 t ADT: 2,137

TRIMM RD

Fair

Over: YELLOW CREEK

1.5MI N.E. FAIRVIEW, Lamar, AL

Built 1983 Load: 3.6 t ADT: 30

DILBECK RD

Fair

Over: IVY CREEK

BETWEEN MARSHALL RD* SR75, DeKalb, AL

Built 1931 Load: 3.6 t ADT: 430

CALLAWAY ROAD

Fair

Over: INTERSECTED BRANCH

3 MI SE PAUL, Conecuh, AL

Built 1986 Load: 3.6 t ADT: 60

HOUSTON LOOP RD.

Fair

Over: BIG WILLS CREEK

0.5 MI W OF AIRPORT AVE, DeKalb, AL

Built 1986 Load: 3.6 t ADT: 2,175

HODGENS RD

Fair

Over: BONETT CREEK

1.0MILE NORTH MTPLEASANT, Perry, AL

Built 1965 Load: 3.6 t ADT: 100

CHEROKEE #24

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.2 MI SW INT CHERO #19, Cherokee, AL

Built 1945 Load: 3.8 t ADT: 129

CO RD 83

Fair

Over: JONES CREEK

1.2MI SE WHITES CP CHURCH, Randolph, AL

Built 1932 Load: 3.9 t ADT: 80

CHILDERS ROAD

Fair

Over: FROST CREEK

0.75 MI S CR 165, Morgan, AL

Built 1930 Load: 4.0 t ADT: 17

Sanders Cem Rd

Fair

Over: Chatahospeee Creek

0.2 M E CO RD 571, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 1927 Load: 4.1 t ADT: 35

CR 365

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.8 MI NW JCT CR 57, Jackson, AL

Built 1960 Load: 4.1 t ADT: 15

CO RD 631

Fair

Over: BEULAH

.3MI SW BEULAH CHURCH, Randolph, AL

Built 1928 Load: 4.2 t ADT: 50

AVENUE I

Fair

Over: AL 150

AVENUE I * AL. 150, Jefferson, AL

Built 1942 Load: 4.2 t ADT: 550

CO RD 1

Fair

Over: GUM CREEK

.8 MI NW CO 11 CO 1 JCT, Franklin, AL

Built 1936 Load: 4.3 t ADT: 240

LINDSEY RD

Fair

Over: MUD CREEK

SEC 11 T4S R5W, Limestone, AL

Built 1936 Load: 4.3 t ADT: 120

CO RT 01

Fair

Over: LITTLE DRY CREEK

2.4 MI N JCT SR 65, Jackson, AL

Built 1951 Load: 4.3 t ADT: 40

DEAVERSTOWN ROAD

Fair

Over: CALVERT PRONG LITTLE WAR

3 MI NE OF LOCUST FORK, Blount, AL

Built 1940 Load: 4.3 t ADT: 243

CO RD 51

Fair

Over: NW BRANCH OF BLUFF CREEK

1.6 MI W SR 237 CO 51 JCT, Franklin, AL

Built 1964 Load: 4.4 t ADT: 145

CAMPBELL STREET

Fair

Over: CAHULGA CREEK

0.5 MI NW US 78, Cleburne, AL

Built 1971 Load: 4.4 t ADT: 80

WESLEY CHAPEL ROAD

Fair

Over: COAL FIRE CREEK

5 MI SOUTH OF BELK, Fayette, AL

Built 1998 Load: 4.4 t ADT: 20

ROBINSON CRK RD

Fair

Over: FLINT CREEK

1.2 N W US 31, Morgan, AL

Built 1950 Load: 4.5 t ADT: 80

CO RT 66

Fair

Over: STRINGER CREEK

0.8 MI W JCT CR 19, Jackson, AL

Built 1969 Load: 4.5 t ADT: 155

WATTS MILL RD

Fair

Over: TALLADEGA CREEK

.5 M SW CAMPBELLS X RDS, Clay, AL

Built 1900 Load: 4.5 t ADT: 14

FDR 706

Fair

Over: CHOCTAFAULA CREEK

TUSKEGEE DISTRICT, Macon, AL

Built 1966 Load: 4.5 t ADT: 50

Showing 101-150 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.