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

WEAR RD

Good

Over: BAKER CREEK

275 M S OF DAWES RD, Mobile, AL

Built 1997 Load: 63.3 t ADT: 416

COUNTY ROAD 17

Good

Over: TRIB. TO HINES CREEK

3.2 MI. S. OF SAWYERVILLE, Hale, AL

Built 1967 Load: 63.4 t ADT: 100

COLLIRENE CUTOFFR

Good

Over: PANTHER CREEK

1.5 MI NORTH OF CO RD 12, Lowndes, AL

Built 1985 Load: 63.4 t ADT: 130

AL 191

Good

Over: GIN CREEK

0.7 MI N JCT SR 22, Chilton, AL

Built 1994 Load: 63.4 t ADT: 920

BEASLEY RD

Good

Over: SCHOOL HOUSE BRANCH

_, Baldwin, AL

Built 2022 Load: 63.4 t ADT: 500

CO RD NO 77

Good

Over: FOSTER CREEK

1.5MI S OF HALEBURG, Henry, AL

Built 1995 Load: 63.5 t ADT: 110

AL-142

Good

Over: Wicket Creek

0.1MI N JCT AL-118, Marion, AL

Built 1997 Load: 63.5 t ADT: 384

COUNTY RT. 21

Good

Over: TRIB. TO BIG BRUSH CREEK

7.4 MI. N. OF GREENSBORO, Hale, AL

Built 1954 Load: 63.6 t ADT: 200

SR 133

Good

Over: POND CREEK

0.2 M N JCT SR133 & SR184, Colbert, AL

Built 2007 Load: 63.6 t ADT: 25,510

VICTOR ROAD

Good

Over: LITTLE CREEK

.5MI E CR53 ON VICTOR RD, Fayette, AL

Built 2004 Load: 63.6 t ADT: 41

CHOCCOLOCCO RD.

Good

Over: BRANCH

CHOCCOLOCCO RD, Calhoun, AL

Built 1963 Load: 63.7 t ADT: 1,717

FREDRIC FERRY RD

Good

Over: MILL CREEK

DAVISTON, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 1989 Load: 63.7 t ADT: 91

COUNTY ROAD 55

Good

Over: BAKER BRANCH

0.2 MI. N. OF CO. RD. 32, Baldwin, AL

Built 1995 Load: 63.7 t ADT: 3,099

Medline Road

Good

Over: Williams Creek

County Rd. 92, Perry, AL

Built 2017 Load: 63.7 t ADT: 89

CO RT 42

Good

Over: DEER CREEK

4MI N.W. BROOKLYN, Conecuh, AL

Built 1991 Load: 63.8 t ADT: 310

OLD R R BED RD

Good

Over: FORK OF LIMESTONE CREEK

0.8 MI S JCT CO RD 282, Madison, AL

Built 1966 Load: 63.8 t ADT: 700

SR 87 MP 37.513

Good

Over: DORSEY BRANCH

.9 MI.N.COFFEE 21, Coffee, AL

Built 1981 Load: 63.8 t ADT: 2,380

AL 145

Good

Over: YELLOW LEAF CREEK

0.5 MI S JCT CO RD 51, Chilton, AL

Built 2015 Load: 63.8 t ADT: 3,142

AL - 5 (US 78) NO

Good

Over: Locust Fork Warrior Rv

SAYRE, Jefferson, AL

Built 2022 Load: 63.8 t ADT: 9,305

AL-17

Good

Over: Strattons Branch

1.5 MI N JCT SR 86, Pickens, AL

Built 1939 Load: 64.0 t ADT: 2,150

CO RD 17

Good

Over: BUCK CREEK

3 MI SOUTH OF US 80, Lowndes, AL

Built 1956 Load: 64.0 t ADT: 415

ROADWAY

Good

Over: CO RT 1088 STREAM

3.7 MI N US HWY 80, Sumter, AL

Built 1989 Load: 64.0 t ADT: 754

AL-96

Good

Over: Blalock Creek

5.8MI E Miss St Line, Lamar, AL

Built 2000 Load: 64.0 t ADT: 2,443

SR74 / US278

Good

Over: TERRAPIN CREEK RELIEF

.2 MI W CHEROKEE CO LINE, Calhoun, AL

Built 2013 Load: 64.0 t ADT: 4,299

Fairview Cove Rd

Good

Over: Bristow Creek

500 W of 179, Etowah, AL

Built 2016 Load: 64.0 t ADT: 403

_CR 54

Good

Over: _BUMPUS CREEK

.1 mi East of co. 14, Lauderdale, AL

Built 2020 Load: 64.0 t ADT: 42

__CR 27

Good

Over: _STRIP PIT CREEK

_, Walker, AL

Built 1990 Load: 64.0 t ADT: 1,490

SR 154

Good

Over: WELL'S CREEK

14.5 MI. E.OF COFFEEVILLE, Clarke, AL

Built 1963 Load: 64.1 t ADT: 210

SR 10

Good

Over: HODGEN CREEK

2.5 MI. W. OF SWEETWATER, Marengo, AL

Built 1984 Load: 64.1 t ADT: 2,990

CO. RD. 14

Good

Over: BLACKWOOD CREEK

SEC. 34 T5N R26E, Dale, AL

Built 1995 Load: 64.1 t ADT: 442

SANDLIN ROAD

Good

Over: BRANCH

EAST OF HAYS MILL ROAD, Limestone, AL

Built 1976 Load: 64.1 t ADT: 3,200

PATRICK ROAD

Good

Over: TRIB.OF PINEYWOODS CREEK

2.0 MI. WEST MCKENZIE, Butler, AL

Built 2003 Load: 64.1 t ADT: 48

SR 5

Good

Over: Moccasin Creek

Pine Hill, Wilcox, AL

Built 2023 Load: 64.1 t ADT: 3,950

BOEING ROAD

Good

Over: STREAM

1.9 MI W OF CO LINE RD, Madison, AL

Built 1986 Load: 64.2 t ADT: 9,600

SR 52 MP 51.028

Good

Over: BRANCH

2.5 MI. EAST OF SLOCOMB, Geneva, AL

Built 1927 Load: 64.3 t ADT: 6,260

CO RD 46

Good

Over: MUDDY BRANCH

0.6 MI OF US 43 CO 46 JCT, Franklin, AL

Built 1994 Load: 64.3 t ADT: 1,290

CO.RD.1

Good

Over: GEE CREEK

STATESVILLE-JONES BLUFF, Autauga, AL

Built 1963 Load: 64.4 t ADT: 275

SR 227

Good

Over: BRANCH

3 MI N. ETOWAH CO. LINE, DeKalb, AL

Built 1965 Load: 64.4 t ADT: 416

PROSPECT RD

Good

Over: LITTLE CREEK

3.0 MI E OF HUBBERTVILLE, Fayette, AL

Built 1965 Load: 64.4 t ADT: 55

COUNTY ROAD 47

Good

Over: WOLF CREEK

0.5 MI N INT ALA #273, Cherokee, AL

Built 2005 Load: 64.4 t ADT: 500

SR 9

Good

Over: SAXON CREEK

3 MI N COOSA CO LINE, Clay, AL

Built 1942 Load: 64.5 t ADT: 1,787

MITCHELL-YOUNG RD

Good

Over: ANTIOCH BRANCH

2.7 MI N OF SR 80, Montgomery, AL

Built 1967 Load: 64.5 t ADT: 450

COUNTY RT 71

Good

Over: CYPRESS CREEK

0.6 MI N CLARK CO LINE, Marengo, AL

Built 1994 Load: 64.5 t ADT: 120

COUNTY ROAD #295

Good

Over: YELLOW CREEK

.3 M E AL 35 T7S R9E, DeKalb, AL

Built 1999 Load: 64.5 t ADT: 144

CO RD # 87

Good

Over: BLUFF CREEK

0.2 MI S JCT CO 129, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1992 Load: 64.5 t ADT: 55

Coosa St West

Good

Over: Isbell Branch

200 East of West St, Talladega, AL

Built 2019 Load: 64.5 t ADT: 1,730

SR 141 MP 12.050

Good

Over: LIGHTWOOD KNOT CREEK

0.8 MI.N.COFFEE CO.L., Crenshaw, AL

Built 1984 Load: 64.6 t ADT: 630

UP SHAY BRANCH RD

Good

Over: SHAY BRANCH

0.7 MI W AL 225, Baldwin, AL

Built 1994 Load: 64.6 t ADT: 151

CR-373

Good

Over: Kelly Mill Branch

0.6 Mile North JCT CR-34, Marion, AL

Built 1993 Load: 64.7 t ADT: 50

STONEY CREEK RD.

Good

Over: UNNAMED RELIEF

300 S QUINTON ROAD, Jefferson, AL

Built 2002 Load: 64.7 t ADT: 2

Showing 15,001-15,050 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.