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

HORNS VALLEY ROAD

Good

Over: WEST FORK OF HATCHET CRK

?????????????????????????, Clay, AL

Built 2007 Load: 66.2 t ADT: 23

UPPER RIVER ROAD

Good

Over: DINSMORE CREEK

2.0 MI E OF I-65, Morgan, AL

Built 1987 Load: 66.3 t ADT: 3,300

N. ENGLEWOOD AVE.

Good

Over: STREAM

DOTHAN, Houston, AL

Built 2008 Load: 66.3 t ADT: 640

SR 17

Good

Over: STREAM

CHATOM, Washington, AL

Built 1985 Load: 66.4 t ADT: 4,990

SR 184

Good

Over: SHAW BRANCH

3 M W JCT SR184 & SR101, Colbert, AL

Built 1985 Load: 66.4 t ADT: 3,020

CO RT NO 32

Good

Over: TURKEY CREEK

0.10 MI E AL 25, Marengo, AL

Built 1988 Load: 66.4 t ADT: 150

COUNTY ROAD NO12

Good

Over: STEVENSON CREEK

RC BR CULVT ON FAS RT 14, Henry, AL

Built 1949 Load: 66.5 t ADT: 300

SR74/US278

Good

Over: MILL CREEK

0.1 MI E JCT. CO 19, Calhoun, AL

Built 1991 Load: 66.5 t ADT: 3,325

CHEROKEE #48

Good

Over: YELLOW CREEK

0.5 MI NE ALA #68, Cherokee, AL

Built 1992 Load: 66.5 t ADT: 500

SR-9 (US-331)

Good

Over: Patsaliga Creek

0.9 mi S. of SR-10, Crenshaw, AL

Built 2021 Load: 66.5 t ADT: 10,620

SR 21

Good

Over: DRY CREEK

2.5MI S OF OXFORD, Talladega, AL

Built 2004 Load: 66.6 t ADT: 9,762

SR 7 (US-11)

Good

Over: DRY CREEK

2 MI S AL*GA ST LINE, DeKalb, AL

Built 2019 Load: 66.6 t ADT: 727

CO. RD. 138

Good

Over: BRANCH

TWO MILES WEST OF ASHFORD, Houston, AL

Built 1927 Load: 66.7 t ADT: 800

County Road 85

Good

Over: Davis Branch

1.03 miles north of US 90, Baldwin, AL

Built 2022 Load: 66.8 t ADT: 100

MAJOR RELPH RD

Good

Over: CREEK

1 MI EAST OF CO RD 7, Lowndes, AL

Built 1987 Load: 66.9 t ADT: 210

COUNTY ROAD 16

Good

Over: TRIB. TO WHITSITT CREEK

0.9 MI. N. OF NERBERN, Hale, AL

Built 1994 Load: 66.9 t ADT: 100

AL 14

Good

Over: MORTAR CREEK

1.5 MI. W.OF ELMORE, Elmore, AL

Built 2017 Load: 66.9 t ADT: 21,370

_US 331

Good

Over: _Gin Creek

1 Mi. N.OPP CITY LIMITS, Covington, AL

Built 2022 Load: 66.9 t ADT: 3,440

SR4/US78

Good

Over: ROCKY BRANCH

2.5 MI E CALHOUN CO LINE, Cleburne, AL

Built 1929 Load: 67.0 t ADT: 4,413

SR 27 MP 30.989

Good

Over: STRIPLING CREEK

2 MI. NORTH U.S. 84, Coffee, AL

Built 1928 Load: 67.0 t ADT: 5,240

MADISON

Good

Over: FAGAN CREEK

MADISON * LOWE, Madison, AL

Built 1974 Load: 67.0 t ADT: 8,200

SR 24

Good

Over: SLEDGE CREEK

2.7 M W JCT SR 24 & SR 33, Lawrence, AL

Built 1980 Load: 67.0 t ADT: 6,400

AL-14

Good

Over: Pipper Creek

2.5 MI E OF Clinton, Greene, AL

Built 1986 Load: 67.0 t ADT: 1,867

SR 41

Good

Over: BRANCH

0.3 MI. N.OF HYBART, Wilcox, AL

Built 1990 Load: 67.0 t ADT: 470

SR 53 MP 6.437

Good

Over: BOGGY CREEK

IN COTTONWOOD, Houston, AL

Built 1990 Load: 67.0 t ADT: 2,150

CO RD 39 NBL

Good

Over: US 90/CSX RR/SERVICE RD

CO RD 39 @ US 90, Mobile, AL

Built 2009 Load: 67.0 t ADT: 8,446

_GREENBRIER PKWY

Good

Over: _PINEY CREEK RELIEF

_SEC35 T3S R4W, Limestone, AL

Built 2022 Load: 67.0 t ADT: 6,000

_GREENBRIER PKWY

Good

Over: _PINEY CREEK

_SEC36 T3S R4W, Limestone, AL

Built 2022 Load: 67.0 t ADT: 6,000

CHEROKEE #171

Good

Over: CREEK

0.4 MI N INT CHEROKEE #39, Cherokee, AL

Built 1940 Load: 67.1 t ADT: 50

.5 MI E ALA 9

Good

Over: COTTAQUILLA CREEK

RAINBOW DR. STEEL 1989, Calhoun, AL

Built 1989 Load: 67.1 t ADT: 402

GATES DRIVE

Good

Over: STREAM

THOMASVILLE, Clarke, AL

Built 1995 Load: 67.1 t ADT: 450

NORTH PARK DRIVE

Good

Over: STREAM

0.8 MI NE ANDERSON RD., Lee, AL

Built 2002 Load: 67.1 t ADT: 1,000

MEADOW BROOK DRIVE

Good

Over: UNNAMED CREEK

0.5 MI. WEST OF US 231, Madison, AL

Built 2005 Load: 67.1 t ADT: 300

CO RD 7B

Good

Over: FLATT CREEK

0.2MI N JCT SR 5, Winston, AL

Built 1992 Load: 67.2 t ADT: 100

CO RT 608

Good

Over: BRANCH

1.05 MI W OF GOODMAN, Coffee, AL

Built 1975 Load: 67.3 t ADT: 128

SR 156

Good

Over: Mill Creek

3.7 ml. east of jachin, Choctaw, AL

Built 2020 Load: 67.3 t ADT: 1,860

CO. 1529

Good

Over: TRIBUTARY TO OSNIPPA

3.0 MI. EAST OF CUSSETA, Chambers, AL

Built 2002 Load: 67.4 t ADT: 35

COUNTY RT #87

Good

Over: JONES CREEK

1.3 MI WEST JCT SR #17, Pickens, AL

Built 1977 Load: 67.5 t ADT: 165

CR. 21

Good

Over: LUXPALLILA TRIBUTARY

2.5 MI. W OF FAYETTE, Fayette, AL

Built 1960 Load: 67.6 t ADT: 418

SR 167 MP 23.549

Good

Over: COWPEN CREEK

1.5 MI. E. SR-134, Coffee, AL

Built 1929 Load: 67.7 t ADT: 5,120

AL-118

Good

Over: Branch

1.2 MI E of Crews, Lamar, AL

Built 1926 Load: 67.7 t ADT: 2,323

CO 15

Good

Over: UNNAMED CRK ON CR 15

off CR36, Cleburne, AL

Built 2005 Load: 67.7 t ADT: 75

CO 191

Good

Over: CLEAR CREEK

0.3 MI E CO 207, Talladega, AL

Built 1974 Load: 67.8 t ADT: 1,785

CO. 1048

Good

Over: BRANCH

2.1MI.E. SIKES, Chambers, AL

Built 1989 Load: 67.9 t ADT: 430

COUNTY ROAD 24

Good

Over: TRIBUTARY OF FACTORY CK

5.5 MI NE AL HWY 17, Sumter, AL

Built 2004 Load: 67.9 t ADT: 135

CO RT 91

Good

Over: ELAM CREEK

0.7 MI W JCT CO RT 190, Lawrence, AL

Built 1991 Load: 68.0 t ADT: 100

CO RT 6

Good

Over: IJAMS BRANCH

0.8 MI W INT CO RT 7, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1995 Load: 68.0 t ADT: 255

FOWL RIVER RD

Good

Over: DYKES CREEK

1.5 MI E OF CO RD 59, Mobile, AL

Built 1999 Load: 68.1 t ADT: 1,718

ROY PARKER ROAD

Good

Over: LITTLE CLAYBANK CREEK

INT JODIE PARKER ROAD, Dale, AL

Built 2014 Load: 68.1 t ADT: 3,626

COUNTY ROAD67

Good

Over: BELLS BRANCH

SEC.18 T-6-NR-26-E, Dale, AL

Built 1947 Load: 68.2 t ADT: 934

Showing 15,101-15,150 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.