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

LAKESIDE ESTATES

Good

Over: DRY BRANCH

SEC33 T2S R6W, Limestone, AL

Built 1992 Load: 73.5 t ADT: 60

GREASY COVE ROAD

Good

Over: ROCK CREEK

0.5MI W ROCK CR RD @ ODEN, Morgan, AL

Built 2010 Load: 73.5 t ADT: 50

SR 158

Good

Over: McCrary Rd

0.2 M West of Lott RD, Mobile, AL

Built 2021 Load: 73.6 t ADT: 4,208

DEARMANVILLE DR. N

Good

Over: BRANCH

DVILLE DR N, Calhoun, AL

Built 1988 Load: 73.7 t ADT: 1,905

GATES DRIVE

Good

Over: STREAM

THOMASVILLE, Clarke, AL

Built 1995 Load: 74.2 t ADT: 800

cr 425

Good

Over: cohobadiah creek

nw of pine hill, Randolph, AL

Built 2016 Load: 74.3 t ADT: 53

Lee Road 246

Good

Over: WHITES CREEK

0.5 MI SE LEE RD 179, Lee, AL

Built 1992 Load: 74.4 t ADT: 1,182

ST CLAIR CO 4WY13

Good

Over: KELLY BRANCH

0.1 MI N PRESCOTT CHU, St. Clair, AL

Built 1981 Load: 74.4 t ADT: 1,233

CO ROUTE 23

Good

Over: BULLET CREEK

4 MI WEST INTER CO 23 * 3, Clarke, AL

Built 1981 Load: 74.5 t ADT: 80

CO. RT 31

Good

Over: WEST BEND CREEK

0.5 MI NORTH WEST BEND, Clarke, AL

Built 1957 Load: 74.5 t ADT: 125

Lee Road 152

Good

Over: HALAWAKEE BRANCH

0.8 MI N E JCT S 001, Lee, AL

Built 1987 Load: 74.5 t ADT: 103

AL-86

Good

Over: Stream

1.2 MI W JCT US-2, Pickens, AL

Built 1968 Load: 74.6 t ADT: 2,500

I-22

Good

Over: AL-4

on CR-47, Marion, AL

Built 1993 Load: 74.6 t ADT: 12,834

County Rd 52

Good

Over: Cahaba River

CR 52 over Cahaba River, Shelby, AL

Built 2021 Load: 74.8 t ADT: 15,911

AL 145

Good

Over: WAXAHATCHEE CREEK

CHILTON * SHELBY CO LINE, Chilton, AL

Built 2020 Load: 74.8 t ADT: 2,790

CO RT 107

Good

Over: BRANCH

1 MILE SE OF FRISCO, Coffee, AL

Built 1969 Load: 75.3 t ADT: 180

CO RD 77

Good

Over: FOXTRAP CREEK

.8 MI N CO 56 CO 77 JCT, Franklin, AL

Built 2002 Load: 75.3 t ADT: 556

OLD GURLEY ROAD

Good

Over: CHASE CREEK

1 MILE S.E. OF U.S. 72, Madison, AL

Built 1994 Load: 75.3 t ADT: 4,200

COUNTY ROAD 85

Good

Over: SPARKS CREEK

4.4 MI. S. OF WATER OAK, Hale, AL

Built 1919 Load: 75.5 t ADT: 50

COUNTY ROAD 133

Good

Over: MASTERSON CREEK

CO RD 133 SHADY LANE, Lawrence, AL

Built 2003 Load: 75.5 t ADT: 75

Ziegler Blvd

Good

Over: Branch

0.3 MI E ATHEY RD, Mobile, AL

Built 2023 Load: 75.7 t ADT: 15,380

CO RD 7

Good

Over: CREEK

2 MI SOUTH OF CO RD12, Lowndes, AL

Built 1956 Load: 76.1 t ADT: 710

COUNTY ROAD 3223

Good

Over: CLEARWATER CREEK

SEC 26 T8N R22E, Pike, AL

Built 1964 Load: 76.1 t ADT: 150

SR 134 MP 2.247

Good

Over: EAST FORK CRIPPLE CREEK

0.7 MI. E. OPP C. LIMITS., Covington, AL

Built 1990 Load: 76.2 t ADT: 3,590

CR. 13

Good

Over: BRANCH

2 MI SW SHACKLESVILLE, Butler, AL

Built 1991 Load: 76.2 t ADT: 47

BELL HILL ROAD

Good

Over: UNNAMED CREEK

1000 E MCADORY HS, Jefferson, AL

Built 2001 Load: 76.3 t ADT: 4,025

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: CHEAHA CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Clay, AL

Built 2016 Load: 76.5 t ADT: 50

SPRINGHILL CH. RD.

Good

Over: 5 MILE CREEK

2.6 MI.E. OF WATEROAK, Hale, AL

Built 1955 Load: 76.6 t ADT: 40

CO RD 87

Good

Over: WEDOWEE CREEK

(JACOBS)CULVERT N OMAHA, Randolph, AL

Built 1970 Load: 76.6 t ADT: 610

SR 154

Good

Over: BRANCH

9.8 MI. W OF THOMASVILLE, Clarke, AL

Built 1963 Load: 76.7 t ADT: 310

MT ZION ROAD

Good

Over: DOUGLASS BRANCH

?????????????????????????, Madison, AL

Built 2004 Load: 76.7 t ADT: 850

CO RD 32

Good

Over: CREEK

1/2 MI WEST OF CO RD 26, Lowndes, AL

Built 1958 Load: 76.8 t ADT: 410

Fielding Road

Good

Over: Coxey Creek

T4S R5W SEC16, Limestone, AL

Built 2016 Load: 76.8 t ADT: 89

SR 25

Good

Over: MICHIGAN CREEK

4.1 MI. S. OF THOMASTON, Marengo, AL

Built 1988 Load: 77.1 t ADT: 1,110

COUNTY RD 49

Good

Over: FEAGINS CREEK

Antioch Road, Covington, AL

Built 1961 Load: 77.1 t ADT: 250

SR 10

Good

Over: BRANCH

3.6 MI. E. OF NANAFALIA, Marengo, AL

Built 1984 Load: 77.2 t ADT: 2,650

BALLANTRAE CLUB DR

Good

Over: S. FORK YELLOWLEAF CREEK

WEST OF FIRE STATION # 5, Shelby, AL

Built 2003 Load: 77.2 t ADT: 3,177

COUNTY ROAD 49

Good

Over: NO NAME BRANCH

5.9 MI NE OF US 82, Barbour, AL

Built 1948 Load: 77.3 t ADT: 265

COUNTY ROAD 1143

Good

Over: TRIB TO YOUNGBLOOD CREEK

SEC 7 T10N R20E, Pike, AL

Built 1966 Load: 77.3 t ADT: 275

CR25 CENTERHILL RD

Good

Over: MAHAN CREEK

CR25 1MI S CENTER HILLCH, Chilton, AL

Built 1984 Load: 77.4 t ADT: 450

C0.RD. 56

Good

Over: N0 NAME CREEK

Beaver Dam Road, Covington, AL

Built 1961 Load: 77.5 t ADT: 110

CO 211

Good

Over: GREASEHEAD BRANCH

INTERSECTION CO 211* 213, Talladega, AL

Built 1964 Load: 77.7 t ADT: 625

WINCHESTER RD

Good

Over: RICE BRANCH

0.4 MI S CO RD 1453, Madison, AL

Built 1968 Load: 77.7 t ADT: 3,900

GRAVEL ROAD

Good

Over: CROOKED CREEK

2.2 MILES EAST JCT ST RD, Marion, AL

Built 1993 Load: 77.7 t ADT: 25

CO. HWY. 17

Good

Over: PEA RIVER BRANCH

2 MILES S.W. OF SAMSON, Geneva, AL

Built 1999 Load: 77.7 t ADT: 1,119

COUNTY ROAD 16

Good

Over: BIG PRARIE CREEK TRIB.

0.4 MI. W. OF WHITSITT, Hale, AL

Built 1900 Load: 77.8 t ADT: 300

CO RD 34

Good

Over: Trib to Negro Creek

.75 mi east of CR 83, Baldwin, AL

Built 2022 Load: 77.9 t ADT: 50

COUNTY ROAD 24

Good

Over: BIG GERMAN CREEK

3.1 MI. W OF GREENSBORO, Hale, AL

Built 1978 Load: 78.0 t ADT: 200

CO 70

Good

Over: TERRAPIN CREEK

1 I. W OF BORDEN SPRINGS, Cleburne, AL

Built 2002 Load: 78.0 t ADT: 459

COUNTY RD 82

Good

Over: NO NAME BRANCH

Gantt - RL Rd @ Buck Cr, Covington, AL

Built 1963 Load: 78.1 t ADT: 670

Showing 15,251-15,300 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.