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

HALLS MILL RD

Good

Over: BOLTON BRANCH

0.2 MI W MC VAY DR, Mobile, AL

Built 1926 Load: 78.2 t ADT: 9,248

CO RD 156

Good

Over: CREEK

2.9 MI E COTTON BR, Greene, AL

Built 1961 Load: 78.3 t ADT: 367

CO. HWY. 62

Good

Over: BLUE SPRING BRANCH

1.7 MI NE US 280, Shelby, AL

Built 1955 Load: 78.5 t ADT: 976

AL 108 RAMP #4

Good

Over: AL 126

Intersects AL108/AL126, Montgomery, AL

Built 2014 Load: 78.7 t ADT: 5,120

C0 55

Good

Over: UNAMED CREEK

APPROX. 2 MI WEST OF CR49, Cleburne, AL

Built 2001 Load: 78.7 t ADT: 220

CR16 ADAMS XING

Good

Over: BUCK CREEK

CR16 .01 WEST MTCARMEL CH, Chilton, AL

Built 1961 Load: 78.9 t ADT: 200

CO RT 118

Good

Over: BORDON BRANCH

0.3 MI W JCT CR 117, Lawrence, AL

Built 2005 Load: 78.9 t ADT: 50

CO RD 517

Good

Over: BEULAH CK

2.5 MI SE OMAHA, Randolph, AL

Built 1991 Load: 79.0 t ADT: 400

COUNTY RT #146

Good

Over: BOARD TREE BRANCH

0.5 MI EAST OF CO RT #27, Pickens, AL

Built 1968 Load: 79.1 t ADT: 200

CR16 POOLS XROAD

Good

Over: LITTLE MULLBERRY CREEK

CR16 .5 M E ANTIOCH CH, Chilton, AL

Built 1985 Load: 79.1 t ADT: 340

County Road 44

Good

Over: Hurricane Creek

2.4 Miles SW of AL 239, Barbour, AL

Built 2022 Load: 79.1 t ADT: 200

SR-36

Good

Over: ROAN BRANCH

2.6M W Jct SR36 & SR67, Morgan, AL

Built 2021 Load: 79.3 t ADT: 5,040

CO 5017

Good

Over: TRIB. TO CHATTAHOOCHEE

2 MI. S.E. OF LANGDALE, Chambers, AL

Built 1975 Load: 79.5 t ADT: 2,547

County Road 9

Good

Over: Polecat Creek

1.2 Mi. N. of CR 32, Baldwin, AL

Built 2019 Load: 79.5 t ADT: 1,743

US 90

Good

Over: FRANKLIN CREEK

1.8 MI E SR 188, Mobile, AL

Built 2011 Load: 79.6 t ADT: 5,110

SR 117

Good

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN RR

JCT SR 117 @ N/S RR, DeKalb, AL

Built 2019 Load: 79.7 t ADT: 4,254

000000646206Z0

Good

Over: TRIB TO MUD CREEK

0.5 MI W OF US 43, Marengo, AL

Built 1995 Load: 79.8 t ADT: 320

CO RT 349

Good

Over: HAM BRANCH

1.2 MILES WEST OF LEE, Coffee, AL

Built 1969 Load: 79.9 t ADT: 200

CR. 25

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

2.0 MI. SW LIBERTY, Butler, AL

Built 1976 Load: 80.0 t ADT: 599

CO 19

Good

Over: BRANCH

.4 MI W OF AL 147, Chambers, AL

Built 1994 Load: 80.0 t ADT: 24

PULASKI PIKE

Good

Over: PINHOOK CREEK

N OF CEDAR POINT SUB DIV, Madison, AL

Built 1970 Load: 80.1 t ADT: 8,800

OLD SPRINGVILLE RD

Good

Over: TURKEY CREEK TRIBUTARY

1.5 MI N CHALKVILLE JCT, Jefferson, AL

Built 2004 Load: 80.1 t ADT: 10,355

GOLSON RD 185-37

Good

Over: CREEK

2 MI NORTH OF AL 185, Lowndes, AL

Built 1993 Load: 80.2 t ADT: 110

PLEASANT GROVE RD

Good

Over: PUMPKIN CREEK

1 MILE W HWY 69, Walker, AL

Built 1960 Load: 80.3 t ADT: 250

AL-74

Good

Over: McDonald Creek

7.4 MI E JCT AL-5, Winston, AL

Built 1958 Load: 80.7 t ADT: 1,833

Lee Road 242

Good

Over: HOSPILIKA CREEK

1 MI E JCT LEE RD 239, Lee, AL

Built 1974 Load: 80.7 t ADT: 932

CO.RD. 82

Good

Over: KIDD BRANCH

HWY 82 E OF NEWELL, Randolph, AL

Built 1992 Load: 80.7 t ADT: 200

SR-48

Good

Over: FOX CREEK

0.4 MI E CLAY CO. LINE, Randolph, AL

Built 2021 Load: 80.8 t ADT: 1,772

WESOBULGA CREEK RD

Good

Over: WHITE OAK CREEK

NEAR CRAGFORD, Clay, AL

Built 2004 Load: 81.1 t ADT: 35

COBURN MTN RD

Good

Over: ISBELL BRANCH

COBURN MTN OFF LAGRANGE, Colbert, AL

Built 1991 Load: 81.3 t ADT: 285

GIN ROAD

Good

Over: TOLAND CREEK

COFFEEVILLE, Clarke, AL

Built 1958 Load: 81.5 t ADT: 100

NORRIS ROAD

Good

Over: WELLS CREEK RELIEF

1.7 MI N CO RT 21, Clarke, AL

Built 1989 Load: 81.5 t ADT: 100

Bains Road (CR-34)

Good

Over: Little Magby Creek

1 Mile South of RT #14, Pickens, AL

Built 2018 Load: 81.6 t ADT: 140

COUNTY ROAD 17

Good

Over: DRY CREEK

1.3 MI. N. OF SAWYERVILLE, Hale, AL

Built 1996 Load: 81.9 t ADT: 200

COUNTY ROAD 38

Good

Over: TANYARD BRANCH

0.3 MI E N JCT CR 460, Lawrence, AL

Built 2004 Load: 82.1 t ADT: 80

WHITE PKE

Good

Over: CHEROKEE BRANCH

13405 WHITE PKE, Colbert, AL

Built 1989 Load: 82.2 t ADT: 228

CO RT 410

Good

Over: WISES MILL CREEK

5 MILES SOUTH OF ELBA, Coffee, AL

Built 1956 Load: 82.3 t ADT: 470

COUNTY ROAD 11

Good

Over: BEAVER BRANCH RELIEF

BURGAMY SWAMP RD., Crenshaw, AL

Built 1961 Load: 82.3 t ADT: 555

SR 77

Good

Over: ACKER CREEK

1.2 MI N TALLADEGA CO LIN, Calhoun, AL

Built 1956 Load: 82.4 t ADT: 6,910

HAGLER COALING RD

Good

Over: Butler Branch

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

Built 1962 Load: 82.4 t ADT: 300

COUNTY ROAD 207

Good

Over: GREASY HEAD BRANCH

0.9 MI W ST21 ON CORD 207, Talladega, AL

Built 1955 Load: 82.5 t ADT: 1,350

NATCHEZ TRACE PARK

Good

Over: COUNTY ROAD 2

8.09 MILES NORTH OF U.S., Lauderdale, AL

Built 1964 Load: 82.5 t ADT: 670

SNAKE ROAD

Good

Over: UNNAMED BRANCH

SEC36 T3S R5W, Limestone, AL

Built 2003 Load: 82.6 t ADT: 273

JULIANTOWN RD

Good

Over: CHERRY CREEK

1.5 MI NORTH OF US HWY 31, Lowndes, AL

Built 1985 Load: 82.7 t ADT: 505

SR 10

Good

Over: BRANCH

3.7 MI. W. OF CAMDEN, Wilcox, AL

Built 1969 Load: 82.8 t ADT: 3,530

ROADWAY

Good

Over: CO RT 1088 OPOSSUM CREEK

2.2 MI N US HWY 80, Sumter, AL

Built 1964 Load: 82.9 t ADT: 754

AL 28

Good

Over: MIUKA CREEK

3.6 MI. E. OF BOYD, Sumter, AL

Built 1993 Load: 83.1 t ADT: 1,214

Saddle Wood Lane

Good

Over: BR. off Point Clear Cr.

500 west of poloridge dr, Baldwin, AL

Built 2000 Load: 83.1 t ADT: 50

COUNTY ROAD NO. 3

Good

Over: ROILEY CREEK

.05 MI. N. PETERMAN, Monroe, AL

Built 1985 Load: 83.5 t ADT: 250

COUNTY RD 22

Good

Over: THOMAS CREEK

HENRY CO LINE TO AL 52, Houston, AL

Built 1950 Load: 83.6 t ADT: 640

Showing 15,301-15,350 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.