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

COUNTY ROAD 7735

Good

Over: TRIB TO CONECUH RIVER

SEC 25 T11N R21E, Pike, AL

Built 1994 Load: 83.6 t ADT: 100

SR 37 MP .305

Good

Over: LITTLE CLAYBANK CREEK

JCT. DALE CO. 114, Dale, AL

Built 1984 Load: 83.7 t ADT: 3,400

COUNTY ROAD 10

Good

Over: BIG PRARIE CREEK TRIB.

1.4 MI. W. OF PRARIE EDEN, Hale, AL

Built 1949 Load: 83.8 t ADT: 150

JONES CHAPEL ROAD

Good

Over: BLACKBURN FORK

6 MI S OF ONEONTA, Blount, AL

Built 2019 Load: 83.8 t ADT: 254

NUCLEAR PLANT RD

Good

Over: JACKSON CREEK

ALA 52 TO ALA 95, Houston, AL

Built 1994 Load: 84.5 t ADT: 1,485

SR 53

Good

Over: HAM CREEK

9 MI N JCT US 72, Madison, AL

Built 2012 Load: 84.5 t ADT: 16,931

COUNTY ROAD 32

Good

Over: 5 MILE CREEK TRIB.

2.8 MI. S. OF HARPER HILL, Hale, AL

Built 1900 Load: 84.7 t ADT: 150

S.CHURCHILL RD

Good

Over: MITCHELL CREEK

1.0 MI N OF AL HWY 49S, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 2002 Load: 84.7 t ADT: 505

LINHOLM ROAD

Good

Over: EIGHT MILE CREEK

_, Baldwin, AL

Built 2020 Load: 84.9 t ADT: 44

Maplebrook DR

Good

Over: Russell Br

_, Limestone, AL

Built 2020 Load: 85.0 t ADT: 100

COOK ROAD

Good

Over: DODSON CREEK

.5MI E AL107 ON COOK RD, Fayette, AL

Built 2004 Load: 85.4 t ADT: 29

SANDFORT ROAD

Good

Over: COCHGALECHEE CREEK

SANDFORT ROAD, Russell, AL

Built 1972 Load: 85.5 t ADT: 2,200

BRADFORD DRIVE

Good

Over: SHERWOOD BRANCH TRIB

.5 MI WEST OF RIDEOUT RD, Madison, AL

Built 1987 Load: 85.5 t ADT: 19,200

DOUBLE GATE RD

Good

Over: TRAWICK CREEK

0.35 MI.E AL 69, Clarke, AL

Built 1959 Load: 85.5 t ADT: 100

US 78

Good

Over: CANE CREEK

.2 MILE E COOK SPRINGS RD, St. Clair, AL

Built 2014 Load: 85.5 t ADT: 1,071

COUNTY ROAD 16

Good

Over: WHITSITT CREEK

0.7 MI. N. OF NEWBERN, Hale, AL

Built 1955 Load: 85.6 t ADT: 300

SR 69

Good

Over: MILL CREEK

6.2 MI. N. OF NANAFALIA, Marengo, AL

Built 1993 Load: 85.6 t ADT: 1,300

COUNTY ROAD 68

Good

Over: BEAVER BRANCH

NEW EBENEZER RD, Crenshaw, AL

Built 1979 Load: 85.7 t ADT: 250

DANESE LANE

Good

Over: ALDRIDGE TRIB.

DANESE LN AT ALDRIDGE TRI, Madison, AL

Built 1987 Load: 85.8 t ADT: 290

CR 562

Good

Over: MARIOT CREEK

CR 562, Cullman, AL

Built 2009 Load: 85.9 t ADT: 15

COUNTY RT #4

Good

Over: LITTLE BEAR CREEK

0.4 MI E OF JCT SR #159, Pickens, AL

Built 1957 Load: 86.3 t ADT: 200

CO. 1094

Good

Over: SNAPPER CREEK

2.3 MI. N. OAK BOWERY, Chambers, AL

Built 2002 Load: 86.6 t ADT: 16

AL 155

Good

Over: CSX RR Active

1.3 MI N JCT US 31, Chilton, AL

Built 2018 Load: 86.6 t ADT: 2,754

SR 156

Good

Over: CREEK

6 MI. E. OF JACHIN, Choctaw, AL

Built 1985 Load: 86.8 t ADT: 1,460

AL - 25 (US 411)

Good

Over: BRANCH

2 . 9 MI NO JEF CO LN, St. Clair, AL

Built 1947 Load: 87.0 t ADT: 22,730

DAVID CAMBELL ROAD

Good

Over: GILE CREEK

1.2 MI EAST OF HAVANA, Hale, AL

Built 2020 Load: 87.0 t ADT: 47

SR 69

Good

Over: POWELL CREEK

2.0 MI. S. OF GALLION, Marengo, AL

Built 1987 Load: 87.1 t ADT: 860

COUNTY RD 57

Good

Over: FEAGIN CREEK

Enoch Road, Covington, AL

Built 1992 Load: 87.2 t ADT: 140

CO RT 8

Good

Over: CYPRESS CREEK RELIEF 1

1.3 MI W INT AL 157, Lauderdale, AL

Built 2005 Load: 87.3 t ADT: 900

VAUGHN ROAD

Good

Over: SPRING CREEK

4 MI NE OF BRROKSVILLE, Blount, AL

Built 2009 Load: 87.4 t ADT: 184

MCINTOSH ROAD

Good

Over: DRY BRANCH

3.0 KM E OF AL 21, Talladega, AL

Built 1998 Load: 87.5 t ADT: 970

COUNTY ROAD 2

Good

Over: BIG PRARIE CREEK TRIB.

1.6 MI.N. OF PRARIEVILLE, Hale, AL

Built 1900 Load: 87.6 t ADT: 200

_bridgham dr

Good

Over: _Indian Creek Relief

_0.3 mi north of US 72, Madison, AL

Built 2016 Load: 87.7 t ADT: 30

AL 34

Good

Over: POORHOUSE BRANCH

INT AL 34 * AL 77, Talladega, AL

Built 1994 Load: 87.8 t ADT: 3,458

SHOOTS LANE

Good

Over: CREEK (NO NAME)

MI. N OF CR24, Baldwin, AL

Built 2023 Load: 88.0 t ADT: 73

Washington Road

Good

Over: Snake Creek

2 Miles South of RT # 17, Pickens, AL

Built 2018 Load: 88.1 t ADT: 55

CR229 LIVEOAK ROAD

Good

Over: CR229 EILAND BRANCH

CR229 2 MSW CROSSROAD SCH, Chilton, AL

Built 1971 Load: 88.3 t ADT: 220

PHEASANT RD.

Good

Over: TRIB. TO WHITSITT CREEK

2.1 MI.N. OF NEWBERN, Hale, AL

Built 1955 Load: 88.4 t ADT: 200

CO RT 51

Good

Over: SIMPSON BRANCH

0.1 MI N INT US 72, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1993 Load: 88.6 t ADT: 330

CO RD 38

Good

Over: BLACKWATER CREEK

1 MI W JCT SR 5, Winston, AL

Built 1988 Load: 88.6 t ADT: 100

US 278

Good

Over: BRANCH

11 MI E JCT SR 9 * 74, Cherokee, AL

Built 1935 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 1,934

AL-18

Good

Over: Lubbub Creek Branch

3.9 Mi E Miss State Line, Lamar, AL

Built 1938 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 2,421

AL-74

Good

Over: Branch

1 MI W JCT AL 241, Marion, AL

Built 1941 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 1,588

US 278

Good

Over: INDIAN CREEK

5.5 MI E JCT SR 69, Cullman, AL

Built 1941 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 8,205

AL - 174

Good

Over: CANE CREEK

NORTH OF HAWKINS LANE, St. Clair, AL

Built 1941 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 4,900

AL-14

Good

Over: Lubbub Creek Branch

2.8 MI E Aliceville, Pickens, AL

Built 1942 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 1,083

AL - 25 (US 411)

Good

Over: BRANCH

2 TH MI SO JCT AL 174 W, St. Clair, AL

Built 1947 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 8,380

GEORGE WALLACE DR

Good

Over: PERSIMMON BRANCH

City of Troy, Pike, AL

Built 1951 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 3,000

WHITESVILLE RD

Good

Over: CREEK

Whitesville Road, Marshall, AL

Built 1951 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 140

SR 3

Good

Over: BRANCH

0.8 MI N JCT SR 3 & SR 67, Morgan, AL

Built 1928 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 30,960

Showing 15,351-15,400 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.