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

CO RT 24

Fair

Over: BARRON CREEK

1.4 W OF WALKER CO LINE, Fayette, AL

Built 1966 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 140

I65

Fair

Over: STREAM

3.1 MI.N.OF CO RD 25, Butler, AL

Built 1967 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 25,990

SWEENY HOLLOW RD

Fair

Over: DRY BRANCH

100 JCT AL 75 PINSON, Jefferson, AL

Built 1998 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 5,055

CO RD 540

Fair

Over: COHOBADIAH CR

COOL SPRINGS, Randolph, AL

Built 1942 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 95

US 29 MP 160.118

Fair

Over: INDIAN CREEK

1.5 MI E.PIKE CO 2201, Pike, AL

Built 1928 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 3,660

PALMER ROAD

Fair

Over: BRADFORD CREEK

1 MI W SULLIVAN STREET, Madison, AL

Built 1940 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 950

CO 134

Fair

Over: BRYANT BRANCH

1.2 MI S JCT CR 134, Jackson, AL

Built 1952 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 58

NUCLEAR PLANT RD

Fair

Over: ROUND ISLAND CR

5.5 MI WEST OF US 31, Limestone, AL

Built 1953 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 1,453

AL - 79

Fair

Over: HALLMARK CREEK

2.3 MI S WARRIOR RIVER, Blount, AL

Built 1953 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 6,760

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: SILAS MILL CREEK

6.5MI E BREWTON, Escambia, AL

Built 1954 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 450

CR. 16

Fair

Over: PERSIMMON CREEK RELIEF

2.4 MI. SE AVANT, Butler, AL

Built 1954 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 163

COUNTY ROAD 29

Fair

Over: HIGHLAND LAKE

3 1/2 SOUTH OF CHAMPION, Blount, AL

Built 1954 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 1,902

CO RD 25

Fair

Over: CLEAR CREEK

2 MI W JCT SR 195, Winston, AL

Built 1955 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 750

US 431

Fair

Over: NOWLIN BRANCH

US 431 * NOWLIN CREEK, Etowah, AL

Built 1959 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 33,989

CO RD 61

Fair

Over: TURKEY CREEK

1.5 MILES E ON RTE 61, Wilcox, AL

Built 1960 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 105

CO RD 11

Fair

Over: WAHALAK CREEK

0.1 MI S INT RT 144 * 151, Choctaw, AL

Built 1960 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 1,225

CR45 PROJ.S 1086

Fair

Over: MULBERRY CREEK

CR45 1MI EAST OF STANTON, Chilton, AL

Built 1961 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 250

SR 165

Fair

Over: HATCHECHUBBEE CREEK

SR 165 * HATCHECHUBBEE CK, Russell, AL

Built 1961 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 2,080

PLEASANTFIELD RD

Fair

Over: WOLF CREEK

3 MILES E HWY 69, Walker, AL

Built 1962 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 500

4TH AVE SW

Fair

Over: DRY BRANCH

JCT 4TH AVE * DRY BRANCH, Morgan, AL

Built 1962 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 3,652

CO 18

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

CANE CREEK CO 18, Cleburne, AL

Built 1963 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 300

CR 16

Fair

Over: OLD TOWN CREEK

.1 MILE E.CR 29, Perry, AL

Built 1965 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 510

I-59

Fair

Over: BLACK WARRIOR RIVER(-)

9.5 MI S OF TUSCALOOSA, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1971 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 13,235

.3 MI E ALA 9

Fair

Over: NANCES CREEK

KING GAP MTN RD, Calhoun, AL

Built 1972 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 55

COUNTY ROAD 1049

Fair

Over: MINK CREEK

0.50MI W CO RD 1014, Marshall, AL

Built 1969 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 150

COUNTY DIRT ROAD

Fair

Over: HORSE HEAD CREEK

4KM NW OF LOCKHART, Covington, AL

Built 1998 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 75

CHEROKEE #56

Fair

Over: MILLS CREEK

0.1 MI E INT CHEROKEE #97, Cherokee, AL

Built 1935 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 195

Lee Road 175

Fair

Over: UCHEE CREEK

1 MI N JCT S 169, Lee, AL

Built 1948 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 762

JOE QUICK RD

Fair

Over: FLINT RIVER

0.3 MI NE JCT CO RD 186, Madison, AL

Built 1948 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 3,078

CO 19

Fair

Over: DYNNE CREEK

CO 19 DYNNE CREEK, Cleburne, AL

Built 1949 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 960

AL - 25 (US 411)

Fair

Over: BEAVER CREEK

2.1 MI N JCT AL 174 W, St. Clair, AL

Built 1949 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 3,660

CO RD #41

Fair

Over: FEAGIN CREEK

Cottle Creek Road, Covington, AL

Built 1950 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 210

CAMP OLIVER ROAD

Fair

Over: MUD CREEK

2.3 MI W TOADVINE ROAD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1953 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 2,337

cr 1559

Fair

Over: BRANCH

Cr 1559, Cullman, AL

Built 1953 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 40

SR 21

Fair

Over: TRIB. TO HANES BRANCH

CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, Calhoun, AL

Built 1926 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 24,845

CO RD 37

Fair

Over: CS XRR

2MI N. OF SR185, Lowndes, AL

Built 1954 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 660

HWY #10

Fair

Over: EIGHT MILE CREEK

9 MI SW OF SAMSON, Geneva, AL

Built 1956 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 132

CO RT 22

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

3 MI WEST OWASSA, Conecuh, AL

Built 1957 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 328

FAS 14 CO RD 843

Fair

Over: TOWN CREEK

.8 MI E JCT SR 75 T7SR6E, DeKalb, AL

Built 1959 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 1,113

SR 53

Fair

Over: LIMESTONE CREEK

15 MI N JCT US72 * SR53, Madison, AL

Built 1957 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 8,223

COUNTY RD. 61

Fair

Over: DYAS CREEK

3.5 MI. N. OF S.R. 112, Baldwin, AL

Built 1957 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 518

CO RT 655

Fair

Over: DOUBLE BRIDGES CREEK

5.25 MI SW OF BATTENS XRD, Coffee, AL

Built 1958 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 60

SR 77

Fair

Over: ATN R/R

1 MI SO JCT SR 144, Calhoun, AL

Built 1958 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 7,823

SR1 / US 431

Fair

Over: L&N R/R(ABAND.) & CREEK

0.1 MI E OLD US 431, Calhoun, AL

Built 1960 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 9,724

SR1 / US 431

Fair

Over: L&N R/R (ABAND.) & CREEK

0.1 MI E OLD US 431, Calhoun, AL

Built 1960 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 9,724

CO.RD.59

Fair

Over: HOLLON BRANCH

NEAR CO RD 40, Autauga, AL

Built 1960 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 442

FIKES FERRY C.R.30

Fair

Over: MAIN BRIDGE RICE CREEK

2M EAST AL 5 IN MARION, Perry, AL

Built 1961 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 150

CO RT 349

Fair

Over: BRYANT CREEK

0.7 MI S JCT CR 78, Jackson, AL

Built 1961 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 95

CO RD 131

Fair

Over: BARNSVILLE CREEK

5 MILES SOUTH BARNSVILLE, Marion, AL

Built 1962 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 80

NAUVOO GALLOWAY RD

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

3 MILES N CARBON HILL, Walker, AL

Built 1962 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 350

Showing 1,501-1,550 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.