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

US 431 MP 68.102

Fair

Over: C.OF.G.RR (ABANDONED)

0.1 MI. SOUTH JCT. US 82, Barbour, AL

Built 1962 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 10,020

US 431 MP 68.102

Fair

Over: C.G.RR (ABANDONED)

0.1 MI. SOUTH JCT. US 82, Barbour, AL

Built 1962 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 10,020

MAUD & ALLSBORO RD

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

ALLSBORO RD @ PETERTOWN, Colbert, AL

Built 1963 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 200

CO RD 99

Fair

Over: MUD CREEK

0.6 MI S CO 48 CO99 JCT, Franklin, AL

Built 1963 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 450

I65 SBL

Fair

Over: STREAM

2.5 MI.S.OF US.31, Montgomery, AL

Built 1965 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 16,060

AL 605

Fair

Over: LITTLE CHOCTAWHATCHEE

.4 MI NORTH US 84, Houston, AL

Built 1965 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 9,450

25 TH ST/ENSLEY

Fair

Over: I 59/20

I59 * 25 TH STREET/ENSLEY, Jefferson, AL

Built 1966 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 5,800

SR 247

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

2 M S JCT SR 247 & SR 2, Colbert, AL

Built 1966 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 1,790

CO RD 27

Fair

Over: MOCCASIN CREEK

0.1 MILES W.ON RTE.27, Wilcox, AL

Built 1967 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 500

CO RD 43

Fair

Over: WAHALAK CREEK

0.9 MI N INT RT 87 * 130, Choctaw, AL

Built 1967 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 450

AL - 75

Fair

Over: YANCEY CK

AL 75 AT US 11, Jefferson, AL

Built 1968 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 50,840

US 11

Fair

Over: BRANCH

US 11 * ALA 75, Jefferson, AL

Built 1968 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 24,470

SR 255

Fair

Over: US 72; SR 2

JCT US 72 * SR 255, Madison, AL

Built 1968 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 29,982

SR 255

Fair

Over: US 72; SR 2

JCT US 72 * SR 255, Madison, AL

Built 1968 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 29,982

SR 17

Fair

Over: BRANCH

2 M S AL & TN ST LINE, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1921 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 3,212

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: WILDFORK CREEK

1MI E FOSHEE, Escambia, AL

Built 1969 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 240

STRATFORD RD

Fair

Over: BRUSH CREEK

JCT STRATFORD RD*BRUSH CK, Morgan, AL

Built 1970 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 10,086

5 TH ST

Fair

Over: HALLS CREEK

WESTLAKE DR. * 5TH ST., Jefferson, AL

Built 1970 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 2,000

US 331 MP 12.309

Fair

Over: BRANCH

250 FT. SOUTH CO RD 20, Covington, AL

Built 1929 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 2,770

US 43

Fair

Over: BEAVER CREEK REL.

5.9 MI. N. OF DIXONMILL, Marengo, AL

Built 1976 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 2,640

US 43

Fair

Over: BEAVER CREEK

6 MI. N. OF DIXON MILL, Marengo, AL

Built 1976 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 2,640

AL - 4 (US 78)

Fair

Over: SHADES CREEK

KILGORE MEM. DRIVE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1955 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 10,930

CR-49

Fair

Over: Unnamed Branch

0.6 MI. S. MT. OLIVE, Coosa, AL

Built 1946 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 1,201

I-65 NB TO I165 SB

Fair

Over: I-65

I-165 * I-65 INTERCHANGE, Mobile, AL

Built 1993 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 11,726

SR 41

Fair

Over: BURNT CORN CREEK

2 MI N US 31, Escambia, AL

Built 1994 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 2,425

CO RD 458

Fair

Over: CUTNOSE CREEK

UPPER MOTE)S HAWK, Randolph, AL

Built 1920 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 50

PUBLIC WORKS RD.

Fair

Over: EIGHT MILE CREEK

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

Built 1996 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 39

EAST PERIMETER RD

Fair

Over: STEEP HEAD CRK

SE OF STRUCTURE 25454, Coffee, AL

Built 1977 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 20

JOHNSON ROAD #2

Fair

Over: TRIB OF CLAYBANK CRK

NE OF STRUCTURE 25456, Dale, AL

Built 1977 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 20

RIFF RD

Fair

Over: TRIB OF STEEP HEAD CREEK

SE OF STRUCTURE 25463, Dale, AL

Built 1977 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 100

FORESTRY ACESS RD

Fair

Over: TRIB OF CLAYBANK CREEK

S OF W HWY 27, Dale, AL

Built 1990 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 10

STEGER RD

Fair

Over: SANDIDGE CREEK

2.0 MI E JCT US HWY 431, Madison, AL

Built 1939 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 1,256

KING DRAKE RD

Fair

Over: HARRISON BRANCH

0.2 MI SO CO RD 1332, Madison, AL

Built 1939 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 250

US 31

Fair

Over: CSX RR 000429.6 Active

R.R 1.9 MI S SHELBY LINE, Chilton, AL

Built 1941 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 4,182

AL.14

Fair

Over: STREAM

2.0 MI.E.JCT US.80, Dallas, AL

Built 1953 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 5,930

CO RD 25

Fair

Over: SPLUNGE CREEK

2 MI E JCT SR 5, Winston, AL

Built 1954 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 750

SR 53 MP 19.643

Fair

Over: ATLANTA * ST. A. BAY R.

1 MI. INSIDE ROSS CLARK C, Houston, AL

Built 1956 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 7,850

SR 187

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

3.2 M N JCT SR187 & SR172, Franklin, AL

Built 1956 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 250

CO RD 68

Fair

Over: ROCK CREEK

1.5 MI E CO 48 CO 68 JCT, Franklin, AL

Built 1959 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 270

CO RD 29

Fair

Over: I-65

4.2 MI N SR 83, Conecuh, AL

Built 1960 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 1,241

COPELAND RD

Fair

Over: LIMESTONE CR

SEC26 T2S R3W, Limestone, AL

Built 1960 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 700

KELLEY CRK RD

Fair

Over: I - 20

CO RD 10 * I20, St. Clair, AL

Built 1961 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 1,820

CHEROKEE #20

Fair

Over: COOSA RIVER

1.5 MI W JCT SR 25, Cherokee, AL

Built 1962 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 700

COUNTY ROAD 30

Fair

Over: PINEY WOODS CREEK

BODIFORD POOL RD., Crenshaw, AL

Built 1962 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 250

COUNTY ROAD 30

Fair

Over: BLUE CREEK

BODIFORD POOL RD., Crenshaw, AL

Built 1962 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 250

CO RD 39

Fair

Over: SMALL CREEK

0.2 MI S INT RT 8 * 110, Choctaw, AL

Built 1963 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 380

COUNTY ROAD 83

Fair

Over: LIGHTWOOD KNOT CREEK

MORGAN MILL RD., Crenshaw, AL

Built 1964 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 160

MAYSVILLE RD

Fair

Over: DALLAS CREEK

1020 MAYSVILLE RD, Madison, AL

Built 1965 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 2,525

CO RT 270

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

1.2 MI E CO RT 127T7SR9E, DeKalb, AL

Built 1977 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 213

AL 41

Fair

Over: WHITE OAK CREEK

3.0 MI.S.AL 89, Dallas, AL

Built 1988 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 820

Showing 1,551-1,600 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.