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

MCCLELLAN RD.

Poor

Over: BRANCH

MCCLELLAN RD, Calhoun, AL

Built 1950 Load: 14.8 t ADT: 242

THOMAS AVE

Poor

Over: TOULMIN SPRINGS

0.2 MI E US 45, Mobile, AL

Built 1974 Load: 15.3 t ADT: 446

COUNTY ROAD 132

Poor

Over: BRANCH OF CROOKED CREEK

2.8 MI E OF AL HWY 21, Talladega, AL

Built 1986 Load: 15.3 t ADT: 125

READS MILL RD.

Poor

Over: OHATCHEE CREEK

READS MILL, Calhoun, AL

Built 1966 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 493

CO RD 416

Poor

Over: SANDY CREEK

1 MI W JCT SR 33, Winston, AL

Built 1988 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 100

BUSHY BRANCH RD.

Poor

Over: NO NAME CREEK

Bushy Branch Road, Covington, AL

Built 2008 Load: 15.7 t ADT: 50

W SWEENEYS LN

Poor

Over: TOULMIN SPRINGS

0.17 MI N US 45, Mobile, AL

Built 1975 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 3,072

CO.RD.#92

Poor

Over: LITTLE TALL. RIVER

BUTLERS RELIEF, Randolph, AL

Built 1964 Load: 16.1 t ADT: 200

ALEX-WELL. RD.

Poor

Over: ALEXANDRIA CREEK

ALEX-WELL RD, Calhoun, AL

Built 1935 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 2,573

ROSEDALE AVE

Poor

Over: TOULMIN SPRINGS

0.2 MI S MAGEE ST, Mobile, AL

Built 1974 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 861

COUNTY RD. 63

Poor

Over: GEORGE CREEK

6.3 MILES NE OF BERRY, Fayette, AL

Built 1956 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 330

BOB WADE LANE

Poor

Over: DRY CREEK

0.2 MILE WEST PULASKI PIK, Madison, AL

Built 1948 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 900

LYONS ST

Poor

Over: SNAKE BAYOU

0.5 MI W ALA 188, Mobile, AL

Built 1947 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 118

REC. AREA ROAD

Poor

Over: DRY CREEK - CHEAHA LAKE

9.6 MI N OF S PARK BDRY., Clay, AL

Built 1958 Load: 17.5 t ADT: 167

AL. 81

Poor

Over: UPHAPEE CREEK

0.3 MI.N.I85, Macon, AL

Built 1945 Load: 17.7 t ADT: 1,740

CO 137

Poor

Over: UCHEE CREEK

4.2 MI N JCT SR 169, Russell, AL

Built 1925 Load: 18.0 t ADT: 357

BANK STREET

Poor

Over: INDIAN CREEK

CITY OF PARRISH, Walker, AL

Built 1940 Load: 18.0 t ADT: 1

DRY CREEK RD

Poor

Over: DRY CREEK

BASHI, Washington, AL

Built 1983 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 100

CO RT 74 GRAVEL R

Poor

Over: WELLS CREEK

5M LEFT TURN OFF CO RT74, Perry, AL

Built 1966 Load: 18.9 t ADT: 130

CR 214

Poor

Over: YELLOW CREEK

0.65 MI S 72 ON CR 108, Jackson, AL

Built 1986 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 28

COUNTY RD 86

Poor

Over: GANTT LAKE

DUNNS BRIDGE, Covington, AL

Built 1954 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 360

SPARKMAN ST

Poor

Over: SHOAL CREEK

JCT SPARKMAN ST*SHOAL CRK, Morgan, AL

Built 1915 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 2,123

ROADWAY

Poor

Over: CO RT 1149 CREEK

0.5 MI S CO RT 1150, Sumter, AL

Built 1978 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 25

C0 81

Poor

Over: CARR CREEK

.5 MI SOTH of HOLLIS, Cleburne, AL

Built 1960 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 15

HINKLE ROAD

Poor

Over: POLY CREEK

.8 MI S AL 22, Chilton, AL

Built 1968 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 1,000

CO.RT.615

Poor

Over: BRANCH AT WILSON CRK

0.3 MI. E. AL.43, Marengo, AL

Built 1989 Load: 20.3 t ADT: 50

CO RD 2

Poor

Over: BEAR CREEK

3MI WEST OF ALA 10, Wilcox, AL

Built 1970 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 250

AL.10

Poor

Over: PEAVY CREEK

0.3 MI.W.OF I65, Butler, AL

Built 1935 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 4,370

COUNTY DIRT RD

Poor

Over: INDIAN CREEK

2 MI SOUTH OF HORN HILL, Covington, AL

Built 1952 Load: 21.0 t ADT: 80

COUNTY DIRT RD

Poor

Over: INDIAN CREEK

EAST OF HOLLOWAY BRIDGE, Covington, AL

Built 1948 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 110

MTN GAP ROAD

Poor

Over: DRY CREEK

1/2 MI NE OF FIVE PTS, Blount, AL

Built 1961 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 162

WHIGHAM ROAD

Poor

Over: DUNBAR CREEK

DUNBAR, Washington, AL

Built 1987 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 150

AL0601 (OLD AL143)

Poor

Over: CSX RAIL ROAD

1.4MI N. OF JACKSON ST., Montgomery, AL

Built 1937 Load: 21.6 t ADT: 62

AL-5

Poor

Over: Mulberry Fork Warrior

6 MI E Jasper, Walker, AL

Built 1978 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 11,113

SR 38 / US280

Poor

Over: SOCAPATOY CREEK

12.2 MI E. TALL CO LINE, Coosa, AL

Built 1972 Load: 22.3 t ADT: 11,322

PRICE RIVERS RD

Poor

Over: CHOCTAW BRANCH

SIMS CHAPEL, Washington, AL

Built 1985 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 200

OLD MILL RD

Poor

Over: CROOKED CREEK

2.0 M SW LINEVILLE, Clay, AL

Built 1964 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 173

SR 247

Poor

Over: LITTLE BEAR CREEK

4 M N JCT SR247 & SR 24, Franklin, AL

Built 1964 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 1,230

DIRT RD-ABB RD

Poor

Over: HENSON CREEK

1 MI N CO RD 20-ABB RD, Washington, AL

Built 1985 Load: 23.4 t ADT: 100

US 31

Poor

Over: DRAINAGE CANAL

0.45 MI S OF ALA RIVER, Montgomery, AL

Built 1926 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 20,900

SPARKMAN DR

Poor

Over: PINHOOK CREEK

SPARKMAN * MEMORIALPKY, Madison, AL

Built 1968 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 19,100

SR 243

Poor

Over: CEDAR CREEK

3.5 M S JCT SR243 & SR 24, Franklin, AL

Built 1965 Load: 24.4 t ADT: 3,290

US 31 NBL

Poor

Over: CATOMA CREEK

0.6 MI S OF SO BY PASS, Montgomery, AL

Built 1955 Load: 24.7 t ADT: 7,885

COUNTY RT 155

Poor

Over: LITTLE COALFIRE CREEK

0.3 MILE NORTH OF CORT34, Pickens, AL

Built 1941 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 75

I65 NBL

Poor

Over: PINTLALA CREEK

2.6 MI.N.OF TYSON RD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1965 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 16,060

US 331

Poor

Over: STREAM

1.85 MI.S.AL 94 INTERSECT, Montgomery, AL

Built 1970 Load: 26.0 t ADT: 4,160

AL 81

Poor

Over: W. OF AL. RR

IN NOTASULGA, Macon, AL

Built 1936 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 1,660

AL-7

Poor

Over: Sims Creek

1.1 MI S I-59, Greene, AL

Built 1937 Load: 26.4 t ADT: 1,210

AL.199

Poor

Over: BRANCH

1.4 MIN.JCT AL#81, Macon, AL

Built 1943 Load: 26.4 t ADT: 1,270

TURNER DIRT RD

Poor

Over: GUM SPRINGS BRANCH

DEER PARK, Washington, AL

Built 1983 Load: 27.1 t ADT: 15

Showing 16,101-16,150 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.