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 90 WB

Poor

Over: TENSAW/SPANISH RIVER

MOBILE - BALD CO LINE, Mobile, AL

Built 1965 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 13,355

US 331

Poor

Over: STREAM

4.3 MI.S.AL 94 INTERSECTI, Montgomery, AL

Built 1970 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 3,880

AL-13

Poor

Over: BNSF Railroad

.5 MI S AL-118, Walker, AL

Built 1957 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 2,141

I - 20/59 SOUTH

Poor

Over: ARRON ARONOV DRIVE

I 59 * ARRON ARONOV DR., Jefferson, AL

Built 1968 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 41,990

I - 20/59 NORTH

Poor

Over: AARON ARONOV DRIVE

I 59 * ARRON ARONOV DR., Jefferson, AL

Built 1968 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 41,990

SR 91

Poor

Over: DORSEY CREEK

7 MI N JCT SR 69, Cullman, AL

Built 1972 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 665

I-65 NB

Poor

Over: SEPULGA RIVER RELIEF

0.1 MI S BUTLER CO LINE, Conecuh, AL

Built 1960 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 13,163

#36/DEWEY BONNER

Poor

Over: FENANCHE CREEK

2.2 MI EAST OF JCT SR #17, Pickens, AL

Built 1972 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 50

US 431

Poor

Over: HATCHECHUBBEE CREEK

0.3 MI S RR AT PITTSVIEW, Russell, AL

Built 1939 Load: 28.9 t ADT: 420

I - 59 SOUTH

Poor

Over: CANOE CREEK

I59 * CANOE CREEK, St. Clair, AL

Built 1961 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 10,585

I - 59 NORTH

Poor

Over: CANOE CREEK

I59 * CANOE CREEK, St. Clair, AL

Built 1961 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 10,585

I65 RAMP 52

Poor

Over: W.JEFF DAVIS AVE

I65 AND I85 INTERCHANGE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1972 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 10,490

AL-257

Poor

Over: Sipsey River

Duncan Bridge, Winston, AL

Built 1967 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 4,476

US 11

Poor

Over: NORFOLK & SO. RR Active

0.5 MI S JCT SR 215, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1955 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 9,300

SR 193

Poor

Over: MISS. SOUND * D.I. BAY

.80 MI N OF BIENVILLE AVE, Mobile, AL

Built 1982 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 5,641

AL - 3 NORTH

Poor

Over: PEAVINE CK * ACL RR

@ CO RD 52, Shelby, AL

Built 1924 Load: 30.4 t ADT: 28,511

I-85

Poor

Over: S JACKSON ST

1.5 MI N OF I65, Montgomery, AL

Built 1969 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 104,310

AL - 150

Poor

Over: LIL SHADES CK

AL - 150 * LIL SHADES CK, Jefferson, AL

Built 1945 Load: 30.7 t ADT: 12,820

AL.170

Poor

Over: FLAT BRANCH

2.3MI.E.JCT.AL.#14, Elmore, AL

Built 1972 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 4,820

AL 111

Poor

Over: LAKE JORDAN

8.0 MI.N OF AL 14, Elmore, AL

Built 1966 Load: 31.3 t ADT: 5,020

AL - 53 (US 231)

Poor

Over: STRAWBERRY CREEK

BLOUNT/CULLMAN CO LN, Blount, AL

Built 1931 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 4,370

US 80

Poor

Over: BRANCH

5.6 MI.E.OF DALLAS CO LIN, Lowndes, AL

Built 1925 Load: 31.9 t ADT: 7,950

COUNTY ROAD 102

Poor

Over: FOURMILE CREEK

1.2 MI E US 280, Talladega, AL

Built 1987 Load: 32.0 t ADT: 1,275

AL - 269

Poor

Over: LOCUST FK WARRIOR RV

AL 269 * ATWOOD FERRY, Jefferson, AL

Built 1966 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 2,070

AL-7

Poor

Over: Trib. to Minters Creek

4.0 MI E of I-20/59, Greene, AL

Built 1918 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,088

CITY STREET

Poor

Over: DARBY CREEK

SYLACAUGA SYLVEST PLANT, Talladega, AL

Built 1955 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 300

IN 85

Poor

Over: UNION ST

1.3 MI N OF I65, Montgomery, AL

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 83,530

CO.RD.68

Poor

Over: SHOAL CREEK

WADSWORTH, Autauga, AL

Built 1982 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 598

SR 9

Poor

Over: COTTAQUILA CREEK

10.6 MI NO JCT US 78, Calhoun, AL

Built 1940 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 2,863

LODGE DRIVE

Poor

Over: MILLIES CRK

525 SOUTH OF AL110, Montgomery, AL

Built 2006 Load: 34.1 t ADT: 241

CR463/MOSELY RD

Poor

Over: UNNAMED BRANCH

0.13 MI W OF AL-5, Wilcox, AL

Built 1991 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 45

I - 459 SOUTH

Poor

Over: CAHABA RIVER

I459 * CAHABA RIVER, Jefferson, AL

Built 1981 Load: 37.1 t ADT: 99,312

CR 463 MOSELEY RD

Poor

Over: SLATER BRANCH

.59 MILES W SR 5, Wilcox, AL

Built 1991 Load: 37.5 t ADT: 45

US 280

Poor

Over: FIRST AVENUE

0.3MI E INT US 29, Lee, AL

Built 1996 Load: 40.7 t ADT: 32,040

SR 26

Poor

Over: BRANCH

1.2 MI E JCT SR 51, Russell, AL

Built 1926 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 1,060

SR 26

Poor

Over: KING BRANCH

0.8 MI W OF HATCHECHUBBE, Russell, AL

Built 1926 Load: 43.8 t ADT: 1,490

HARRAGATE SPRINGS

Poor

Over: BRANCH

.5 MILES FROM AL 9, Elmore, AL

Built 1984 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 60

US 82

Poor

Over: CANEY BRANCH

3.9 MI.E OF AL 51 JCT, Bullock, AL

Built 1928 Load: 46.0 t ADT: 2,270

BRIDGE E OF G101

Poor

Over: CANE CREEK

EAST OF G101, Calhoun, AL

Built 1940 Load: 48.3 t ADT: 30

RANGER ST

Poor

Over: INDIAN CREEK

W SATURN RD NEAR BLD 4625, Madison, AL

Built 1970 Load: 49.2 t ADT: 200

AL - 74 (US 278)

Poor

Over: BIG SPRING CREEK

.7 MI.E.AL 79, Blount, AL

Built 1953 Load: 51.6 t ADT: 5,810

AL 205

Poor

Over: ATN RR

AL 205 * ATN RR, Etowah, AL

Built 1924 Load: 51.9 t ADT: 1,410

SR 169

Poor

Over: FLAKE CREEK

6.6 MI S OPELIKA, Lee, AL

Built 1948 Load: 55.2 t ADT: 3,640

SR 77

Poor

Over: WESOBULGA CREEK

5.7 MI W RANDOLPH CO LINE, Clay, AL

Built 1950 Load: 55.2 t ADT: 1,181

SR 77

Poor

Over: ALLEN CREEK(HOOTALOCCO)

4.8 MI W JCT US 431, Chambers, AL

Built 1941 Load: 61.1 t ADT: 1,261

SR 22

Poor

Over: TIMBER GUT CREEK

5 MI E HILLABEE CREEK, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 1939 Load: 83.1 t ADT: 2,681

AL - 5 (US 11)

Poor

Over: OPOSSUM CREEK

@ BESSEMER PLAZA MALL, Jefferson, AL

Built 1955 Load: 88.7 t ADT: 19,500

AL 160

Poor

Over: PANNEL CREEK

AL 160 * PANNEL CK, Blount, AL

Built 1950 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 4,441

I-85

Poor

Over: MOORES MILL CREEK

4.1 MI N JCT US 29, Lee, AL

Built 1958 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 40,660

COUNTY ROAD 11

Poor

Over: BEAVER BRANCH RELIEF

BURGAMY SWAMP RD., Crenshaw, AL

Built 1961 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 555

Showing 16,151-16,200 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.