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

SR 87 MP 0.200

Fair

Over: PEA RIVER

0.2 MI N FL ST LINE, Geneva, AL

Built 1951 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,800

ROADWAY

Fair

Over: LITTLE KIN CK

0.4 MI SW WARD, Sumter, AL

Built 1951 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 145

COUNTY RT 13

Fair

Over: TOMBIGBEE RIVER RELIEF

1.1 MI. E. TOMBIGBEE RV., Marengo, AL

Built 1952 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 50

COUNTY RT. 13

Fair

Over: TOMBIGBEE RIVER RELIEF

1.3 MI. E. TOMBIGBEE RV., Marengo, AL

Built 1952 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 50

HARVEST RD

Fair

Over: LIMESTONE CR

SEC27 T2SR3W, Limestone, AL

Built 1953 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 675

CO RD 17

Fair

Over: CREEK

5 MI SOUTH OF US 80, Lowndes, AL

Built 1956 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 430

CO. HWY. 61

Fair

Over: LITTLE BEESWAX CREEK

2 MI. N. CO. 47, Shelby, AL

Built 1956 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 3,563

COUNTY ROAD 47

Fair

Over: MULBERRY FORK

8 MI W OF BLOUNTSVILLE, Blount, AL

Built 1957 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,522

OAK STREET WEST

Fair

Over: DRY BRANCH

500 W HWY 75 PINSON, Jefferson, AL

Built 1993 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 120

COUNTY HWY 1372

Fair

Over: SHORT CREEK

7118 FT S JCT 68, Marshall, AL

Built 1957 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 2,150

US 411 M.P.247.90

Fair

Over: COWAN CREEK

6.2 MI N JCT SR 25 * SR 9, Cherokee, AL

Built 1961 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 3,904

FAS 03 C.R.6

Fair

Over: CAHABA RIVER

20 8M E UNIONTOWN FAS03, Perry, AL

Built 1964 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,525

READY SECTION RD

Fair

Over: BRIER FORK CREEK

1.0 MI E JCT CO RD 106, Madison, AL

Built 1964 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 990

HWY 37

Fair

Over: BURNT MILL CREEK

SEC-19 T-7-N R-25-E, Dale, AL

Built 1965 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 105

CR 148

Fair

Over: BENNETTS BRANCH

0.55 MI S JCT CR 148, Jackson, AL

Built 1965 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 52

1ST STREET W

Fair

Over: EAST BRANCH

0.1 MI N JCT 4TH AVE S, Marion, AL

Built 1975 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 400

I - 65 - I - 459

Fair

Over: I 65 I459 AND RAMPS

I 65 I 459 INTERCHANGE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1977 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 11,363

CR 1674

Fair

Over: BRANCH

Cr 1674, Cullman, AL

Built 1963 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 60

PRESTWICK RD

Fair

Over: GAINES CREEK

PRESTWICK\WAGARVILLE, Washington, AL

Built 1988 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 200

SR 157

Fair

Over: SCROUGE ABOUT CREEK

6.7 M S JCT SR157 & SR36, Morgan, AL

Built 2007 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 5,160

SR 49

Fair

Over: KETCHEPEDRAKEE CREEK

9 MI N CSX RAILROAD, Clay, AL

Built 1930 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 868

SR 75

Fair

Over: SHORT CREEK

1.1 MI S JCT SR68 * SR75, Marshall, AL

Built 1942 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 11,491

CO. RD. 87

Fair

Over: WEHADKEE CREEK

(BENEFIELD BR), Randolph, AL

Built 1947 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 505

US 90

Fair

Over: RABBIT CREEK

1.4 MI W I-10, Mobile, AL

Built 1952 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 20,315

AL-118

Fair

Over: Mill Creek

1 MI E JCT SR 253, Marion, AL

Built 1936 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 6,051

BUCK JACKSON RD

Fair

Over: TURKEY CREEK

1.5 MI. S. ALA. 278, Lamar, AL

Built 1955 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 510

AL 66

Fair

Over: ROGERS CREEK

2.7MI.W.AL#5, Dallas, AL

Built 1955 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 490

County Road 30

Fair

Over: New River

3 MILES NORTH OF US78, Marion, AL

Built 1957 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 275

CR-12

Fair

Over: Bush Creek

5 MILES SE OF HACKLEBURG, Marion, AL

Built 1900 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 160

SR 117

Fair

Over: TENN RIVER RELIEF

0.5 MI S OF TENN RIVER, Jackson, AL

Built 1958 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 3,311

SR 69

Fair

Over: US 231 SR 53

JCT US 231 * SR 69, Marshall, AL

Built 1959 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 7,148

US 43

Fair

Over: CEDAR CREEK

0.9 MI S CO RD 96, Mobile, AL

Built 1952 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 15,349

CO RT 17

Fair

Over: JORDAN CREEK

4.5 MI NW CASTLEBERRY, Conecuh, AL

Built 1960 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 200

AL-74

Fair

Over: Sipsey River

7 MI E JCT AL-33, Winston, AL

Built 1960 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 3,197

AL 219

Fair

Over: OAKMULGEE CREEK

DALLAS-PERRY CO LINE, Dallas, AL

Built 1962 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 1,150

RAMP TO US 431

Fair

Over: N/S RR

I 59 * N/S RR, Etowah, AL

Built 1963 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 763

CO RD 79

Fair

Over: OPINTLOCCO CREEK

NE1/4 S26 T16 R25, Macon, AL

Built 1963 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 108

I-59

Fair

Over: WOODLAND LAKE RD (+)

2.0 MI S CAFFEE JCT, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1964 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 57,573

CO RD 51

Fair

Over: LONG BRANCH

COWARTS TO US 431, Houston, AL

Built 1964 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 281

CORINTH RD

Fair

Over: WESOBULGA CREEK

3.0 MI S CRAGFORD, Clay, AL

Built 1967 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 123

CO RD 91

Fair

Over: STREAM INTO MUD CREEK

.5 MI N CO RD 91 CO80 JCT, Franklin, AL

Built 1968 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 85

AL - 119

Fair

Over: BISHOP CREEK

AL 119 * BISHOP CK, Shelby, AL

Built 1969 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 11,270

US 84 MP 209.190

Fair

Over: STREAM

0.5 MI. E. SR.52, Houston, AL

Built 1973 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 23,060

I-59

Fair

Over: TOMBIGBEE RIVER

SUMTER * GREENE CO LINE, Sumter, AL

Built 1976 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 9,125

I-59

Fair

Over: TOMBIGBEE RIVER

SUMTER * GREEN CO LINE, Sumter, AL

Built 1976 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 21,974

COUNTY HWY 1372

Fair

Over: SCARHAM CREEK

4614 FT S JCT 75, Marshall, AL

Built 1976 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 140

BURMA RD. WEST

Fair

Over: SPENCERS BRANCH

0.2 MI E LONGLEAF DR., Mobile, AL

Built 1978 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 1,813

CO RD 131

Fair

Over: UNNAMED CREEK

2.0 MILES W.ON ROAD 131, Wilcox, AL

Built 1977 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 100

US 43

Fair

Over: ROCKY CREEK RELIEF

0.4 MI S FAYETTE CO LINE, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1925 Load: 22.9 t ADT: 2,950

CR 437 T beam

Fair

Over: BAVAR CREEK

CR 437 T beam, Cullman, AL

Built 1947 Load: 22.9 t ADT: 2,000

Showing 1,751-1,800 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.