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

Lee Road 126

Fair

Over: BRUSH CREEK

1.5 MI E JCT LEE RD 165, Lee, AL

Built 1950 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 292

Lee Road 86

Fair

Over: LITTLE LOBLOCKEE CREEK

0.7 MI N JCT LEE RD 72, Lee, AL

Built 1950 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 98

SHORT ST

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

SHORT ST * LOVOY ST, Jefferson, AL

Built 1950 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 200

COLLIER DR

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

COLLIER DR * LOVOY ST, Jefferson, AL

Built 1950 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 85

CORNER SCHOOL RD

Fair

Over: WARD CREEK

100 S BANKSTON RD CORNER, Jefferson, AL

Built 1950 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 3,198

CORNER SCHOOL RD

Fair

Over: WARD CREEK TRIBUTARY

2 MI S OF CORNER, Jefferson, AL

Built 1950 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 2,580

CAPSHAW ROAD

Fair

Over: LIMESTONE CREEK

SEC13 T3S R3W, Limestone, AL

Built 1952 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 5,154

SR 10

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

1.2 MI. E. OF VINELAND, Marengo, AL

Built 1953 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,590

AL-14

Fair

Over: Coal Fire Creek Relief

4.8 MI E MISS ST LINE, Pickens, AL

Built 1953 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,215

SR 69

Fair

Over: TALLAHATTA CREEK

.6MI.S.OF CAMBELL, Clarke, AL

Built 1954 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 230

SR 69

Fair

Over: BASHI CREEK

.8MI.N.OF CAMPBELL, Clarke, AL

Built 1954 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 230

cr 1807

Fair

Over: WARRIOR RIVER

CR 1807, Cullman, AL

Built 1954 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 130

CO RT 83

Fair

Over: BRYANT CREEK

0.3 MI N JCT CR 88, Jackson, AL

Built 1954 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 240

COUNTY ROAD #4

Fair

Over: YELLOW RIVER

CR. 4, Covington, AL

Built 1955 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,068

SR 9

Fair

Over: CHOCCOLOCCO CREEK

6.9 MI NO JCT US 78, Calhoun, AL

Built 1955 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 3,475

SR 9

Fair

Over: CHOCCOLOCCO CREEK RELIEF

7 MI NO JCT US 78, Calhoun, AL

Built 1955 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 3,475

SR 66

Fair

Over: SAND CREEK

3.1 MI. E. OF CONSUL, Marengo, AL

Built 1955 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 380

SR 66

Fair

Over: SAND CREEK REL.

3.4 MI. E. OF CONSUL, Marengo, AL

Built 1955 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 380

SR 117

Fair

Over: SNAKE CREEK

2 MI NW JCT SR75 * SR117, DeKalb, AL

Built 1955 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 3,511

F.A.S.17

Fair

Over: CAHABA RIVER

8.3MI NW AL 25 BLCTN RD, Bibb, AL

Built 1956 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 135

ST CLAIR CO HWY 8

Fair

Over: FISHING CREEK

0.1 S UNITY CHURCH, St. Clair, AL

Built 1956 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 450

AL 183

Fair

Over: OAKMULGEE CREEK RLF

1.4 MI N PERRY CO LINE, Chilton, AL

Built 1956 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 450

AL 183

Fair

Over: OAKMULGEE CREEK

1.6 MI N PERRY CO LINE, Chilton, AL

Built 1956 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 433

LINK ROAD

Fair

Over: BLACK CREEK

1.5 MI N OF TAYLOR FERRY, Jefferson, AL

Built 1956 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,570

SR 106 MP 33.071

Fair

Over: PATSALIGA CREEK

.2 MI.W.CRENSHAW 77, Crenshaw, AL

Built 1957 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 630

GANDY STREET

Fair

Over: GARMAN BRANCH

0.1 MI W JCT US 43, Franklin, AL

Built 1957 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 500

Lee Road 138

Fair

Over: FLAKE CREEK

0.3 MI W JCT S 169, Lee, AL

Built 1958 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 73

CR-18

Fair

Over: Unnamed Branch

1.99 MI. N CR-14, Coosa, AL

Built 1959 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 159

CO RD 1027

Fair

Over: BROCKWAY CREEK

0.75 MI W AL HWY 17, Sumter, AL

Built 1958 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 160

COUNTY ROAD 55

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK

AL 53 TO US 231 SOUTH, Houston, AL

Built 1958 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 860

1 MI W AL 21

Fair

Over: TALLAHATCHEE CREEK

MERRELLTON RD., Calhoun, AL

Built 1960 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 123

GLASGOW HOLLOW RD

Fair

Over: FIELDS BRANCH

1.2 MI N HWY 78, Jefferson, AL

Built 1960 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,355

CO RD 31

Fair

Over: I - 59

CO RD 31 * I59, St. Clair, AL

Built 1961 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 966

CR-36

Fair

Over: ROCKY FORD CREEK RELIEF

10.5 MI. N.E. VERNON, Lamar, AL

Built 1961 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 450

AL-86

Fair

Over: Lubbub Creek

1.2 MI E Carrollton, Pickens, AL

Built 1961 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 3,058

AL 110

Fair

Over: BUGHALL CREEK

2.04MI E OF CO. RD. 7, Bullock, AL

Built 1961 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 3,400

AL 110

Fair

Over: BUGHALL CREEK RELIEF

2.18MI E OF CO. RD. 7, Bullock, AL

Built 1961 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 3,400

AL 110

Fair

Over: SLAUGHTERS CREEK

2.5 MI E OF CO. RD. 7, Bullock, AL

Built 1961 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 3,400

CO RD 22

Fair

Over: CAMPGROUND BRANCH

6.6 MI. WEST-WMLK HWY, Macon, AL

Built 1962 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 325

CO RD 88

Fair

Over: JACKS CREEK

2MI S AL 35 T7SR8E, DeKalb, AL

Built 1962 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 351

CO. HWY 21

Fair

Over: BEAVER DAM CREEK

3 MILES S COFFEE SPGS, Geneva, AL

Built 1963 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 96

CO. RD. #81

Fair

Over: ROBINSON BRANCH

2.1 MI. OF AL #10, Henry, AL

Built 1963 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 70

SANFORT RD.

Fair

Over: US 431

MI 115.9-1.33 MI E US 80, Russell, AL

Built 1963 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 4,710

CR. 37

Fair

Over: ROCKY CREEK

CHAPMAN, Butler, AL

Built 1964 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 309

CO 49

Fair

Over: HURTSBORO CREEK

1 MI S RUTHERFORD, Russell, AL

Built 1964 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 360

HWY NO 8

Fair

Over: SELLERS CREEK

4 MILES NE OF GENEVA, Geneva, AL

Built 1966 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 317

RIVER ROAD

Fair

Over: CAMPBELL CREEK

2 MILES NE OF ROBBINS, Jefferson, AL

Built 1950 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 686

CO RD 037

Fair

Over: MORTAR CREEK

SEC 13 T18N R17E, Elmore, AL

Built 1968 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 50

WARRIOR-JASPER RD

Fair

Over: BREWER CREEK

3 MI W OF WARRIOR, Jefferson, AL

Built 1968 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 7,623

WARRIOR-JASPER RD

Fair

Over: THOMAS CREEK

2.5 MI W OF WARRIOR, Jefferson, AL

Built 1968 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 7,623

Showing 2,601-2,650 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.