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

VANITY FAIR RD

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.4 MI S INT AL 17 * 165, Choctaw, AL

Built 1960 Load: 25.0 t ADT: 1,100

WALSTON BRIDGE RD

Fair

Over: BLACKWATER CREEK

4 MILE N JASPER, Walker, AL

Built 1961 Load: 25.0 t ADT: 700

ALA 9

Fair

Over: COOSA RIVER RELIEF

4 MI N JCT ALA9 * ALA25, Cherokee, AL

Built 1961 Load: 25.0 t ADT: 9,959

SR 9

Fair

Over: COOSA RIVER RELIEF

1 MI S JCT SR 68, Cherokee, AL

Built 1961 Load: 25.0 t ADT: 9,959

E PETAIN ST

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

0.3 MI W TELEGRAPH RD, Mobile, AL

Built 1962 Load: 25.0 t ADT: 250

COUNTY ROAD 1

Fair

Over: LINE CREEK

SEC-6 T-3-N R-23-E, Dale, AL

Built 1963 Load: 25.0 t ADT: 502

CO RD 75

Fair

Over: BRUNERS GIN CREEK

CO RD 33 TO CO RD 81, Houston, AL

Built 1963 Load: 25.0 t ADT: 330

CO 129-MAHAFFEY RD

Fair

Over: I-20

4.5 MI E EXT 173, Talladega, AL

Built 1965 Load: 25.0 t ADT: 364

CO RT 18

Fair

Over: UPTON BRANCH

.5MI E CHIGGER HILLT7SR6E, DeKalb, AL

Built 1968 Load: 25.0 t ADT: 128

US 231 MP 56.381

Fair

Over: PEA RIVER

0.5 MI. N. SR 123, Dale, AL

Built 1970 Load: 25.0 t ADT: 7,235

I-10 EB

Fair

Over: CANAL; JACKSON; RAMP 6

WEST TUNNEL INTERCHANGE, Mobile, AL

Built 1972 Load: 25.0 t ADT: 35,896

I65 SBL

Fair

Over: AL RIVER RELIEF NO.11

0.2 MI N OF MONTG CO, Elmore, AL

Built 1972 Load: 25.0 t ADT: 35,045

ROAD

Fair

Over: OMUSSEE CREEK

RC BR. ON CO. PAVEDRD. 6, Henry, AL

Built 1972 Load: 25.0 t ADT: 100

HALF MILE ROAD

Fair

Over: UNNAMED BRANCH

668W.OF PINE SPRINGS RD, Mobile, AL

Built 1959 Load: 25.0 t ADT: 5,301

COOSA DRIVE

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

2.1 MI NE AL 21, Calhoun, AL

Built 1936 Load: 25.0 t ADT: 400

MORGAN RD BESSEMER

Fair

Over: SHADES CREEK

MORGAN, Jefferson, AL

Built 1930 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 13,751

US 411

Fair

Over: SANDY CREEK

7.3 MI W GA ST LINE, Cherokee, AL

Built 1928 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 3,733

SLAUGHTER RD

Fair

Over: INDIAN CREEK

0.1 MI N ALA HWY 20, Madison, AL

Built 1940 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 11,100

US 80

Fair

Over: LONG BRANCH

1 MI E JCT SR 169, Russell, AL

Built 1944 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 7,540

SR 63

Fair

Over: OAKTASASI CREEK

2 MI N ALEX CITY, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 1947 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 1,603

SR 63

Fair

Over: TOWN CREEK

3.7 MI N ALEX CITY, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 1947 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 1,603

RT #2/BENEVOLA RD.

Fair

Over: OLNEY BRANCH

4.6 MI EAST OF US HWY#14, Pickens, AL

Built 1948 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 600

WEST LIMESTONE RD

Fair

Over: BRIER FORK CREEK

0.3MILE WEST JCT CORD 152, Madison, AL

Built 1948 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 1,620

Lee Road 194

Fair

Over: STURKIE CREEK

1.5 MI S E JCT LEE RD 175, Lee, AL

Built 1950 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 12

County Road

Fair

Over: LIMESTONE CREEK

Curry Rd, Monroe, AL

Built 1951 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 75

OLD R R BED RD

Fair

Over: LIMESTONE CREEK

1.1 MI N TONEY, Madison, AL

Built 1951 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 1,020

OLD R R BED RD

Fair

Over: LIMESTONE CREEK

1.3 MI S TENN STATE LINE, Madison, AL

Built 1951 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 2,047

WOODS COVE RD

Fair

Over: ROSEBERRY CREEK

2.5 MI N JCT US 72, Jackson, AL

Built 1952 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 2,040

LITTLE COVE RD

Fair

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

2 MI W JCT US HWY 72, Madison, AL

Built 1953 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 2,297

SR 227

Fair

Over: BLACK OAK CREEK

4 MI N JCT SR75 * SR227, DeKalb, AL

Built 1954 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 1,359

COUNTY RT 27

Fair

Over: COALFIRE CREEK

3.3 MI NORTH OF US #82, Pickens, AL

Built 1955 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 200

ST CLAIR CO HWY16

Fair

Over: DYE CREEK

2 0 MI NE CROPWELL P O, St. Clair, AL

Built 1955 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 4,438

MER. BOTTOM RD

Fair

Over: BRIER FORK FLINT RIVER

1.5 EAST 231 NORTH, Madison, AL

Built 1956 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 1,479

MER. BOTTOM RD

Fair

Over: BRIER FORK FLINT RIVER

1.6 MI EAST HWY 231NORTH, Madison, AL

Built 1956 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 1,774

CO RD 9

Fair

Over: CALEBEE CREEK TRIB

1.5 MILES NORTH US80W, Macon, AL

Built 1959 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 268

DUNCAN RD FAS 03

Fair

Over: WATER SHED CREEK

7 MILE EAST U TOWN, Perry, AL

Built 1959 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 370

SR 69

Fair

Over: U.S.43

JACKSON, Clarke, AL

Built 1959 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 3,740

SR21

Fair

Over: PED./BICYCLE- LADIGA

CITY OF PIEDMONT, Calhoun, AL

Built 1959 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 6,211

CHEROKEE #22

Fair

Over: BIG MUD CREEK

0.6 MI N JCT CO RT 45, Cherokee, AL

Built 1960 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 850

FAS 09

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

0.7 MI N JCT CO RT 16, Cherokee, AL

Built 1960 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 2,125

CHEROKEE #31

Fair

Over: THREE MILE CREEK

1.1 MI N INT CHERO #22, Cherokee, AL

Built 1960 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 400

CHEROKEE #63

Fair

Over: LITTLE NOSE CREEK

2.0 MI NE INT CHERO #26, Cherokee, AL

Built 1960 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 415

CO RD 78

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

.8 MI E 5 POINTS T7SR9E, DeKalb, AL

Built 1960 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 406

MT LEBANON RD

Fair

Over: BEAVER DAM CREEK

0.5 MI CO RD 157, Madison, AL

Built 1960 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 903

AIRPORT BLVD WB

Fair

Over: I-65

I-65 @ AIRPORT BLVD, Mobile, AL

Built 1961 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 23,768

AIRPORT BLVD EB

Fair

Over: I-65

I-65 @ AIRPORT BLVD, Mobile, AL

Built 1961 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 24,771

ZIERDT RD

Fair

Over: BARREN FORK CREEK

0.2 MI N CO RD 008, Madison, AL

Built 1961 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 1,050

FAS 09 CO RD 83

Fair

Over: YELLOW CREEK

0.7MISE JCT SR 176 T9SR8E, DeKalb, AL

Built 1961 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 1,575

WINDMILL RD C.R.20

Fair

Over: PRAIRIE CREEK

WINDMILL RD, Perry, AL

Built 1962 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 150

CEDAR POINT DR

Fair

Over: PINHOOK CREEK

6303 CEDAR POINT DR, Madison, AL

Built 1962 Load: 25.1 t ADT: 100

Showing 2,801-2,850 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.