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

PATTON RD.

Fair

Over: ELBOW CREEK

PATTON RD., Crenshaw, AL

Built 1991 Load: 8.3 t ADT: 1

CO RD 14

Fair

Over: PUSS CUSS CK E RELIEF BR

4.0 MI W INT AL 17 * 108, Choctaw, AL

Built 1947 Load: 8.4 t ADT: 760

CO 123

Fair

Over: MOUNTAIN CREEK

MOUNTAIN CREEK @ CR 123, Cleburne, AL

Built 1965 Load: 8.4 t ADT: 50

CO 620 SPUR RD

Fair

Over: VERDIN CREEK

.77 MI. E OF CO 42 OF, Cleburne, AL

Built 1976 Load: 8.4 t ADT: 16

CHEROKEE #314

Fair

Over: BALL PLAY CREEK

0.2 MI W CHEROKEE #6, Cherokee, AL

Built 1935 Load: 8.5 t ADT: 120

SR 10

Fair

Over: LITTLE BEAR CREEK

1.9 MI. E. OF OAK HILL, Wilcox, AL

Built 1924 Load: 8.6 t ADT: 720

CO RD 563

Fair

Over: BIG COON CREEK

0.05 MI S JCT CR 53, Jackson, AL

Built 1940 Load: 8.6 t ADT: 44

PETTUS RD

Fair

Over: FOX CREEK

6 MI E LINEVILLE N ALA 48, Clay, AL

Built 1983 Load: 8.6 t ADT: 15

COUNTY RT #121

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

2.0 MI NORTH OF CO RT 20, Pickens, AL

Built 1975 Load: 8.7 t ADT: 100

FDR #731

Fair

Over: MAYFIELD CREEK

OAKMULGEE DISTRICT, Bibb, AL

Built 1985 Load: 8.7 t ADT: 50

COUNTY HWY 1137

Fair

Over: CREEK

4642 FT S JCT 1073, Marshall, AL

Built 1960 Load: 8.8 t ADT: 100

GRAVEL ROAD CR75

Fair

Over: POTATOE PATCH CREEK

3 5M EAST AL HWY 5, Perry, AL

Built 1958 Load: 8.8 t ADT: 130

DOBYNE RD CR71

Fair

Over: TRIB. OAKMULGEE

2 5M SOUTH AL183, Perry, AL

Built 1980 Load: 8.8 t ADT: 110

C.R.132 CREEL RD

Fair

Over: TRIB.MILL CREEK

0 5M EAST AL#183, Perry, AL

Built 1979 Load: 8.8 t ADT: 120

00000

Fair

Over: COUNTY ROAD 1561

000001, Marshall, AL

Built 1943 Load: 8.8 t ADT: 75

CO. RD. 821

Fair

Over: CORNHOUSE CREEK

3 MI E CO. RD. 33, Randolph, AL

Built 1991 Load: 8.8 t ADT: 20

COUNTY RT #223

Fair

Over: WELLS BRANCH

2.9 MI E OF CO RT 63, Pickens, AL

Built 1990 Load: 8.9 t ADT: 50

Johnson Road

Fair

Over: NO NAME BRANCH

Johnson Road, Covington, AL

Built 1986 Load: 8.9 t ADT: 50

BUTLER RD

Fair

Over: SWAMP BRANCH

0.5 MI SO JCT CO RD 487, Madison, AL

Built 1934 Load: 9.0 t ADT: 1,138

CO. RT. 1162

Fair

Over: KILPATRICH CREEK

CR 1162, Cullman, AL

Built 1936 Load: 9.0 t ADT: 75

CO RT 91

Fair

Over: LONG ISLAND CREEK

5.8 MI S CR 93, Jackson, AL

Built 1938 Load: 9.0 t ADT: 95

MAIN ST

Fair

Over: STREAM

0.2 MI.S.JCT SR 24, Lawrence, AL

Built 1940 Load: 9.0 t ADT: 1,000

COUNTY HWY 1409

Fair

Over: SCARHAM CREEK

6235 FT N JCT 1414, Marshall, AL

Built 1951 Load: 9.0 t ADT: 1,000

TINKER ROAD

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.9 MI E INT RT 186 * 226, Choctaw, AL

Built 1927 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 100

7TH STREET

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

ANNISTON 7th Street, Calhoun, AL

Built 1936 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 570

CO 50

Fair

Over: FIRST CREEK

1 MI W INT SR 207, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1936 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 600

CO 49

Fair

Over: MIDDLE FORK BRANCH

2.2 MI N INT SR 207, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1937 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 438

CHEROKEE #20

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.1 MI E CHEROKEE #7, Cherokee, AL

Built 1948 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 700

ELDER STREET

Fair

Over: SHADES CREEK

ELDER ST * SHADES CREEK, Jefferson, AL

Built 1951 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 3,000

CR 616

Fair

Over: BRANCH

Cr 616 TB East, Cullman, AL

Built 1960 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 150

CO 303

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

1.0 MI W INT CO 509* 303, Talladega, AL

Built 1963 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 670

CO RD 29

Fair

Over: HOG BRANCH

0.9 MI. N US80N/SR8, Macon, AL

Built 1964 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 160

GIBSON HILL ROAD

Fair

Over: FROST CREEK

CORONA, Walker, AL

Built 1970 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 110

CO. HWY. 365

Fair

Over: DRY BROOK

.7 MI. S. JCT AL. 119, Shelby, AL

Built 1970 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 75

CO 832

Fair

Over: CHULAFINNEE CREEK

IVORY MOUNTAIN ROAD, Cleburne, AL

Built 1973 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 110

COUNTY ROAD

Fair

Over: BRANCH

TOWER RD., Conecuh, AL

Built 1994 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 80

CO. HWY. 116

Fair

Over: ROBINSON BRANCH

0.5 MI. E. OF AL HWY 172, Marion, AL

Built 1935 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 50

C.R.6

Fair

Over: POLLY CREEK

2.1 MI.W OF BROOKLYN, Conecuh, AL

Built 2006 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 610

CO RD 470

Fair

Over: WALNUT CREEK

0.3 MI EAST SR5, Wilcox, AL

Built 1934 Load: 9.2 t ADT: 65

CHEROKEE #2

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

1.0 MI E INT ALA #9, Cherokee, AL

Built 1940 Load: 9.2 t ADT: 131

UPPER CULLOMBURG

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.8 MI N INT AL 17 * RT17, Choctaw, AL

Built 1900 Load: 9.2 t ADT: 90

CO 50

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.3 MI E CO 89, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1937 Load: 9.3 t ADT: 235

CHEROKEE #97

Fair

Over: STREAM

1.0 MI SE INT CHERO #41, Cherokee, AL

Built 1940 Load: 9.3 t ADT: 248

COUNTY HWY 1133

Fair

Over: LITTLE SLAB CREEK

916 FT E JCT 1132, Marshall, AL

Built 1960 Load: 9.3 t ADT: 100

CO 142

Fair

Over: STREAM

0.3 MI E INT SR 17, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1962 Load: 9.3 t ADT: 208

CO RD B32

Fair

Over: TAYLOR CREEK

1.4 MI SE CO B32 CO 23, Franklin, AL

Built 1968 Load: 9.3 t ADT: 35

BUD WOOD RD.

Fair

Over: CREEK

300 FROM INTER., Calhoun, AL

Built 1950 Load: 9.3 t ADT: 300

CO RD 32

Fair

Over: CREEK

4.7 MI E INT RT 215 * 226, Choctaw, AL

Built 1927 Load: 9.4 t ADT: 2,200

CR # 191

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

0.2 MI N CR 29, Dallas, AL

Built 1970 Load: 9.4 t ADT: 70

SHORT PIKE

Fair

Over: SHORT PIKE @ RELIEF CHAN

.2 MILES WEST WALL TRIANA, Madison, AL

Built 1955 Load: 9.4 t ADT: 80

Showing 251-300 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.