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

AL-17

Fair

Over: Buttahatchee Creek

1.2 MI N JCT SR 118, Lamar, AL

Built 1941 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 2,392

US 31; SR 3

Fair

Over: MUD CREEK

0.5 MI S JCT SR91 * US31, Cullman, AL

Built 1927 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 5,512

WOODLEY RD.

Fair

Over: WHITES SLOUGH

0.8 MI W OF VIR. LOOP, Montgomery, AL

Built 1947 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 3,100

LITTLE COVE RD

Fair

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

2.1 MI W JCT US HWY 72, Madison, AL

Built 1953 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 2,297

CR. 16

Fair

Over: PERSIMMON CREEK

2.25 MI. SE AVANT, Butler, AL

Built 1954 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 163

LAGRANGE RD

Fair

Over: ISBELL BRANCH

LAGRANGE S OF COBURN MTN, Colbert, AL

Built 1955 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 750

2 MI W AL 77

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

BOILING SPRINGS RD., Calhoun, AL

Built 1955 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 2,408

US 72; SR 2

Fair

Over: MERIDIAN STREET

0.1 MI W JCT SO RR * US72, Madison, AL

Built 1957 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 9,176

BLACK RD

Fair

Over: PINEY CR

SEC13 T2S R3W, Limestone, AL

Built 1957 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,260

COUNTY ROAD #4

Fair

Over: NO NAME BRANCH

6 MI. E. OF WING, Covington, AL

Built 1958 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 990

CO#26 PINE GROVE

Fair

Over: WOOLBANK CREEK

4 MILES NORTH OF SR #86, Pickens, AL

Built 1958 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 550

CO RD 140

Fair

Over: I - 65

WARRIOR JASPER RD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1959 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 4,400

US 72; SR 2

Fair

Over: MERIDIAN STREET

0.1 MI W JCT SOURR * US72, Madison, AL

Built 1959 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 9,176

US 231 MP 34.953

Fair

Over: CHOCTAWHATCHEE RIVER

4.1 MI. N. SR 134, Dale, AL

Built 1959 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 8,850

US 231 MP 34.953

Fair

Over: CHOCTAWHATCHEE RIVER

4.1 MI N.SR 134, Dale, AL

Built 1959 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 8,850

ROADWAY

Fair

Over: CO RT 1061 SWEETWATER CR

2.6 MI E MISS LINE, Sumter, AL

Built 1961 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 450

COUNTY RT #16

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

0.7 MI EAST OF JCT CO #57, Pickens, AL

Built 1964 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 500

SR 77

Fair

Over: OHATCHEE CREEK

6.4 MI N TALLADEGA CO LIN, Calhoun, AL

Built 1964 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 8,150

COUNTY RT #1

Fair

Over: BOGUE CHITTO CREEK

2.8 MI N OF JCT SR RT #32, Pickens, AL

Built 1965 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 260

AL-118

Fair

Over: Purgatory Creek

1 MI E JCT AL-44, Marion, AL

Built 1965 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 5,686

I-65 SB TO I-10 EB

Fair

Over: I-10 WB

I-10 @ I-65 INTERCHANGE, Mobile, AL

Built 1966 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 25,444

WOOLEY SPRINGS RD

Fair

Over: PINEY CREEK

SEC33 T1S R3W, Limestone, AL

Built 1967 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 600

APPALACHIAN RD.

Fair

Over: COOSA RIVER

3.5 MI N OF HOKES BLUFF, Etowah, AL

Built 1968 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,000

RAMP TO I65 SBL

Fair

Over: 2 ND AVE NO

I 65 * 2 ND AVE NO, Jefferson, AL

Built 1969 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 13,658

LISTER DAIRY RD

Fair

Over: I-65

0.8 MI N E US 43, Mobile, AL

Built 1970 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,008

CO 3

Fair

Over: MIDDLE FORK CREEK

5 MI S E HURTSBORO, Russell, AL

Built 1928 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 90

US 280

Fair

Over: SAUGAHATCHEE CREEK

2.1 MI S JCT SR 147, Lee, AL

Built 1938 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 6,140

COUNTY DIRT RD

Fair

Over: NO NAME BRANCH

3 MI E OF ANTIOCH, Covington, AL

Built 1948 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 80

I - 65

Fair

Over: 41ST AVE NORTH

I65 * 41ST STREET NORTH, Jefferson, AL

Built 1976 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 75,750

US 231 SBL

Fair

Over: TALLAPOOSA RIVER RELIEF

0.4 MI.N.OF TALLAPOOSA RI, Elmore, AL

Built 1992 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 16,115

CO. RT 620

Fair

Over: BRANCH AT JAMES CREEK

3.5 MI. S CO. RT. 30, Marengo, AL

Built 1993 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 50

CO RD 44

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

12 MI NE OF FAYETTE, Fayette, AL

Built 1954 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 410

CO RD 15

Fair

Over: LITTLE BASSETS CREEK

3MI S OF HWY 17, Washington, AL

Built 1967 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 110

CO. 65

Fair

Over: CHATAHOSPEE CREEK

2 MI. S. W. MARCOOT, Chambers, AL

Built 1955 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 35

_CO RD 92

Fair

Over: _OSELIGEE CREEK

_.8 MI S. DENSON, Chambers, AL

Built 2016 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 30

NATCHEZ TRACE PARK

Fair

Over: TENNESSEE RIVER

7.09 MILES NORTH OF U.S., Lauderdale, AL

Built 1964 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 670

NATCHEZ TRACE PARK

Fair

Over: COUNTY ROAD

2.3 MILES NORTH OF U.S. R, Colbert, AL

Built 1967 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 670

COUNTY 200

Fair

Over: BURCHAM CREEK

17.9 MI N JCT US 43, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1929 Load: 25.5 t ADT: 4,500

US 431

Fair

Over: GUNTERSVILLE LAKE

0.5 MI S US431/AL79S, Marshall, AL

Built 1938 Load: 25.5 t ADT: 33,404

SR 50

Fair

Over: LITTLE CHATAHOSPEE CREEK

9 MI E CAMPHILL, Chambers, AL

Built 1941 Load: 25.5 t ADT: 1,865

COUNTY ROAD 37

Fair

Over: Trib. to Cribbs Mill Ck.

0.3 MI W I-59, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1950 Load: 25.5 t ADT: 18,336

AL-5

Fair

Over: Horse Creek Trail

Horse Creek Golf Course, Walker, AL

Built 1951 Load: 25.5 t ADT: 15,450

CO 4

Fair

Over: BRANCH

4.3 MI E RUTHERFORD, Russell, AL

Built 1952 Load: 25.5 t ADT: 300

CO 4

Fair

Over: BRANCH

4.7 MI E RUTHERFORD, Russell, AL

Built 1952 Load: 25.5 t ADT: 300

AL - 3 (US 31)

Fair

Over: CAHABA RIVER

@ JEFFERSON/SHELBY CL, Shelby, AL

Built 1953 Load: 25.5 t ADT: 27,940

SR 13

Fair

Over: CEDAR CREEK

2 M S JCT SR 13 & SR 24, Franklin, AL

Built 1955 Load: 25.5 t ADT: 5,225

AL - 132

Fair

Over: CHAMPION CREEK

@ NO. ONEONTA CITY LIMIT, Blount, AL

Built 1957 Load: 25.5 t ADT: 2,190

CO 76

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.2 MI East CO 89, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1957 Load: 25.5 t ADT: 320

PATE ROAD

Fair

Over: I-65

3.5 MI S JCT US 84, Conecuh, AL

Built 1959 Load: 25.5 t ADT: 50

SR 41

Fair

Over: I-65

1.6 MI N ESCAMBIA CO LINE, Conecuh, AL

Built 1959 Load: 25.5 t ADT: 2,324

Showing 2,951-3,000 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.