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.263

Fair

Over: MUSCLE CREEK RELIEF

0.6 MI.N.OF BUTLER CO LIN, Lowndes, AL

Built 1967 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 730

AL 263

Fair

Over: MUSCLE CREEK

0.8 MI.N.OF BUTLER CO LIN, Lowndes, AL

Built 1967 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 730

I-10 WB

Fair

Over: CANAL ST * JACKSON ST

WEST TUNNEL INTERCHANGE, Mobile, AL

Built 1972 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 35,896

CO RD 227/DAVIS RD

Fair

Over: UNNAMED CREEK

1.9 MI WEST CR2/SR21, Wilcox, AL

Built 1972 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 25

CO RD 24

Fair

Over: LITTLE SCARHAM CREEK

1.2 MI E AL 75 T8SR5E, DeKalb, AL

Built 1973 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 271

CHANDLAR RD

Fair

Over: BISHOP CREEK

CHANDLAR RD * CHANDLAR LN, Shelby, AL

Built 1975 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 2,115

WOOLEY SPRINGS RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE PINEY CR

SEC27 T1S R4W, Limestone, AL

Built 1976 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 10

OLD ROCKY RIDGE

Fair

Over: I - 65

I - 65 & OLD ROCKY RIDGE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1978 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 1,200

I 759

Fair

Over: BROOK AV

I 759 * BROOK AVE, Etowah, AL

Built 1984 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 10,214

I 565

Fair

Over: LIMESTONE CREEK RELIEF

2.7 MI E JCT I 565 & I 65, Limestone, AL

Built 1965 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 606

I 565

Fair

Over: LIMESTONE SLOUGH

2.9 MI E JCT I 565 & I 65, Limestone, AL

Built 1965 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 646

AL 1 / US 431

Fair

Over: LITTLE UCHEE CREEK

6.17 MI N JCT SR169, Russell, AL

Built 1995 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 5,465

AL 1 (US 431)

Fair

Over: LITTLE UCHEE CREEK

6.17 MI N JCT SR169, Russell, AL

Built 1995 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 5,465

SR 49

Fair

Over: STONE CREEK

0.7 MI N JCT SR 14, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 1941 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 1,984

CR-36

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

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

Built 1953 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 480

AL 79

Fair

Over: BLACKBURN FK WARR RV

.3 MI.NO.LOUUST FK CL, Blount, AL

Built 1953 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 4,930

CR 239

Fair

Over: CREEK

0.2 MI W JCT CR 39, Jackson, AL

Built 1954 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 23

LAFAYETTE HWY.

Fair

Over: RAILROAD

ROANOKE, Randolph, AL

Built 1925 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 3,110

SR 69

Fair

Over: BUNNY CREEK

1.5 MI. N. OF MORUIN, Marengo, AL

Built 1955 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 440

US 82

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK (+)

0.2 MI W CO RD 140, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1957 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 9,445

I - 65 SOUTH

Fair

Over: OLD U S 31 / L & N RR

3 . 5 MI N JCT CO RD 87, Shelby, AL

Built 1959 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 28,730

I - 65 NORTH

Fair

Over: L & N RR / OLD US 31

3 . 5 MI N JCT CO RD 87, Shelby, AL

Built 1959 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 28,730

CO RD 22

Fair

Over: I-65

3.3 MI N SR 83, Conecuh, AL

Built 1960 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 307

I 20

Fair

Over: LITTLE CAHABA RIVER

.1 MI.W.US 411, St. Clair, AL

Built 1961 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 65,150

County Road 83

Fair

Over: Luxapallila Creek

5 MILES NE OF GUIN, Marion, AL

Built 1962 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 80

MAX LUTHER

Fair

Over: PINHOOK CREEK

MAX LUTHER * BLUE SPG RD, Madison, AL

Built 1962 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 7,200

SR 48

Fair

Over: WEDOWEE CREEK

0.7 MI E JCT US 431, Randolph, AL

Built 1963 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 2,623

COUNTY ROAD

Fair

Over: SCHOOL HOUSE CREEK

1MI S ELAM CHURCH, Escambia, AL

Built 1964 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 45

CO RT 80

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.7 MI N JCT CR 30, Jackson, AL

Built 1968 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 72

US 98 EB

Fair

Over: DOLIVE CREEK

0.2 MI E JCT I-10, Baldwin, AL

Built 1969 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 20,481

COUNTY RD. 18

Fair

Over: I20

3.5 MI E JCT SR 9, Cleburne, AL

Built 1970 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 255

CO RT 31

Fair

Over: CREEK

.4 MI E JCT CR 31, Jackson, AL

Built 1975 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 130

WINDMILL RD. CR20

Fair

Over: POLECAT CREEK

1.75M EAST CO. LINE, Perry, AL

Built 1976 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 130

I 59/20 RAMP

Fair

Over: OPPOSSUM CREEK

I 59 RAMP TO VALLEY RD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1980 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 6,130

SHELTON MILL ROAD

Fair

Over: CREEK

AUBURN, Lee, AL

Built 1982 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 3,692

COUNTY ROAD 4

Fair

Over: LITTLE PATSALIGA CREEK

OLD MERIWETHER TR., Crenshaw, AL

Built 1986 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 375

US 31 SBL

Fair

Over: CATOMA CREEK

0.6 MI.S.OF SOU BLVD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1986 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 7,885

SR 165

Fair

Over: BLUFF CREEK

4.4 MI NORTH COTTONTON, Russell, AL

Built 1955 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 3,810

SR 182

Fair

Over: PERDIDO PASS

2 MI W FLA LINE, Baldwin, AL

Built 1989 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 31,725

W 21ST AVE

Fair

Over: W 1ST ST DRAINAGE

E OF GU SH POST OFFICE, Baldwin, AL

Built 1988 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 513

US 80

Fair

Over: LINE CREEK

MONTG./MACON CO LINE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1993 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 1,860

COUNTY ROAD 57

Fair

Over: DEVLIN BRANCH TRIBUTARY

S. GLENWOOD RD, Crenshaw, AL

Built 1955 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 440

County Road 5

Fair

Over: CREEK

CR 5, Cullman, AL

Built 1938 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 50

US 82

Fair

Over: BIG SANDY CREEK

0.4 MI E DUNCANVILLE, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1942 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 9,033

AL - 53 (US 231)

Fair

Over: CSX RR

.6 MI. NO. CO RD 45, St. Clair, AL

Built 1948 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 4,820

CO RD 48

Fair

Over: BRANCH INTO MUD CREEK

.7 MI SW JCT CO 99, Franklin, AL

Built 1949 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 1,688

AL-14

Fair

Over: Big Creek

1.5 MI E Pickensville, Pickens, AL

Built 1950 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 1,574

US 31

Fair

Over: PANTHER CREEK

0.1 MI N CO RD 6, Conecuh, AL

Built 1952 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 4,103

County Road 48

Fair

Over: Wiley Branch

600 FT EAST OF ST RD 241, Marion, AL

Built 1900 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 275

AL.14

Fair

Over: SOU.RR

JCT.OF AL.14 AND SO.RR, Dallas, AL

Built 1953 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 5,930

Showing 3,251-3,300 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.