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

COUNTY 27

Fair

Over: VIADUCT OVER SO.RR

OLD AL 5 AT WOODSTK, Bibb, AL

Built 1927 Load: 9.5 t ADT: 513

CO RD 14

Fair

Over: PUSS CUSS CK W RELIEF BR

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

Built 1947 Load: 9.5 t ADT: 740

CR 702

Fair

Over: EIGHTMILE CREEK

CR 702 North Bridge, Cullman, AL

Built 1962 Load: 9.5 t ADT: 140

MOONTOWN RD

Fair

Over: HAMBRICK BRANCH

0.4 MI SO US HWY 72E, Madison, AL

Built 1932 Load: 9.6 t ADT: 210

CO 207

Fair

Over: TALLADEGA CREEK

0.8 MI S CO 203, Talladega, AL

Built 1956 Load: 9.6 t ADT: 872

CO. RD. 178

Fair

Over: SLEDGE CREEK

0.1 MI. E. JCT. CORD. 177, Lawrence, AL

Built 1998 Load: 9.6 t ADT: 50

BARFIELD RD.

Fair

Over: PINTLALA CREEK

BARFIELD RD., Crenshaw, AL

Built 1960 Load: 9.6 t ADT: 5

Ida Russell Road

Fair

Over: Eagle Creek

0.4 M N CO RD 583, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 1920 Load: 9.7 t ADT: 50

SHARPES HOLLOW RD

Fair

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

0.1 MI E JCT CO RD 468, Madison, AL

Built 1915 Load: 9.7 t ADT: 125

CO RD 45

Fair

Over: TURKEY CREEK WEST

1.8 MI S INT US84 * RT 04, Choctaw, AL

Built 1937 Load: 9.7 t ADT: 200

CHEROKEE #176

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.1 MI W INT ALA #9, Cherokee, AL

Built 1956 Load: 9.8 t ADT: 40

CO RD 78

Fair

Over: BOLIGEE CREEK

0.5 MI N US 11 AT FOWLER, Greene, AL

Built 1965 Load: 9.8 t ADT: 156

FAS03 DICKEY RD#12

Fair

Over: RELIEF WASHINGTON CREEK

TOM DICKEY RD, Perry, AL

Built 1955 Load: 9.8 t ADT: 150

CR134 OLLIS MARTIN

Fair

Over: TRIB. OLDTOWN CREEK

N.E. CR 23 PD HILL, Perry, AL

Built 1971 Load: 9.8 t ADT: 90

CR 154 MASSENGALE

Fair

Over: TRIB. LITTLE BRUSH CREEK

HALE PERRY CO LINE, Perry, AL

Built 1976 Load: 9.8 t ADT: 55

CR154 MASSENGALE R

Fair

Over: TRIB. BRUSH CREEK

MASSENGALE RD, Perry, AL

Built 1976 Load: 9.8 t ADT: 45

CO 66

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.5 MI W SR 207, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1932 Load: 9.9 t ADT: 225

CO. RD.

Fair

Over: BUSHY CREEK

3. MI S. LENOX, Conecuh, AL

Built 1969 Load: 9.9 t ADT: 30

BETTY HILL ROAD

Fair

Over: SHOAL CREEK

3 MILES SW OF SCRAP, Jefferson, AL

Built 1921 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 325

CO RD 20

Fair

Over: CREEK

0.5 MI W HWY 43, Greene, AL

Built 1930 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 572

CR 53

Fair

Over: Tribu. Big Coon Creek

4.65 MI W JCT CR 35, Jackson, AL

Built 1932 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 132

CO 136

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.4 MI E INT CO 136* 39, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1936 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 230

CO RT 14

Fair

Over: BITTER CREEK

.3 mi west county rd 129, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1937 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 504

CO 156

Fair

Over: DEERLICK BRANCH

2.4 MI E INT SR 207, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1937 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 140

Central Avenue

Fair

Over: CENTRAL GA RAILROAD

ALEXANDER CITY, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 1939 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 5,025

CO 073

Fair

Over: SHELTON CREEK

0.7 MI OF CO RT 074, Talladega, AL

Built 1940 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 245

CO. RD. 11

Fair

Over: Trib. to Buck Creek

.2 MILE N. CITY LIMITS, Walker, AL

Built 1940 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 2,000

CO RD 32

Fair

Over: MUD CREEK

13 MI E JCT CR 33, Jackson, AL

Built 1940 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 54

CHEROKEE #101

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

0.5 MI S INT CHERO #101, Cherokee, AL

Built 1945 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 95

OAK DRIVE

Fair

Over: SHORT CREEK

@ SARDIS CITY LIMITS, Etowah, AL

Built 1946 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 100

CO 106

Fair

Over: BURCHAM CREEK

0.7 MI W OF CO 81, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1947 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 82

CO RT 28

Fair

Over: BRANCH

2.6 MI N HOLLANDS CHAPEL, Jackson, AL

Built 1952 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 80

WASHINGTON AVE

Fair

Over: STREAM

0.8 MI N JCT US 43, Franklin, AL

Built 1955 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 825

COUNTY ROAD 17

Fair

Over: PEA CREEK

3.7 MI NW OF AL 130, Barbour, AL

Built 1958 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 205

CO RD 24

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

3.5 M. E.ON CO RD24, Wilcox, AL

Built 1959 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 143

COUNTY ROAD

Fair

Over: SILAS MILL CREEK E PRONG

1.5MI S ELAM CHURCH, Escambia, AL

Built 1966 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 35

CO 139

Fair

Over: W BRANCH MIDDLE CYPRESS

2.6 MI N INT CO 8, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1972 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 85

PAVED ROAD

Fair

Over: BEAVER CREEK

0.3 MILES SOUTH JCT 45, Marion, AL

Built 1973 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 50

PLEASANT GROVE RD

Fair

Over: LOST CREEK

1 MILE S HWY 124, Walker, AL

Built 1973 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 325

CO RT 04

Fair

Over: PAINT ROCK RIVER

0.6 MI E JCT SR 65, Jackson, AL

Built 1975 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 28

FIKES FERRY CR30

Fair

Over: BRANCH CREEK

4M EAST AL 5 IN MARION, Perry, AL

Built 1961 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 150

CO. RD. 491

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

2 MI NE ROCKY BRANCH, Randolph, AL

Built 1940 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 25

CAPSEY CREEK-Bridg

Fair

Over: CAPSEY CREEK

BANKHEAD DISTRICT, Winston, AL

Built 1955 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 100

cr 1196

Fair

Over: RYAN CREEK

CR 1196, Cullman, AL

Built 1942 Load: 10.1 t ADT: 40

CHEROKEE #332

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.1 MI NW CHEROKEE #29, Cherokee, AL

Built 1962 Load: 10.1 t ADT: 20

COUNTY ROAD 7718

Fair

Over: MANNING CREEK

SEC 16 T11N R21E, Pike, AL

Built 1985 Load: 10.2 t ADT: 30

COUNTY HWY 1415

Fair

Over: DRUM CREEK

1095 FT S JCT 1312, Marshall, AL

Built 1951 Load: 10.2 t ADT: 280

CO RD 123

Fair

Over: UNNAMED CREEK

1.7 MI. EAST OF SR41, Wilcox, AL

Built 1965 Load: 10.2 t ADT: 30

Johnson Qtrs Rd

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK BRANCH

Johnson Qtrs Rd, Covington, AL

Built 1997 Load: 10.2 t ADT: 55

CO RD 532

Fair

Over: WOLF CREEK

2.3MI E CAVER CR CHURCH, Randolph, AL

Built 1938 Load: 10.3 t ADT: 73

Showing 301-350 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.