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 RD #28

Fair

Over: BIG GERMAN CR. TRIBUTARY

4.8 MI.W. OF GREENSBORO, Hale, AL

Built 1963 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 200

HALL RD

Fair

Over: I-10

0.9 MI E MISS STATE LINE, Mobile, AL

Built 1964 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 1,800

CO RD 14

Fair

Over: I-65

0.9 MI S SR 21, Escambia, AL

Built 1964 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 1,617

AL9 SBL

Fair

Over: Christine Elizabeth Curv

0.4 MI.N.OF TROY HWY, Montgomery, AL

Built 1964 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 19,395

AL9 NBL

Fair

Over: SERVICE ROAD

0.4 MI.N.OF TROY HWY, Montgomery, AL

Built 1964 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 19,395

CO RD 64

Fair

Over: I-10

JCT I-10 * CO RD 64, Baldwin, AL

Built 1965 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 1,498

GROVELAND DR

Fair

Over: HOLY WATER CREEK

200 FT W OF PLANTERS RD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1965 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 590

BRANDONTOWN RD

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

1910 BRANDONTOWN RD, Madison, AL

Built 1965 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 750

CO RD 33

Fair

Over: BUCK CREEK

US 84 TO CO RD 4, Houston, AL

Built 1966 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 576

AL 215

Fair

Over: I-59

0.5 MI N JCT US 11 BYPASS, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1970 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 14,360

I-20/59

Fair

Over: Tombigbee River Relief

4.1 MI S of Boligee, Greene, AL

Built 1971 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 18,594

LONGLEAF DRIVE

Fair

Over: BRANCH(NO NAME)

296 5 WOODLINE DR, Mobile, AL

Built 1971 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 6,568

CO. 1278

Fair

Over: SEABOARD COAST LINE RR

0.5 MI. S. E. STANDING R., Chambers, AL

Built 1972 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 3,096

TODD ACRES DR

Fair

Over: RABBIT CREEK

0.8 MI N HAMILTON BLVD, Mobile, AL

Built 1974 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 340

AL - 4 EAST

Fair

Over: I459 / I - 20 RAMPS

US 78 * I459, Jefferson, AL

Built 1981 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 4,400

CR 58 Alto Reese

Fair

Over: BEAVER DAM CREEK

3 MILES NORTH OF LYTLE, Geneva, AL

Built 1985 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 70

I-10 WB * EB

Fair

Over: DOG RIVER

0.5 MI W SR 163, Mobile, AL

Built 1964 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 86,496

Lindsey Road

Fair

Over: STEARNS CREEK

1.0 MI S OF CO RD 55, Elmore, AL

Built 1998 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 30

CO. RT. 7

Fair

Over: RICE CREEK

2.1 MI NORTH OF AL-14, Perry, AL

Built 1963 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 100

NICK DAVIS RD

Fair

Over: JOHNSON BRANCH

SEC5 T3S R3W, Limestone, AL

Built 1940 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 2,200

COUNTY RD 42

Fair

Over: COPELAND CREEK

Brooklyn Road btwn 59 & 7, Covington, AL

Built 1952 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 1,050

US 31 SB

Fair

Over: BURNT CORN CREEK

0.3 MI S SR 41, Escambia, AL

Built 1953 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 8,034

HWY #65

Fair

Over: BEAVER DAM CREEK

4 MI. SW OF COFFEE SPGS, Geneva, AL

Built 1958 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 265

CHEROKEE #157

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

0.4 MI N INT CHERO #162, Cherokee, AL

Built 1961 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 143

I85

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.3 MI S OF MACON CO LINE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1962 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 36,040

AL 22

Fair

Over: SOUTHERNRR

7.1 MI.W.OF ORRVILLE, Dallas, AL

Built 1929 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 1,790

US 231 SBL

Fair

Over: CSX RR AND SERVICE ROADS

500 FT.S.OF WARES FERRY R, Montgomery, AL

Built 1965 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 18,150

US 231 NBL

Fair

Over: CSX RR AND SERVICE ROADS

500 FT.S. OF WARES FERRY, Montgomery, AL

Built 1965 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 18,150

US 331

Fair

Over: STREAM

0.9MI.S.OF ALA.#94, Montgomery, AL

Built 1928 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 4,160

COUNTY ROAD 445

Fair

Over: COWPEN CREEK

SEC-18 T-4-N R-23-E, Dale, AL

Built 1984 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 2,217

I-20

Fair

Over: BRANCH

3 MI E JCT SR 21, Calhoun, AL

Built 1969 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 22,699

US 80

Fair

Over: VALLEY CREEK

1.3 MI.E OF AL.14, Dallas, AL

Built 1933 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 25,120

US 431

Fair

Over: LITTLE WILLS CREEK

.1 MI. SO.I-59, Etowah, AL

Built 1963 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 16,508

AL 144

Fair

Over: LEATHER CREEK

1 ST BRG NO. US. 231, St. Clair, AL

Built 1940 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 3,677

10TH AVE

Fair

Over: WHIPPOORWILL CK

10TH AVE * WHIPOORWILL CK, Etowah, AL

Built 1950 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 136

US 31 NBL

Fair

Over: ALABAMA RIVER

0.6 MI S OF ELMORE CO LIN, Montgomery, AL

Built 1955 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 10,450

AL - 3 SOUTH

Fair

Over: PEAVINE CK * ACL RR

@ CO RD 52, Shelby, AL

Built 1955 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 13,630

CO. RD. 23

Fair

Over: BUCKHANON CREEK

.5 MI. S. COR., Randolph, AL

Built 1958 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 135

I-59

Fair

Over: SR 35

JCT I59 * SR 35, DeKalb, AL

Built 1959 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 10,415

I-59

Fair

Over: SR 35

JCT I59 * SR 35, DeKalb, AL

Built 1959 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 10,415

CO ROAD 5

Fair

Over: I - 65

I65 * CO RD 5, Blount, AL

Built 1959 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 1,674

SEVEN MILE POST R

Fair

Over: DRY CR

SEC29 T3S R5W, Limestone, AL

Built 1961 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 350

I59

Fair

Over: BIG WILLS CREEK

I59 * BIG WILLS CK, Etowah, AL

Built 1962 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 14,038

AL 77

Fair

Over: CLEAR CREEK

AL 77 * CLEAR CREEK, Etowah, AL

Built 1962 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 11,943

I-65 SB

Fair

Over: FLETCHER CREEK

1 MI N BALDWIN CO LINE, Escambia, AL

Built 1964 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 13,191

I-65 NB

Fair

Over: FLETCHER CREEK

1 MI N BALDWIN CO LINE, Escambia, AL

Built 1964 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 13,191

ELLIOT LANE(LEEDS)

Fair

Over: LITTLE CAHABA RIVER

1500 E AL 119, Jefferson, AL

Built 1964 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 2,468

I-65 SB

Fair

Over: DYASS CREEK

2.7 MI N SR 287, Baldwin, AL

Built 1965 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 13,634

I-65 NB

Fair

Over: DYASS CREEK

2.7 MI N SR 287, Baldwin, AL

Built 1965 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 13,634

I-65 NB

Fair

Over: BRUSHY CREEK

1.5 MI S CO RD 61, Baldwin, AL

Built 1965 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 13,191

Showing 4,001-4,050 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.