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

CO RD 642

Fair

Over: TRIB. W FORK LTL RIVER

1.2 MI W AL 117 T5 R10, DeKalb, AL

Built 1978 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 159

Lee Road 252

Fair

Over: HALAWAKEE BRANCH

1.3 MI S E LEE RD 390, Lee, AL

Built 1978 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 195

US 84

Fair

Over: ALABAMA RIVER REL.

1.3 MI. W. OF CLAIBORNE, Monroe, AL

Built 1983 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 3,316

US 84

Fair

Over: ALABAMA RIVER REL.

0.9 MI. W. OF CLAIBORNE, Monroe, AL

Built 1983 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 3,316

US 84

Fair

Over: ALABAMA RIVER REL.

.8MI WEST OF CLAIBORNE, Monroe, AL

Built 1983 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 3,316

CR. 50

Fair

Over: NINE MILE CREEK

2.0 MI.N. DAMASCUS CHURCH, Butler, AL

Built 1985 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 1,591

CO RD 83

Fair

Over: TRIBUTARY TO MUSH CREEK

0.2 MI E AL HWY 11 T8SR8E, DeKalb, AL

Built 1986 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 1,575

DANIEL DRIVE

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

450 FT N CARL AVE, Mobile, AL

Built 1986 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 332

AL 14

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

7.7 MI.W.OF PRATTVILLE, Autauga, AL

Built 1987 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 5,420

CO 43

Fair

Over: OWEN CREEK

CO 43 OWEN CREEK, Cleburne, AL

Built 1997 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 300

BASSETT AVE.

Fair

Over: BASSETT AVE./CLARK SPGS.

JCT.BASSETT AVE/CLARK SPG, Morgan, AL

Built 1996 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 854

WILD LIFE RD

Fair

Over: BUCK CREEK

1 MI E. OF CO RD NO 066, Tallapoosa, AL

Built 2000 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 80

CR 9

Fair

Over: BOXES CREEK

5.5 MI E OF FAYETTE, Fayette, AL

Built 1968 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 89

AL - 4 (US 78)

Fair

Over: LITTLE CAHABA RV

DOWNTOWN LEEDS, Jefferson, AL

Built 1931 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 13,250

SR 27 MP 3.779

Fair

Over: PEA RIVER

CITY OF GENEVA, Geneva, AL

Built 1948 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 6,050

COUNTY HIGHWAY154

Fair

Over: CREEK

1730 FT S JCT 1372, Marshall, AL

Built 1970 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 150

US 31

Fair

Over: MURDER CREEK RELIEF

0.5 MI N SR 84 S JCT, Conecuh, AL

Built 1953 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 8,472

CO RD 24

Fair

Over: LITTLE NEW RIVER

3000 SE OF ST RD 129, Marion, AL

Built 1919 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 285

US 431

Fair

Over: LINE CREEK

1 MI. NO .US 278, Etowah, AL

Built 1956 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 7,924

I85 SBL

Fair

Over: LINE CREEK

MONTG.AND MACON CO.LINE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1962 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 18,020

AL - 5 NORTH

Fair

Over: FIVE MI CK

US 78 * FIVE MI CK, Jefferson, AL

Built 1962 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 6,240

SR 21

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

2.5 MI N JCT SR 21, Calhoun, AL

Built 1962 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 14,241

SR 27 MP 6.229

Fair

Over: DOUBLE BRIDGES CREEK

0.3 MI. E. SR 52, Geneva, AL

Built 1962 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 14,500

POCAHONTAS ROAD

Fair

Over: SHADES CREEK

2 MILES S OF LOVELACE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1965 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 3,157

SR 53

Fair

Over: TENNESSEE RIVER

MORGAN-MADISON CO LINE, Morgan, AL

Built 1965 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 10,175

VAUGHN RD

Fair

Over: STREAM

0.3 MI.E. PERRY HILL RD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1967 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 18,000

AL - 3 SOUTH

Fair

Over: 5 TH AVE SO

US 31 * 5 TH AVE SO, Jefferson, AL

Built 1968 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 35,335

AL - 3 NORTH

Fair

Over: 5 TH AVE SO

US 31 * 5TH AVE SO, Jefferson, AL

Built 1968 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 35,335

LOCK 17 ROAD

Fair

Over: LITTLE SHOALS CREEK

8 MILES W OF OAK GROVE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1975 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 890

DEANS FERRY ROAD

Fair

Over: LONGS BRANCH

1 1/2 MI N OF COUNTY LINE, Blount, AL

Built 1977 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 136

WOODLAND DRIVE

Fair

Over: STREAM

DOTHAN, Houston, AL

Built 1981 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 840

CENTRAL PARKWAY

Fair

Over: DRY BRANCH

200 FT OF GORDON DRSW, Morgan, AL

Built 1981 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 19,388

I459

Fair

Over: I20

I20 I459 INTR, Jefferson, AL

Built 1984 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 91,688

US 29

Fair

Over: CALEBEE CREEK

6.0 MI.N.OF FT.DAVIS, Macon, AL

Built 1984 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 1,980

PRYOR BOTTOM ROA

Fair

Over: OSBORN CREEK

1 MILE N.OF CR 64, Perry, AL

Built 1985 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 90

CO.RT. 25

Fair

Over: ADAMS CREEK

1.4 MI. E. U.S. 80, Sumter, AL

Built 1933 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 495

GOODE ROAD

Fair

Over: CREEK

GOODE ROAD, Calhoun, AL

Built 1936 Load: 29.1 t ADT: 4,800

CO. RD 37

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK DAM SPILLWAY

BEAR CREEK DAM, Franklin, AL

Built 1969 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 99

US 82

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.0 MI E OF CO RD 37, Bullock, AL

Built 1924 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 1,110

SR 97 MP 1.364

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.4 MI.N.U.S.331, Crenshaw, AL

Built 1940 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 2,780

SR 36

Fair

Over: BRANCH

5 MI E JCT SR 36 & SR 67, Morgan, AL

Built 1942 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 4,070

Lee Road 379

Fair

Over: SOAP CREEK

3 MI N JCT S 001, Lee, AL

Built 1952 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 3,884

COUNTY ROAD 57

Fair

Over: SPINCER BRANCH TRIBUTARY

S. GLENWOOD RD., Crenshaw, AL

Built 1955 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 700

US 431

Fair

Over: LINE CREEK

.1 MI. SO. US 278, Etowah, AL

Built 1956 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 7,836

AL 5

Fair

Over: PRATT CREEK

3.0 MI S OF WEST BLOCTON, Bibb, AL

Built 1957 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 4,452

CR23 MORGAN SPRING

Fair

Over: BRUSH CREEK

1MILE N OF AL 14, Perry, AL

Built 1958 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 210

CO RT 119

Fair

Over: SAUTY CREEK

0.6 MI N JCT CR 30, Jackson, AL

Built 1958 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 102

CR 24

Fair

Over: I-65

1.4 MI W COOPER, Chilton, AL

Built 1960 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 300

C0 RD 40

Fair

Over: I 65

5 MI S CONECUH CO LINE, Escambia, AL

Built 1960 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 423

WOLF CRK RD/CR27

Fair

Over: I - 20

1.4M W JCT US 231, St. Clair, AL

Built 1961 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 600

Showing 4,251-4,300 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.