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

FAS 08 C.R.20

Fair

Over: TRIB.WASHINGTON CRK

8M EAST HALE CO LIN E, Perry, AL

Built 1968 Load: 29.6 t ADT: 325

I-59

Fair

Over: WARRIOR RVR REL (+)

2.6 MI S JCT I-359, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1969 Load: 29.6 t ADT: 34,450

US 90 EB

Fair

Over: I-10

US90/I-10(1 MI E SP FT), Baldwin, AL

Built 1969 Load: 29.6 t ADT: 21,834

LISTER DAIRY ROAD

Fair

Over: SWAMP

0.8 MI S I65, Mobile, AL

Built 1957 Load: 29.6 t ADT: 619

BUYCK RD (CO. 429)

Fair

Over: DUNLAP CREEK

SEC16 T26N R18E, Elmore, AL

Built 1950 Load: 29.6 t ADT: 60

US 29

Fair

Over: MURDER CREEK

0.4 MI S E US 31, Escambia, AL

Built 1985 Load: 29.6 t ADT: 13,188

.2 MI S AL 204

Fair

Over: CREEK

OLD FIELD RD., Calhoun, AL

Built 1965 Load: 29.6 t ADT: 116

COUNTY ROAD 649

Fair

Over: LITTLE WEHADKEE CREEK

0.25MI N HWY 22, Randolph, AL

Built 1986 Load: 29.6 t ADT: 50

PARK CROSSING

Fair

Over: CREEK

0.9 MI E OF TAYLOR RD, Montgomery, AL

Built 2012 Load: 29.6 t ADT: 1,000

SR 36

Fair

Over: TOWN CREEK

0.5 M E JCT SR 36 & SR 67, Morgan, AL

Built 1927 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 3,650

CO. RD. 460

Fair

Over: COLD CREEK

0.3 MI. E. JCT. SR 24, Lawrence, AL

Built 1928 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 2,483

CO. HWY. 280

Fair

Over: RAILROAD

400 EAST JCT CO RD 43, Shelby, AL

Built 1931 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 2,370

CO. HWY. 280

Fair

Over: MUDDY PRONG CREEK

0.5 MI E OF CO. 55, Shelby, AL

Built 1931 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 599

ROADWAY

Fair

Over: CO RT 1070 STREAM

1.2 MI E AL HWY 17, Sumter, AL

Built 1951 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 437

CO NO 7

Fair

Over: HATCHET CRK RELIEF

2.4 MI S JCT ALA NO 148, Clay, AL

Built 1953 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 277

Lee Road 29

Fair

Over: COSSEY BRANCH

1.0 MI N JCT LEE RD 157, Lee, AL

Built 1955 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 120

AL 139

Fair

Over: NS RR Active

ASHBY, Bibb, AL

Built 1958 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 1,702

US231; US431; SR1

Fair

Over: WEST FORK FLINT RIVER

2 MI S TENN STATE LINE, Madison, AL

Built 1929 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 9,921

I-65 SB

Fair

Over: CSX RR * WOODS RD

1.9 MI S SR 41, Escambia, AL

Built 1960 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 12,553

I-65 NB

Fair

Over: CSX RR * WOODS RD

1.9 MI S SR 41, Escambia, AL

Built 1960 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 12,553

PLEASANT VALLEY RD

Fair

Over: I 59

3.1 MI N ST CLAIR CO LN, Etowah, AL

Built 1962 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 1,581

CAMPBELL GAP ROAD

Fair

Over: I 59

1 MI NO STEPHENS GAP ROAD, Etowah, AL

Built 1962 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 99

US 31

Fair

Over: ARLINGTON AVE

US 31 * ARLINGTON AVE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1965 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 99,343

CO RT 236

Fair

Over: RUTHERFORD CREEK

0.05 MI E JCT CO RT 150, Lawrence, AL

Built 1967 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 1,001

VAUGHN RD

Fair

Over: STREAM

0.6 MI E PERRY HILL ROAD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1967 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 18,000

CO RD 46

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK SCARHAM CREEK

0.5 MI N CO RT 192 T8SR6E, DeKalb, AL

Built 1968 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 252

PENDLEY CREEK RD

Fair

Over: PENDLEY CREEK

2 MILES N HWY 18, Walker, AL

Built 1970 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 60

SR 95 MP 51.823

Fair

Over: ABBIE CREEK

1.3 MI.N.HENRY CO.37, Henry, AL

Built 1971 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 900

CR # 29

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

3.8 MI N CR 3, Dallas, AL

Built 1957 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 100

Mt. Hebron Road

Fair

Over: CHANNAHATCHEE CREEK

SEC 29 T20N R20E, Elmore, AL

Built 1975 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 450

US 80 WBL

Fair

Over: BIG SWAMP CREEK

5.5 MI.W.OF LOWNDESBORO, Lowndes, AL

Built 1976 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 4,275

US 80 WBL

Fair

Over: BIG SWAMP CREEK RELIEF 2

5.0 MI. W. OF LOWNDESBORO, Lowndes, AL

Built 1976 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 4,275

US 80 WBL

Fair

Over: BIG SWAMP CREEK RELIEF

4.7 MI. W. OF LOWNDESBORO, Lowndes, AL

Built 1976 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 4,275

US 80 WBL

Fair

Over: BIG SWAMP CREEK RELIEF

4.5 MI. W. OF LOWNDESBORO, Lowndes, AL

Built 1976 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 4,275

US 80 EBL

Fair

Over: TALLAWASSEE CREEK

2.4 MI. E. OF LOWNDESBORO, Lowndes, AL

Built 1976 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 4,085

US 84 MP 198.340

Fair

Over: PANTHER CREEK

2.8 MI.E. SR 123, Houston, AL

Built 1977 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 8,185

US 84 MP 201.034

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

5.6 MI.E.JCT.SR-123, Houston, AL

Built 1977 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 9,045

CO RD 40

Fair

Over: WHITE OAK CREEK

2 MI S JCT CO RD 77, Winston, AL

Built 1978 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 100

I - 20/59 SOUTH

Fair

Over: 18TH AVE BESSEMER

I59 * 18TH AVE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1979 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 64,816

I - 65 NORTH

Fair

Over: BLK CRK PRK TRAIL

.5 MI. NO. WALKERS CHAPEL, Jefferson, AL

Built 1983 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 33,375

CO RD 25

Fair

Over: BROWNS CREEK

1 MI E CO RD 37 JCT, Winston, AL

Built 1989 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 750

WOODLEY ROAD

Fair

Over: BASKINS MILL CRK.RELIEF

5.1MI.N.MOORE ROAD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1991 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 80

COOSADA FERRY ROAD

Fair

Over: CREEK

0.8 M. N. LOW. WETUMPKA R, Montgomery, AL

Built 1993 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 65

CO RD 9

Fair

Over: UNNAMED CREEK

0.64KM E OF CR 1, Wilcox, AL

Built 1963 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 400

Bethlehem Road

Fair

Over: LITTLE WEOKA CREEK

3.7 MI E OF ST. HWY 231, Elmore, AL

Built 2003 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 35

US 29

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.6MI.N.FT.DAVIS, Macon, AL

Built 1927 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 1,940

OLD SR 202

Fair

Over: EASTABOGA CREEK

2 MI EAST JCT US 78, Calhoun, AL

Built 1929 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 5,120

AL 17

Fair

Over: ALAMUCHEE CREEK

1.0 MI. S.OF YORK, Sumter, AL

Built 1938 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 2,255

AL 17

Fair

Over: ALAMUCHEE*TOOMSUBA CREEK

YORK, Sumter, AL

Built 1938 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 1,680

AL - 53 (US 231)

Fair

Over: DRY BRANCH

US 231 * DRY BRANCH, Blount, AL

Built 1939 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 6,460

Showing 4,401-4,450 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.