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 - 5 SOUTH

Fair

Over: VALLEY CREEK

US 11 * VALLEY CK, Jefferson, AL

Built 1936 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 19,278

AL - 5 SOUTH

Fair

Over: VALLEY CK

US 11 * VALLEY CK, Jefferson, AL

Built 1936 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 9,746

SR 21

Fair

Over: SALT CREEK

5.7 MI S OF OXFORD, Talladega, AL

Built 1942 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 5,357

US 45

Fair

Over: ESCATAWPA RIVER

1.6MI. S. OF FRUITDALE, Washington, AL

Built 1948 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 2,280

US 45

Fair

Over: RELIEF

1.4MI. S. OF FRUITDALE, Washington, AL

Built 1948 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 2,280

AL-253

Fair

Over: Branch

3 MI N JCT US 78, Marion, AL

Built 1948 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 1,036

FAS RT 10

Fair

Over: BRANCH

5M S E HALE CO LINE, Perry, AL

Built 1953 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 510

PUMP HOUSE RD

Fair

Over: US 280

US 280 * PUMP HOUSE ROAD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1961 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 2,800

CO RD NO 8

Fair

Over: LITTLE CREEK

BURBANK, Washington, AL

Built 1963 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 818

C0 RD 61

Fair

Over: I-65 SB * NB

0.2 MI S ESC CO LINE, Baldwin, AL

Built 1964 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 483

CO RD 68

Fair

Over: I-10 WB

5.3 MI E SR 59, Baldwin, AL

Built 1965 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 7,727

CO RD 68

Fair

Over: I-10 EB

5.3 MI E SR 59, Baldwin, AL

Built 1965 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 7,727

County Road 51

Fair

Over: Woods Creek

1 MILE SOUTH OF ST RD 278, Marion, AL

Built 1966 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 125

US11

Fair

Over: LINE CREEK

JCT US11*SR35, DeKalb, AL

Built 1967 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 15,263

AL - 79

Fair

Over: VILLAGE CK

.08 MI NO. I-59/20, Jefferson, AL

Built 1973 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 50,640

CO 91

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.2 MI S US 72, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1956 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 2,186

CR-39

Fair

Over: Shelton Creek

0.44 Mi NW of CR-41, Coosa, AL

Built 1977 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 398

MARY TAYLOR ROAD

Fair

Over: PINCHGUT CREEK

MARY TAYLOR * PINCHGUT CK, Jefferson, AL

Built 1980 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 1,500

SR 20

Fair

Over: BURCHAM CREEK

4.6 M N JCT SR 20 & SR133, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1983 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 5,740

SR 20

Fair

Over: BURCHAM CREEK RELIEF

4.5 M N JCT SR 20 & SR133, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1983 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 5,740

RAMP "B"

Fair

Over: 26TH ST AND RAMPS

I 59 NB TO US 31 SBL, Jefferson, AL

Built 1987 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 15,477

SR 2

Fair

Over: ELK RIVER

3.7 M E JCT SR 2 & SR207, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1994 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 5,150

COUNTY ROAD 223

Fair

Over: LITTLE SAND VALLEY CREEK

1 MI N. OF AL HWY 68, DeKalb, AL

Built 2004 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 93

NATCHEZ TRACE PARK

Fair

Over: BURCHAM BRANCH

0.03 MILES SOUTH OF AL RO, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1956 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 670

NATCHEZ TRACE PARK

Fair

Over: COUNTY ROAD

4.0 MILES NORTH OF U.S. R, Colbert, AL

Built 1967 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 670

NORTH PARK ROAD

Fair

Over: COLBERT CREEK

0.8 MILES FROM NTP MP 327, Colbert, AL

Built 1967 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 87

CO. ROAD NO 54

Fair

Over: COWPEN CREEK

RC BR CULVT ON CORD 54, Henry, AL

Built 1950 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 150

US 31 M.P.266.89

Fair

Over: PATTON CREEK

.6 MI. NO. I-65, Jefferson, AL

Built 1942 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 16,460

CO RD 24

Fair

Over: NE FORK LITTLE NEW RIVER

2 MILES SE ST RD OF129, Marion, AL

Built 1919 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 275

Al-13

Fair

Over: Clear Creek

2.0 MI N SR 18, Fayette, AL

Built 1957 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 2,032

CO RD NO 11

Fair

Over: WATTS CREEK

1 MILE NW OF BARNSVILLE, Marion, AL

Built 1962 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 125

CR-53

Fair

Over: I-85

3.5 MI N OF AL 81, Macon, AL

Built 1965 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 2,220

Lee Road 72

Fair

Over: WEBB CREEK

0.5 MI W JCT LEE RD 188, Lee, AL

Built 1967 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 2,175

RAMP D EBL

Fair

Over: CHOCCOLOCCO CREEK

SOUTH RAMP I20-TO US 431, Calhoun, AL

Built 1968 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 2,499

US 231 MP 85.973

Fair

Over: BEEMAN CREEK

7.6 MI. N. SR. 87, Pike, AL

Built 1968 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 7,475

US 231 MP 85.973

Fair

Over: BEEMAN CREEK

7.6 MI.N.SR 87, Pike, AL

Built 1968 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 7,475

I-20

Fair

Over: BRANCH

3 MI E JCT SR 21, Calhoun, AL

Built 1969 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 22,699

SR1 / US431

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

2.5 MI S JCT SR 144, Calhoun, AL

Built 1970 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 20,660

AL 41

Fair

Over: ALA. RIVER RELIEF #1

1.4 MI.N.OF US 80, Dallas, AL

Built 1970 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 10,540

AL 41

Fair

Over: ALA. RIVER RELIEF #2

1.7 MI.N OF US 80, Dallas, AL

Built 1970 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 10,540

AL 41

Fair

Over: ALA. RIVER RELIEF #3

1.9 MI.N.OF US 80, Dallas, AL

Built 1970 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 10,540

SR 21 SB

Fair

Over: SIZEMORE CREEK

1.2 MI N CO RD 12, Escambia, AL

Built 1973 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 5,681

SR 21 NB

Fair

Over: SIZEMORE CREEK

1.2 MI N CO RD 12, Escambia, AL

Built 1973 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 6,019

AL.14

Fair

Over: COOSA RIVER

IN TOWN OF WETUMPKA, Elmore, AL

Built 1984 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 12,690

CO. 1291

Fair

Over: COUNTY LINE CREEK

1.3 MI. W. SIKES, Chambers, AL

Built 1985 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 15

PAYNE RD US 31 E

Fair

Over: PINCHONY CREEK

1 MI EAST OF US 31, Lowndes, AL

Built 1991 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 55

HALL BRANCH RD

Fair

Over: HALL BRANCH

0.3 MI N I-65 SERVICE RD, Mobile, AL

Built 1991 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 763

Redland Road

Fair

Over: CHUBBEHATCHEE CREEK

SEC 29 T18N R20E, Elmore, AL

Built 1992 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 2,300

CR 266

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

2ND STR. FROM CR 17, Shelby, AL

Built 1997 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 125

10TH STREET

Fair

Over: SOU. RR ; CREEK

ANNISTON 10th Street RR, Calhoun, AL

Built 1936 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 3,100

Showing 4,501-4,550 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.