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

JACKSON TRACE RD.

Fair

Over: ACKER CREEK

JACKSON TRACE RD., Calhoun, AL

Built 1939 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 30

OAK GROVE RD

Fair

Over: YELLOW BANK CREEK

3.3 MI NW NEW HOPE, Madison, AL

Built 1941 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 494

W. FOURTH ST

Fair

Over: STREAM

IN PRATTVILLE, Autauga, AL

Built 1942 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 5,940

COUNTY ROAD 17

Fair

Over: SAMSON BRANCH

1 MILE WEST OF SAMSON, Geneva, AL

Built 1951 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 375

AL 79

Fair

Over: LIL SELF CK

2 MI. NO.JEFF CO LN, Blount, AL

Built 1953 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 8,090

CO RD 20

Fair

Over: HORN CREEK

2 1/2 MI WEST DEER HEAD, Washington, AL

Built 1956 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 300

US 231 MP 44.712

Fair

Over: LITTLE CLAYBANK CREEK

JCT. US-231 * SR-27, Dale, AL

Built 1956 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 9,325

US 231 MP 44.712

Fair

Over: LITTLE CLAYBANK CREEK

JCT. US-231 * SR-27, Dale, AL

Built 1956 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 9,305

CO RD NO 63

Fair

Over: CLIFTY CREEK

6 MILES NE OF WINFIELD, Marion, AL

Built 1919 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 400

MOUNTAIN VIEW RD

Fair

Over: I - 59

I59 * MOUNTAIN VIEW RD, St. Clair, AL

Built 1961 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 895

I 65

Fair

Over: FLINT CREEK

1 MI N JCT I 65 & SR 3, Morgan, AL

Built 1964 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 15,465

I 65

Fair

Over: FLINT CREEK

1 MI N JCT I 65 & SR 3, Morgan, AL

Built 1964 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 15,465

AL9 NBL

Fair

Over: I85 NBL

E.BYPASS AND I85 INTERCHE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1964 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 23,430

AL9 NBL

Fair

Over: I85 SBL

E.BYPASS AND I85 INTERCHE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1964 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 28,770

COUNTY ROUTE 8

Fair

Over: BRUSH CREEK

3.8 MI S W INT S R 20, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1974 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 182

SR 49

Fair

Over: CSX RAILROAD

CITY OF LINEVILLE, Clay, AL

Built 1976 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 1,811

AL 14

Fair

Over: LITTLE MULBERRY CRK

2.5 MI.E.OF DALLAS CO., Autauga, AL

Built 1983 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 3,019

AL - 38 WEST

Fair

Over: COOSA RIVER

CHILDERSBURG, Shelby, AL

Built 1984 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 10,090

SR 21

Fair

Over: A.G.R

FRISCO CITY, Monroe, AL

Built 1938 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 5,070

CHEROKEE #114

Fair

Over: NORTH SPRING CREEK

0.7 MI W INT ALA #35, Cherokee, AL

Built 1940 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 175

COTACO FLORETTE RD

Fair

Over: GUYER BRANCH

1.5 MI S SR 36, Morgan, AL

Built 1950 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 1,535

SR 69

Fair

Over: ESTIS MILL CREEK

3.5 MI. N. OF COFFEEVILLE, Clarke, AL

Built 1954 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 470

SR 3

Fair

Over: SWAN CREEK

2 MI N JCT SR 3 & SR 2, Limestone, AL

Built 1955 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 5,895

PAPER COMPANY RD

Fair

Over: I-10 WB

3.6 MI W FLA ST LINE, Baldwin, AL

Built 1965 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 100

PAPER COMPANY RD

Fair

Over: I-10 EB

3.6 MI W FLA ST LINE, Baldwin, AL

Built 1965 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 100

IN 85

Fair

Over: ANN ST

3.0 MI.N.OF I65, Montgomery, AL

Built 1969 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 109,830

HAYNEVILLERIDGE RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE COTOMA CREEK

1.1 MI E OF US 82, Montgomery, AL

Built 1979 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 255

Lee Road 136

Fair

Over: FLAKE CREEK

1 MI S JCT S 169, Lee, AL

Built 1958 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 367

CR # 177

Fair

Over: TRIB TO MUD CREEK

1.2 MI N SR 80 W, Dallas, AL

Built 1999 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 80

U S 411

Fair

Over: BIG WILLS CREEK

U S 411 * BIG WILLS CK, Etowah, AL

Built 1924 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 15,482

SR 2

Fair

Over: FRENCH MILL CREEK

3.8 MI E JCT SR 2 & I 65, Limestone, AL

Built 1928 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 9,320

OLD COLUMBIANA RD

Fair

Over: SHADES CREEK

1000 W COLUMBIANA RD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1930 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 475

SR 77

Fair

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN R/R

CITY OF TALLADEGA, Talladega, AL

Built 1936 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 8,203

ELKWOOD SECTION R

Fair

Over: BRIER FORK FLINT RIVER

0.4 MI E JCT CO RD 106, Madison, AL

Built 1938 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 350

COUNTY ROAD 1101

Fair

Over: OLUSTEE CREEK

SEC 27 T11N R19E, Pike, AL

Built 1946 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 975

US 90

Fair

Over: STYX RIVER RELIEF

0.5 MI W FLORIDA LINE, Baldwin, AL

Built 1949 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 5,381

US 90

Fair

Over: SPRING BRANCH

2.1 MI E SR 193, Mobile, AL

Built 1950 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 21,852

SR 3

Fair

Over: SHOALS CREEK

1.3 M S JCT SR 3 & SR 36, Morgan, AL

Built 1953 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 7,835

SR 3

Fair

Over: SHOALS CREEK

1.3 M S JCT SR 3 & SR 36, Morgan, AL

Built 1953 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 7,835

US 431; SR 1

Fair

Over: FLINT RIVER (MC)

JCT FLINT RIVER, Madison, AL

Built 1957 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 15,080

SIPSEY VALLEY ROAD

Fair

Over: ENGINE CREEK

1.6 MI N OF JCT CO NO 28, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1957 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 350

CHEROKEE #12

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.3 MI W CO #45, Cherokee, AL

Built 1958 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 305

AL 106

Fair

Over: L*N RR * RAIL RD AVE

2.2 MI E OF JCT I 65, Butler, AL

Built 1958 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 6,380

AL - 5 NORTH

Fair

Over: L * N RR(ABANDONED)

EAST OF SAYRE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1962 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 9,305

AL - 5 NORTH

Fair

Over: ABANDONED RR

@ BECKY LYNN RD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1962 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 6,240

COUNTY ROAD 79

Fair

Over: U.T. OF LEAK CREEK

4.9 MI S OF US 82, Barbour, AL

Built 1967 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 312

I-10 EB

Fair

Over: CO RD 65

2.9 MI E SR 59, Baldwin, AL

Built 1965 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 24

CR. 69

Fair

Over: BRANCH

1.0 MI.SO.GLASGOW, Butler, AL

Built 1966 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 94

I65 SBL

Fair

Over: ROCKY CREEK

0.5 MI.N.OF CO RD 28, Butler, AL

Built 1967 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 12,995

I65 NBL

Fair

Over: ROCKY CREEK

0.5 MI.N.OF CO RD 28, Butler, AL

Built 1967 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 12,995

Showing 4,551-4,600 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.