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

US 43

Fair

Over: CHICKASAW BOGUE CREEK

.6 MI. N. OF LINDEN, Marengo, AL

Built 1951 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 6,130

COUNTY HIGHWAY116

Fair

Over: CREEK

2058 FT SW JCT 1159, Marshall, AL

Built 1951 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 500

COUNTY RT #63

Fair

Over: CURRY BRANCH

16.9 MILES EAST OF SR #14, Pickens, AL

Built 1954 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 600

AL 183

Fair

Over: WHITE BRANCH

0.5 MI N CO RD #51, Perry, AL

Built 1954 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 380

I - 20/59

Fair

Over: CREEK

2.3 MI NO JEFF TUSCCO LN, Jefferson, AL

Built 1955 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 60,490

CO. HWY 17

Fair

Over: TIGER BRANCH

3 MILES N. SAMSON, Geneva, AL

Built 1959 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 335

SR 157

Fair

Over: BRANCH

8.2 M S JCT SR157 & SR36, Morgan, AL

Built 1959 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 5,160

STONE RIVER ROAD

Fair

Over: FURNACE BRANCH

Stone River Road *creek, Jefferson, AL

Built 1960 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,460

ALFORD RD CO.RD 10

Fair

Over: POPLAR CREEK

5 MILES S.E. OF HACODA, Geneva, AL

Built 1961 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 250

CO. HWY. 10

Fair

Over: SAVAGE CREEK

1MI. WEST BOOTHTON, Shelby, AL

Built 1962 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,545

COUNTY ROAD 36

Fair

Over: HAMBY CREEK

2 MI N OF WYNNVILLE, Blount, AL

Built 1962 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 596

MT GAP RD

Fair

Over: YELLOW CREEK RELIEF

2.8 MI N CO RD 36, Lamar, AL

Built 1963 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 60

ST CLAIR CO HWY 6

Fair

Over: TROUT CREEK

IN RAGLAND, St. Clair, AL

Built 1963 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 550

SR 48

Fair

Over: SHOAL CREEK

5 MI E WOODLAND, Randolph, AL

Built 1964 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 3,174

SR 79

Fair

Over: STREAM

1 MI N JCT SR 79 * SOU RR, Jackson, AL

Built 1964 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 3,973

RAMP TO 22 ND ST

Fair

Over: ARLINGTON AVE

US 31 * ARLINTON AVE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1965 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 9,248

CO RD 111

Fair

Over: LITTLE SHOAL CREEK

1.0 MI W WHITON T8SR5E, DeKalb, AL

Built 1965 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 175

SR 24

Fair

Over: L*N RR;1ST AV NE *1ST SE

2.3 MI E JCT SR67 * SR24, Morgan, AL

Built 1965 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 13,965

CO RD 36

Fair

Over: CYPRESS CREEK

CO RD 113 TO CO RD 29, Houston, AL

Built 1965 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 710

I85 NBL

Fair

Over: SCL RR

4.15 MI N OF E BYPASS, Montgomery, AL

Built 1966 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 22,965

CITY STREET

Fair

Over: MOORES CREEK

FOB JAMES DRIVE, Chambers, AL

Built 1966 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,600

CO RT 702

Fair

Over: HARRAND CREEK

4.27 MILE N.E.OF ENTERPRI, Coffee, AL

Built 1967 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 929

FAS 30 CO RD 122

Fair

Over: SOUTH SAUTY CREEK

1.8 MI W JCT SR 75 T5SR8E, DeKalb, AL

Built 1967 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 511

35TH STREET

Fair

Over: 1ST AVE N * R R

35TH-3RD S TO 2ND N, Jefferson, AL

Built 1968 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 9,000

PAWNEE ROAD

Fair

Over: BARTON BRANCH

1500 N AL 79, Jefferson, AL

Built 1969 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,825

I-20

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

4 MI E JCT SR 9, Cleburne, AL

Built 1970 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 20,268

I-65 SB

Fair

Over: GUNNISON CREEK

0.4 MI N E US 43, Mobile, AL

Built 1970 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 11,145

I-65 NB

Fair

Over: GUNNISON CREEK

0.4 MI N E US 43, Mobile, AL

Built 1970 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 11,145

CO 61

Fair

Over: JACK BRANCH

4 MI S LADONIA, Russell, AL

Built 1971 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 420

ST CLAIR CO

Fair

Over: CAHABA RIVER

1 0 MI NW WHITES CHAPEL, St. Clair, AL

Built 1971 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 5,090

AUBURN STREET

Fair

Over: STREAM

0.1 MI S JCT SR 20, Lawrence, AL

Built 1972 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 325

MERIWETHER TRAIL

Fair

Over: WEAVER MILL CREEK

.9 MI E RAMER-GRADY RD., Montgomery, AL

Built 1972 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 600

CARTER HILL ROAD

Fair

Over: LITTLE CATOMA RELIEF

2.0 MI N OF US 82, Montgomery, AL

Built 1972 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 425

CO RD NO 16

Fair

Over: BILBO CREEK

TOPTON TO REEDS CH-ROAD, Washington, AL

Built 1972 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 500

A*M FIELD RD

Fair

Over: BRANCH

BEHIND SCIENCE BLDG, Madison, AL

Built 1974 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 11

BREWSTER ROAD

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

JCT BIG MTN RD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1972 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 8,560

PINE HILL ROAD

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

115 FT S BREWSTER ROAD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1973 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 687

AL.5

Fair

Over: CHILATCHEE CREEK RELIEF

0.5 MI.N.WILCOX CO LINE, Dallas, AL

Built 1973 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,460

I - 59 NORTH

Fair

Over: AVAITION AVE

I59 * AVIATION AVE, Jefferson, AL

Built 1974 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 38,900

N CK INDUST PK RD

Fair

Over: NANCES CREEK

N Ck Industrial Park Rd, Calhoun, AL

Built 1975 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 800

EAST MCKINNEY

Fair

Over: TURKEY CREEK

East McKinney, Marshall, AL

Built 1975 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,000

BROOKWOOD DR

Fair

Over: BIG WILLS CREEK

300 FT N OF SR 35, DeKalb, AL

Built 1975 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 335

19 TH ST

Fair

Over: L*N RR

19 TH ST RELOC, Jefferson, AL

Built 1976 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 3,000

WAGNON MTN RD

Fair

Over: LICK CREEK

WAGNON MTN MIDDLE CULVERT, Colbert, AL

Built 1981 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 175

BEARDSLEY DR

Fair

Over: WARES FERRY DITCH

0.35 MI E OF DALRAIDA RD, Montgomery, AL

Built 1982 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 150

HWY 72

Fair

Over: BEAVER CREEK

SEC-4 T-7-N R-24-E, Dale, AL

Built 1982 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 200

Buyck Road

Fair

Over: WEOKA CREEK

SEC 5 T20N R18E, Elmore, AL

Built 1950 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 60

US 80 EBL

Fair

Over: CHANEY CRK

5.7 MI. E.OF AL. 5, Dallas, AL

Built 1983 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,945

RED ROCK RD

Fair

Over: GREENHILL BRANCH

RED ROCK N OF PATRICK LN, Colbert, AL

Built 1983 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 454

SR 26

Fair

Over: LITTLE COWIKEE CREEK

5.5 MI E JCT SR 51, Russell, AL

Built 1985 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,060

Showing 4,701-4,750 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.