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 31

Fair

Over: PINTLALA CREEK

5.45 MI.S.OF I65, Montgomery, AL

Built 1986 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 4,200

US 31

Fair

Over: PINTLALA CRK RELIEF

5.3 MI.S.OF I65, Montgomery, AL

Built 1986 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 4,200

FAS03 CR12E DICKEY

Fair

Over: WASHINGTON CREEK

TOM DICKEY RD. C.R.12, Perry, AL

Built 1977 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 150

AL 21

Fair

Over: TALLADEGA CREEK

CITY OF TALLADEGA, Talladega, AL

Built 1987 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 5,532

I - 65 NORTH

Fair

Over: SHADES CREEK

I 65 * SHADE CREEK, Jefferson, AL

Built 1972 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 60,340

RAMPS TO AIRPT RD

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.1 MI S JCT SR20*AIRPORT, Madison, AL

Built 1988 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 3,436

US 80

Fair

Over: OPELIKA RD * NORFOLK SOU

0.16 MI E OF INT US 431, Russell, AL

Built 1988 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 17,075

US 80

Fair

Over: OPELIKA RD * NORFOLK SOU

0.16 MI E OF INT US 431, Russell, AL

Built 1988 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 17,075

US 98

Fair

Over: MIFLIN CREEK

0.4 MI E CO 83, Baldwin, AL

Built 1988 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 11,610

OLD HWY 31

Fair

Over: FLINT CREEK

0.5 MI W FR 31, Morgan, AL

Built 1922 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,440

Lee Road 179

Fair

Over: UCHEE CREEK

BISHOP BRG ON LEE RD 179, Lee, AL

Built 1989 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 355

CO RT 323

Fair

Over: BLUFF CREEK

1 MILE SW OF BLUFF SPRING, Coffee, AL

Built 1989 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 25

AL 22

Fair

Over: LITTLE MULBERRY CREEK

CITY LIMITS MAPLESVILLE, Chilton, AL

Built 1989 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,960

I 565

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

0.6 MI E JCT I 565 & I 65, Limestone, AL

Built 1990 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 26,590

US 80E.B.L.

Fair

Over: MUD CREEK RELIEF

2.5 MI.W.OF AL.5, Dallas, AL

Built 1990 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,165

Lee Road 159

Fair

Over: COSSEY BRANCH

0.2 MI N MACON CO, Lee, AL

Built 1991 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 715

CO. 28

Fair

Over: LITTLE CHATAHOSPEE CREEK

6 MI. W. LAFAYETTE, Chambers, AL

Built 1991 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 75

CO. 233

Fair

Over: ROCKY BRANCH

4 MI. N.W. FIVE POINTS, Chambers, AL

Built 1991 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 25

AL 81

Fair

Over: RED CREEK

1.2MI.NORTHOFI85, Macon, AL

Built 1993 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,740

US 80

Fair

Over: LINE CREEK RELIEF

0.2 MI.W.OF MACON CO LINE, Montgomery, AL

Built 1993 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,860

AL 110

Fair

Over: LINE CREEK RELIEF #2

.358 MI. E. OF CO.RD. 185, Bullock, AL

Built 1993 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,740

AL. 106

Fair

Over: FURLONG CRK. RELIEF

4.0 MI E CONECUH CO. LINE, Butler, AL

Built 1994 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 350

AL. 106

Fair

Over: LONG CREEK

0.8 MI E OF CO RD 11 JCT, Butler, AL

Built 1994 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 830

UNIVERSITY BLVD

Fair

Over: SHADES CREEK

AL 149 * UNIV BLVD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1997 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 478

MIDDLE COALING RD.

Fair

Over: BEATTY BRANCH

0.6 MILES SOUTH U.S. 11, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 2001 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 400

US29

Fair

Over: PARKERSON MILL CREEK

.6 MI S JCT I85, Lee, AL

Built 2005 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 12,430

INDUSTRIAL PKY EXT

Fair

Over: 60" INDUSTRIAL WATERLINE

600 E OF U.S. HWY 43, Mobile, AL

Built 1975 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 234

ENTERPRISE ROAD

Fair

Over: POLEY CREEK

0.5 MI S AL 22, Chilton, AL

Built 2008 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 14,000

BUNKER STREET

Fair

Over: BRUSHY CREEK

0.3 MI W US45-YELLOWPINE, Washington, AL

Built 1999 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 50

CR 81

Fair

Over: FULTON CREEK

4.5 MI. NE OF FAYETTE, Fayette, AL

Built 1967 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 75

TURKEY BRANCH

Fair

Over: TURKEY BRANCH DRIVE

0.5 MI. S. OF US 90, Baldwin, AL

Built 2001 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 430

NATCHEZ TRACE PARK

Fair

Over: BUZZARD ROOST CREEK

0.58 MILES SOUTH OF U.S., Colbert, AL

Built 1981 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 720

AL 5

Fair

Over: STREAM

1.0 MI.S.OF US 80, Dallas, AL

Built 1929 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 1,110

SR 8

Fair

Over: STREAM

4.5 MI E JCT SR 169, Russell, AL

Built 1944 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 8,500

CO. RD. 34

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

MILLRY, Washington, AL

Built 1947 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 500

AL. 51

Fair

Over: C.OF GA.RR ABANDONED

0.4 MI.S.OF US 82 JCT, Bullock, AL

Built 1953 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 730

CO RD 21

Fair

Over: SOUWILPA CREEK RELIEF BR

0.8 MI N INT RT 241 * 42, Choctaw, AL

Built 1955 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 1,000

I - 65 SOUTH

Fair

Over: BUXAHATCHEE CK * L*N RR

I 65 * BUXAHATCHEE CK, Shelby, AL

Built 1960 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 19,495

I - 65 NORTH

Fair

Over: BUXAHATCHEE CK * L*N RR

I 65 * BUXAHATCHEE CK, Shelby, AL

Built 1960 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 19,495

AL - 5 (US 78) SO

Fair

Over: FLAT TOP ROAD

US 78 GRAYSVILLE INTR, Jefferson, AL

Built 1961 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 13,850

SARDIS ROAD

Fair

Over: TURKEY CREEK

1.0 MILE WEST OF US 31, Jefferson, AL

Built 1964 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 717

US 231 SBL

Fair

Over: WARES FERRY ROAD

0.5 MI.N. OF ATLANTA HWY, Montgomery, AL

Built 1965 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 18,150

US 231 NBL

Fair

Over: WARES FERRY ROAD

0.5 MI.N. OF ATLANTA HWY, Montgomery, AL

Built 1965 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 18,150

US 231; SR 53

Fair

Over: BRANCH * DRAKE AVE

1 MI S JCT US431 * US231, Madison, AL

Built 1965 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 82,289

SR 2

Fair

Over: BLUEWATER CREEK

1.5 M W JCT SR 2 & SR101, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1966 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 6,750

SR1/US431

Fair

Over: CSX RAILROAD

TOWN OF ROANOKE, Randolph, AL

Built 1968 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 7,127

ROAD

Fair

Over: MCRAE BRANCH

BR. CULVT. ON PAVEDRD. 46, Henry, AL

Built 1969 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 300

SR1/US431

Fair

Over: BOYD SPRING BRANCH

0.5 MI N JCT SR144, Calhoun, AL

Built 1969 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 21,647

WEST COY SMITH HWY

Fair

Over: CEDAR CREEK

4.5 MI E CITRONELLE, Mobile, AL

Built 1950 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 2,292

I - 59 NORTH

Fair

Over: 65 TH * 66 TH ST NO

I 59 * 65 TH ST NO, Jefferson, AL

Built 1976 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 38,900

Showing 4,751-4,800 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.