National Bridge Inventory: Alabama



  • Of the 16,162 bridges in the state, 575, or 3.6 percent, are classified as structurally deficient. This means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition.
  • This is down from 689 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2018.
  • The deck area of structurally deficient bridges accounts for 1.4 percent of total deck area on all structures.
  • 17 of the structurally deficient bridges are on the Interstate Highway System. A total of 93.4 percent of the structurally deficient bridges are not on the National Highway System, which includes the Interstate and other key roads linking major airports, ports, rail and truck terminals.
  • 2,514 bridges are posted for load, which may restrict the size and weight of vehicles crossing the structure.
  • The state has identified needed repairs on 16,088 bridges at an estimated cost of $11.0 billion.
  • This compares to 16,054 bridges that needed work in 2018.

County Year Built Daily Crossings Type of Bridge Location
Jefferson 1981 99,312 Urban Interstate I - 459 South over Cahaba River
Jefferson 1968 41,990 Urban Interstate I 59/20 over Arron Aronov Drive
Jefferson 1968 41,990 Urban Interstate I 59/20 over Aaron Aronov Drive
Lee 1958 40,660 Urban Interstate I-85 over Moores Mill Creek
Lee 1996 32,040 Urban freeway/expressway US 280 over First Avenue
Macon 1963 31,250 Rural Interstate I85 over Branch
Shelby 1924 28,511 Urban other principal arterial Al - 3 North over Peavine Ck * Acl RR
Lee 1959 23,680 Urban Interstate I-85 over SR 51
Lee 1959 23,680 Urban Interstate I-85 over Long St
Lee 1959 23,680 Urban Interstate I-85 over Norfolk Southern R/R
Lee 1959 23,680 Urban Interstate I-85 over SR 51
Lee 1959 23,680 Urban Interstate I-85 over Norfolk Southern R/R
Walker 1962 23,120 Urban minor arterial Al -5 over US-78
Jefferson 1955 19,500 Urban other principal arterial Al - 5 (US 11) over Opossum Creek
Mobile 1964 19,384 Urban minor arterial Mcgregor Ave over Eslava Creek
Montgomery 1965 16,060 Rural Interstate I65 NBL over Pintlala Creek
Lowndes 1966 14,920 Rural Interstate I65 SBL over Branch
Autauga 1957 14,890 Rural arterial US 82 over Autauga Creek
Jefferson 1915 14,000 Urban local road 22nd Street over Morris Ave * RR
Conecuh 1960 13,486 Rural Interstate I-65 NB over Sepulga River Relief
Jefferson 1915 13,000 Urban local road 21st Street over Morris Ave * RR
Jefferson 1910 13,000 Urban local road 22nd St over Rotary Trail Park
Jefferson 1945 12,820 Urban other principal arterial Al - 150 over Lil Shades Ck
Mobile 1965 12,697 Urban minor arterial US 90 WB over Tensaw/Spanish River
Coosa 1972 11,641 Rural arterial SR 38 / US280 over Socapatoy Creek
Type of Bridge Number of Bridges Area of All Bridges
(sq. meters)
Daily Crossings on All Bridges Number of Structurally Deficient Bridges Area of Structurally Deficient Bridges
(sq. meters)
Daily Crossings on Structurally Deficient Bridges
Rural Interstate 665 1,187,230 14,366,869 7 5,549 99,757
Rural arterial 1,143 1,139,753 9,059,280 13 7,747 92,733
Rural minor arterial 1,516 1,024,074 5,194,979 13 4,057 35,699
Rural major collector 3,111 1,291,653 4,904,165 62 24,813 72,842
Rural minor collector 2,283 643,562 1,376,365 79 9,086 9,303
Rural local road 4,444 922,288 1,819,756 316 41,635 67,037
Urban Interstate 573 1,925,148 22,078,590 10 8,619 349,792
Urban freeway/expressway 87 191,408 1,930,200 1 869 32,040
Urban other principal arterial 568 790,931 11,329,573 5 4,828 78,016
Urban minor arterial 407 319,096 4,382,736 12 9,901 87,146
Urban collector 315 200,172 1,622,702 10 2,115 36,961
Urban local road 1,050 388,495 2,963,304 47 18,523 68,364
Total 16,162 10,023,809 81,028,519 575 137,742 1,029,690
Type of Work Number of Bridges Cost to Repair
(in millions)
Daily Crossings Area of Bridges
(sq. meters)
Bridge replacement 4,479 $2,619 14,664,477 1,787,737
Widening & rehabilitation 565 $319 4,314,638 314,309
Rehabilitation 2,976 $3,097 27,068,049 2,978,765
Deck rehabilitation/replacement 10 $13 92,275 12,036
Other structural work 8,058 $4,912 34,738,777 4,894,784
Total 16,088 $10,960 80,878,216 9,987,630

About the data:

Data and cost estimates are from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on February 1, 2023. Note that specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections.

Effective January 1, 2018, FHWA changed the definition of structurally deficient as part of the final rule on highway and bridge performance measures, published May 20, 2017 pursuant to the 2012 federal aid highway bill Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). Two measures that were previously used to classify bridges as structurally deficient are no longer used. This includes bridges where the overall structural evaluation was rated in poor or worse condition, or where the adequacy of waterway openings was insufficient.

The new definition limits the classification to bridges where one of the key structural elements—the deck, superstructure, substructure or culverts, are rated in poor or worse condition. During inspection, the conditions of a variety of bridge elements are rated on a scale of 0 (failed condition) to 9 (excellent condition). A rating of 4 is considered “poor” condition.

Cost estimates have been derived by ARTBA, based on 2021 average bridge replacement costs for structures on and off the National Highway System, published by FHWA. Bridge rehabilitation costs are estimated to be 68 percent of replacement costs. A bridge is considered to need repair if the structure has identified repairs as part of the NBI, a repair cost estimate is supplied by the bridge owner or the bridge is classified as structurally deficient. Please note that for a few states, the number of bridges needing to be repaired can vary significantly from year to year, and reflects the data entered by the state.

Bridges are classified by FHWA into types based on the functional classification of the roadway on the bridge. Interstates comprise routes officially designated by the Secretary of Transportation. Other principal arterials serve major centers of urban areas or provide mobility through rural areas. Freeways and expressways have directional lanes generally separated by a physical barrier, and access/egress points generally limited to on- and off-ramps. Minor arterials serve smaller areas and are used for trips of moderate length. Collectors funnel traffic from local roads to the arterial network; major collectors have higher speed limits and traffic volumes and are longer in length and spaced at greater intervals, while minor collectors are shorter and provide service to smaller communities. Local roads do not carry through traffic and are intended for short distance travel.

44
Compared to 43 in 2021

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridges

1. West Virginia 20.0%
43. Virginia 4.0%
44. Alabama 4.0%
45. Vermont 3.0%

24
Compared to 24 in 2021

in the nation in # of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 4,604
23. Minnesota 602
24. Alabama 575
25. Virginia 501

47
Compared to 47 in 2021

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridge deck area

1. Rhode Island 17.0%
46. Florida 2.0%
47. Alabama 1.0%
48. Texas 1.0%
Full State Ranking

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  • Source: Data is from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on February 1, 2023. Note that specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections.

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