Al-257 over Sipsey River
Winston County, Alabama · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- Al-257 over Sipsey River in Winston County, Alabama, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the superstructure, rated 5 (fair condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1967, making it 58 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 4,476 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2020).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 47 of the 78 inventoried bridges in Winston County rated fair (60.3%); 5 (6.4%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is open, no restriction (NBI item 41).
- It was rated poor in the 2024 inventory and is now fair (deck 5 to 6, superstructure 4 to 5).
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated August 2024, on a 24-month routine inspection cycle.
- It has fracture-critical members (NBI item 92A): steel tension members without a redundant load path, which get their own scheduled inspections.
- A fair rating means the lowest-rated major component scores 5 or 6 on FHWA's 0-9 scale: some deterioration or minor section loss, but the structure is sound. It is the middle class, not a warning.
View this bridge on a map → (34.00085, -87.22234)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 5 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Superstructure | 4 | 5 | Fair condition |
| Substructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Continuous steel through truss |
| Length | about 1,035 ft |
| Location | Duncan Bridge |
| NBI structure number | 009371 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | August 2024 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 5: foundations stable, scour within the limits of the footing or piles |
| Fracture critical (item 92A) | Yes |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the Alabama department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Winston County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al-74 over Rock Creek | 1994 | 3,700 | Good |
| Al-74 over Sipsey River | 1960 | 3,197 | Fair |
| Al-13 over Creek | 1951 | 2,757 | Fair |
| Al-74 over Brushy Creek | 1981 | 2,717 | Fair |
| Al-195 over Mill Creek | 1928 | 2,460 | Fair |
| Al-195 over Clear Creek | 1998 | 2,460 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Winston County, AL bridge conditions · every bridge in Winston County · Alabama bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.