Falling Rock Drive
Carrying Falling Rock Drive over Tye River
0.75-Rt.661 / 2.15-Rt.657, Nelson, Virginia
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: Falling Rock Drive
The Falling Rock Drive bridge in Nelson, Virginia carries Falling Rock Drive over Tye River. It was built in 1969, making it 57 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 2004, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 4 sections, stretching 61.3 meters (201 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 132 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Virginia bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in good condition. All reported major components score above the Poor range. Its NBI inventory load rating is 32.7 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How Falling Rock Drive compares
Live comparison across Virginia.
Historical Sufficiency Rating
PlainBridge-computedFHWA discontinued this calculated item; it does not determine current condition, funding eligibility, posting, or closure. How the historical reference is calculated.
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1969
- Last Reconstructed
- 2004
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 4
- Structure Length
- 61.3 m (201 ft)
- Deck Width
- 7.3 m (24 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 132 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000012542
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether Falling Rock Drive is safe to cross today. Here is how to use it.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Learn how the 0–9 condition scale and Good/Fair/Poor categories are defined. How condition ratings work
- Compare Falling Rock Drive against other structures in Nelson and across Virginia. Virginia bridges
- Noticed visible damage or a safety concern? Report it to the agency that owns the bridge, or call 911 in an emergency. How to report a bridge
Condition codes come straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory and are not a real-time safety judgment. Only the owning agency, a state DOT, county, or other owner, can post, restrict, or close a bridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the condition ratings mean for Falling Rock Drive?
Falling Rock Drive in Nelson, Virginia has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is Falling Rock Drive inspected?
Falling Rock Drive's responsible agency sets its routine interval under FHWA's risk-based inspection rules; this page does not expose the scheduled interval. It carries about 132 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. Falling Rock Drive is currently shown as Good condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for Falling Rock Drive?
Falling Rock Drive has an NBI inventory load rating of 32.7 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining Falling Rock Drive?
Falling Rock Drive is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is Falling Rock Drive and does age affect safety?
Falling Rock Drive was built in 1969, making it 57 years old and last reconstructed in 2004.
Disclaimer: Bridge condition data is from the FHWA NBI and reflects the last reported inspection. A Poor condition rating is not a live declaration that a bridge is closed or unsafe for travel. For current closure, posting, or safety information, contact the responsible transportation agency.
Every figure on PlainBridge is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.