COUNTY RT #174
Carrying COUNTY RT #174 over SOUTHRAIL RAILROAD
2.9 MI W OF ETHELSVILLE, Pickens, Alabama
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: COUNTY RT #174
The COUNTY RT #174 bridge in Pickens, Alabama carries COUNTY RT #174 over SOUTHRAIL RAILROAD. It was built in 1940, making it 86 years old today. The structure is built primarily of wood or timber and spans 5 sections, stretching 29.9 meters (98 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 25 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Alabama bridges. It is owned and maintained by Railroad.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 3/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 4/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. Because at least one major component scores 4 or lower, this bridge falls in FHWA's Poor condition category. That category is not a closure order.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How COUNTY RT #174 compares
Live comparison across Alabama.
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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1940
- Material
- Wood or Timber
- Number of Spans
- 5
- Structure Length
- 29.9 m (98 ft)
- Deck Width
- 4.9 m (16 ft)
- Owner
- Railroad
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 25 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 002469
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in poor condition (3/9), showing advanced deterioration that may require priority repair.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates fair at 5/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates poor at 4/9, advanced deterioration that should be prioritized for repair.
How to read this record
COUNTY RT #174 is in the federal Poor condition category. That is a component-based result, not a closure order.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Understand what Poor condition does and does not mean before drawing conclusions. Poor condition explained
- Compare COUNTY RT #174 against other structures in Pickens and across Alabama. Alabama 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 COUNTY RT #174?
COUNTY RT #174 in Pickens, Alabama has a deck rating of 3/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 4/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is COUNTY RT #174 inspected?
COUNTY RT #174'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 25 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. COUNTY RT #174 is currently shown as Poor condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for COUNTY RT #174?
An inventory load rating is not recorded for COUNTY RT #174.
Who is responsible for maintaining COUNTY RT #174?
COUNTY RT #174 is owned and maintained by Railroad.
How old is COUNTY RT #174 and does age affect safety?
COUNTY RT #174 was built in 1940, making it 86 years old.
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.