OLD HWY 278
Carrying OLD HWY 278 over COVE CREEK
OLD HWY 278 * COVE CREEK, Etowah, Alabama
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: OLD HWY 278
The OLD HWY 278 bridge in Etowah, Alabama carries OLD HWY 278 over COVE CREEK. It was built in 1930, making it 96 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1969, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of concrete continuous and spans 7 sections, stretching 33.8 meters (111 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 12,660 vehicles, placing it in the heavily-trafficked tier of Alabama bridges. It is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 6/9. The weakest component sits in fair 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 OLD HWY 278 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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1930
- Last Reconstructed
- 1969
- Material
- Concrete Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 7
- Structure Length
- 33.8 m (111 ft)
- Deck Width
- 9.9 m (32 ft)
- Owner
- City/Municipal Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 12,660 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 009834
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates fair at 6/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • 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 fair at 6/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether OLD HWY 278 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 OLD HWY 278 against other structures in Etowah 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 OLD HWY 278?
OLD HWY 278 in Etowah, Alabama has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is OLD HWY 278 inspected?
OLD HWY 278'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 12,660 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. OLD HWY 278 is currently shown as Fair condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for OLD HWY 278?
OLD HWY 278 has an NBI inventory load rating of 32.7 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining OLD HWY 278?
OLD HWY 278 is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
How old is OLD HWY 278 and does age affect safety?
OLD HWY 278 was built in 1930, making it 96 years old and last reconstructed in 1969.
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.