Bell Crossing
Carrying Bell Crossing over LIGHTWOOD KNOT CREEK
Bell Crossing, Covington, Alabama
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: Bell Crossing
The Bell Crossing bridge in Covington, Alabama carries Bell Crossing over LIGHTWOOD KNOT CREEK. It was built in 1930, making it 96 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1980, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of concrete and spans 6 sections, stretching 62.2 meters (204 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 140 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Alabama bridges. It is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 6/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. None of this bridge's reported major components fall into the Poor condition range. Its NBI inventory load rating is 24.3 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How Bell Crossing 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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1980
- Material
- Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 6
- Structure Length
- 62.2 m (204 ft)
- Deck Width
- 8.4 m (28 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 140 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 012258
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • 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 Bell Crossing 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 Bell Crossing against other structures in Covington 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 Bell Crossing?
Bell Crossing in Covington, Alabama has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is Bell Crossing inspected?
Bell Crossing'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 140 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. Bell Crossing 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 Bell Crossing?
Bell Crossing has an NBI inventory load rating of 24.3 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining Bell Crossing?
Bell Crossing is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is Bell Crossing and does age affect safety?
Bell Crossing was built in 1930, making it 96 years old and last reconstructed in 1980.
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.