NFA A978
Carrying NFA A978 over BRANCH
2.4 MI NE JCT SR43&SR105, Gibson, Tennessee
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: NFA A978
The NFA A978 bridge in Gibson, Tennessee carries NFA A978 over BRANCH. It was built in 1989, making it 37 years old today. The structure is built primarily of wood or timber and spans 1 section, stretching 7.6 meters (25 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 130 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Tennessee bridges. It is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure at 2/9, substructure at 4/9. The weakest component sits in critical condition. A component scored 4 or below, placing this bridge in the federal Poor condition category rather than declaring it unsafe or closed.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How NFA A978 compares
Live comparison across Tennessee.
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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1989
- Material
- Wood or Timber
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 7.6 m (25 ft)
- Deck Width
- 7.0 m (23 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 130 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 270A9780001
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • At 6/9, the deck (driving surface) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • At 2/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in critical shape, with severe wear requiring urgent action.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates poor at 4/9, advanced deterioration that should be prioritized for repair.
How to read this record
NFA A978 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 NFA A978 against other structures in Gibson and across Tennessee. Tennessee 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 NFA A978?
NFA A978 in Gibson, Tennessee has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 2/9, and substructure rating of 4/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is NFA A978 inspected?
NFA A978'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 130 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. NFA A978 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 NFA A978?
An inventory load rating is not recorded for NFA A978.
Who is responsible for maintaining NFA A978?
NFA A978 is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is NFA A978 and does age affect safety?
NFA A978 was built in 1989, making it 37 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.