FAU 3604
Carrying FAU 3604 over FRIAR BRANCH
IN CHATTANOOGA, Hamilton, Tennessee
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: FAU 3604
The FAU 3604 bridge in Hamilton, Tennessee carries FAU 3604 over FRIAR BRANCH. It was built in 1976, making it 50 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 1 section, stretching 15.8 meters (52 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 6,006 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Tennessee bridges. It is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure at 2/9, substructure at 5/9. 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 FAU 3604 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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1976
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 15.8 m (52 ft)
- Deck Width
- 11.0 m (36 ft)
- Owner
- City/Municipal Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 6,006 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 33M36040001
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • At 4/9, the deck (driving surface) is in poor shape, with advanced wear flagged for priority repair.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates critical at 2/9, severe deterioration that needs urgent attention.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
How to read this record
FAU 3604 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 FAU 3604 against other structures in Hamilton 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 FAU 3604?
FAU 3604 in Hamilton, Tennessee has a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure rating of 2/9, and substructure rating of 5/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is FAU 3604 inspected?
FAU 3604'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 6,006 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. FAU 3604 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 FAU 3604?
An inventory load rating is not recorded for FAU 3604.
Who is responsible for maintaining FAU 3604?
FAU 3604 is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
How old is FAU 3604 and does age affect safety?
FAU 3604 was built in 1976, making it 50 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.