NFA A055
Carrying NFA A055 over LITTLE HIGGINS CREEK
NEAR ERNESTVILLE, Unicoi, Tennessee
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: NFA A055
The NFA A055 bridge in Unicoi, Tennessee carries NFA A055 over LITTLE HIGGINS CREEK. It was built in 1978, making it 48 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 1 section, stretching 7.2 meters (24 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 120 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 5/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 5/9. 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 29.7 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How NFA A055 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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1978
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 7.2 m (24 ft)
- Deck Width
- 4.9 m (16 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 120 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 860A0550007
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • At 5/9, the deck (driving surface) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether NFA A055 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 NFA A055 against other structures in Unicoi 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 A055?
NFA A055 in Unicoi, Tennessee has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 5/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is NFA A055 inspected?
NFA A055'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 120 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. NFA A055 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 NFA A055?
NFA A055 has an NBI inventory load rating of 29.7 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining NFA A055?
NFA A055 is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is NFA A055 and does age affect safety?
NFA A055 was built in 1978, making it 48 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.