WALNUT ST
Carrying WALNUT ST over RAILROAD @ WALNUT STREET
0.5 MI E JCT US 31, Cullman, Alabama
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
WALNUT ST in Cullman, Alabama sits above 2% of rated Alabama bridges on inventory load rating (4 t), while its 1915 build year is earlier than 99% of Cullman's recorded-year cohort (246 bridges).
WALNUT ST in Cullman, Alabama is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1915, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 4. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Poor result describes the weakest reported component rather than the structure as a whole. No NBI category is a closure decision or a live crossing-safety verdict.
NBI record plate
Structure AL:016883
PRE-1950 · TIMBER · LONG-SPAN-RUN · TIED-CTRL · ARTERIAL-ADT · LIGHT-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- PRE-1950 Pre-1950
- TIMBER Wood or timber
- LONG-SPAN-RUN 7 spans
- TIED-CTRL Tied control
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial ADT
- LIGHT-LOAD Light load
- CAT-POOR Poor
Inspection-sheet codes from this record’s year, material family, spans, controlling component, ADT, inventory load, and NBI category, not a live closure verdict.
Bridge Snapshot: WALNUT ST
The WALNUT ST bridge in Cullman, Alabama carries WALNUT ST over RAILROAD @ WALNUT STREET. It was built in 1915, making it 111 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1986, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of wood or timber and spans 7 sections, stretching 35.4 meters (116 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 1,000 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Alabama bridges. It is owned and maintained by Railroad.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 4/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. Because at least one major component scores 4 or lower, this bridge falls in FHWA's Poor condition category. That category is not a closure order.
How WALNUT ST compares
Age against the county: built in 1915, earlier than 243 of Cullman's 246 bridges with a recorded construction year (99%), against a county median build year of 1963. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across Alabama bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (16,191 of 16,205 rated).
WALNUT ST vs every rated Alabama bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
4 Top 98% higher than 2% of 16,191 bridges
rated Alabama bridges, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more bridges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · August 2026
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Reported 0–9 component ratings from the FHWA NBI. The highlighted component is the lowest reported input to this record’s current condition category; it is not a closure or live crossing-safety decision.
Cullman inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 246 bridges in this county. Orthogonal to this structure's component profile above: a county catalog share, not a live crossing-safety verdict.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1915
- Last Reconstructed
- 1986
- Material
- Wood or Timber
- Number of Spans
- 7
- Structure Length
- 35.4 m (116 ft)
- Deck Width
- 5.5 m (18 ft)
- Owner
- Railroad
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 1,000 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 016883
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates poor at 4/9, with advanced deterioration recorded on the latest inspection.
- • 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 poor condition (4/9), showing advanced deterioration on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
WALNUT ST 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 WALNUT ST against other structures in Cullman 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 WALNUT ST?
WALNUT ST in Cullman, Alabama has a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 4/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is WALNUT ST inspected?
WALNUT ST'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 1,000 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. WALNUT ST 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 WALNUT ST?
WALNUT ST has an NBI inventory load rating of 3.6 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining WALNUT ST?
WALNUT ST is owned and maintained by Railroad.
How old is WALNUT ST and does age affect safety?
WALNUT ST was built in 1915, making it 111 years old and last reconstructed in 1986.
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.
Share this inspection record
Send this source-bounded record or download its data card. An NBI condition category is not a closure or live crossing-safety verdict.
Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Component ratings, ADT, and condition category on this page are copied from the NBI record for this structure; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.