I81
Carrying I81 over FLAT CREEK
4.70M.FROM JEFFERSON CO.L, Hamblen, Tennessee
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
I81 in Hamblen, Tennessee sits above 39% of rated Tennessee bridges on inventory load rating (32 t), while its 1970 build year is earlier than 67% of Hamblen's recorded-year cohort (119 bridges).
I81 in Hamblen, Tennessee is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1970, it carries 1 rated component on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 3. 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 TN:32I00810019
INTERSTATE-ERA · CONCRETE · MULTI-SPAN · CULVERT-LED · HEAVY-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- CONCRETE Concrete
- MULTI-SPAN 2 spans
- CULVERT-LED Culvert-led
- HEAVY-ADT Heavy ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard 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: I81
The I81 bridge in Hamblen, Tennessee carries I81 over FLAT CREEK. It was built in 1970, making it 56 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete continuous and spans 2 sections, stretching 6.8 meters (22 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 45,697 vehicles, placing it in the heavily-trafficked tier of Tennessee bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show culvert at 3/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. At least one major component here scores 4 or below, which produces a Poor condition classification under FHWA's current reporting rules.
How I81 compares
Age against the county: built in 1970, earlier than 80 of Hamblen's 119 bridges with a recorded construction year (67%), against a county median build year of 1972. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across Tennessee bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (20,355 of 20,379 rated).
I81 vs every rated Tennessee bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
32 Top 61% higher than 39% of 20,355 bridges
rated Tennessee 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.
Hamblen inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 119 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
- 1970
- Material
- Concrete Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 2
- Structure Length
- 6.8 m (22 ft) 0
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 45,697 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 32I00810019
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
I81 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 I81 against other structures in Hamblen 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 I81?
I81 in Hamblen, Tennessee on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is I81 inspected?
I81'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 45,697 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. I81 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 I81?
I81 has an NBI inventory load rating of 32.4 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining I81?
I81 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is I81 and does age affect safety?
I81 was built in 1970, making it 56 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.
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.