FAU 3615
Carrying FAU 3615 over CHATTANOOGA CREEK
0.1 MI OF GA TN ST LI, Hamilton, Tennessee
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
FAU 3615 in Hamilton, Tennessee sits above 23% of rated Tennessee bridges on inventory load rating (25 t), while its 1962 build year is earlier than 67% of Hamilton's recorded-year cohort (464 bridges).
FAU 3615 in Hamilton, Tennessee is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1962, 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 TN:33M36150001
INTERSTATE-ERA · CONCRETE · LONG-SPAN-RUN · SUB-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- CONCRETE Concrete
- LONG-SPAN-RUN 5 spans
- SUB-LED Substructure-led
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial 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: FAU 3615
The FAU 3615 bridge in Hamilton, Tennessee carries FAU 3615 over CHATTANOOGA CREEK. It was built in 1962, making it 64 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete and spans 5 sections, stretching 51.8 meters (170 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 5,594 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 6/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 4/9. 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 FAU 3615 compares
Age against the county: built in 1962, earlier than 310 of Hamilton's 464 bridges with a recorded construction year (67%), against a county median build year of 1976. 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).
FAU 3615 vs every rated Tennessee bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
25 Top 77% higher than 23% 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.
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.
Hamilton inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 464 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
- 1962
- Material
- Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 5
- Structure Length
- 51.8 m (170 ft)
- Deck Width
- 10.1 m (33 ft)
- Owner
- City/Municipal Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 5,594 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 33M36150001
Condition Analysis
- • At 6/9, 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.
- • At 4/9, the substructure (piers and abutments) is in poor shape, with advanced wear on file for this vintage.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
FAU 3615 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 3615 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 3615?
FAU 3615 in Hamilton, Tennessee has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 4/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is FAU 3615 inspected?
FAU 3615'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 5,594 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. FAU 3615 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 3615?
FAU 3615 has an NBI inventory load rating of 24.6 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining FAU 3615?
FAU 3615 is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
How old is FAU 3615 and does age affect safety?
FAU 3615 was built in 1962, making it 64 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.