FAU 3889 RT
Carrying FAU 3889 RT over REEDY CREEK
IN KINGSPORT, Sullivan, Tennessee
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
FAU 3889 RT in Sullivan, Tennessee sits above 99% of rated Tennessee bridges on inventory load rating (59 t), while its 1984 build year is earlier than 28% of Sullivan's recorded-year cohort (368 bridges).
FAU 3889 RT in Sullivan, Tennessee is rated Fair in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1984, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 6. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Fair 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:82038890001
LATE-CENTURY · PRESTRESS · LONG-SPAN-RUN · TIED-CTRL · HEAVY-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-FAIR
- LATE-CENTURY 1980–1999
- PRESTRESS Prestressed concrete
- LONG-SPAN-RUN 7 spans
- TIED-CTRL Tied control
- HEAVY-ADT Heavy ADT
- HEAVY-LOAD Heavy load
- CAT-FAIR Fair
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 3889 RT
The FAU 3889 RT bridge in Sullivan, Tennessee carries FAU 3889 RT over REEDY CREEK. It was built in 1984, making it 42 years old today. The structure is built primarily of prestressed concrete and spans 7 sections, stretching 61.0 meters (200 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 21,573 vehicles, placing it in the heavily-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 6/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. None of this bridge's reported major components fall into the Poor condition range.
How FAU 3889 RT compares
Age against the county: built in 1984, earlier than 102 of Sullivan's 368 bridges with a recorded construction year (28%), against a county median build year of 1973. This is one of the newer structures in its county.
Live comparison across Tennessee bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (20,355 of 20,379 rated).
FAU 3889 RT vs every rated Tennessee bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
59 Top 1% higher than 99% 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.
Sullivan inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 368 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
- 1984
- Material
- Prestressed Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 7
- Structure Length
- 61.0 m (200 ft)
- Deck Width
- 14.8 m (49 ft)
- Owner
- City/Municipal Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 21,573 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 82038890001
Condition Analysis
- • At 6/9, the deck (driving surface) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • At 6/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • At 7/9, the substructure (piers and abutments) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether FAU 3889 RT 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 FAU 3889 RT against other structures in Sullivan 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 3889 RT?
FAU 3889 RT in Sullivan, Tennessee has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 6/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is FAU 3889 RT inspected?
FAU 3889 RT'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 21,573 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. FAU 3889 RT 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 FAU 3889 RT?
FAU 3889 RT has an NBI inventory load rating of 58.6 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining FAU 3889 RT?
FAU 3889 RT is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
How old is FAU 3889 RT and does age affect safety?
FAU 3889 RT was built in 1984, making it 42 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.