FAU 36
Carrying FAU 36 over REEDY CREEK
IN KINGSPORT CITY LIMITS, Sullivan, Tennessee
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
FAU 36 in Sullivan, Tennessee sits above 10% of rated Tennessee bridges on inventory load rating (22 t), while its 1939 build year is earlier than 95% of Sullivan's recorded-year cohort (368 bridges).
FAU 36 in Sullivan, Tennessee is rated Good in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1939, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 7. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Good 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:82SR0360013
PRE-1950 · CONCRETE · MULTI-SPAN · TIED-CTRL · HEAVY-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-GOOD
- PRE-1950 Pre-1950
- CONCRETE Concrete
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- TIED-CTRL Tied control
- HEAVY-ADT Heavy ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard load
- CAT-GOOD Good
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 36
The FAU 36 bridge in Sullivan, Tennessee carries FAU 36 over REEDY CREEK. It was built in 1939, making it 87 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete and spans 3 sections, stretching 39.3 meters (129 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 13,839 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 a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in good condition. All reported major components score above the Poor range.
How FAU 36 compares
Age against the county: built in 1939, earlier than 348 of Sullivan's 368 bridges with a recorded construction year (95%), against a county median build year of 1973. 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 36 vs every rated Tennessee bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
22 Top 90% higher than 10% 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
- 1939
- Material
- Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 39.3 m (129 ft)
- Deck Width
- 21.2 m (70 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 13,839 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 82SR0360013
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • 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 36 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 36 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 36?
FAU 36 in Sullivan, Tennessee has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is FAU 36 inspected?
FAU 36'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 13,839 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. FAU 36 is currently shown as Good condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for FAU 36?
FAU 36 has an NBI inventory load rating of 22.0 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining FAU 36?
FAU 36 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is FAU 36 and does age affect safety?
FAU 36 was built in 1939, making it 87 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.