Little Refuge Road over Shoal Creek
Cherokee County, Georgia · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- Little Refuge Road over Shoal Creek in Cherokee County, Georgia, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the superstructure, rated 5 (fair condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1970, making it 55 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 340 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2024).
- Its listed owner is the county highway agency.
- It is one of 28 of the 164 inventoried bridges in Cherokee County rated fair (17.1%); 0 (0.0%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is open, no restriction (NBI item 41).
- Its condition class and component ratings are unchanged from the 2024 inventory.
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated March 2024, on a 24-month routine inspection cycle.
- A fair rating means the lowest-rated major component scores 5 or 6 on FHWA's 0-9 scale: some deterioration or minor section loss, but the structure is sound. It is the middle class, not a warning.
View this bridge on a map → (34.29364, -84.56946)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Superstructure | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
| Substructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Steel stringer or multi-beam girder |
| Length | about 160 ft |
| Location | 2 Mi SW of Waleska |
| NBI structure number | 000000005750020 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | March 2024 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | U: unknown foundation, not evaluated for scour |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the Georgia department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Cherokee County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-75 Nbl over Clark Creek | 1976 | 115,000 | Good |
| I-575 (nbl ) over Noonday Creek | 1982 | 105,000 | Good |
| I-575 (nbl) over CR 416 Town Lake Pkwy | 1982 | 105,000 | Good |
| I-575 (sbl) over Sharp Mountain Creek | 1985 | 89,100 | Good |
| I-575 (sbl) over CSX RR - Etowah River | 1982 | 86,500 | Good |
| I-575 (nbl) over Little River | 1982 | 86,000 | Good |
All bridges nearby: Cherokee County, GA bridge conditions · every bridge in Cherokee County · Georgia bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.