Merrill Drive over Etowah River
Lumpkin County, Georgia · rated Good in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- Merrill Drive over Etowah River in Lumpkin County, Georgia, is rated in good condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the deck, rated 7 (good condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 2010, making it 15 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 25 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2023).
- It is one of 22 of the 53 inventoried bridges in Lumpkin County rated good (41.5%); 1 (1.9%) 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 August 2023, on a 24-month routine inspection cycle.
- It has fracture-critical members (NBI item 92A): steel tension members without a redundant load path, which get their own scheduled inspections.
- A good rating means every major component - deck, superstructure, substructure, or culvert - is rated 7 or higher on FHWA's 0-9 scale: no more than minor problems.
View this bridge on a map → (34.6274, -84.10584)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
| Superstructure | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
| Substructure | 8 | 8 | Very good condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Steel through truss |
| Length | about 41 ft |
| Location | Cp Merrill Land Strip |
| NBI structure number | DAPTRABEN0M0315 |
| Condition class | Good |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | August 2023 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 8: foundations stable, scour above the top of the footing |
| Fracture critical (item 92A) | Yes |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the Georgia department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Lumpkin County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| US 19 Sbl / SR 400 over Chestatee River | 1980 | 80,200 | Good |
| US 19 Nbl / SR 400 over Chestatee River | 1976 | 23,500 | Fair |
| US 19 / SR 60 over Chestatee River | 1949 | 17,400 | Fair |
| US 19 / SR 60 over Yahoola Creek | 1949 | 17,400 | Fair |
| SR 9- SR 52 over Cane Creek | 1955 | 13,500 | Fair |
| SR 60 over Long Branch | 1949 | 10,000 | Good |
All bridges nearby: Lumpkin County, GA bridge conditions · every bridge in Lumpkin County · Georgia bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.