SR 68 over Tennessee River
Rhea County, Tennessee · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- SR 68 over Tennessee River in Rhea County, Tennessee, 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 1956 and reconstructed in 2005, making it 69 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 5,270 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2021).
- It is one of 71 of the 100 inventoried bridges in Rhea County rated fair (71.0%); 6 (6.0%) 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 July 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 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 → (35.62278, -84.77806)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
| Superstructure | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
| Substructure | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Continuous steel girder and floorbeam |
| Length | about 2,359 ft |
| Location | on Watts Bar Dam |
| NBI structure number | 72SR0680009 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | July 2023 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 5: foundations stable, scour within the limits of the footing or piles |
| Fracture critical (item 92A) | Yes |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the Tennessee department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Rhea County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fap 29 over Richland Creek | 1960 | 23,414 | Fair |
| Fap 29 over Richland Creek | 1960 | 23,414 | Fair |
| Fap 29 over Richland Creek Overflow | 2007 | 23,414 | Good |
| Fap 29 over Richland Creek Overflow | 2007 | 23,414 | Fair |
| Fap 29 over Branch | 1960 | 21,072 | Fair |
| Fap 29 over Oak Hill Rd | 2002 | 16,192 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Rhea County, TN bridge conditions · every bridge in Rhea County · Tennessee bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.