Fap 401 (SR 24) over Ward Creek
Smith County, Tennessee · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- Fap 401 (SR 24) over Ward Creek in Smith 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 1938, making it 87 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 4,375 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2021).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 69 of the 202 inventoried bridges in Smith County rated fair (34.2%); 19 (9.4%) 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 May 2023, 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 → (36.2545, -86.00265)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Superstructure | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
| Substructure | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Concrete deck arch |
| Length | about 24 ft |
| Location | 1 Mile West of Carthage |
| NBI structure number | 80SR0240009 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | May 2023 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 5: foundations stable, scour within the limits of the footing or piles |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the Tennessee department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Smith County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| I40 over Mulherrin Crk.&new Mid.r | 1963 | 45,338 | Good |
| I40 over Mulherrin Crk.&new Mid.r | 1963 | 45,338 | Fair |
| I40 over Dry Creek | 1963 | 45,338 | Good |
| I40 over Dry Creek | 1963 | 45,338 | Good |
| I40 over I40 / SR 53 | 1962 | 45,338 | Fair |
| I40 over I40 / SR 53 | 1962 | 45,338 | Good |
All bridges nearby: Smith County, TN bridge conditions · every bridge in Smith County · Tennessee bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.