The I-85 bridge collapse once again has bridge stability at the forefront of the news, though stability was not the cause of the fire or the collapse.
Even still, structurally deficient bridges plague the state of Georgia. Structurally deficient is defined as a bridge having one or more key elements in “poor” or worse condition – deck, superstructure, substructure, etc.
Of the 14,790 bridges in Georgia, 729 of are classified by ARTBA as structurally deficient — that is about 5 percent of the Peach State’s bridges.
Up here in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District, which includes Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Haralson, Murray Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Walker and Whitfield counties, is home to 1,323 bridges of which 101 or 8% are classified as structurally deficient. This means one or more of the key bridge elements, such as the deck, superstructure or substructure, is considered to be in “poor” or worse condition.
Even more interesting, according to the American Road and Transporation Builders Association:
- 128 bridges, or 10%, are classified as functionally obsolete. This means the bridge does not meet design standards in line with current practice.
- 175 bridges are posted for load, which may restrict the size and weight of vehicles crossing the structure.
- Over the last 10 years, 72 new bridges have been constructed in the counties in this district; 2 have undergone major reconstruction.
- The state has identified needed repairs on 1,304 bridges in the counties in this district, which the state estimates will cost $2 billion.
Here is the list of the top most traveled structurally deficient bridges in the 14th Congressional District:
| County |
Year Built |
Daily Crossings |
Type of Bridge3 |
Location |
| Floyd |
1947 |
23,080 |
Urban other principal arterial |
SR 1 – US 27 over Big Dry Creek |
| Whitfield |
1962 |
13,870 |
Rural major collector |
Carbondale Road over I-75 |
| Floyd |
1915 |
13,060 |
Urban minor arterial |
Broad Street over Etowah River |
| Haralson |
1976 |
8,500 |
Rural major collector |
Atlantic Avenue over I-20 |
| Whitfield |
1927 |
7,780 |
Rural minor arterial |
US 41 over Little Swamp Creek |
| Catoosa |
1938 |
7,400 |
Rural minor arterial |
US 41 / SR 3 over Tiger Creek |
| Gordon |
1949 |
7,380 |
Rural minor arterial |
US 41/ SR 3 over Lynn Creek |
| Dade |
1942 |
7,210 |
Rural minor arterial |
SR 136 over Norsouthern RR (725782V) |
| Whitfield |
1957 |
6,690 |
Rural major collector |
Dawnville Road over Coahulla Creek |
| Dade |
1965 |
5,910 |
Rural major collector |
SR 299 over I-24 (SR 409) |
| Floyd |
1978 |
5,810 |
Urban minor arterial |
Kingston Avenue over Ns Railroad (719097 |
| Floyd |
1931 |
5,580 |
Urban minor arterial |
Calhoun Road over Zuber Creek |
| Murray |
1925 |
4,840 |
Rural minor arterial |
US 411 SR 61 over Sumac Creek |
| Gordon |
1955 |
4,770 |
Rural minor arterial |
SR 225 over Coosawattee River |
| Whitfield |
1937 |
4,610 |
Urban collector |
Gordon Street over Ns Railroad (719083G) |
| Polk |
1948 |
3,770 |
Urban collector |
North College St over Cedar Creek Trib |
| Catoosa |
1965 |
3,670 |
Rural major collector |
Three Notch Road over Peavine Creek |
| Whitfield |
1942 |
3,630 |
Urban minor arterial |
SR 201 over Tanyard Creek |
| Polk |
1918 |
3,450 |
Urban collector |
College Street over CSX Railroad |
| Floyd |
1974 |
3,210 |
Urban local road |
Walnut Avenue over Ns Railroad(719109G) |
| Murray |
1962 |
2,580 |
Rural minor arterial |
US 411/SR 61 over Cr 182- CSX RR (340636X) |
| Walker |
1980 |
2,580 |
Rural minor collector |
Red Belt Road over West Chickamauga Creek |
| Chattooga |
1937 |
1,930 |
Rural minor arterial |
SR 48 over East Fork Little River |
| Whitfield |
1941 |
1,768 |
Urban local road |
Reed Pond Road over Poplar Spring Creek |
| Floyd |
1987 |
1,430 |
Urban collector |
Mathis Drive over Little Dry Creek Trib. |
