Structure 2872 · Bedford County, VA

Rock Cliff RD 735 over Difficult Creek

Carries Rock Cliff RD 735 over Difficult Creek, 3.20 RT 731; 0.10 RT 817.

Overall conditionFair

Set by its lowest-rated component: Superstructure at 5 of 9.

How ratings work
Deck6/9 · Satisfactory
Superstructuresets the rating5/9 · Fair
Substructure6/9 · Satisfactory
Channelnot part of overall7/9 · Good
0 failed4 poor6 fair9 excellent

Elevation

Side view, colored by inspection rating
CAR · 15 FT40 FT OVERALL25 FT0ELEVATION · LENGTHS TO SCALE
Deck 6/9Superstructure 5/9 · sets the ratingSubstructure 6/9

40 ft end to end, longest span 29 ft. Lengths and the car on the deck are drawn to the same scale. Each part is colored by its latest inspection rating. The inventory records lengths but not heights or the layout of the shorter spans, so those are drawn as typical for a multi-beam bridge.

Built197551 years old
Length40.0 ft12.2 m
Daily traffic81counted 2019
Last inspectedJuly 2024every 12 months

Location

StateVirginia
CountyBedford
Location3.20 RT 731; 0.10 RT 817
CarriesRock Cliff RD 735
CrossesDifficult Creek
Coordinates37.17851, -79.52490

Physical Characteristics

MaterialSteel
DesignStringer/Multi-beam
Total Length40.0 ft (12.2 m)
Max Span28.9 ft (8.8 m)
Deck Width15.4 ft (4.7 m)
Deck Area57.3 sq m
Main Spans2
Year Built1975

Traffic

Avg Daily Traffic81 (2019)
Lanes On Bridge1

Inspection & Ownership

Last InspectionJuly 2024
Inspection FrequencyEvery 12 months
OwnerState Highway Agency
Historical SignificanceBridge is not eligible for the National Register
Scour Critical5 — Stable for scour
Structure Number000000000002872

How Bridge Ratings Work

Inspectors rate each major part of a bridge (the deck you drive on, the superstructure of beams that holds it up, and the substructure of piers and abutments beneath) on a 0–9 scale. A bridge's overall condition is its lowest of those ratings, so one deteriorated component makes the whole bridge "poor."

0Failed
1Imminent failure
2Critical
3Serious
4Poor
5Fair
6Satisfactory
7Good
8Very good
9Excellent
Good · lowest component 7–9
Fair · lowest component 5–6
Poor · lowest component 0–4

A poor rating is not a closure. It means the bridge is flagged for priority repair or replacement; bridges judged unsafe are closed or posted with weight limits. The waterway (channel) rating is reported, but it does not count toward the overall classification.

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