Jones Cove Road Bridge Received Poor Rating

That bridge on Jones Cove Road that collapsed during Flash Flooding on Monday was evidently not in very good shape to begin with. That’s according to the National Bridge Inventory, Tennessee Inventory Appraisal Report. That report gives detailed information on highway bridges and when inspections are performed. It then gives each bridge a sufficiency rating, which is based on a 100-point scale. A rating under 80 means that the bridge qualifies for rehabilitation, and a rating under 50 means that the bridge qualifies for a replacement. The Jones Cove Road Bridge that collapsed Monday received a rating of 22.9.

Of the 224 bridges included in the Sevier County report, 11 received a rating under 50. Two of those are in Pittman Center. The Hills Creek Road Bridge over the Little Pigeon River received a rating of 29.1 and…the Grassy Branch Road bridge over the Little Pigeon River, received a rating of 4.