SR3556
Carrying SR3556 over FRENCH BROAD RIVER
.4 MI.E.JCT.I240, Buncombe, North Carolina
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: SR3556
The SR3556 bridge in Buncombe, North Carolina carries SR3556 over FRENCH BROAD RIVER. It was built in 1951, making it 75 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel continuous and spans 4 sections, stretching 128.0 meters (420 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 13,000 vehicles, placing it in the heavily-trafficked tier of North Carolina bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure at 4/9, substructure at 5/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. Because at least one major component scores 4 or lower, this bridge falls in FHWA's Poor condition category. That category is not a closure order. Its NBI inventory load rating is 29.0 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How SR3556 compares
Live comparison across North Carolina.
Historical Sufficiency Rating
PlainBridge-computedFHWA discontinued this calculated item; it does not determine current condition, funding eligibility, posting, or closure. How the historical reference is calculated.
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1951
- Material
- Steel Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 4
- Structure Length
- 128.0 m (420 ft)
- Deck Width
- 9.8 m (32 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 13,000 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000210521
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates fair at 5/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • At 4/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in poor shape, with advanced wear flagged for priority repair.
- • At 5/9, the substructure (piers and abutments) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
How to read this record
SR3556 is in the federal Poor condition category. That is a component-based result, not a closure order.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Understand what Poor condition does and does not mean before drawing conclusions. Poor condition explained
- Compare SR3556 against other structures in Buncombe and across North Carolina. North Carolina bridges
- Noticed visible damage or a safety concern? Report it to the agency that owns the bridge, or call 911 in an emergency. How to report a bridge
Condition codes come straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory and are not a real-time safety judgment. Only the owning agency, a state DOT, county, or other owner, can post, restrict, or close a bridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the condition ratings mean for SR3556?
SR3556 in Buncombe, North Carolina has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 4/9, and substructure rating of 5/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is SR3556 inspected?
SR3556's responsible agency sets its routine interval under FHWA's risk-based inspection rules; this page does not expose the scheduled interval. It carries about 13,000 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. SR3556 is currently shown as Poor condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for SR3556?
SR3556 has an NBI inventory load rating of 29.0 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining SR3556?
SR3556 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is SR3556 and does age affect safety?
SR3556 was built in 1951, making it 75 years old.
Disclaimer: Bridge condition data is from the FHWA NBI and reflects the last reported inspection. A Poor condition rating is not a live declaration that a bridge is closed or unsafe for travel. For current closure, posting, or safety information, contact the responsible transportation agency.
Every figure on PlainBridge is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.