SR1638
Carrying SR1638 over WHITTIER BRANCH
.3 MI.E.JCT.SR1634, Buncombe, North Carolina
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: SR1638
The SR1638 bridge in Buncombe, North Carolina carries SR1638 over WHITTIER BRANCH. It was built in 1960, making it 66 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 2 sections, stretching 10.9 meters (36 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 200 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of North Carolina bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show culvert at 4/9. 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 89.8 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How SR1638 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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1960
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 2
- Structure Length
- 10.9 m (36 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 200 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000210848
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
SR1638 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 SR1638 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 SR1638?
SR1638 in Buncombe, North Carolina on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is SR1638 inspected?
SR1638'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 200 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. SR1638 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 SR1638?
SR1638 has an NBI inventory load rating of 89.8 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining SR1638?
SR1638 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is SR1638 and does age affect safety?
SR1638 was built in 1960, making it 66 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.