SR1603
Carrying SR1603 over CRANBERRY CREEK
20 FT.S.JCT.SR1609, Ashe, North Carolina
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
SR1603 in Ashe, North Carolina sits above 38% of rated North Carolina bridges on inventory load rating (37 t), while its 2002 build year is earlier than 28% of Ashe's recorded-year cohort (247 bridges).
SR1603 in Ashe, North Carolina is rated Good in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 2002, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 7. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Good result describes the weakest reported component rather than the structure as a whole. No NBI category is a closure decision or a live crossing-safety verdict.
NBI record plate
Structure NC:000000000090038
POST-2000 · PRESTRESS · MULTI-SPAN · TIED-CTRL · LOCAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-GOOD
- POST-2000 2000+
- PRESTRESS Prestressed concrete
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- TIED-CTRL Tied control
- LOCAL-ADT Local ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard load
- CAT-GOOD Good
Inspection-sheet codes from this record’s year, material family, spans, controlling component, ADT, inventory load, and NBI category, not a live closure verdict.
Bridge Snapshot: SR1603
The SR1603 bridge in Ashe, North Carolina carries SR1603 over CRANBERRY CREEK. It was built in 2002, making it 24 years old today. The structure is built primarily of prestressed concrete continuous and spans 3 sections, stretching 35.0 meters (115 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 130 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 a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in good condition. All reported major components score above the Poor range.
How SR1603 compares
Age against the county: built in 2002, earlier than 70 of Ashe's 247 bridges with a recorded construction year (28%), against a county median build year of 1981. This is one of the newer structures in its county.
Live comparison across North Carolina bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (19,160 of 19,210 rated).
SR1603 vs every rated North Carolina bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
37 Top 62% higher than 38% of 19,160 bridges
rated North Carolina bridges, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more bridges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · August 2026
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Reported 0–9 component ratings from the FHWA NBI. The highlighted component is the lowest reported input to this record’s current condition category; it is not a closure or live crossing-safety decision.
Ashe inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 247 bridges in this county. Orthogonal to this structure's component profile above: a county catalog share, not a live crossing-safety verdict.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 2002
- Material
- Prestressed Concrete Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 35.0 m (115 ft)
- Deck Width
- 8.2 m (27 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 130 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000090038
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether SR1603 is safe to cross today. Here is how to use it.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Learn how the 0–9 condition scale and Good/Fair/Poor categories are defined. How condition ratings work
- Compare SR1603 against other structures in Ashe 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 SR1603?
SR1603 in Ashe, North Carolina has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is SR1603 inspected?
SR1603'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 130 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. SR1603 is currently shown as Good condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for SR1603?
SR1603 has an NBI inventory load rating of 37.1 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining SR1603?
SR1603 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is SR1603 and does age affect safety?
SR1603 was built in 2002, making it 24 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.
Share this inspection record
Send this source-bounded record or download its data card. An NBI condition category is not a closure or live crossing-safety verdict.
Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Component ratings, ADT, and condition category on this page are copied from the NBI record for this structure; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.