US70
Carrying US70 over SWANNANOA RIVER
.15 MI.E.JCT.SR2724, Buncombe, North Carolina
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
US70 in Buncombe, North Carolina sits above 20% of rated North Carolina bridges on inventory load rating (31 t), while its 1947 build year is earlier than 93% of Buncombe's recorded-year cohort (555 bridges).
US70 in Buncombe, North Carolina is rated Fair in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1947, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 5. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Fair 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:000000000210258
PRE-1950 · CONCRETE · MULTI-SPAN · SUB-LED · HEAVY-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-FAIR
- PRE-1950 Pre-1950
- CONCRETE Concrete
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- SUB-LED Substructure-led
- HEAVY-ADT Heavy ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard load
- CAT-FAIR Fair
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: US70
The US70 bridge in Buncombe, North Carolina carries US70 over SWANNANOA RIVER. It was built in 1947, making it 79 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1967, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of concrete and spans 3 sections, stretching 34.4 meters (113 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 14,000 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 6/9, superstructure at 6/9, substructure at 5/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. All reported major components score above the Poor range.
How US70 compares
Age against the county: built in 1947, earlier than 517 of Buncombe's 555 bridges with a recorded construction year (93%), against a county median build year of 1973. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across North Carolina bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (19,160 of 19,210 rated).
US70 vs every rated North Carolina bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
31 Top 80% higher than 20% 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.
Buncombe inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 555 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
- 1947
- Last Reconstructed
- 1967
- Material
- Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 34.4 m (113 ft)
- Deck Width
- 18.5 m (61 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 14,000 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000210258
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in fair condition (6/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • At 6/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
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 US70 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 US70 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 US70?
US70 in Buncombe, North Carolina has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 6/9, and substructure rating of 5/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is US70 inspected?
US70'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 14,000 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. US70 is currently shown as Fair condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for US70?
US70 has an NBI inventory load rating of 30.8 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining US70?
US70 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is US70 and does age affect safety?
US70 was built in 1947, making it 79 years old and last reconstructed in 1967.
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.