I40 WBL
Carrying I40 WBL over US25A
.2 MI.E.JCT.SR3083, Buncombe, North Carolina
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
I40 WBL in Buncombe, North Carolina sits above 80% of rated North Carolina bridges on inventory load rating (57 t), while its 1972 build year is earlier than 52% of Buncombe's recorded-year cohort (555 bridges).
I40 WBL in Buncombe, North Carolina is rated Fair in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1972, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 6. 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:000000000210438
INTERSTATE-ERA · STEEL · SINGLE-SPAN · TIED-CTRL · HEAVY-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-FAIR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- STEEL Steel
- SINGLE-SPAN Single span
- TIED-CTRL Tied control
- HEAVY-ADT Heavy ADT
- HEAVY-LOAD Heavy 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: I40 WBL
The I40 WBL bridge in Buncombe, North Carolina carries I40 WBL over US25A. It was built in 1972, making it 54 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1999, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 1 section, stretching 43.2 meters (142 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 22,250 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 7/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. All reported major components score above the Poor range.
How I40 WBL compares
Age against the county: built in 1972, earlier than 289 of Buncombe's 555 bridges with a recorded construction year (52%), 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).
I40 WBL vs every rated North Carolina bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
57 Top 20% higher than 80% 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
- 1972
- Last Reconstructed
- 1999
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 43.2 m (142 ft)
- Deck Width
- 15.3 m (50 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 22,250 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000210438
Condition Analysis
- • At 6/9, the deck (driving surface) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates fair at 6/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
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 I40 WBL 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 I40 WBL 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 I40 WBL?
I40 WBL in Buncombe, North Carolina has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 6/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is I40 WBL inspected?
I40 WBL'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 22,250 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. I40 WBL 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 I40 WBL?
I40 WBL has an NBI inventory load rating of 57.1 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining I40 WBL?
I40 WBL is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is I40 WBL and does age affect safety?
I40 WBL was built in 1972, making it 54 years old and last reconstructed in 1999.
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.