SR3121
Carrying SR3121 over GASHES CREEK
.01 MI.S.JCT.US74, Buncombe, North Carolina
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
SR3121 in Buncombe, North Carolina sits above 91% of rated North Carolina bridges on inventory load rating (90 t), while its 1987 build year is earlier than 28% of Buncombe's recorded-year cohort (555 bridges).
SR3121 in Buncombe, North Carolina is rated Good in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1987, it carries 1 rated component 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:000000000210794
LATE-CENTURY · CONCRETE · MULTI-SPAN · CULVERT-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-GOOD
- LATE-CENTURY 1980–1999
- CONCRETE Concrete
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- CULVERT-LED Culvert-led
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial ADT
- HEAVY-LOAD Heavy 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: SR3121
The SR3121 bridge in Buncombe, North Carolina carries SR3121 over GASHES CREEK. It was built in 1987, making it 39 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 2001, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of concrete continuous and spans 3 sections, stretching 7.6 meters (25 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 2,800 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of North Carolina bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show culvert at 7/9. The weakest component sits in good condition. No reported major component scores in the Poor range under the current federal condition thresholds.
How SR3121 compares
Age against the county: built in 1987, earlier than 157 of Buncombe's 555 bridges with a recorded construction year (28%), against a county median build year of 1973. 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).
SR3121 vs every rated North Carolina bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
90 Top 9% higher than 91% 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.
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
- 1987
- Last Reconstructed
- 2001
- Material
- Concrete Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 7.6 m (25 ft) 0
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 2,800 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000210794
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 SR3121 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 SR3121 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 SR3121?
SR3121 in Buncombe, North Carolina on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is SR3121 inspected?
SR3121'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 2,800 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. SR3121 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 SR3121?
SR3121 has an NBI inventory load rating of 89.8 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining SR3121?
SR3121 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is SR3121 and does age affect safety?
SR3121 was built in 1987, making it 39 years old and last reconstructed in 2001.
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.