NC274
Carrying NC274 over SOUTHERN RAILWAY
0.7 MI. N. W. JCT. I85, Gaston, North Carolina
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
NC274 in Gaston, North Carolina sits above 79% of rated North Carolina bridges on inventory load rating (56 t), while its 1979 build year is earlier than 52% of Gaston's recorded-year cohort (232 bridges).
NC274 in Gaston, North Carolina is rated Good in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1979, 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:000000000710057
INTERSTATE-ERA · STEEL · MULTI-SPAN · TIED-CTRL · HEAVY-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-GOOD
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- STEEL Steel
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- TIED-CTRL Tied control
- HEAVY-ADT Heavy 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: NC274
The NC274 bridge in Gaston, North Carolina carries NC274 over SOUTHERN RAILWAY. It was built in 1979, making it 47 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 2008, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 3 sections, stretching 72.5 meters (238 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 7/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure 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 NC274 compares
Age against the county: built in 1979, earlier than 121 of Gaston's 232 bridges with a recorded construction year (52%), against a county median build year of 1982. 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).
NC274 vs every rated North Carolina bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
56 Top 21% higher than 79% 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.
Gaston inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 232 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
- 1979
- Last Reconstructed
- 2008
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 72.5 m (238 ft)
- Deck Width
- 18.0 m (59 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 14,000 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000710057
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • 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 NC274 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 NC274 against other structures in Gaston 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 NC274?
NC274 in Gaston, 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 NC274 inspected?
NC274'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. NC274 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 NC274?
NC274 has an NBI inventory load rating of 56.2 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining NC274?
NC274 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is NC274 and does age affect safety?
NC274 was built in 1979, making it 47 years old and last reconstructed in 2008.
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.