NC28
Carrying NC28 over LITTLE TENNESSEE RIVER
1 MI.N.JCT.SR1246, Graham, North Carolina
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
NC28 in Graham, North Carolina sits above 55% of rated North Carolina bridges on inventory load rating (44 t), while its 1943 build year is earlier than 97% of Graham's recorded-year cohort (94 bridges).
NC28 in Graham, North Carolina is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1943, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 4. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Poor 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:000000000750009
PRE-1950 · STEEL · LONG-SPAN-RUN · SUPER-LED · LOCAL-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- PRE-1950 Pre-1950
- STEEL Steel
- LONG-SPAN-RUN 5 spans
- SUPER-LED Superstructure-led
- LOCAL-ADT Local ADT
- HEAVY-LOAD Heavy load
- CAT-POOR Poor
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: NC28
The NC28 bridge in Graham, North Carolina carries NC28 over LITTLE TENNESSEE RIVER. It was built in 1943, making it 83 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 2014, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel continuous and spans 5 sections, stretching 162.4 meters (533 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 800 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 6/9, superstructure at 4/9, substructure at 6/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. Because at least one major component scores 4 or lower, this bridge falls in FHWA's Poor condition category. That category is not a closure order.
How NC28 compares
Age against the county: built in 1943, earlier than 91 of Graham's 94 bridges with a recorded construction year (97%), against a county median build year of 1976. 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).
NC28 vs every rated North Carolina bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
44 Top 45% higher than 55% 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.
Graham inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 94 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
- 1943
- Last Reconstructed
- 2014
- Material
- Steel Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 5
- Structure Length
- 162.4 m (533 ft)
- Deck Width
- 8.1 m (27 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 800 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000750009
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in fair condition (6/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • At 4/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in poor shape, with advanced wear on file for this vintage.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates fair at 6/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
NC28 is in the federal Poor condition category. That is a component-based result, not a closure order.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Understand what Poor condition does and does not mean before drawing conclusions. Poor condition explained
- Compare NC28 against other structures in Graham 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 NC28?
NC28 in Graham, North Carolina has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 4/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is NC28 inspected?
NC28'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 800 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. NC28 is currently shown as Poor condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for NC28?
NC28 has an NBI inventory load rating of 43.5 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining NC28?
NC28 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is NC28 and does age affect safety?
NC28 was built in 1943, making it 83 years old and last reconstructed in 2014.
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.