NC261
Carrying NC261 over REUBEN CREEK
0.1 MI.N.JCT.SR1159, Mitchell, North Carolina
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
NC261 in Mitchell, North Carolina is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.
Built in 1952, it carries 1 rated component 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:000000001210243
INTERSTATE-ERA · STEEL · MULTI-SPAN · CULVERT-LED · LOCAL-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- STEEL Steel
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- CULVERT-LED Culvert-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: NC261
The NC261 bridge in Mitchell, North Carolina carries NC261 over REUBEN CREEK. It was built in 1952, making it 74 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 3 sections, stretching 7.0 meters (23 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 200 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 culvert at 4/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. At least one major component here scores 4 or below, which produces a Poor condition classification under FHWA's current reporting rules.
How NC261 compares
Age against the county: built in 1952, earlier than 111 of Mitchell's 127 bridges with a recorded construction year (87%), against a county median build year of 1978. 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).
NC261 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.
Mitchell inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 127 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
- 1952
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 7.0 m (23 ft) 0
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 200 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000001210243
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
NC261 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 NC261 against other structures in Mitchell 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 NC261?
NC261 in Mitchell, North Carolina on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is NC261 inspected?
NC261'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 200 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. NC261 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 NC261?
NC261 has an NBI inventory load rating of 89.8 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining NC261?
NC261 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is NC261 and does age affect safety?
NC261 was built in 1952, making it 74 years old.
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.