US17 US76 US421
Carrying US17 US76 US421 over CAPE FEAR RIVER
0.35 MI.E. JCT. US133, New Hanover, North Carolina
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
US17 US76 US421 in New Hanover, North Carolina sits above 19% of rated North Carolina bridges on inventory load rating (30 t), while its 1969 build year is earlier than 86% of New Hanover's recorded-year cohort (123 bridges).
US17 US76 US421 in New Hanover, North Carolina is rated Fair in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1969, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 5. 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:000000001290013
INTERSTATE-ERA · STEEL · SINGLE-SPAN · SUPER-LED · HEAVY-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-FAIR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- STEEL Steel
- SINGLE-SPAN Single span
- SUPER-LED Superstructure-led
- HEAVY-ADT Heavy ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard 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: US17 US76 US421
The US17 US76 US421 bridge in New Hanover, North Carolina carries US17 US76 US421 over CAPE FEAR RIVER. It was built in 1969, making it 57 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 1 section, stretching 924.4 meters (3033 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 69,000 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 6/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 6/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. None of this bridge's reported major components fall into the Poor condition range.
How US17 US76 US421 compares
Age against the county: built in 1969, earlier than 106 of New Hanover's 123 bridges with a recorded construction year (86%), against a county median build year of 2004. 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).
US17 US76 US421 vs every rated North Carolina bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
30 Top 81% higher than 19% 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.
New Hanover inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 123 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
- 1969
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 924.4 m (3033 ft)
- Deck Width
- 8.9 m (29 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 69,000 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000001290013
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 5/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • 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
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether US17 US76 US421 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 US17 US76 US421 against other structures in New Hanover 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 US17 US76 US421?
US17 US76 US421 in New Hanover, North Carolina has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is US17 US76 US421 inspected?
US17 US76 US421'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 69,000 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. US17 US76 US421 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 US17 US76 US421?
US17 US76 US421 has an NBI inventory load rating of 29.9 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining US17 US76 US421?
US17 US76 US421 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is US17 US76 US421 and does age affect safety?
US17 US76 US421 was built in 1969, making it 57 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.