NFSR 420
Carrying NFSR 420 over DOCKERY CREEK
.9 MI. PAST END SR 1337, Cherokee, North Carolina
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
NFSR 420 in Cherokee, North Carolina sits above 64% of rated North Carolina bridges on inventory load rating (46 t), while its 1984 build year is earlier than 33% of Cherokee's recorded-year cohort (163 bridges).
NFSR 420 in Cherokee, North Carolina is rated Fair in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1984, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 6. 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:081109000003150
LATE-CENTURY · PRESTRESS · SINGLE-SPAN · DECK-LED · LOCAL-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-FAIR
- LATE-CENTURY 1980–1999
- PRESTRESS Prestressed concrete
- SINGLE-SPAN Single span
- DECK-LED Deck-led
- LOCAL-ADT Local ADT
- HEAVY-LOAD Heavy 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: NFSR 420
The NFSR 420 bridge in Cherokee, North Carolina carries NFSR 420 over DOCKERY CREEK. It was built in 1984, making it 42 years old today. The structure is built primarily of prestressed concrete and spans 1 section, stretching 13.7 meters (45 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 50 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of North Carolina bridges. It is owned and maintained by U.S. Forest Service.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. All reported major components score above the Poor range.
How NFSR 420 compares
Age against the county: built in 1984, earlier than 53 of Cherokee's 163 bridges with a recorded construction year (33%), against a county median build year of 1978. 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).
NFSR 420 vs every rated North Carolina bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
46 Top 36% higher than 64% 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.
Cherokee inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 163 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
- 1984
- Material
- Prestressed Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 13.7 m (45 ft)
- Deck Width
- 5.1 m (17 ft)
- Owner
- U.S. Forest Service
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 50 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 081109000003150
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in fair condition (6/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • 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 NFSR 420 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 NFSR 420 against other structures in Cherokee 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 NFSR 420?
NFSR 420 in Cherokee, North Carolina has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is NFSR 420 inspected?
NFSR 420'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 50 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. NFSR 420 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 NFSR 420?
NFSR 420 has an NBI inventory load rating of 46.3 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining NFSR 420?
NFSR 420 is owned and maintained by U.S. Forest Service.
How old is NFSR 420 and does age affect safety?
NFSR 420 was built in 1984, making it 42 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.