Total bridges
123
Public highway bridges in New Hanover County
County profile · official public datasets
New Hanover County, NC
123 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 65% rated Good, 31.7% Fair, 3.3% Poor.
- 123
- Public bridges
- 65%
- Good condition
- 3.3%
- Poor condition
The verdict
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.
New Hanover County pairs a better-than-median Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state with a newer average build year than the state inventory.
- Top 33%
- lowest Poor share in state
- 3.3%
- Poor-condition share
- 123
- public highway bridges
- 1995
- avg year built
Poor is an FHWA condition category from the lowest applicable component rating (4 or below), not a live crossing-safety or closure decision. Rankings cover counties with at least five public highway bridges.
New Hanover County Bridge Snapshot
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, New Hanover County ranks #33 of 100 North Carolina counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 3.3%). New Hanover County, North Carolina contains 123 public highway bridges. Roughly 65% are rated “Good,” 31.7% “Fair,” and 3.3% “Poor.” Poor means the lowest applicable deck, superstructure, substructure, or culvert rating is 4 or below on the 0–9 NBI scale. It is a condition category, not a live safety or closure decision.
Responsible agencies inspect covered bridges on risk-based intervals under current NBIS rules and submit inventory data to FHWA annually. The list below shows every NBI-tracked bridge in the county. Use the “Sort by” controls to change the ordering, and click any row for its reported inspection date, traffic count, and condition fields.
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See methodology for full definitions.
Good condition
65%
80 of 123 rated 7-9
Fair condition
31.7%
39 of 123 rated 5-6
Poor condition
3.3%
4 of 123 rated 4 or below
In-state Poor-share rank
#33 of 100
Among North Carolina counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better
Condition distribution
Share of 123 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.
Good 65% (80)
Fair 31.7% (39)
Poor 3.3% (4)
New Hanover County's Poor-condition bridges carry 74,900 vehicle crossings a day
That is 4.3% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 3.3% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry more traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 18,725 crossings a day against 11,541 for a Good-condition one. A Poor rating is a condition category, not a closure or a live safety judgement; it means the lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below.
Computed over the 123 of 123 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
14.6% of New Hanover County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark
18 of the 123 bridges with a recorded construction year were built in 1974 or earlier. Age alone is not a defect: a well-maintained older bridge can rate Good, and 65% of this county's inventory does. Even so, this older cohort is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn, which is why the age profile below matters alongside the condition split above.
Cutoff derives from the 2024 release year minus a 50-year design life. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
One structure carries 68.1% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic
I40 US117 NC132 over SMITH CREEK, built 1985, carries 51,000 vehicles a day, the most of any Poor-rated structure here. The county's Poor-condition exposure is concentrated rather than evenly spread, so the 4-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.
Share is of the 74,900 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
When New Hanover County's bridges were built
123 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade
- 1910s 1
1910–1919
1 bridges
- 1950s 10
1950–1959
10 bridges
- 1960s 6
1960–1969
6 bridges
- 1970s 4
1970–1979
4 bridges
- 1980s
1980–1989
22 bridges
- 1990s 9
1990–1999
9 bridges
- 2000s
2000–2009
44 bridges
- 2010s
2010–2019
20 bridges
- 2020s 7
2020–2029
7 bridges
What this shows Construction peaked in the 2000s, when 44 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 35.8% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 15 to 24 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year is 1995, 9 years newer than the North Carolina average of 1986.
How New Hanover County compares with North Carolina's closest counties by inventory size
The 5 North Carolina counties nearest New Hanover County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 3.3% Poor share is the 3rd-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1995 against a peer-group mean of 1986 is 9 years newer.
Showing the 5 closest of 99 North Carolina counties eligible for comparison.
| County | Bridges | Good | Fair | Poor | Avg. built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell County | 127 | 35.4% | 39.4% | 25.2% | 1981 |
| Polk County | 127 | 35.4% | 53.5% | 11% | 1978 |
| Martin County | 124 | 45.2% | 51.6% | 3.2% | 1988 |
| Bladen County | 123 | 64.2% | 34.1% | 1.6% | 1992 |
| New Hanover County (this page) | 123 | 65% | 31.7% | 3.3% | 1995 |
| Franklin County | 118 | 46.6% | 47.5% | 5.9% | 1990 |
Each share is of that county's own total tracked bridges; peers are the counties with 5 or more bridges whose inventory size is closest to New Hanover County's. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
Nationwide counties with similar inventory size or average build year
Two NBI-derived peer sets for New Hanover County, both outside North Carolina so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.
Similar inventory size
Nearest county inventories outside NC (123 bridges here).
- Jackson County, GA · 123 bridges
- Crawford County, IN · 123 bridges
- Hickman County, KY · 123 bridges
- Ward County, ND · 123 bridges
Similar average build year
Nearest mean year-built outside NC (1995 here).
- Williamson County, TX · avg 1995 · 1,170 bridges
- Craighead County, AR · avg 1995 · 442 bridges
- Utah County, UT · avg 1995 · 271 bridges
- DeSoto County, MS · avg 1995 · 266 bridges
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.
Fair-condition bridges (39)
N.4TH STREET
FairOver: ABANDONED RR.
1MI.N.JCT.CAMPBELL ST., New Hanover, NC
Built 1950 Load: 5.4 t ADT: 3,000
SR1242
FairOver: MOTT CREEK
0.01 MI. S. OF SR1241, New Hanover, NC
Built 1960 Load: 9.9 t ADT: 100
FRONT STREET
FairOver: ABANDONED RR
.1MI.N.JCT.RED CROSS ST., New Hanover, NC
Built 1965 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 4,700
US17 74 421 NC133
FairOver: CAPE FEAR RIVER
0.8 MI.N.JCT.US17, New Hanover, NC
Built 1984 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 38,000
PINE GROVE DRIVE
FairOver: HEWLETS CREEK
0.3 MI.S.JCT.SR1505, New Hanover, NC
Built 1976 Load: 19.9 t ADT: 380
SR2048
FairOver: SMITH CREEK
0.05 MI. E. OF JCT. I-40, New Hanover, NC
Built 1985 Load: 22.6 t ADT: 23,000
US74 US76
FairOver: INTRACOASTAL W/W
0.8 MI. E. JCT. SR1417, New Hanover, NC
Built 1956 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 22,500
US117 NC133
FairOver: NE. CAPE FEAR RIVER
1.2 MI. N. JCT. SR1340, New Hanover, NC
Built 1951 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 15,500
SR1301
FairOver: BURNT MILL CREEK
0.3 MI. W. JCT. SR 1302, New Hanover, NC
Built 1950 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 15,000
US74
FairOver: LEES CUT
0.6MI.E. OF JCT.US76, New Hanover, NC
Built 1957 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 13,000
SR1492
FairOver: WHISKEY CREEK
0.2 MI N. OF JCT SR1517, New Hanover, NC
Built 1976 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 12,000
US17 US76 US421
FairOver: CAPE FEAR RIVER
0.35 MI.E. JCT. US133, New Hanover, NC
Built 1969 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 69,000
US421
FairOver: SR 1532 & INTRACOAST
6.0 MI. S. JCT. NC 132, New Hanover, NC
Built 1962 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 26,000
US74
FairOver: NE CAPE FEAR R. & RAMP
0.1 MI. E. JCT. US421, New Hanover, NC
Built 1980 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 37,500
CHESTNUT ST.
FairOver: BURNT MILL CREEK
0.1 MI.E.20TH.ST., New Hanover, NC
Built 1960 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 750
NC132; US117
FairOver: PRINCE GEORGE CK.
1.1 MI.S OF JCT.US117, New Hanover, NC
Built 1950 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 11,000
HOLLY TREE RD.
FairOver: HEWLETTS CREEK
0.1MI.E.JCT.W.COLLEGE ST., New Hanover, NC
Built 1993 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 12,500
WINSTON BOULEVARD
FairOver: BURNT MILL CREEK
.05MI.W.JCT.DEVON COURT, New Hanover, NC
Built 1988 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 7,000
INDEPENDENCE BLVD.
FairOver: EAST FORK CREEK
0.1 MI.S.JCT.CAR.BEACH RD, New Hanover, NC
Built 2004 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 11,000
I40
FairOver: PRINCE GEORGE CREEK
1.0 MI.E.JCT.SR1002, New Hanover, NC
Built 1983 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 19,000
I40W
FairOver: RR
0.5 MI. W. OF JCT.SR1002, New Hanover, NC
Built 1984 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 19,000
I40EBL
FairOver: IDEAL CEMENT CO.RR
0.5 MI.W.SR1002, New Hanover, NC
Built 1984 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 19,000
SR1175
FairOver: SMITH CREEK
0.7 MI. N. JCT. US74, New Hanover, NC
Built 1994 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 16,500
US74W NC133W
FairOver: MCRAE ST CSXRR SMITH CRK
1.0 MI.E.JCT.US421, New Hanover, NC
Built 2005 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 22,250
US74 US76
FairOver: BRADLEY CREEK
0.2 MI W SR1411, New Hanover, NC
Built 1989 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 36,500
I40E
FairOver: NE CAPE FEAR RIVER
1.0 MI. W. JCT. SR1002, New Hanover, NC
Built 1984 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 34,000
US117 NC132S
FairOver: US17B
0.6 MI. S. JCT. US74, New Hanover, NC
Built 1958 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 28,000
US117 NC132 RAMP
FairOver: SMITH CREEK
0.5 MI. S. JCT. SR2048, New Hanover, NC
Built 1985 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 12,500
SR1175
FairOver: SMITH CREEK
0.05 MI N JCT US17/74, New Hanover, NC
Built 1994 Load: 45.3 t ADT: 17,000
I40W
FairOver: NORTHEAST CAPE FEAR RIVE
1.0 MI. W. JCT. SR1002, New Hanover, NC
Built 1984 Load: 45.3 t ADT: 34,000
US117 NC132N
FairOver: US17B
0.6 MI. S. JCT. US74, New Hanover, NC
Built 1980 Load: 52.6 t ADT: 28,000
PINE GROVE DR
FairOver: HEWLETT CREEK
.1 MI. S. OF JCT.SR1421, New Hanover, NC
Built 1976 Load: 52.6 t ADT: 23,000
US17 US421
FairOver: S.C.L.RAILROAD
0.5 MI N. OF JCT NC 133, New Hanover, NC
Built 1980 Load: 52.6 t ADT: 25,000
I40 RAMP B
FairOver: SMITH CREEK
0.3 MI.N. OF JCT.SR2048, New Hanover, NC
Built 1985 Load: 59.8 t ADT: 18,833
US74
FairOver: SPRING BRANCH
.1 MI. W. JCT. NC132, New Hanover, NC
Built 1999 Load: 59.8 t ADT: 25,500
SR2234
FairOver: SMITH CREEK
0.2 MI.S. OF JCT.SR1322, New Hanover, NC
Built 1990 Load: 60.7 t ADT: 500
I140 US17 BYP
FairOver: US421/NE CAPE FEAR RIVER
2.5 MI. S. JCT. NC133, New Hanover, NC
Built 2007 Load: 68.0 t ADT: 20,500
METTS AVENUE
FairOver: BURNT MILL CREEK
0.1 MI.E.JCT.22ND ST., New Hanover, NC
Built 1950 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 800
W.LAKESHORE DRIVE
FairOver: GREENFIELD LAKE
0.2 MI.E.JCT.HART ST., New Hanover, NC
Built 1950 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 2,000
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges
Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.