County profile · official public datasets

Pender County, NC

112 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 33.9% rated Good, 63.4% Fair, 2.7% Poor.

112
Public bridges
33.9%
Good condition
2.7%
Poor condition

The verdict

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.

Pender County posts a top-quartile lowest Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state across mid-size county bridge inventory.

Top 25%
lowest Poor share in state
2.7%
Poor-condition share
112
public highway bridges
1983
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.

Pender County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Pender County ranks #25 of 100 North Carolina counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 2.7%). Pender County, North Carolina contains 112 public highway bridges. Roughly 33.9% are rated “Good,” 63.4% “Fair,” and 2.7% “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.

Total bridges

112

Public highway bridges in Pender County

Good condition

33.9%

38 of 112 rated 7-9

Fair condition

63.4%

71 of 112 rated 5-6

Poor condition

2.7%

3 of 112 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#25 of 100

Among North Carolina counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better

Condition distribution

Share of 112 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
33.9% (38)
Fair
63.4% (71)
Poor
2.7% (3)

Pender County's Poor-condition bridges carry 9,580 vehicle crossings a day

That is 3.4% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 2.7% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry more traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 3,193 crossings a day against 2,188 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 112 of 112 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

25.9% of Pender County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

29 of the 112 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 33.9% 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 54.3% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

NC53 over ANGOLA CREEK, built 1947, carries 5,200 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 3-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 9,580 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Pender County's bridges were built

112 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1980s, when 40 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 35.7% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 35 to 44 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1983) matches the North Carolina average (1986).

Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory (year built) As of 2024 NBI release

How Pender County compares with North Carolina's closest counties by inventory size

The 5 North Carolina counties nearest Pender County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 2.7% Poor share is the 2nd-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1983 against a peer-group mean of 1986 is in line with the group.

Showing the 5 closest of 99 North Carolina counties eligible for comparison.

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Pender County and the 5 North Carolina counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Franklin County 118 5.9%
Alleghany County 117 11.1%
Pender County (this page) 112 2.7%
Avery County 108 9.3%
Alexander County 107 4.7%
Person County 106 1.9%

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 Pender 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 Pender County, both outside North Carolina so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside NC (112 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside NC (1983 here).

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.

All 112 Good 38 Fair 71 Poor 3

Good-condition bridges (38)

NC210

Good

Over: GUILFORDS BRANCH

0.3 MI E. OF JCT SR1400, Pender, NC

Built 1921 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 3,800

NC210

Good

Over: RILEYS CREEK

0.4 MI W JCT SR1407, Pender, NC

Built 1966 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 3,500

US117 NC11

Good

Over: ROCKFISH CREEK

.01MI.S.JCT.NC11, Pender, NC

Built 1994 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 4,400

SR1332

Good

Over: LONG CREEK

0.6 MI S JCT SR1345, Pender, NC

Built 2015 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 1,700

SR1325

Good

Over: SILLS CREEK

0.4MI.W. OF JCT.SR1324, Pender, NC

Built 2016 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 150

SR1324

Good

Over: SILLS CREEK

0.5 MI. N. JCT. NC11, Pender, NC

Built 2018 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 350

SR1305

Good

Over: DOCTORS CREEK

0.8 MI.N. OF JCT.SR1001, Pender, NC

Built 2006 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 400

SR1209

Good

Over: MOORES CREEK

1.0 MI. W. OF JCT. NC11, Pender, NC

Built 1984 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 600

SR1520

Good

Over: ASHES CREEK

0.2 MI. S. OF JCT. SR1522, Pender, NC

Built 1995 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 360

SR1520

Good

Over: HOLLY SHELTER CREEK

3.0 MI. S. OF JCT.NC50, Pender, NC

Built 2012 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 150

SR1120

Good

Over: LONG CREEK

2.6 MI. E. JCT. US421, Pender, NC

Built 2002 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 1,900

NC11 53

Good

Over: MOORE CREEK

0.7 MI W SR1121, Pender, NC

Built 2001 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 2,700

SR1100

Good

Over: JONES CREEK

2.0 MI N. OF JCT NC11/53, Pender, NC

Built 2010 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 530

SR1104

Good

Over: BUCKLE CREEK

0.8 MI W JCT SR1107, Pender, NC

Built 2014 Load: 46.2 t ADT: 230

SR1128

Good

Over: MILL BRANCH

1.4 MI. S. OF NC53, Pender, NC

Built 1998 Load: 47.1 t ADT: 300

SR1102

Good

Over: COLLY CREEK

0.2 MI. N. JCT. NC210, Pender, NC

Built 2015 Load: 47.1 t ADT: 210

SR1206

Good

Over: WHITE OAK SWAMP

0.3 MI.S. OF JCT. SR1209, Pender, NC

Built 2007 Load: 48.0 t ADT: 350

SR1520

Good

Over: SHAKEN CREEK

2.3 MI.N. OF JCT. SR1522, Pender, NC

Built 2006 Load: 48.0 t ADT: 150

SR1653

Good

Over: OLD TOPSAIL CREEK

0.9 MI.S.JCT.SR1565, Pender, NC

Built 1993 Load: 48.9 t ADT: 1,800

NC50 NC210

Good

Over: INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY

1.2 MI. S. JCT. SR1534, Pender, NC

Built 2018 Load: 51.7 t ADT: 24,000

SR1308

Good

Over: SAWYER CREEK

0.4 MI E. OF JCT. SR1306, Pender, NC

Built 2012 Load: 51.7 t ADT: 230

SR1407

Good

Over: RILEYS CREEK

0.5 MI N. OF JCT NC210, Pender, NC

Built 1985 Load: 51.7 t ADT: 620

SR1103

Good

Over: LYON CREEK

1 MI.S.JCT.SR1104, Pender, NC

Built 1999 Load: 53.5 t ADT: 200

NC53

Good

Over: CYPRESS CREEK

2.1 MI. E. OF JCT US 421, Pender, NC

Built 1993 Load: 55.3 t ADT: 2,500

SR1216

Good

Over: CYPRESS CREEK

0.8 MI. W. OF JCT. SR1338, Pender, NC

Built 2004 Load: 57.1 t ADT: 830

SR1216

Good

Over: HORSE BRANCH

0.5 MI W JCT SR1340, Pender, NC

Built 1986 Load: 58.9 t ADT: 850

SR1318

Good

Over: I40

0.9 MI.W. OF JCT.US117, Pender, NC

Built 1983 Load: 58.9 t ADT: 500

SR1128

Good

Over: MOORES CREEK

0.3 MI. N. OF JCT SR 1208, Pender, NC

Built 1990 Load: 59.8 t ADT: 580

SR1315 ANDERSON RD

Good

Over: I40

0.8 MI.S. OF JCT. US117, Pender, NC

Built 1982 Load: 62.5 t ADT: 490

US117

Good

Over: I40

JCT.OF US 117&I-40, Pender, NC

Built 1984 Load: 68.0 t ADT: 6,600

US117

Good

Over: I40

0.9 MI.N. OF JCT.SR1347, Pender, NC

Built 1982 Load: 68.9 t ADT: 2,900

SR1501

Good

Over: I40

0.6 MI.E. OF JCT.US117, Pender, NC

Built 1986 Load: 72.5 t ADT: 250

NC210

Good

Over: I40

0.4 MI.E.JCT.US117, Pender, NC

Built 1982 Load: 75.2 t ADT: 15,000

SR1411

Good

Over: I40

0.8 MI.E. OF JCT.US117, Pender, NC

Built 1982 Load: 77.1 t ADT: 2,300

SR1128

Good

Over: MOORES CREEK OVERFLOW

0.1 MI.S. OF JCT. SR1216, Pender, NC

Built 1984 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 700

SR 1100

Good

Over: COLVINS CREEK

1.0 MI N JCT NC 53, Pender, NC

Built 2018 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 150

SR1319

Good

Over: CROOKED RUN

0.4MI W. OF JCT SR1324, Pender, NC

Built 1992 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 800

SR1527

Good

Over: BRANCH OF MOORES CR

0.3 MI E. OF JCT SR1526, Pender, NC

Built 2016 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 50

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Related

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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.