County profile · official public datasets

Wake County, NC

760 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 53.8% rated Good, 40.4% Fair, 5.8% Poor.

760
Public bridges
53.8%
Good condition
5.8%
Poor condition

The verdict

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

Wake County pairs a higher-than-median Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state with a newer average build year than the state inventory.

59th
of 100 on Poor share
5.8%
Poor-condition share
760
public highway bridges
1992
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.

Wake County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Wake County ranks #59 of 100 North Carolina counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 5.8%). Wake County, North Carolina contains 760 public highway bridges. Roughly 53.8% are rated “Good,” 40.4% “Fair,” and 5.8% “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

760

Public highway bridges in Wake County

Good condition

53.8%

409 of 760 rated 7-9

Fair condition

40.4%

307 of 760 rated 5-6

Poor condition

5.8%

44 of 760 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#59 of 100

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

Condition distribution

Share of 760 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
53.8% (409)
Fair
40.4% (307)
Poor
5.8% (44)

Wake County's Poor-condition bridges carry 466,199 vehicle crossings a day

That is 3.3% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 5.8% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 10,595 crossings a day against 16,028 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 760 of 760 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

21.3% of Wake County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

162 of the 760 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 53.8% 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 9.8% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

US1NBL over SEABOARD RR, built 1941, carries 45,500 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 44-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 466,199 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Wake County's bridges were built

760 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 2000s, when 171 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 22.5% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 15 to 24 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year is 1992, 6 years newer than the North Carolina average of 1986.

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

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

The 5 North Carolina counties nearest Wake County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 5.8% Poor share is the 4th-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1992 against a peer-group mean of 1986 is 6 years newer.

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

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Wake County and the 5 North Carolina counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Wake County (this page) 760 5.8%
Mecklenburg County 746 2.5%
Guilford County 736 5.3%
Buncombe County 555 7%
Forsyth County 454 9%
Randolph County 401 1.5%

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

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside NC (760 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside NC (1992 here).

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

All 760 Good 409 Fair 307 Poor 44

All bridges (760)

I540

Good

Over: LITTLE BRIAR CRK.

0.68 MI.W.JCT.SR1644, Wake, NC

Built 1996 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 85,000

CAMBRIDGE RD

Good

Over: SW BEAVER DAM BR

150 S OF LAKE BOONE TRL, Wake, NC

Built 2011 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 100

I540

Good

Over: PERRY CREEK

.6 MI. E. OF SR2012, Wake, NC

Built 2003 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 65,500

NC98

Good

Over: SPRING BRANCH

0.6 MI. E. JCT. US1A, Wake, NC

Built 2006 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 29,000

I-540

Good

Over: TRIB.LOWER BARTON CREEK

0.5 MI. E. JCT. SR3350, Wake, NC

Built 2001 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 83,000

NC540

Good

Over: KIT CREEK

0.7 MI.E. JCT NC55, Wake, NC

Built 2007 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 46,500

I-540

Good

Over: CREEK

.7 MI.E.JCT.TRI.TOWN BLVD, Wake, NC

Built 2007 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 29,500

LOUIS STEVENS DR.

Good

Over: HATCHET GROVE TRIBUTARY

.2MI.S.JCT.MORRISVILLE PW, Wake, NC

Built 2008 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 7,700

DENMARK MANOR DR.

Good

Over: PERENNIAL STREAM

.04 E.SUFFOLK GREEN, Wake, NC

Built 2010 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 900

ROSEBERRY WAY

Good

Over: CREEK

0.1 MI.N.OPTIMIST FARM RD, Wake, NC

Built 2007 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 100

CABARRUS ST.

Good

Over: RALEIGH CONVENTION CENTE

20 EAST OF MCDOWELL ST, Wake, NC

Built 2006 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 100

CARY GLEN BLVD.

Good

Over: MORRIS BRANCH

.25 MI.S.JCT.MCCRIMMON PK, Wake, NC

Built 2019 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 100

LANTERN RIDGE LN.

Good

Over: CREEK

400 FT.E.JCT.GROGANS MILL, Wake, NC

Built 2019 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 100

SR1632

Good

Over: KIT CREEK

0.1 MI. N. JCT. NC540, Wake, NC

Built 2009 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 100

SR5083

Good

Over: S. LAKE BR.

0.4 MI W SR1387 W LAKE RD, Wake, NC

Built 2022 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 100

SR3590

Good

Over: LOWER BARTON CREEK

0.1 MI. E. JCT. SR3594, Wake, NC

Built 2020 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 100

SR1630

Poor

Over: KIT CREEK

1.8MI.N.JCT.NC55, Wake, NC

Built 1975 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 12,500

SR1152

Poor

Over: WHITE OAK CREEK

1.4 MI.E. OF JCT.SR1149, Wake, NC

Built 1961 Load: 7.2 t ADT: 2,100

SR1911

Poor

Over: NEW LIGHT CREEK

1.1 MI N. OF JCT SR1909, Wake, NC

Built 1961 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 500

SR2320

Poor

Over: LITTLE RIVER

1.9 MI. W. JCT. NC96, Wake, NC

Built 1967 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 2,100

OLD REEDY CRK. RD.

Poor

Over: CRABTREE CREEK

0.9 MI N JCT SR1654, Wake, NC

Built 1978 Load: 9.9 t ADT: 400

SR1179

Poor

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILWAY

0.2 MI N JCT NC42, Wake, NC

Built 1971 Load: 9.9 t ADT: 1,900

SR1912

Poor

Over: NEW LIGHT CREEK

2.0 MI. N. SR1909, Wake, NC

Built 1957 Load: 11.7 t ADT: 100

PULLEN ROAD

Poor

Over: NORFORK SOUTHERN CSX RR

0.3MI.N.JCT.WESTERN BLVD, Wake, NC

Built 1977 Load: 12.7 t ADT: 19,000

SHELLEY ROAD

Poor

Over: MINE CREEK

0.2 MI.W.NORTH HILLS DR., Wake, NC

Built 1956 Load: 12.7 t ADT: 560

RAINWATER ROAD

Poor

Over: GRESHAM LAKE TRIB.

0.2MI.N.JCT.HUNT.RIDGE RD, Wake, NC

Built 1988 Load: 12.7 t ADT: 1,000

AURORA DRIVE

Poor

Over: PERRY CREEK

.1MI.E.JCT.RAINWATER ST., Wake, NC

Built 1988 Load: 12.7 t ADT: 1,000

PROCTOR STREET

Poor

Over: CREEK

0.2 MI.E.ROCK QUARRY RD., Wake, NC

Built 1966 Load: 12.7 t ADT: 4,000

INGRAM DRIVE

Poor

Over: MARCH CREEK

.1MI.SE.JCT.BRENTWOOD RD., Wake, NC

Built 1960 Load: 12.7 t ADT: 100

SR2044

Poor

Over: SMITHS CREEK

1.2 MI.S.US1A, Wake, NC

Built 1967 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 8,100

CHESWICK DRIVE

Poor

Over: BIG BRANCH

0.3 MI.E.JCT.OAKLAND RD., Wake, NC

Built 1960 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 5,800

SR2555

Poor

Over: WHITE OAK CREEK

1.2 MI. S.W. OF JCT. US70, Wake, NC

Built 1952 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 8,300

US401S

Poor

Over: SOUTHERN RR CREEK

0.34 MI. N. JCT. SR1375, Wake, NC

Built 1953 Load: 20.8 t ADT: 17,250

SR2770

Poor

Over: BR. OF KENNETH CR.

0.7MI.S. OF JCT.SR2767, Wake, NC

Built 1976 Load: 20.8 t ADT: 1,700

MOUNTFORD AVE.

Poor

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN RR

0.1 MI.W.JCT.BOYLAN AVE., Wake, NC

Built 1936 Load: 20.8 t ADT: 289

ATCHISON ST.

Poor

Over: BAGWELL BRANCH

.1 MI.E.JCT.HARTH DR., Wake, NC

Built 1965 Load: 21.7 t ADT: 400

SR2049

Poor

Over: HODGES MILL CREEK

.18 MI.N.SR2958, Wake, NC

Built 1978 Load: 22.6 t ADT: 5,200

SR2711

Poor

Over: REEDY BRANCH

0.4 MI. S. JCT. SR2710, Wake, NC

Built 1964 Load: 22.6 t ADT: 9,400

SR2720

Poor

Over: CREEK

0.4 MI.E.SR1006 OLD STAGE, Wake, NC

Built 1969 Load: 22.6 t ADT: 3,900

GREENBRIER RD.

Poor

Over: ECHO CREEK

0.1 MI N.JCT.WINTERLOCHEN, Wake, NC

Built 1970 Load: 22.6 t ADT: 400

NC231

Poor

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN

0.1 MI.S.US64B, Wake, NC

Built 1938 Load: 23.5 t ADT: 6,600

US401

Poor

Over: CRABTREE CREEK

0.5 MI. S. JCT. I-440, Wake, NC

Built 1937 Load: 24.4 t ADT: 18,000

SR2752

Poor

Over: NORFOLK&SOUTHERN RAILWAY

0.3 MI E. OF JCT US401, Wake, NC

Built 1974 Load: 24.4 t ADT: 9,600

SR2911 NEW BERN

Poor

Over: CRABTREE CR.& N.S.RR

0.3 MI. W. JCT. I440, Wake, NC

Built 1964 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 20,500

SR2713

Poor

Over: US70 NC50

0.22 MI. S. JCT. SR1004, Wake, NC

Built 1962 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 12,500

US1NBL

Poor

Over: SEABOARD RR

1.3MI S JCT US1A, Wake, NC

Built 1941 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 45,500

SR2224

Poor

Over: WAKE CROSSROADS LAKE

0.7 MI.E.JCT.SR2227, Wake, NC

Built 1978 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 4,200

SR1733

Poor

Over: SR1728

1.3 MI. S. JCT. US70, Wake, NC

Built 1958 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 18,000

US401S

Poor

Over: ATLANTIC AVE.

0.1 MI.N JCT SR2000, Wake, NC

Built 1955 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 15,500

US401

Poor

Over: ATLANTIC AVE.

0.1 MI N JCT SR2000, Wake, NC

Built 1956 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 5,700

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.