County profile · official public datasets

Wayne County, NC

208 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 43.8% rated Good, 51.9% Fair, 4.3% Poor.

208
Public bridges
43.8%
Good condition
4.3%
Poor condition

The verdict

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

Wayne 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 47%
lowest Poor share in state
4.3%
Poor-condition share
208
public highway bridges
1991
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.

Wayne County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Wayne County ranks #47 of 100 North Carolina counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 4.3%). Wayne County, North Carolina contains 208 public highway bridges. Roughly 43.8% are rated “Good,” 51.9% “Fair,” and 4.3% “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.

Total bridges

208

Public highway bridges in Wayne County

Good condition

43.8%

91 of 208 rated 7-9

Fair condition

51.9%

108 of 208 rated 5-6

Poor condition

4.3%

9 of 208 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#47 of 100

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

Condition distribution

Share of 208 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
43.8% (91)
Fair
51.9% (108)
Poor
4.3% (9)

Wayne County's Poor-condition bridges carry 16,500 vehicle crossings a day

That is 1.3% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 4.3% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 1,833 crossings a day against 4,692 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 208 of 208 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

28.8% of Wayne County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

60 of the 208 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 43.8% 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 30.3% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

SR2075 over US13 US117 ALT, built 1958, carries 5,000 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 9-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 16,500 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Wayne County's bridges were built

208 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 2010s, when 57 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 27.4% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 5 to 14 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year is 1991, 5 years newer than the North Carolina average of 1986.

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

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

The 5 North Carolina counties nearest Wayne County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 4.3% Poor share is the 3rd-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1991 against a peer-group mean of 1987 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 Wayne County and the 5 North Carolina counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Duplin County 208 7.7%
Wayne County (this page) 208 4.3%
Caldwell County 201 8.5%
Watauga County 200 9.5%
Sampson County 196 3.1%
Wilson County 195 1%

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

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside NC (208 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside NC (1991 here).

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

Fair-condition bridges (108)

US117BUS

Fair

Over: BIG DITCH

0.3 MI.N.JCT.SR1996, Wayne, NC

Built 1976 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 5,300

US13

Fair

Over: THOROUGHFARE SWP.

0.5 MI.S. OF JCT.SR1218, Wayne, NC

Built 1992 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 4,200

SR1212

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

0.6 MI. N. JCT. SR1008, Wayne, NC

Built 1997 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 150

NC111

Fair

Over: NEUSE RIVER

100 FT N. OF JCT SR1741, Wayne, NC

Built 1985 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 6,500

US13W US70W 117S

Fair

Over: SCL RAILROAD

0.4 MI N JCT US70 BUS, Wayne, NC

Built 1956 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 13,000

I795N

Fair

Over: SR1316

4 MI. S. JCT. SR1002, Wayne, NC

Built 2005 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 9,250

SR1571

Fair

Over: STONEY CREEK

0.8 MI.E. JCT.NC 111, Wayne, NC

Built 1997 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 2,500

US117

Fair

Over: SCL RAILROAD

2.0 MI S. OF JCT NC222, Wayne, NC

Built 1969 Load: 45.3 t ADT: 3,400

US13S US70W

Fair

Over: US117 BUS; NC111N

0.35 MI. N. JCT.US117 BYP, Wayne, NC

Built 1972 Load: 45.3 t ADT: 12,000

I-795N US117BYP

Fair

Over: GREAT SWAMP

2.2 MI.N. JCT. NC222, Wayne, NC

Built 2004 Load: 45.3 t ADT: 8,500

US70W.BYP.RAMP

Fair

Over: US70E US70W SR1300

0.4 MI. E. JCT. US70W, Wayne, NC

Built 2015 Load: 45.3 t ADT: 6,875

US70W.BYP

Fair

Over: SR1003 NSRR

0.9 MI. E. JCT. SR1719, Wayne, NC

Built 2016 Load: 45.3 t ADT: 6,500

US70E.BYP

Fair

Over: SR1003 RR

0.9 MI. E. JCT SR1719, Wayne, NC

Built 2016 Load: 45.3 t ADT: 6,500

US117BYP.

Fair

Over: US13/US70BYP/US117BYP

0.7MI. N. JCT. US70BUS., Wayne, NC

Built 1972 Load: 46.2 t ADT: 4,600

SR1556

Fair

Over: US13/US70BYP/NC111

0.11 MI N JCT SR1555, Wayne, NC

Built 1971 Load: 46.2 t ADT: 22,000

NC581

Fair

Over: NEUSE RIVER OVERFLOW

0.2 MI N.SR1915, Wayne, NC

Built 1997 Load: 46.2 t ADT: 6,800

US117N

Fair

Over: NC 55

0.96 MI.N.JCT.SR 1141, Wayne, NC

Built 1958 Load: 47.1 t ADT: 6,500

SR1535

Fair

Over: THE SLOUGH

0.6 MI N. JCT SR1574, Wayne, NC

Built 1985 Load: 47.1 t ADT: 1,800

NC111

Fair

Over: NEUSE RIVER OVERFLOW

0.3 MI. N. JCT. SR1741, Wayne, NC

Built 2006 Load: 47.1 t ADT: 9,100

US117S

Fair

Over: NC55

0.96 MI. N. OF JCT.SR1141, Wayne, NC

Built 1958 Load: 48.0 t ADT: 6,500

US70 WBL

Fair

Over: LITTLE RIVER

.7 MI W.OF JCT US13/US117, Wayne, NC

Built 1961 Load: 48.9 t ADT: 11,000

NC403

Fair

Over: NE CAPE FEAR RIVER

0.6 MI S. OF JCT NC55, Wayne, NC

Built 2005 Load: 48.9 t ADT: 1,300

US117ALT

Fair

Over: BROOKS SWAMP

0.4 MI N. OF JCT SR 1135, Wayne, NC

Built 2002 Load: 49.8 t ADT: 5,200

SR1560

Fair

Over: STONY CREEK

0.4 MI.W.JCT.SR1565, Wayne, NC

Built 2000 Load: 51.7 t ADT: 10,000

SR1008

Fair

Over: NEUSE RIVER OVERFLOW

0.5 MI E JCT SR1223, Wayne, NC

Built 1985 Load: 51.7 t ADT: 3,400

SR1101

Fair

Over: RANYOR MILL BRANCH

0.7 MI. W. JCT. SR1105, Wayne, NC

Built 2017 Load: 51.7 t ADT: 200

I-795 SBL

Fair

Over: SR-1316

4 MI. S. JCT. SR1002, Wayne, NC

Built 2002 Load: 51.7 t ADT: 9,250

SR1120

Fair

Over: THOROUGHFARE SWP.

0.5 MI.W.OF JCT.SR1119, Wayne, NC

Built 1982 Load: 53.5 t ADT: 950

SR1222

Fair

Over: NEUSE RIVER OVRFLW.

200 FT N. OF JCT SR1247, Wayne, NC

Built 2008 Load: 53.5 t ADT: 100

SR1534

Fair

Over: NAHUNTA SWAMP

1.2 MI. W. JCT. SR1616, Wayne, NC

Built 1988 Load: 54.4 t ADT: 1,500

NC111

Fair

Over: MOCCASIN RUN

0.8 MI S JCT SR1534, Wayne, NC

Built 1995 Load: 54.4 t ADT: 2,900

SR1118

Fair

Over: THUNDER SWAMP

0.9 MI. E. JCT. NC55, Wayne, NC

Built 1992 Load: 58.0 t ADT: 300

SR1120

Fair

Over: BROOKS SWAMP

0.3 MI.W. OF JCT SR1127, Wayne, NC

Built 1982 Load: 58.9 t ADT: 950

US70W.BYP

Fair

Over: SR1326 LITTLE RIVER

1 MI. W. JCT. I795, Wayne, NC

Built 2015 Load: 58.9 t ADT: 13,500

I70E BYP.

Fair

Over: SR1326 LITTLE RIVER

1 MI.W. JCT. I795, Wayne, NC

Built 2015 Load: 58.9 t ADT: 13,500

SR1105

Fair

Over: FALLING CREEK

0.6 MI S. OF JCT US13, Wayne, NC

Built 1985 Load: 60.7 t ADT: 1,200

SR1565

Fair

Over: US13 & 70

0.3 MI.N.SR1560, Wayne, NC

Built 1995 Load: 63.5 t ADT: 20,000

SR1500

Fair

Over: BRANCH OF GREAT SWAMP

0.8 MI. E. JCT. US117, Wayne, NC

Built 1993 Load: 75.2 t ADT: 110

NC55

Fair

Over: LEWIS BRANCH

0.7 MI. W. JCT. NC 4, Wayne, NC

Built 2000 Load: 75.2 t ADT: 4,200

SR1002

Fair

Over: I-795

0.8 MI W JCT NC117 ALT, Wayne, NC

Built 2001 Load: 77.1 t ADT: 6,500

SR1556

Fair

Over: BUTTON BRANCH

0.1 MI.E.SR1532, Wayne, NC

Built 1986 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 1,500

SR1457

Fair

Over: GREAT SWAMP

0.5 MI E. JCT. SR 1353, Wayne, NC

Built 1992 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 380

SR1217

Fair

Over: FALLING CREEK

0.5 MI S JCT SR1008, Wayne, NC

Built 1996 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 1,700

SR1565

Fair

Over: RICHLAND CREEK

0.1 MI.W.JCT.SR1560, Wayne, NC

Built 1975 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 17,500

SR1236

Fair

Over: BR BEAVER DAM CREEK

0.1 MI W JCT SR1238, Wayne, NC

Built 1977 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 4,700

SR1714

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

0.2 MI. W. JCT. SR1715, Wayne, NC

Built 1997 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 1,500

US117BYP

Fair

Over: BROOKS SWAMP

0.3 MI N. OF JCT. SR 1135, Wayne, NC

Built 1986 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 13,000

NC111

Fair

Over: THE SLOUGH

0.2MI.N. OF JCT.SR1574, Wayne, NC

Built 1991 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 3,500

SR1927

Fair

Over: POPLAR BRANCH

0.5 MI. E. JCT. US117, Wayne, NC

Built 1998 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 5,300

SR1333

Fair

Over: NAHUNTA SWAMP

0.4 MI. S. JCT. SR1337, Wayne, NC

Built 1993 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 550
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.