State profile · Near median Poor share

North Carolina bridge safety

Condition ratings, load ratings, and Poor-condition data for every public highway bridge in North Carolina, based on the FHWA National Bridge Inventory.

18,901
Public bridges
35.8%
Good condition
6.2%
Poor condition

Data updated May 2026

Total Bridges

18,901

Public highway bridges in North Carolina

Good Condition

35.8%

6,773 bridges rated 7-9

-14.2pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

6.2%

1,165 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

-0.8pp vs national avg 7.0%

North Carolina vs national bridge condition

North Carolina - Good condition share 35.8%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

North Carolina - Poor-condition share 20.5%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.0%.

North Carolina vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states by Poor-condition share (lower share = better)

States are ranked by the share of bridges whose lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below. This describes recorded condition; it does not measure funding effectiveness or live crossing safety. States here sit immediately above and below North Carolina on the same metric.

SC

South Carolina

6.10% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$5,396

WI

Wisconsin

6.13% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$14,851
Selected

NC

North Carolina

6.16% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$18,901

HI

Hawaii

6.47% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$1,206

MT

Montana

6.70% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$5,122

Bridges Needing Most Attention in North Carolina

Six lowest-condition bridges in North Carolina, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

All Bridges in North Carolina

NC42

Fair

Over: CONTENTNEA CREEK

50' W. JCT. SR1142, Wilson, NC

Built 1939 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 9,900

SR1408

Fair

Over: BALD MTN.CREEK

.01 MI.W.JCT.SR1395, Yancey, NC

Built 1966 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 100

SR1102

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK CATTAIL CREEK

1.05 MI.E.JCT.SR1105, Yancey, NC

Built 1962 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 450

SR1154

Fair

Over: BROWN CREEK

.4 MI.S.JCT.SR1152, Yancey, NC

Built 1972 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 540

FIREBREAK 3

Fair

Over: JUNIPER CREEK

RANGE HH3 (W) AREA, Hoke, NC

Built 1960 Load: 26.4 t ADT: 1

NFSR 981

Fair

Over: ROCKHOUSE CREEK

1.5 MI. W. JCT. FS 45, Avery, NC

Built 1941 Load: 26.6 t ADT: 25

NFSR 472

Fair

Over: SOUTH TOE RIVER

2.0 MI. S. JCT. FS 482, Yancey, NC

Built 1950 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 20

NC127

Fair

Over: DUCK CREEK

0.3 MI. N. JCT. SR1163, Alexander, NC

Built 1948 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 3,700

SR1409

Fair

Over: MOCCASIN CREEK

20 FT.N.JCT.SR1412, Alleghany, NC

Built 2007 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 70

SR1709

Fair

Over: CEDAR CREEK

0.6 MI. E. JCT. NC109, Anson, NC

Built 1963 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 60

NC88

Fair

Over: BIG LAUREL CREEK

.1 MI.W.JCT.SR1315, Ashe, NC

Built 1967 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 1,300

SR1362

Fair

Over: BIG HORSE CREEK

.7 MI.N.JCT.SR1367, Ashe, NC

Built 1962 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 180

SR1353

Fair

Over: BIG HORSE CREEK

.6 MI.N.JCT.SR1324, Ashe, NC

Built 1979 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 1,200

SR1536

Fair

Over: HELTON CREEK

25 FT.S.JCT.SR1528, Ashe, NC

Built 1967 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 80

SR1644

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK NEW RIVER

100 FT.E.JCT.NC194, Ashe, NC

Built 1964 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 130

SR1548

Fair

Over: LINVILLE RIVER

.14 MI.S.JCT.NC105, Avery, NC

Built 2005 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 200

NC306

Fair

Over: BAILY CREEK

0.2 MI. N. SR1965, Beaufort, NC

Built 1975 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 2,700

US13S,US17S

Fair

Over: ROANOKE RIVER OVERFLOW

2.1 MI.S. OF JCT.SR1521, Bertie, NC

Built 1940 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 5,500

US13S,US17S

Fair

Over: ROQUIST CREEK

0.6 MI.N. OF JCT.SR1105, Bertie, NC

Built 1952 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 11,500

NC211B

Fair

Over: RESERVOIR

0.25 MI. W. JCT. SR1100, Bladen, NC

Built 1948 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 1,600

US17B

Fair

Over: SHALLOTTE RIVER

0.1MI.N. JCT. SR1316, Brunswick, NC

Built 1929 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 8,500

US17 BUS.

Fair

Over: SHALLOTE RIVER

0.2 MI.N.JCT.NC130, Brunswick, NC

Built 1929 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 22,500

SR1629

Fair

Over: TURKEY CREEK

.7 MI.E.JCT.SR1631, Buncombe, NC

Built 1967 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 270

SR2814

Fair

Over: ASHWORTH CREEK

0.05 MI.N.JCT.US74, Buncombe, NC

Built 1963 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 190

SR2416

Fair

Over: SWANNANOA RIVER

0.1 MI.W.JCT.SR2002, Buncombe, NC

Built 1965 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 5,500

SR1924

Fair

Over: CAMP CREEK

.05 MI.S.JCT.SR1973, Burke, NC

Built 1923 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 600

SR1002

Fair

Over: IRISH BUFFALO CREEK

100 FT. E. JCT. SR1335, Cabarrus, NC

Built 1952 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 16,500

SR1504

Fair

Over: BUFFALOE CREEK

100 FT.S.JCT.SR1557, Caldwell, NC

Built 1960 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 700

NC18

Fair

Over: ROCK CREEK

100 FT. S. JCT. SR1111, Catawba, NC

Built 1991 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 3,000

FIRST STREET SE

Fair

Over: BARGER BRANCH

.4MI.E.S.CENTER ST(NC127), Catawba, NC

Built 1997 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 50

SR2157

Fair

Over: TRIBUTARY ROCKY RIVER

0.8 MI. S. JCT. SR2158, Chatham, NC

Built 1958 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 110

US64

Fair

Over: HIWASSEE RIVER

0.2 MI.E.JCT.SR1544, Cherokee, NC

Built 1956 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 7,100

SR1326

Fair

Over: VALLEY RIVER

0.5 MI.N.JCT.US19BUS, Cherokee, NC

Built 1979 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 4,400

SR1148

Fair

Over: SOUTH SHOAL CREEK

100 FT.S.JCT.SR1150, Cherokee, NC

Built 1959 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 150

SR1302

Fair

Over: SWEETWATER CREEK

50 FT.N.JCT.US64, Clay, NC

Built 1956 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 900

SR1169

Fair

Over: EAGLE FORK CREEK

.3 MI.W.JCT.SR1171, Clay, NC

Built 1939 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 520

US74 WBL

Fair

Over: BEAVERDAM CREEK

0.1 MI. E. JCT. SR1247, Cleveland, NC

Built 1925 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 10,250

US74

Fair

Over: HICKORY CREEK

0.1 MI. E. JCT. NC226, Cleveland, NC

Built 1949 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 44,500

US74/76BUS.

Fair

Over: WHITE MARSH SWAMP

0.8 MI. W. JCT. NC214, Columbus, NC

Built 1921 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 9,400

US17

Fair

Over: LITTLE SWIFT CREEK

1.5 MI. S. OF JCT. NC43, Craven, NC

Built 1953 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 9,500

SR1001

Fair

Over: CORE CREEK

0.5 MI.N. OF JCT.SR1238, Craven, NC

Built 1950 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 950

SR2299W

Fair

Over: BLOUNTS CREEK

0.35 MI W JCT NC87&US301, Cumberland, NC

Built 1950 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 4,100

US64

Fair

Over: POND ISLAND

2.7 MI.E. OF NC345, Dare, NC

Built 1994 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 21,000

S.DOGWOOD TRAIL

Fair

Over: PELICAN CANAL

.5 MI.N.JCT.YAUPON TR., Dare, NC

Built 1997 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 500

I85SBUS,US29,US70

Fair

Over: LEONARD CREEK

0.2 MI. S. JCT. SR2002, Davidson, NC

Built 1946 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 8,500

SR1260

Fair

Over: WINSTON SALEM SB RR

0.1 MI. W. JCT. NC8, Davidson, NC

Built 1967 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 1,100

NC801

Fair

Over: CEDAR CREEK

0.4 MI. N. JCT. SR1410, Davie, NC

Built 1974 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 3,200

SR1307

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

0.2 MI. E. JCT. SR1305, Davie, NC

Built 1968 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 870

NC11,NC903

Fair

Over: N.E.CAPE FEAR RIVER

1.1 MI S. JCT NC111, Duplin, NC

Built 1922 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 3,600

I40 WBL

Fair

Over: SEABOARD COASTLINE RR

0.2 MI. W. JCT. NC24, Duplin, NC

Built 1987 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 10,750

Showing 5,001-5,050 of 18,901 bridges

Data sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI), latest released cycle. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Poor condition is an inspection-record category, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult the bridge owner for current status.

Every figure on PlainBridge 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.