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

SR1613

Fair

Over: WOOD FORK CREEK

.5 MI.W.JCT.SR1397, Surry, NC

Built 2000 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 100

SR1149

Fair

Over: ELKIN CREEK

.3 MI.W.JCT.US21BUS., Surry, NC

Built 1973 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 2,400

CAMPGROUND ENTRANC

Fair

Over: DEEP CREEK

0.9 MILES FROM NPS ROUTE, Swain, NC

Built 1999 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 255

SR1127

Fair

Over: WHITEOAK CREEK

0.6 MI. N. JCT. SR1115, Wake, NC

Built 1980 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 6,900

SR2000

Fair

Over: CRABTREE CREEK

0.3 MI S JCT SR1005, Wake, NC

Built 1963 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 28,500

US64E.B,US264E,I87

Fair

Over: POPLAR CREEK

0.5 MI.W.JCT.SR2233, Wake, NC

Built 2004 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 48,000

US64 BYP W,US264W

Fair

Over: POPLAR CREEK

0.5 MI.W.JCT.SR2233, Wake, NC

Built 2004 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 48,000

SR1179

Fair

Over: CANAL 'A'

0.4 MI E JCT SR1127, Washington, NC

Built 1965 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 160

SR1522

Fair

Over: MID. FORK S. FORK NEW RV

.1 MI.E.JCT.SR1521, Watauga, NC

Built 2004 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 12,500

US221,421

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK NEW RIVER

25 FT.E.JCT.SR1515, Watauga, NC

Built 1990 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 27,000

SR2474

Fair

Over: HUNTING CREEK

0.1 MI.W.JCT.NC115, Wilkes, NC

Built 2017 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 240

SR1562

Fair

Over: BOWLIN CREEK

.1 MI.N.JCT.SR1564, Wilkes, NC

Built 1964 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 230

SR1170

Fair

Over: STONY FORK CREEK

.3 MI.S.JCT.SR1155, Wilkes, NC

Built 1958 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 70

SR1929

Fair

Over: LITTLE ELKIN CREEK

.4 MI.E.JCT.SR1924, Wilkes, NC

Built 2005 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 100

SR1570

Fair

Over: FORBUSH CREEK

.05 MI.S.JCT.SR1571, Yadkin, NC

Built 1984 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 960

SR1120

Fair

Over: ROCKY BRANCH

.5 MI.W.JCT.SR1119, Yadkin, NC

Built 1960 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 130

SR1335

Fair

Over: PIGPEN CREEK

.1 MI.S.JCT.SR1336, Yancey, NC

Built 2017 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 100

DIRT ACCESS ROAD

Fair

Over: JUNIPER SWAMP CREEK

5.2KM NWOF WILMINGTON HWY, Onslow, NC

Built 1999 Load: 39.1 t ADT: 10

NFSR 4071

Fair

Over: NEW YEARS CREEK

NATIONAL FOREST, Caldwell, NC

Built 1984 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 50

NFSR 477

Fair

Over: AVERY CREEK (COMPLEX)

.9 MI. FROM US 276, Transylvania, NC

Built 2000 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 20

SR1588

Fair

Over: ROAN CREEK

.7 MI.W.JCT.SR1590, Ashe, NC

Built 2013 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 30

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY

Fair

Over: STACK ROCK CREEK

0.51 MILES FROM U.S. ROUT, Avery, NC

Built 1975 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 2,000

US264,NC92

Fair

Over: BROAD CREEK

1.5 MI.W.JCT.NC32, Beaufort, NC

Built 1965 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 15,500

SR1394

Fair

Over: SANDY MUSH CREEK

.3 MI.S.JCT.SR1398, Buncombe, NC

Built 1978 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 250

I-240 EBL

Fair

Over: HOMINY CREEK

0.15 MI. E. JCT. I-40, Buncombe, NC

Built 1966 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 31,750

I-240 WBL

Fair

Over: HOMINY CREEK

0.15 MI. E. JCT. I-40, Buncombe, NC

Built 1966 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 31,750

NC191

Fair

Over: BENT CREEK

.45 MI.S.JCT.SR3484, Buncombe, NC

Built 1978 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 18,000

SR1141

Fair

Over: HOMINY CREEK

.1 MI.S.JCT.SR1130, Buncombe, NC

Built 2005 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 580

SR1102

Fair

Over: BAILEY FORK CREEK

.55 MI.W.JCT.SR1107, Burke, NC

Built 1978 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,800

SR1751

Fair

Over: GUNPOWDER CREEK

0.4 MI.S.JCT.SR1850, Caldwell, NC

Built 1987 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 6,400

SR1735

Fair

Over: UT TO UPPER LITTLE RIVER

150 FT.N.JCT.SR1734, Caldwell, NC

Built 1995 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 430

SR1002

Fair

Over: UPPER LITTLE RIVER

50 FT.N.JCT.SR1749, Caldwell, NC

Built 1990 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,750

SR1160

Fair

Over: GUNPOWDER CREEK

.1 MI.S.JCT.US321, Caldwell, NC

Built 1989 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 7,800

SR1933 WBL

Fair

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN RR

.2 MI.W.JCT.US321A, Caldwell, NC

Built 1990 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 6,500

SR1933 EBL

Fair

Over: NORFORK SOUTHERN RR

.2 MI.W.JCT.US321A, Caldwell, NC

Built 1990 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 6,500

SR1311

Fair

Over: EAST PRONG MOON CREEK

0.10 MI. E. JCT. SR1310, Caswell, NC

Built 1978 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,100

SR1004

Fair

Over: SOUTHERN RAILROAD SPUR

0.3 MI. E. JCT. SR1825, Catawba, NC

Built 1962 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 2,400

SR1004

Fair

Over: ROCKY RIVER

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

Built 1970 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 3,100

US19B

Fair

Over: VALLEY RIVER

200 FT.N.JCT.US19,74, Cherokee, NC

Built 1983 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 6,300

US74 EBL

Fair

Over: BUFFALO CREEK

0.2 MI. W. JCT. SR2238, Cleveland, NC

Built 1957 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 83,000

NC242

Fair

Over: DUNN SWAMP

0.4 MI.N. OF JCT.SR1502, Columbus, NC

Built 2002 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,800

US74

Fair

Over: ROUGH HORN BRANCH

1.2 MI. E. JCT. SR1506, Columbus, NC

Built 1958 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 22,000

US401N

Fair

Over: ABERDEEN & ROCKFISH RR

1.0 MI. N. JCT. SR1102, Cumberland, NC

Built 1994 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 11,000

US401S

Fair

Over: ABERDEEN ROCKFISH

0.6 MI.S. JCT. US401 BUS., Cumberland, NC

Built 1994 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 11,000

I40

Fair

Over: GOSHEN SWAMP

1.5 MI.S.JCT.SR1006, Duplin, NC

Built 1993 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 2,800

SR1616

Fair

Over: FLAT RIVER

0.1 MI W JCT SR1613, Durham, NC

Built 1981 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,800

SR1671

Fair

Over: NORFOLK & WESTERN RR

0.6 MI.S.JCT.SR1709, Durham, NC

Built 1983 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 2,600

SR1669

Fair

Over: ELLERBEE CREEK

0.3 MI.E.JCT.SR1666, Durham, NC

Built 1988 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 7,600

SR1401

Fair

Over: ENO RIVER

0.5 MI.N.JCT.SR1400, Durham, NC

Built 1964 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 8,600

SR1805

Fair

Over: LAUREL CREEK

0.05MI N. OF JCT. NC98, Durham, NC

Built 1993 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 100

Showing 7,751-7,800 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.