State profile · Near national median SD

North Carolina bridge safety

Condition ratings, load ratings, and structural-deficiency data for every public highway bridge in North Carolina — drawn straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory.

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

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 rated 0-4

Structurally Deficient

6.2%

1,165 bridges flagged for repair priority

-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 — Structurally deficient share 20.5%
National avg

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

Condition Distribution

Bridge inventory deck-condition mix — North Carolina (FHWA NBI)

North Carolina35.83408285275912%41.415798105920324%GoodFairPoorStructurally Deficient
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix — North Carolina (FHWA NBI)

Counties (100)

Alamance 21 Alexander 26 Alleghany 117 Anson 162 Ashe 247 Avery 108 Beaufort 154 Bertie 95 Bladen 123 Brunswick 166 Buncombe 555 Burke 231 Cabarrus 236 Caldwell 201 Camden 28 Carteret 55 Caswell 90 Catawba 236 Chatham 241 Cherokee 163 Chowan 38 Clay 63 Cleveland 270 Columbus 226 Craven 147 Cumberland 348 Currituck 22 Dare 40 Davidson 340 Davie 93 Duplin 208 Durham 315 Edgecombe 147 Forsyth 454 Franklin 118 Gaston 232 Gates 41 Graham 94 Granville 149 Greene 62 Guilford 736 Halifax 158 Harnett 134 Haywood 286 Henderson 245 Hertford 58 Hoke 136 Hyde 75 Iredell 335 Jackson 234 Johnston 318 Jones 82 Lee 98 Lenoir 145 Lincoln 169 Macon 223 Madison 244 Martin 124 McDowell 234 Mecklenburg 746 Mitchell 127 Montgomery 151 Moore 178 Nash 261 New Hanover 123 Northampton 83 Onslow 172 Orange 189 Pamlico 45 Pasquotank 54 Pender 112 Perquimans 39 Person 106 Pitt 228 Polk 127 Randolph 401 Richmond 154 Robeson 285 Rockingham 229 Rowan 245 Rutherford 298 Sampson 196 Scotland 101 Stanly 163 Stokes 150 Surry 308 Swain 129 Transylvania 162 Tyrrell 28 Union 353 Vance 75 Wake 760 Warren 84 Washington 59 Watauga 200 Wayne 208 Wilkes 349 Wilson 195 Yadkin 168 Yancey 164

North Carolina vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states on the structurally deficient leaderboard (lower share = better)

States are ranked by share of bridges flagged structurally deficient — the FHWA classification for any span where deck, superstructure, or substructure carries a condition rating of 4 or below. Lower percentages indicate stronger maintenance funding and inspection follow-through. States here sit immediately above and below North Carolina on the same metric.

45

South Carolina

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

55

Wisconsin

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

37

North Carolina

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

15

Hawaii

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

30

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 composite NBI rating. Each is inspected at least every 24 months.

SR1216

Structurally Deficient

Over: WEST FORK PIGEON RIVER

100 FT.E.JCT.NC215, Haywood, NC

Built 1920 Load: 1.8 t ADT: 30

TSALI ENOLA ROAD

Structurally Deficient

Over: SOCO CREEK

TSALI ENOLA ROAD, Swain, NC

Built 1960 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 10

HORNBUCKLE CREEKRD

Poor

Over: HORNBUCKLE CREEK

389 HORNBUCKLE CREEK ROAD, Swain, NC

Built 1950 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 5

SR1630

Poor

Over: KIT CREEK

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

Built 1975 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 12,500

SR1340

Poor

Over: NORTH FORK NEW RIVER

.1 MI.N.JCT.NC88, Ashe, NC

Built 1977 Load: 3.6 t ADT: 500

SR1323

Poor

Over: CANAL

0.05 MI.N.JCT.1300, Tyrrell, NC

Built 1961 Load: 3.6 t ADT: 650

All Bridges in North Carolina

I 85 N

Unknown

Over: I85 NBL

0.4 MI. W. JCT. SR1303, Gaston, NC

Built 1983 ADT: 24,500

I 85 N

Unknown

Over: I85

0.6 MI. N. JCT. US74, Gaston, NC

Built 1962 ADT: 40,000

I 85 NBL

Unknown

Over: I85

0.1 MI. N. JCT. SR1311, Gaston, NC

Built 1962 ADT: 37,500

SR1312

Unknown

Over: SR1312

0.4 MI. N. JCT. SR1307, Gaston, NC

Built 2001 ADT: 2,000

I 85 S

Unknown

Over: I85

0.4 MI. S. JCT. NC274, Gaston, NC

Built 1962 ADT: 37,500

I 85 N

Unknown

Over: I85

0.7 MI. N. JCT. NC274, Gaston, NC

Built 1962 ADT: 46,750

I 85 N

Unknown

Over: I85

0.14 MI. E. JCT. SR1355, Gaston, NC

Built 1962 ADT: 44,500

US 321 NBL

Unknown

Over: US321

1.5 MI. N. JCT. US29, Gaston, NC

Built 1962 ADT: 22,000

I 85 S

Unknown

Over: I85

1.4 MI. S. JCT. SR2275, Gaston, NC

Built 1963 ADT: 56,500

I85S

Unknown

Over: I85

1.3 MI. N. JCT. US321, Gaston, NC

Built 1963 ADT: 56,500

I 85 S

Unknown

Over: I85

0.5 MI. E. JCT. NC279, Gaston, NC

Built 1960 ADT: 54,500

I 85 S

Unknown

Over: I-85

0.3 MI. E. JCT. US29, Gaston, NC

Built 1990 ADT: 55,250

I 85 SBL

Unknown

Over: I85

0.6 MI. E. JCT. SR2339, Gaston, NC

Built 1960 ADT: 58,250

I 85 S

Unknown

Over: I85

0.4 MI. E. JCT. SR2339, Gaston, NC

Built 1995 ADT: 65,000

I 85 S

Unknown

Over: I85

0.4 MI. E. JCT. SR2339, Gaston, NC

Built 1961 ADT: 60,500

FACTORY DRIVE

Unknown

Over: SOUTH FORK CATAWBA RIVER

0.5 MI. N. JCT. NC7, Gaston, NC

Built 1960 ADT: 500

I 85N

Unknown

Over: I85

1.2 MI. E. JCT. US74, Gaston, NC

Built 1960 ADT: 69,500

I 85 S

Unknown

Over: I85

1.0 MI. N. JCT. NC273, Gaston, NC

Built 1961 ADT: 69,000

I 85 N

Unknown

Over: I85

0.4 MI. W. JCT. US29, Gaston, NC

Built 1981 ADT: 24,500

I 85 S

Unknown

Over: I85 SBL

0.4 MI. E. JCT. SR1303, Gaston, NC

Built 1982 ADT: 31,500

US 74 E

Unknown

Over: US74

0.8 MI. S. JCT. I85, Gaston, NC

Built 1983 ADT: 17,000

US 321 S

Unknown

Over: US321

0.5 MI. W. JCT. SR2278, Gaston, NC

Built 1986 ADT: 20,000

US 321 N

Unknown

Over: US321

0.4 MI.E.JCT.SR3061, Gaston, NC

Built 1986 ADT: 19,000

US321 S

Unknown

Over: US321

0.1 MI. E. JCT. SR3061, Gaston, NC

Built 1986 ADT: 19,000

SR1848

Unknown

Over: SR1848

0.5 MI.N.JCT.NC275, Gaston, NC

Built 1986 ADT: 1,000

SR1848

Unknown

Over: SR1848

0.5 MI. N. JCT. NC275, Gaston, NC

Built 1986 ADT: 1,000

US 321 S

Unknown

Over: US321

0.6 MI. E. JCT. SR3061, Gaston, NC

Built 1986 ADT: 19,000

US321 N

Unknown

Over: US321

0.3MI.E.JCT.BUS.321, Gaston, NC

Built 1987 ADT: 16,000

US 321 SBL

Unknown

Over: US321

0.27 MI. N. JCT. SR1605, Gaston, NC

Built 1987 ADT: 20,250

US 321 S

Unknown

Over: US321

5.8 MI.W.JCT. US321B, Gaston, NC

Built 1987 ADT: 20,250

NC16N

Unknown

Over: NC16

0.5 MI. W. JCT. NC273, Gaston, NC

Built 2005 ADT: 13,000

NC16 S

Unknown

Over: NC 16

4.3 MI. W. JCT. NC73, Gaston, NC

Built 2005 ADT: 13,000

NAT. FOREST RD.

Unknown

Over: NAT. FOREST RD.

.6 MI.E. TENN. LINE, Graham, NC

Built 1997 ADT: 10

I85S

Unknown

Over: I85

0.4 MI.S. OF SR1102, Granville, NC

Built 1969 ADT: 17,500

I85S

Unknown

Over: I85

0.2 MI.E. OF SR1521, Granville, NC

Built 1970 ADT: 20,250

I85N

Unknown

Over: I85

0.3 MI.W. SR1102, Granville, NC

Built 1969 ADT: 18,750

I85N

Unknown

Over: I85

0.3 MI S JCT SR1646, Granville, NC

Built 1970 ADT: 18,000

I85S

Unknown

Over: I85

0.1 MI.E.SR1215, Granville, NC

Built 1969 ADT: 18,750

I85S

Unknown

Over: I85

0.2 MI.W. OF SR1129, Granville, NC

Built 1969 ADT: 16,000

SR1132

Unknown

Over: SR1132

2.7 MI.N. SR1127, Granville, NC

Built 1969 ADT: 840

SR1132

Unknown

Over: SR1132

2.7 MI.N.SR1127, Granville, NC

Built 1969 ADT: 990

I85N

Unknown

Over: I85

0.6 MI.E. OF SR1133, Granville, NC

Built 1969 ADT: 17,500

I85N

Unknown

Over: I85

0.2 MI.E. OF SR1133, Granville, NC

Built 1970 ADT: 17,500

US15N

Unknown

Over: US15

2.3 MI.S. NC96, Granville, NC

Built 1970 ADT: 5,500

US15N

Unknown

Over: US15

2.3 MI.S. OF NC96, Granville, NC

Built 1970 ADT: 5,500

US264W

Unknown

Over: US264

0.3MI.N.JCT.SR1310, Greene, NC

Built 1986 ADT: 10,500

US264W

Unknown

Over: US264

0.3 MI.W.NC121, Greene, NC

Built 1997 ADT: 10,750

US264E

Unknown

Over: I-587,US264

0.2 MI. S. OF JCT. SR1310, Greene, NC

Built 2000 ADT: 10,750

HOLDEN ROAD,S

Unknown

Over: HOLDEN ROAD

1.1 MI. W. JCT. SR1008, Guilford, NC

Built 1971 ADT: 10,500

NC62S

Unknown

Over: NC62

1.4 MI. S. JCT. SR1104, Guilford, NC

Built 1980 ADT: 3,300

Showing 951-1,000 of 18,901 bridges

Related

All states → | National rankings → | Understanding conditions → | SD bridges explained →
Data sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI), latest released cycle. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges Editorial.

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). A "structurally deficient" rating is a repair-priority signal, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult a qualified civil engineer before making decisions based on this data.

Understanding Bridge Conditions

How FHWA rates bridge condition on a 0-9 scale.

Check Your Daily Bridges

How to look up bridge condition data for bridges on your route.

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