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

SR1540

Good

Over: FRENCH BROAD RIVER

.2 MI.S.JCT.SR1504, Transylvania, NC

Built 1985 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 4,000

US64

Good

Over: TURKEY CREEK

.1 MI.E.JCT.NC280, Transylvania, NC

Built 1956 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 1,700

SR1200

Good

Over: CREEK

0.4 MI.S.JCT.SR1204, Tyrrell, NC

Built 1979 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 400

SR1606

Good

Over: CROOKED CREEK

0.4 MI.S.JCT.SR1547, Union, NC

Built 1982 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 1,400

SR1506

Good

Over: EAST FORK STEWARTS CREEK

0.5 MI. E. JCT. SR1507, Union, NC

Built 2018 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 370

SR3909

Good

Over: N.FORK CROOKED CRK. TRIB

0.05 MI. S. JCT. US74, Union, NC

Built 2018 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 3,400

SR1104

Good

Over: LONG CREEK

2.1 MI. E. OF SR1101, Vance, NC

Built 1959 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 850

SR1342

Good

Over: ISLAND CREEK

0.8 MI.W.JCT.SR1348, Vance, NC

Built 2000 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 850

SR1315

Good

Over: WALNUT CREEK

2 MI. N. JCT. I-40, Wake, NC

Built 1982 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 11,500

NC540,9906 FLYOVER

Good

Over: DIRT

0.44 MI. N. NC540E RMP, Wake, NC

Built 2007 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 13,833

NC 540 NBL (TOLL)

Good

Over: WHITE OAK CREEK

0.4 MI.S. OF JCT.SR1615, Wake, NC

Built 2012 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 16,750

SR1512

Good

Over: FISHING CREEK

0.3 M.I W. OF JCT. SR1507, Warren, NC

Built 1997 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 190

US64 EBL

Good

Over: OLD MILL CREEK

8.7 MI. W. JCT. SR1304, Washington, NC

Built 2004 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 2,650

US64 WBL

Good

Over: OLD MILL CREEK

8.7 MI. W. SR1304, Washington, NC

Built 2004 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 2,650

SR1547

Good

Over: BOONE CREEK

150 FT.S. JCT.US321, Watauga, NC

Built 2002 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 4,000

SR1351

Good

Over: GRASSY CREEK

.35 MI.E.JCT.SR1354, Watauga, NC

Built 2019 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 370

SR1223

Good

Over: LITTLE BEAVERDAM CREEK

100 FT.N.JCT.SR1221, Watauga, NC

Built 2015 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 150

NC581

Good

Over: LITTLE RIVER

200' N.JCT.SR1326, Wayne, NC

Built 2005 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 7,500

SR1007

Good

Over: BEAVER DAM CREEK

0.4 MI.E.SR1236, Wayne, NC

Built 2001 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 1,900

SR1717

Good

Over: MULBERRY CREEK

.2 MI.N.JCT.SR1782, Wilkes, NC

Built 1980 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 2,700

US264E

Good

Over: NORFOLK/SOUTHERN RR

0.5 MI.W.JCT.I95, Wilson, NC

Built 1998 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 12,750

SR1341

Good

Over: CRANBERRY CREEK

.4 MI.S.JCT.SR1331, Yadkin, NC

Built 2021 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 260

NFSR 482

Good

Over: CURTIS CREEK

3.3 MI. N. JCT. NFSR 482A, Yancey, NC

Built 1978 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 25

SR1600

Good

Over: RICHARDSON CREEK

1.5 MI. W. JCT. SR1608, Anson, NC

Built 1995 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 70

SR1126

Good

Over: BRANCH S.FORK JONES CRK

2.1 MI. E. JCT. SR1129, Anson, NC

Built 2021 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 270

NC194

Good

Over: OLD FIELD BRANCH

100 FT.S.JCT.SR1353, Ashe, NC

Built 2021 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 4,000

SR1155

Good

Over: LITTLE NAKED CREEK

0.7 MI.N.JCT.NC16,88, Ashe, NC

Built 2018 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,100

SR1169

Good

Over: WEST FORK PINE SWAMP CRK

1.0 MI.S.JCT.SR1168, Ashe, NC

Built 2011 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 240

SR1341

Good

Over: ELK RIVER

100 FT.S.JCT.NC184, Avery, NC

Built 2021 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 420

US17S

Good

Over: CASHIE RIVER

0.5 MI.N.OF JCT.US13 BUS, Bertie, NC

Built 2008 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 4,300

NC11&NC53

Good

Over: BLACK RIVER

50' MI N JCT SR 1547, Bladen, NC

Built 1998 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 2,500

NC9

Good

Over: BROAD RIVER

.2 MI.N.JCT.SR2791, Buncombe, NC

Built 2022 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 800

SR2173

Good

Over: STONEY CREEK

.05 MI.W.JCT.SR2178, Buncombe, NC

Built 2013 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,000

SR3185

Good

Over: SOUTHERN RAILROAD

.04 MI.W.JCT.SR3184, Buncombe, NC

Built 1990 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 860

SR2098

Good

Over: HERRON COVE BRANCH

.05 MI.E.JCT.SR2099, Buncombe, NC

Built 2016 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 540

SR2748

Good

Over: CHRISTIAN CREEK

0.3 MI.N.JCT.SR2749, Buncombe, NC

Built 2018 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,000

9901

Good

Over: GASHES CREEK

60FT.S.JCT.US74A, Buncombe, NC

Built 2001 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 50

SR1922

Good

Over: UT TO HENRY FORK CREEK

.1 MI.S.JCT.SR1983, Burke, NC

Built 2014 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 2,000

NC268

Good

Over: UT TO YADKIN RIVER

1 MI.E.JCT.SR1507, Caldwell, NC

Built 1991 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 650

SR1142

Good

Over: LOWER CREEK

.1 MI.N.JCT.SR1263, Caldwell, NC

Built 1995 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 2,700

SR1503

Good

Over: JOES CREEK

50 FT.W.JCT.SR1504, Caldwell, NC

Built 2004 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 270

SR1916

Good

Over: SHADDOX CREEK

0.1 MI.N. JCT. SR1925, Chatham, NC

Built 2016 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 3,500

SR1176

Good

Over: TICK CREEK

0.8 MI. S. JCT. SR1134, Chatham, NC

Built 2000 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,700

NC294

Good

Over: LAKE CHEROKEE

.7 MI.E.JCT.SR1130, Cherokee, NC

Built 2009 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 3,200

SR1556

Good

Over: UT TO MARTIN CREEK

.2 MI.N.JCT.SR1560, Cherokee, NC

Built 2010 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,200

NC130

Good

Over: WACCAMAW RIVER OV

.2 MI. W. JCT. 1326, Columbus, NC

Built 1999 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 4,100

SR1433

Good

Over: MILLS BRANCH TRIBUTARY

0.3 MI.NORTH JCT.US17, Craven, NC

Built 2012 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,600

SR1005

Good

Over: BACHELOR CREEK

2.3 MI.W. OF JCT.NC55, Craven, NC

Built 2008 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 1,700

NC162

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

0.05 MI E JCT SR1107, Cumberland, NC

Built 2008 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 28,000

SR1231

Good

Over: INDIAN GRAVE CREEK

0.4 MI. W. JCT. SR1425, Davidson, NC

Built 2015 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 540

Showing 12,851-12,900 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.