State profile · Near median Poor share

North Carolina bridge safety

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, condition ratings, load ratings, and Poor-condition shares for every public highway bridge in North Carolina.

19,210
Public bridges
43.8%
Good condition
6.8%
Poor condition

North Carolina holds 19,210 public highway bridges (#12 of 52 by inventory) with a 6.76% Poor share (#21 of 52 by Poor share).

That is 6.8% of the state's inventory, against an average of 7.5% across the 54 states and territories with Poor-rated bridges on file, which places it 32 of 54 ordered from the lowest Poor share upward. A bridge is rated Poor when its weakest applicable component scores 4 or below on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, so the category is a maintenance and funding signal rather than a closure order or a live crossing-safety verdict.

Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026

Total Bridges

19,210

Public highway bridges in North Carolina

Good Condition

43.8%

8,421 bridges rated 7-9

-6.2pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

6.8%

1,298 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

-0.8pp vs national avg 7.5%

North Carolina vs national bridge condition

North Carolina - Good condition share 43.8%
National avg

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

North Carolina - Poor-condition share 22.5%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.5%.

North Carolina in the national condition pattern

Each point is a state or territory in the FHWA NBI; the highlighted point is this profile.

Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: North Carolina has 19,210 bridges and a 6.8% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #32 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold. Scatter plot of 54 data points. 0%10%20%30%40% 0k20k40k60k Public bridges in inventory (thousands) Poor-condition share (%) NC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.76%AL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.35%AK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.89%AZ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.15%AR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.43%CA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 25.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.91%CO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.82%CT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.72%DE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.26%DC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.95%FL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.79%GA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.59%GU, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.77%HI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.53%ID, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.9%IL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.35%IN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.22%IA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 19.16%KS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.26%KY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.37%LA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 12.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.48%ME, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.41%MD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.56%MA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.88%MI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 11.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.27%MN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.44%MS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.03%MO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.95%MT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.81%NE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.9%NV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.14%NH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.51%NJ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 6.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.01%NM, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.51%NY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 17.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.43%ND, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 10.98%OH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.74%OK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 22.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.7%OR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.61%PA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.58%PR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 13.92%RI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.2%SC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.17%SD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 16.36%TN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 20.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.41%TX, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 56.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.23%UT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.91%VT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.9%VI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 29.17%VA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.39%WA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.45%WV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 7.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 18.64%WI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.52%WY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.51%
Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: North Carolina has 19,210 bridges and a 6.8% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #32 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold.

North Carolina vs all states by public bridge inventory

Where this state's FHWA NBI public-highway bridge count sits among every state and territory on PlainBridges

19,210 12th of 54 higher than 42 of 54 states

States and territories, banded by public bridge inventory size

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · 2024

Read the rank neighborhood for North Carolina

The highlighted point is North Carolina: 19,210 bridges and 6.76% in Poor condition, rank #32 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below North Carolina on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • Wisconsin: 14,446 bridges · 6.52% Poor
  • Hawaii: 1,195 bridges · 6.53% Poor
  • North Carolina: 19,210 bridges · 6.76% Poor
  • Montana: 5,224 bridges · 6.81% Poor
  • Kentucky: 14,548 bridges · 7.37% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in North Carolina

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 19,210 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains North Carolina’s inventory

State agency holds 92.6% of the 19,210 public highway bridges filed under North Carolina in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When North Carolina’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 5.0% of the 19,210 bridges with a recorded original year in North Carolina. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

North Carolina43.8%49.4%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - North Carolina (FHWA NBI)

Counties (100)

Alamance 244 Alexander 107 Alleghany 117 Anson 169 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 314 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 235 Mecklenburg 746 Mitchell 127 Montgomery 151 Moore 178 Nash 260 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 163

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.

WI

Wisconsin

6.52% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$14,446

HI

Hawaii

6.53% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$1,195
Selected

NC

North Carolina

6.76% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$19,210

MT

Montana

6.81% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$5,224

KY

Kentucky

7.37% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$14,548

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.

SR1216

Poor

Over: WEST FORK PIGEON RIVER

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

Built 1920 Load: 1.8 t ADT: 30

TSALI ENOLA ROAD

Poor

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

SR1526

Fair

Over: FALL CREEK

.6 MI.E.JCT.NC67, Yadkin, NC

Built 1972 Load: 24.4 t ADT: 350

SR1163

Fair

Over: STEELMAN CREEK

.2 MI.N.JCT.SR1162, Yadkin, NC

Built 2013 Load: 24.4 t ADT: 100

US19E

Fair

Over: CANE RIVER

.02 MI.N.JCT SR1115, Yancey, NC

Built 1984 Load: 24.4 t ADT: 16,500

SR1337

Fair

Over: JACKS CREEK

.01 MI.N.JCT.SR1336, Yancey, NC

Built 1978 Load: 24.4 t ADT: 200

IRR BIA RTE 414

Fair

Over: BIG WITCH CREEK

5.7 KM NE OF CHEROKEE NC, Jackson, NC

Built 1973 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 700

IRR BIA RTE 414

Fair

Over: BIG WITCH CREEK

6 KM NE OF CHEROKEE NC, Jackson, NC

Built 1973 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 700

IRR BIA RTE 414

Fair

Over: BIG WITCH CREEK

7.1 KM NE OF CHEROKEE NC, Jackson, NC

Built 1973 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 700

IRR BIA RTE 414

Fair

Over: BIG WITCH CREEK

7.8 KM NE OF CHEROKEE NC, Jackson, NC

Built 1973 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 700

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY

Fair

Over: MIDDLE FORK NEW RIVER

15.4 MILES FROM U.S. ROUT, Watauga, NC

Built 1955 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 2,300

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY

Fair

Over: GOSHEN CREEK

5.1 MILES FROM U.S. ROUTE, Watauga, NC

Built 1950 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 2,300

ACCESS RAMP TO U.S

Fair

Over: MIDDLE FORK NEW RIVER

ACCESS RAMP TO U.S. ROUTE, Watauga, NC

Built 1957 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 2,300

NEWFOUND GAP ROAD

Fair

Over: MINGUS CREEK

14.5 MILES SOUTH OF NEWFO, Swain, NC

Built 1930 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 6,300

NEWFOUND GAP ROAD

Fair

Over: COLLINS CREEK

10.7 MILES SOUTH OF NEWFO, Swain, NC

Built 1930 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 6,300

SMOKEMONT CAMPGROU

Fair

Over: BRADLEY FORK

IN SMOKEMONT CAMPGROUND B, Swain, NC

Built 1959 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1

CATALOOCHEE ENTRAN

Fair

Over: SHANTY BRANCH

0.4 MILES WEST OF NPS ROU, Haywood, NC

Built 1984 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1

NFSR 420-1

Fair

Over: TELLICO RIVER

5 MI. FROM JCT. W/420, Cherokee, NC

Built 1992 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 50

NFSR 787

Fair

Over: LOOKING GLASS CREEK

.1 MI. FROM JCT. W/US 276, Transylvania, NC

Built 1992 Load: 25.3 t ADT: 50

PRIVATE DRIVE

Fair

Over: UNKNOWN CREEK

PRIVATE DRIVE, Swain, NC

Built 1950 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 4

SR1454

Fair

Over: LITTLE PINE CREEK

.3 MI.N.JCT.SR1455, Alleghany, NC

Built 1976 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 45

SR1121

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK JONES CREEK

0.4 MI. W. JCT. SR1812, Anson, NC

Built 1984 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 150

SR1401

Fair

Over: LACEY BRANCH

0.3 MI. N. JCT. SR1404, Anson, NC

Built 1976 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 680

NC88

Fair

Over: NAKED CREEK

200 FT.NW.JCT.US221, Ashe, NC

Built 1922 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 7,500

SR1514

Fair

Over: LITTLE WILSON CREEK

1 MI.W.JCT.SR1515, Avery, NC

Built 1950 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 220

MOUNTAIN VISTA LN.

Fair

Over: ELK RIVER

0.1MI.W.JCT.NC184, Avery, NC

Built 2010 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 700

SR1112

Fair

Over: MERCERS MILL POND

0.4 MI.S.OF JCT.SR1114, Brunswick, NC

Built 1977 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 2,500

NC130

Fair

Over: SHALLOTTE RIVER

0.2MI.W.JCT.US17, Brunswick, NC

Built 1937 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 9,400

US17BUS

Fair

Over: LOCKWOODS FOLLY RIVER

0.2MI.S.JCT.SR1510, Brunswick, NC

Built 1925 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 3,500

SR3492

Fair

Over: AVERY CREEK

.1 MI.S.JCT.SR3486, Buncombe, NC

Built 1973 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 330

SR3446

Fair

Over: BEAVERDAM CREEK

0.04 MI.S.JCT.SR3449, Buncombe, NC

Built 1952 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,300

SR3147

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

.3 MI.S.JCT.SR3136, Buncombe, NC

Built 1959 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 3,000

SR1003

Fair

Over: IVY CREEK

0.02 MI.S.JCT.NC197, Buncombe, NC

Built 1951 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,200

US74A

Fair

Over: ASHWORTH CREEK

.05 MI.W.JCT.SR2815, Buncombe, NC

Built 1922 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 5,200

SR1108

Fair

Over: SOUTH HOMINY CREEK

.2 MI.N.JCT.SR1103, Buncombe, NC

Built 1972 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,200

SR1924

Fair

Over: I-40

0.01 MI.N.JCT.SR1979, Burke, NC

Built 1957 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,900

SR1708

Fair

Over: EAST PRONG HUNTING CREEK

.2 MI.E.JCT.NC18, Burke, NC

Built 1976 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 4,500

SR1571

Fair

Over: HUNTING CREEK

.3 MI.N.JCT.SR1443, Burke, NC

Built 1966 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 250

US29 SBL

Fair

Over: CODDLE CREEK

0.5 MI. N. JCT. SR1305, Cabarrus, NC

Built 1939 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 12,500

SR1425

Fair

Over: GREASY CREEK

.1 MI.N.JCT.US64 NC18BYP, Caldwell, NC

Built 1955 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 50

US321 SBL

Fair

Over: GUNPOWDER CREEK

.2 MI.N.JCT.SR1127, Caldwell, NC

Built 1954 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 15,500

SR1525

Fair

Over: BLAIR FORK

50 FT.N.JCT.NC90, Caldwell, NC

Built 1961 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 100

SR1710

Fair

Over: HYCO CREEK

1.5 MI. E. JCT. NC119, Caswell, NC

Built 1976 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 350

SR1492

Fair

Over: UT TO LYLE CREEK

0.3 MI. S. JCT. SR1491, Catawba, NC

Built 1977 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 2,300

SR1002

Fair

Over: JACOB FORK RIVER

0.3 MI. N. JCT. SR1104, Catawba, NC

Built 1973 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,100

NC150

Fair

Over: DUKE POWER CANAL

0.1 MI. E. JCT. SR1841, Catawba, NC

Built 1963 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 16,500

SR1832

Fair

Over: BALLS CREEK

0.5 MI. S. JCT. SR1004, Catawba, NC

Built 1961 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,400

N.COLLEGE AVENUE

Fair

Over: NORFORK SOUTHERN RR

0.3MI.S.JCT.E.20TH ST., Catawba, NC

Built 1985 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,500

SR1107

Fair

Over: BLOOD RUN CREEK

0.2 MI. E. JCT. SR1106, Chatham, NC

Built 1921 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 2,700

NC141

Fair

Over: VALLEY RIVER

.1 MI.S.JCT.SR1521, Cherokee, NC

Built 1955 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 4,200

SR1537

Fair

Over: PEACHTREE CREEK

.25 MI.S.JCT.SR1535A, Cherokee, NC

Built 1958 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 550

US19B

Fair

Over: VALLEY RIVER

.1 MI.S.JCT.SR1424, Cherokee, NC

Built 1934 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 8,800

Showing 1,551-1,600 of 19,210 bridges

Related

All states → | National rankings → | Understanding conditions → | Retired SD term explained →
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.

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.

What to do with this

Use North Carolina's inventory picture to drill to a county or a specific span.

  • Browse counties in North Carolina and open the highest-Poor shares first. County list
  • See where this state sits among peers on Poor-condition share. State rankings
  • Compare this state with another jurisdiction on the same measures. State compare

NBI condition ratings are inventory snapshots, not live crossing-safety verdicts.

Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. North Carolina Good/Fair/Poor shares and county rollups on this page are computed from the same NBI extract as the national boards; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.