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

SR1169

Poor

Over: SHELL CREEK

.8 MI.N.JCT.SR1155, Wilkes, NC

Built 1961 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 90

SR1153

Poor

Over: AYLES CREEK

0.4 MI.S.JCT.NC80, Yancey, NC

Built 1971 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 1,000

SR1410

Poor

Over: LITTLE CREEK

.01 MI.W.JCT.SR1411, Yancey, NC

Built 1964 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 110

NFSR 1178

Poor

Over: CHATTOOGA RIVER (COMPLEX

NATIONAL FOREST, Macon, NC

Built 1934 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 50

SR1603

Poor

Over: CRANBERRY CREEK

.2 MI.N.JCT.SR1604, Ashe, NC

Built 1961 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 130

SR1361

Poor

Over: RIPSHIN BRANCH

1.05 MI.E.JCT.SR1359, Ashe, NC

Built 1963 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 30

SR1302

Poor

Over: BRUSH FORK CREEK

.2 MI.W.JCT.SR1304, Ashe, NC

Built 1993 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 250

SR1120

Poor

Over: NORTH FORK NEW RIVER

25 FT.S.JCT.NC88, Ashe, NC

Built 1966 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 560

SR1305

Poor

Over: ELK RIVER

1.5 MI.N.JCT.SR1306, Avery, NC

Built 1950 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 650

SR2791

Poor

Over: LAUREL CREEK

0.3 MI.E.JCT.NC9, Buncombe, NC

Built 1973 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 440

NINTH STREET

Poor

Over: TOMAHAWK CREEK

0.1MI.E.JCT.HIAWASSEE AVE, Buncombe, NC

Built 1971 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 100

SR1372

Poor

Over: YADKIN RIVER

3.1 MI.N.JCT.US321, Caldwell, NC

Built 1966 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 310

SR1765

Poor

Over: UPPER LITTLE RIVER

200 FT.S.JCT.SR1788, Caldwell, NC

Built 1962 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 30

DRY RIDGE ROAD

Poor

Over: WHIPPING CREEK

2.9 MI W US 264, Dare, NC

Built 1965 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 5

SR1301

Poor

Over: BEAR SWAMP

0.4 MI N JCT SR1338, Duplin, NC

Built 1966 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 250

SR1145

Poor

Over: CREEK

0.8 MI. S. JCT. US15, Granville, NC

Built 1960 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 110

DIXIE STREET

Poor

Over: CHOCKYOTTE CREEK

0.1 MI.E.JCT.GLOVER ST., Halifax, NC

Built 1955 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 100

SR1106

Poor

Over: ROCK CREEK

.7 MI.E.JCT.SR1107, Henderson, NC

Built 1959 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 900

SR1328

Poor

Over: SWEET WATER BRANCH

.1 MI.E.JCT.SR1329, Henderson, NC

Built 1962 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 710

SR1006

Poor

Over: BUFFALO SHOALS CREEK

0.2 MI. W. JCT. SR1525, Iredell, NC

Built 1952 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 1,200

SR1892

Poor

Over: SOUTH YADKIN RIVER

1.3 MI. N. JCT. SR1913, Iredell, NC

Built 1948 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 2,400

SR1886

Poor

Over: PATTERSON CREEK

0.6 MI. S. JCT. SR1891, Iredell, NC

Built 1967 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 420

SR1355

Poor

Over: GABRIEL CREEK

.2 MI.N.JCT.NC213, Madison, NC

Built 1968 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 1,600

SR1409

Poor

Over: MILL CREEK

50 FT.W.JCT.SR1408, McDowell, NC

Built 1961 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 150

NC9

Poor

Over: S.BR.LITTLE WHITE OAK CR

.1 MI.N.JCT.SR1525, Polk, NC

Built 1967 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 2,900

WENTWORTH ST.

Poor

Over: S. PRONG TERRY'S CREEK

0.4 MI.W.JCT. US29 BUS., Rockingham, NC

Built 1910 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 1,600

SR1721

Poor

Over: GOSHEN SWAMP

0.6 MI S JCT NC50, Sampson, NC

Built 1953 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 40

SR1334

Poor

Over: MITCHELL RIVER

50 FT.E.JCT.SR1330, Surry, NC

Built 1932 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 100

SR1141

Poor

Over: SHOAL CREEK

.7 MI.W.JCT.SR1206, Transylvania, NC

Built 1963 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 250

SR2044

Poor

Over: SMITHS CREEK

1.2 MI.S.US1A, Wake, NC

Built 1967 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 8,100

SR1515

Poor

Over: TRIB OF REEDY POND CREEK

0.7 MI W JCT SR1517, Warren, NC

Built 1960 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 110

SR1508

Poor

Over: ELK CREEK

1 MI.S.JCT.SR1583, Watauga, NC

Built 1975 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 370

SR2419

Poor

Over: LITTLE HUNTING CREEK

0.1 MI.S.JCT.SR2420, Wilkes, NC

Built 1961 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 160

SR1567

Poor

Over: NORTH FORK REDDIES RIVER

.02 MI.S.JCT.SR1575, Wilkes, NC

Built 1950 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 400

SR1501

Poor

Over: NORTH FORK REDDIES RIVER

1.2 MI.N.JCT.SR1575, Wilkes, NC

Built 1962 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 100

SR1501

Poor

Over: N.FORK REDDIES RIVER

2.5 MI.S.JCT.NC18, Wilkes, NC

Built 1962 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 60

SR1581

Poor

Over: UT TO LOGAN CREEK

.9 MI.W.JCT.SR1580, Yadkin, NC

Built 1972 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 550

SR1443

Poor

Over: ROCKY CREEK

0.5 MI. W. JCT. SR1447, Alexander, NC

Built 1961 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 50

SR1001

Poor

Over: POTTS CREEK

.3MI. S. JCT. WITH SR2033, Cleveland, NC

Built 1951 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 6,600

SR1832

Poor

Over: HUNTING CREEK

1.0 MI. N. JCT. SR1821, Iredell, NC

Built 1975 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 200

SR1737

Poor

Over: MULL CREEK

1.7 MI.N.JCT.SR1746, Jackson, NC

Built 1962 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 130

SR1300

Poor

Over: SAVANNAH CREEK

.2 MI.W.JCT.SR1301, Jackson, NC

Built 1967 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 610

SR1372

Poor

Over: BURNINGTOWN CREEK

.3 MI.S.JCT.SR1370, Macon, NC

Built 1975 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 150

SR1310

Poor

Over: NANTAHALA RIVER

1 MI.N.JCT.SR1412, Macon, NC

Built 1950 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 600

SR1530

Poor

Over: PAINT FORK CREEK

.4 MI.N.JCT.SR1531, Madison, NC

Built 1951 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 100

SR1395

Poor

Over: WALNUT CREEK

.06 MI.W.JCT.SR1399, Madison, NC

Built 1950 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 800

SR1612

Poor

Over: BONE CAMP CREEK

.04 MI.E.JCT.SR1611, Madison, NC

Built 1951 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 200

SR1225

Poor

Over: EAST FORK BIG CRABTREE C

.05 MI.W.JCT.SR1002, Mitchell, NC

Built 1964 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 250

SR1576

Poor

Over: PUZZLE CREEK

.01 MI.N.JCT.SR1575, Rutherford, NC

Built 1967 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 2,200

SR1749

Poor

Over: HINTON CREEK

.3 MI.N.JCT.SR1752, Rutherford, NC

Built 1975 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 350

Showing 18,001-18,050 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.