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

SR1513

Fair

Over: N.FORK NEW RIVER

50 FT.S.JCT.SR1523, Ashe, NC

Built 1967 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 880

SR1168

Fair

Over: EAST FORK PINE SWAMP CRK

.1 MI.N.JCT.SR1003, Ashe, NC

Built 2002 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 200

SR1595

Fair

Over: NATHANS CREEK

100 FT.S.JCT.US221, Ashe, NC

Built 2014 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 150

SR1527

Fair

Over: HELTON CREEK

.7 MI.W.JCT.SR1528, Ashe, NC

Built 1977 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 90

SR1003

Fair

Over: WEST FORK PINE SWAMP CR.

25 FT.E.JCT.SR1169, Ashe, NC

Built 1960 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 1,000

SR1573

Fair

Over: LONG SHOALS CREEK

0.1 MI.S.JCT.SR1667, Ashe, NC

Built 1960 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 500

SR1315

Fair

Over: BIG LAUREL CREEK

200 FT.E.JCT.SR1322, Ashe, NC

Built 1960 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 700

SR1315

Fair

Over: BIG LAUREL CREEK

50 FT.W.JCT.SR1320, Ashe, NC

Built 1960 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 950

NC88

Fair

Over: PEAK CREEK

.1 MI.E.JCT.SR1616, Ashe, NC

Built 1960 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 1,500

NC88

Fair

Over: ROAN CREEK

.3 MI.W.JCT.SR1597, Ashe, NC

Built 1960 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 1,700

NC88

Fair

Over: ROAN CREEK

.15 MI.E.JCT.SR1627, Ashe, NC

Built 1960 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 2,500

NC88

Fair

Over: ROAN CREEK

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

Built 1960 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 2,500

NC163

Fair

Over: OBIDS CREEK

.5 MI.N.JCT.SR1003, Ashe, NC

Built 1960 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 2,300

US221 NC88

Fair

Over: NAKED CREEK

20 FT.E.JCT.SR1207, Ashe, NC

Built 1960 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 16,000

US321

Fair

Over: BEECH CREEK

50 FT.S.JCT.SR1314, Avery, NC

Built 1952 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 1,200

US19E

Fair

Over: HORSE CREEK

100 FT.S.JCT.SR1166, Avery, NC

Built 1960 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 1,500

US19E

Fair

Over: CRANBERRY CREEK

250 FT.N.JCT.NC194, Avery, NC

Built 1978 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 6,200

NC181

Fair

Over: NORTH TOE RIVER

.1 MI.S.JCT.NC194, Avery, NC

Built 1960 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 7,400

NC194

Fair

Over: NORTH TOE RIVER

.1 MI.S.JCT.NC181, Avery, NC

Built 1952 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 7,400

SR1524

Fair

Over: MILL TIMBER CREEK

100 FT.N.JCT.US221 NC94, Avery, NC

Built 1960 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 100

NC32

Fair

Over: BR. OF PUNGO CREEK

6.4 MI. N. JCT. US264, Beaufort, NC

Built 1939 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 2,700

US264

Fair

Over: TANKARD CREEK

5.8 MI.W.JCT.NC92, Beaufort, NC

Built 1955 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 5,000

NC33 NC306

Fair

Over: BAILEY CREEK

1.6 MI.E. OF JCT.NC306, Beaufort, NC

Built 1955 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 4,500

NC33

Fair

Over: NANCY RUN

0.5 MI.W.JCT. SR1106, Beaufort, NC

Built 1950 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 4,000

EAST MAIN STREET

Fair

Over: JACKS CREEK

0.3 MI.E.JCT.BROWN STREET, Beaufort, NC

Built 2003 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 3,100

US17

Fair

Over: DITCH OFF CHERRY RUN

.2 MI.S. OF JCT.US17 BUS., Beaufort, NC

Built 2010 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 6,400

NC11BUS

Fair

Over: FORT BRANCH

0.2 MI.N.NC305, Bertie, NC

Built 1957 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 1,600

NC42

Fair

Over: BARBECUE SWAMP

0.4 MI.E. OF JCT.SR1314, Bertie, NC

Built 1920 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 2,300

NC42

Fair

Over: CHINKAPIN SWAMP

1.2 MI.W. OF JCT.NC45, Bertie, NC

Built 1920 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 1,600

US13

Fair

Over: WHITE OAK SWAMP

2.7MI. N. JCT. NC305, Bertie, NC

Built 1939 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 3,500

SR1257

Fair

Over: CASHIE RIVER

.09 MI.N. OF JCT. SR1260, Bertie, NC

Built 1975 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 1,500

NC211 BYP.

Fair

Over: BRYANT SWAMP

0.5 MI.S. OF JCT.NC242, Bladen, NC

Built 1981 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 2,900

NC211

Fair

Over: ELKTON SWAMP CREEK

0.25 MI.N.JCT.SR1759, Bladen, NC

Built 1929 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 3,000

NC87

Fair

Over: CARVERS CREEK

100FT.N.JCT.SR1732, Bladen, NC

Built 1930 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 3,800

US701

Fair

Over: BROWN MARSH SWAMP

0.6 MI.S. OF JCT.SR1142, Bladen, NC

Built 1955 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 3,300

SR1730

Fair

Over: CARVERS CREEK

0.3 MI.E. OF JCT.SR1728, Bladen, NC

Built 1950 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 500

US701

Fair

Over: LITTLE COLLY CREEK

0.1 MI.N. OF JCT.SR1551, Bladen, NC

Built 1962 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 3,300

NC410

Fair

Over: HORSEPEN BRANCH

0.6 MI. S. JCT. NC242, Bladen, NC

Built 1970 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 1,800

NC211

Fair

Over: FRIAR SWAMP

0.3MI.N. OF JCT.SR1730, Bladen, NC

Built 1962 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 1,800

NC904

Fair

Over: CAW CAW SWAMP

0.5MI.N.JCT.SR1304, Brunswick, NC

Built 1952 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 6,300

US17 BUS.

Fair

Over: CREEK

50 N. JCT. NC179, Brunswick, NC

Built 1951 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 12,500

LEESBURG DR

Fair

Over: DITCH WATERS

0.03 MI. N. BELSHAW DR, Brunswick, NC

Built 2008 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 100

EVANGELINE DR

Fair

Over: DITCH WATERS

.01 MI. N. JCT. EDENHOUSE, Brunswick, NC

Built 2008 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 100

SR1381

Fair

Over: NEWFOUND CREEK

.5 MI.W.JCT.SR1378, Buncombe, NC

Built 2014 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 340

NC63

Fair

Over: SOUTHERN RAILROAD

.5 MI.N.JCT.US19 23, Buncombe, NC

Built 1989 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 27,000

SR3439

Fair

Over: BILL MOORE CREEK

.6 MI.S.JCT.SR3437, Buncombe, NC

Built 2013 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 1,600

NC63

Fair

Over: GOUGHES BRANCH

.03 MI.E.JCT.SR1002, Buncombe, NC

Built 1960 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 14,000

NC63

Fair

Over: NORTH TURKEY CREEK

.03 MI.W.JCT.SR1613, Buncombe, NC

Built 1960 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 5,300

US25A

Fair

Over: SWEETEN CREEK

.44 MI.S.JCT.NC81, Buncombe, NC

Built 1949 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 11,000

NC9

Fair

Over: SWANNANOA RIVER

.06 MI.N.JCT.I-40, Buncombe, NC

Built 1977 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 8,100

Showing 3,001-3,050 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.