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

SR1146

Fair

Over: LITTLE CRABTREE CREEK

.01 MI.S.JCT.US19E, Yancey, NC

Built 1960 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 620

SR1186

Fair

Over: LITTLE CRABTREE CREEK

.35 MI.E.JCT.US19E, Yancey, NC

Built 1965 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 3,800

SR1186

Fair

Over: AYLES CREEK

.01 MI.W.JCT.NC80, Yancey, NC

Built 1960 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 3,800

IRR BIA RTE 410

Fair

Over: RAVEN FORK

11.7 KM NE OF CHEROKEE NC, Swain, NC

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 714

IRR BIA RTE 1410

Fair

Over: RAVEN FORK

6.4 KM N OF CHEROKEE NC, Swain, NC

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,254

IRR BIA RTE 1413

Fair

Over: WRIGHTS CREEK

3.5 KM E OF CHEROKEE NC, Jackson, NC

Built 1998 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,870

CASINO DRIVE

Fair

Over: SOCO CREEK

CASINO DRIVE #1, Swain, NC

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 500

CASINO DRIVE

Fair

Over: CASINO DRIVE

CASINO DRIVE #2, Swain, NC

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 500

OLD NUMBER 4

Fair

Over: UNKNOWN CREEK

US 411 AND OLD NUMBER 4, Swain, NC

Built 1923 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 20

ALL AMERICAN EXP.

Fair

Over: BEAVER CREEK

PU 837 897, Cumberland, NC

Built 1976 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 37,000

WAUPOPPIN CNL RD

Fair

Over: WAUPOPPIN CANAL

WAUPOPPIN CNL PRKING AREA, Hyde, NC

Built 1951 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY

Fair

Over: RAVINE & STREAM

2.38 MILES FROM U.S. ROUT, Avery, NC

Built 1987 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,000

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY

Fair

Over: RAVINE

1.98 MILES FROM U.S. ROUT, Avery, NC

Built 1987 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,000

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY

Fair

Over: SPRINGS & SMALL STREAM

1.47 MILES FROM U.S. ROUT, Avery, NC

Built 1987 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,000

REILLY ROAD

Fair

Over: TANK CREEK

NE OF POPE AFB, Cumberland, NC

Built 1975 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,000

MORRISON BRIDGE

Fair

Over: LITTLE RIVER

PU 653 959, Hoke, NC

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,000

PLANK ROAD

Fair

Over: LITTLE ROCKFISH CREEK

PU 741 808, Cumberland, NC

Built 1952 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,000

PLANK ROAD

Fair

Over: PUPPY CREEK

PU 706 802, Hoke, NC

Built 1955 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,000

MANCHESTER ROAD

Fair

Over: SPILLWAY MACARTHUR LAKE

PU 585 951, Hoke, NC

Built 1955 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,000

BUTNER ROAD

Fair

Over: TANK CREEK

PU 812 923, Cumberland, NC

Built 1960 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,000

SOUTHERN PINES RD

Fair

Over: CALF BRANCH

RANGE ROAD, Hoke, NC

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1

QUEWHIFFLE RD

Fair

Over: ROCKFISH CREEK

RANGE GG1 (E), Hoke, NC

Built 1960 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1

MAIN ENTRANCE ROAD

Fair

Over: DROWNING CREEK

PU 405 789, Moore, NC

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 500

RESERVATION ROAD

Fair

Over: FONTANA DAM SPILLWAY

ON FONTANA DAM, Swain, NC

Built 1946 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 390

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: TELLICO RIVER

NO DATA ENTERED, Cherokee, NC

Built 2010 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 50

NC87

Fair

Over: LICK CREEK

0.5 MI. S. JCT. SR2343, Alamance, NC

Built 1934 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 2,700

SR2116

Fair

Over: BIG ALAMANCE CREEK

0.7 MI. S. JCT. SR2158, Alamance, NC

Built 1963 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 3,500

I40 I85 SR1398

Fair

Over: LITTLE ALAMANCE CREEK

1.8 MI.N.JCT.NC62, Alamance, NC

Built 1963 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 114,000

SR1332

Fair

Over: ELK CREEK

.1 MI.S.JCT.SR1333, Alleghany, NC

Built 2011 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 170

SR1527

Fair

Over: HELTON CREEK

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

Built 1975 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 90

SR1637

Fair

Over: LITTLE BUFFALO CREEK

.1 MI.E.NC194 88, Ashe, NC

Built 1965 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 100

SR1112

Fair

Over: CALL CREEK

.3 MI.W.JCT.SR1114, Ashe, NC

Built 2016 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 100

ELKMONT LANE

Fair

Over: SHAWNEEHAW CREEK

0.1 MI.N.JCT.NC194, Avery, NC

Built 2010 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 730

US17BUS

Fair

Over: PAMLICO RIVER

3.1 MI. N. OF JCT. NC33, Beaufort, NC

Built 1928 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 25,750

US264

Fair

Over: MAPLE BRANCH

0.5 MI. E. JCT.SR1409, Beaufort, NC

Built 1962 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 20,000

NC211

Fair

Over: BROWN MARSH SWAMP

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

Built 1929 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 3,700

NC11

Fair

Over: LYON SWAMP CANAL

0.3 MI.S. OF JCT.SR1543, Bladen, NC

Built 1952 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 2,300

NC 210

Fair

Over: CYPRESS CREEK

0.2 MI.S. SR1554, Bladen, NC

Built 1977 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 900

NC133

Fair

Over: ORTON CREEK

1.9 MI.N.JCT.NC87, Brunswick, NC

Built 1955 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 6,600

SR1224

Fair

Over: US19 US23 SOUTHERN R/R

.1 MI.E.JCT.SR1463, Buncombe, NC

Built 1969 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 7,000

SR2800

Fair

Over: CANE CREEK

.2 MI.S.JCT.SR2776, Buncombe, NC

Built 1961 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 1,400

SR2107

Fair

Over: REEMS CREEK

.3 MI.S.JCT.SR1003, Buncombe, NC

Built 1958 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 40

SR3486

Fair

Over: SPAIN BRANCH

.05 MI.E.JCT.SR3488, Buncombe, NC

Built 1978 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 1,200

CHESTNUT STREET

Fair

Over: UT TO REED CREEK

0.01MI.W.JCT.BROADWAY ST., Buncombe, NC

Built 1991 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 2,450

SR2740

Fair

Over: SOUTHERN RAILROAD

.3 MI.S.JCT.US70, Buncombe, NC

Built 1970 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 2,600

SR3238

Fair

Over: SOUTHERN RAILROAD

.2 MI.S.JCT.I-240, Buncombe, NC

Built 1977 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 19,000

US64BUS

Fair

Over: SOUTHERN RR

50 FT.N.JCT.US 70BYPASS, Burke, NC

Built 1929 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 22,000

US64

Fair

Over: I-40

.22 MI.S.JCT.SR2013, Burke, NC

Built 1957 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 26,000

SR1233

Fair

Over: OLD CATAWABA RIVER

0.6 MI.N.JCT.US70, Burke, NC

Built 1966 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 2,000

US70 BYPASS

Fair

Over: HUNTING CREEK

.3 MI.W.JCT.US64 70BYP., Burke, NC

Built 1955 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 11,000

Showing 4,201-4,250 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.