Fun fact: Covered bridges were roofed to protect the wood, not the travelers.
Fun fact: Covered bridges were roofed to protect the wood, not the travelers.
Infrastructure Grade
Infrastructure Report Card
7.1% of bridges in poor condition
Total Bridges
19,343
Poor Condition
1,382(7.1%)
Avg Bridge Age
40 yrs
Trend
Stable
| Metric | North Carolina | National Avg | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| % Poor Condition | 7.1% | 6.7% | Stable |
| vs. National Average | +0.4 pts | -- | -- |
| Average Bridge Age | 40 yrs | 48 yrs | -- |
| Good or Better | 9,250(47.8%) | -- | -- |
Grade Scale
Percentage of bridges in poor condition over time. The dashed line shows the national average for comparison.
Total Bridges
19,343
Poor Condition
1,382(7.1%)
Average Age
40 yrs
Daily Crossings
132.3M
Good or Better
9,250(47.8%)
These bridges have at least one major component rated "5" (Fair) — one step above the poor threshold. Sorted by daily traffic to highlight highest-impact structures at risk.
| Bridge | Location | Deck | Super | Sub | Daily Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I277 | Mecklenburg County | 6 | 5 | 6 | 127,000 |
| I40 85 US29 70 220 | Guilford County | 5 | 5 | 5 | 120,000 |
| I40 I440 US64 | Wake County | 7 | 7 | 5 | 98,000 |
| I277 & NC16 | Mecklenburg County | 7 | 5 | 5 | 96,000 |
| US52 & NC8 | Forsyth County | 6 | 5 | 5 | 81,500 |
| US52 & NC8 | Forsyth County | 5 | 6 | 5 | 80,000 |
| US52 | Forsyth County | 5 | 6 | 5 | 80,000 |
| US52 | Forsyth County | 5 | 6 | 5 | 75,000 |
| I40 BUS | Forsyth County | 5 | 6 | 6 | 74,500 |
| I77 SBL | Mecklenburg County | 5 | 6 | 6 | 73,500 |
| US15/501 NBL | Durham County | 6 | 5 | 6 | 71,500 |
| US17 US76 US421 | New Hanover County | 6 | 5 | 6 | 69,000 |
| I77 SBL | Mecklenburg County | 6 | 7 | 5 | 68,000 |
| NC147S. | Durham County | 6 | 6 | 5 | 67,000 |
| NC147N | Durham County | 6 | 6 | 5 | 67,000 |
The 10 bridges in poorest condition, ranked by lowest sufficiency rating.
over UGLY CREEK
over SOUTH FORK CATAWBA RIVER
over ROCKY RIVER
over CANE CREEK
over BOAT ACCESS
over TAR RIVER
over CRABTREE CREEK
over LONG CREEK
over JUMPING RUN CREEK
over IVY CREEK
States with similar infrastructure profiles, ranked by percentage of bridges in poor condition.
Grading: Grades are based on the percentage of bridges classified as "poor condition." A bridge is in poor condition when at least one major component (deck, superstructure, or substructure) is rated 4 or below on the NBI 0-9 scale.
Data Source: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Data is updated annually. BridgeStats is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FHWA.
Watchlist Criteria: Bridges with any component rated "5" (Fair) are one step from the poor threshold of 4 and are flagged for monitoring. These bridges are not yet in poor condition but may deteriorate without maintenance.