US221 over Middle Fork Elk Creek
Alleghany County, North Carolina · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- US221 over Middle Fork Elk Creek in Alleghany County, North Carolina, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the culvert, rated 6 (satisfactory condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1988, making it 37 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 1,000 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2022).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 49 of the 117 inventoried bridges in Alleghany County rated fair (41.9%); 17 (14.5%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is open, no restriction (NBI item 41).
- Its condition class and component ratings are unchanged from the 2024 inventory.
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated July 2024, on a 24-month routine inspection cycle.
- A fair rating means the lowest-rated major component scores 5 or 6 on FHWA's 0-9 scale: some deterioration or minor section loss, but the structure is sound. It is the middle class, not a warning.
View this bridge on a map → (36.51463, -81.21839)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Culvert | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Continuous concrete culvert |
| Length | about 74 ft |
| Location | 100 FT.S.JCT.SR1167 |
| NBI structure number | 000000000050023 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | July 2024 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 5: foundations stable, scour within the limits of the footing or piles |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the North Carolina department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Alleghany County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| US21 over Little River | 1920 | 7,200 | Fair |
| US21 over Brush Creek | 1997 | 3,700 | Good |
| US21 over Glade Creek | 2016 | 3,700 | Good |
| US21 over Laurel Branch | 2016 | 3,300 | Good |
| SR1206 over Bledsoe Creek | 1997 | 3,100 | Good |
| SR1206 over Bledsoe Creek | 1997 | 3,100 | Good |
All bridges nearby: Alleghany County, NC bridge conditions · every bridge in Alleghany County · North Carolina bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.