NC194 over Helton Creek
Ashe County, North Carolina · rated Poor in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- NC194 over Helton Creek in Ashe County, North Carolina, is rated in poor condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- It was built in 1981, making it 44 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 500 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2022).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- A poor rating means at least one major component - deck, superstructure, or substructure - is rated 4 or lower on FHWA's 0-9 scale. It does not by itself mean the bridge is unsafe; bridges judged unsafe are closed or load-restricted by their owners.
View this bridge on a map → (36.55558, -81.49665)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Deck | 7 | Good condition |
| Superstructure | 4 | Poor condition |
| Substructure | 5 | Fair condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Prestressed concrete stringer or multi-beam girder |
| Length | about 244 ft |
| Location | 75 FT.N.JCT.SR1669 |
| NBI structure number | 000000000090032 |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the North Carolina department of transportation.
All bridges nearby: Ashe County, NC bridge conditions · North Carolina bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.