NC16 over SR1536 Helton Creek
Ashe County, North Carolina · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- NC16 over SR1536 Helton Creek in Ashe County, North Carolina, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the substructure, rated 5 (fair condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1956 and reconstructed in 2013, making it 69 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 1,800 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2022).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 102 of the 242 inventoried bridges in Ashe County rated fair (42.1%); 53 (21.9%) are rated poor.
- 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 → (36.53276, -81.41838)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Deck | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Superstructure | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Substructure | 5 | Fair condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Concrete tee beam |
| Length | about 199 ft |
| Location | .1 MI.N.JCT.SR1536 |
| NBI structure number | 000000000090042 |
| Condition class | Fair |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the North Carolina department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Ashe County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| US221 over Naked Creek | 1981 | 13,500 | Good |
| US221 over Beaver Creek | 1981 | 13,000 | Good |
| US221 NC88 over Naked Creek | 1960 | 12,500 | Fair |
| US221 over Old Fields Creek | 2019 | 9,500 | Good |
| US221 over Tributary to Gap Creek | 2022 | 9,300 | Good |
| NC16 88 over Naked Creek | 1999 | 8,100 | Good |
All bridges nearby: Ashe County, NC bridge conditions · every bridge in Ashe County · North Carolina bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.