I-40 over Ragsdale Creek
Buncombe County, North Carolina · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- I-40 over Ragsdale Creek in Buncombe 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 1966, making it 59 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 37,250 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2020).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 330 of the 553 inventoried bridges in Buncombe County rated fair (59.7%); 57 (10.3%) 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 October 2023, 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 → (35.55871, -82.63413)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Culvert | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Continuous concrete culvert |
| Length | about 21 ft |
| Location | 0.2 MI.E.JCT.US19 23 |
| NBI structure number | 000000000210320 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | October 2023 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 8: foundations stable, scour above the top of the footing |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the North Carolina department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Buncombe County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-240 over US25 | 1958 | 84,500 | Fair |
| I-26 Ebl over SR3431 Hominy Creek | 2015 | 74,500 | Fair |
| I40 over Ragsdale Creek | 1966 | 74,500 | Fair |
| I-40 over US19 23 | 2008 | 74,500 | Good |
| I40 Ebl/wbl over Southern Railway | 2008 | 74,500 | Good |
| I-26 over Powell Creek | 1965 | 72,500 | Good |
All bridges nearby: Buncombe County, NC bridge conditions · every bridge in Buncombe County · North Carolina bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.