US321NBL over Lake Hickory
Caldwell County, North Carolina · rated Poor in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- US321NBL over Lake Hickory in Caldwell County, North Carolina, is rated in poor condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the substructure, rated 4 (poor condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1983, making it 42 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 22,250 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2021).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 20 of the 201 inventoried bridges in Caldwell County rated poor (10.0%); 20 (10.0%) are rated poor.
- 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 → (35.75771, -81.37691)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Deck | 5 | Fair condition |
| Superstructure | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Substructure | 4 | Poor condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Steel stringer or multi-beam girder |
| Length | about 943 ft |
| Location | .15 MI.S.JCT.SR1760 |
| NBI structure number | 000000000270366 |
| Condition class | Poor |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the North Carolina department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Caldwell County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| US321 over Little Gunpowder Creek | 1954 | 33,000 | Fair |
| US321 over Ut to Angley Creek | 1960 | 31,500 | Fair |
| US321 over Lower Creek | 1954 | 28,000 | Fair |
| US321 over Zacks Fork Creek | 1940 | 28,000 | Fair |
| US321SBL over Lake Hickory | 1962 | 22,250 | Fair |
| US64 NC18 over Zacks Fork Creek | 1924 | 21,000 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Caldwell County, NC bridge conditions · every bridge in Caldwell County · North Carolina bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.