US321SBL over Lake Hickory
Caldwell County, North Carolina · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- US321SBL over Lake Hickory in Caldwell County, North Carolina, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the superstructure, rated 5 (fair condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1962, making it 63 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 114 of the 201 inventoried bridges in Caldwell County rated fair (56.7%); 20 (10.0%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is open, no restriction (NBI item 41).
- It was rated poor in the 2024 inventory and is now fair (deck 5 to 7, superstructure 4 to 5, substructure 5 to 7).
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated April 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 → (35.75764, -81.37709)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 5 | 7 | Good condition |
| Superstructure | 4 | 5 | Fair condition |
| Substructure | 5 | 7 | Good condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Steel stringer or multi-beam girder |
| Length | about 824 ft |
| Location | .15 MI.S.JCT.SR1760 |
| NBI structure number | 000000000270367 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | April 2024 |
| 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 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 |
| US321NBL over Lake Hickory | 1983 | 22,250 | Poor |
| 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.