US70 over Catawba River
Catawba County, North Carolina · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- US70 over Catawba River in Catawba 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 1989, making it 36 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 1,500 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2021).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 140 of the 235 inventoried bridges in Catawba County rated fair (59.6%); 18 (7.7%) 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 March 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 → (35.71839, -81.06572)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Superstructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Substructure | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Prestressed concrete stringer or multi-beam girder |
| Length | about 794 ft |
| Location | 0.7 Mi. E. Jct. NC10 |
| NBI structure number | 000000000350145 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | March 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 Catawba County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| I40 over Clark Creek | 1975 | 61,000 | Fair |
| I40 over Clark Creek | 1975 | 56,000 | Good |
| I40 over Clark Creek | 1975 | 56,000 | Fair |
| I40 over Geitner Branch | 1975 | 53,500 | Fair |
| I40 over Longview Creek | 1975 | 48,500 | Fair |
| US321 over Geitner Branch | 1976 | 43,000 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Catawba County, NC bridge conditions · every bridge in Catawba County · North Carolina bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.