NC902 over East Prong Bear Creek
Chatham County, North Carolina · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- NC902 over East Prong Bear Creek in Chatham 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 1949 and reconstructed in 1980, making it 76 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 1,500 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2022).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 131 of the 243 inventoried bridges in Chatham County rated fair (53.9%); 3 (1.2%) 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 November 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 → (35.60318, -79.40532)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
| Superstructure | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
| Substructure | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Continuous steel stringer or multi-beam girder |
| Length | about 41 ft |
| Location | 2.9 Mi. W. Jct. US421 |
| NBI structure number | 000000000370014 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | November 2023 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 5: foundations stable, scour within the limits of the footing or piles |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the North Carolina department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Chatham County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| US1 over Shaddox Creek | 1957 | 27,500 | Fair |
| US64 over US421 | 1984 | 21,500 | Fair |
| US64 over Rocky River | 1999 | 19,000 | Good |
| US1S. over SR1011 Seaboard RR | 1998 | 17,750 | Good |
| US1N over SR1011 & Seaboard RR | 1997 | 17,750 | Good |
| US64W over Haw River | 1982 | 17,500 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Chatham County, NC bridge conditions · every bridge in Chatham County · North Carolina bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.