NC226 over Buffalo Creek
Cleveland County, North Carolina · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- NC226 over Buffalo Creek in Cleveland County, North Carolina, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the deck, rated 6 (satisfactory condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1991, making it 34 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 3,600 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2021).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 140 of the 274 inventoried bridges in Cleveland County rated fair (51.1%); 32 (11.7%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is open, no restriction (NBI item 41).
- It was rated good in the 2024 inventory and is now fair (deck 7 to 6).
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated September 2024, on a 48-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 → (35.20117, -81.48762)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 7 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Superstructure | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
| Substructure | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Prestressed concrete stringer or multi-beam girder |
| Length | about 282 ft |
| Location | 0.6 Mi. N. Jct. SR2228 |
| NBI structure number | 000000000450011 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | September 2024 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 48 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 Cleveland County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| US74 Ebl over Buffalo Creek | 1957 | 83,000 | Fair |
| US74 over Hickory Creek | 1949 | 40,000 | Fair |
| US74 Ebl over First Broad River | 1936 | 35,000 | Fair |
| US74 Wbl over First Broad River | 1963 | 35,000 | Fair |
| US74 over Mcgill Creek | 1982 | 35,000 | Fair |
| US74 & SR2604 over Potts Creek | 1981 | 33,500 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Cleveland County, NC bridge conditions · every bridge in Cleveland County · North Carolina bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.