NC168 over Cowells Creek
Currituck County, North Carolina · rated Good in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- NC168 over Cowells Creek in Currituck County, North Carolina, is rated in good condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the substructure, rated 7 (good condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1998, making it 27 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 19,500 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2022).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 12 of the 22 inventoried bridges in Currituck County rated good (54.5%); 2 (9.1%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is open, no restriction (NBI item 41).
- It was rated fair in the 2024 inventory and is now good (deck 7 to 8, superstructure 7 to 8, substructure 6 to 7).
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated October 2024, on a 24-month routine inspection cycle.
- A good rating means every major component - deck, superstructure, substructure, or culvert - is rated 7 or higher on FHWA's 0-9 scale: no more than minor problems.
View this bridge on a map → (36.45256, -76.07537)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 7 | 8 | Very good condition |
| Superstructure | 7 | 8 | Very good condition |
| Substructure | 6 | 7 | Good condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Prestressed concrete slab |
| Length | about 95 ft |
| Location | 0.1 Mi. S of Jct. NC34 |
| NBI structure number | 000000000530002 |
| Condition class | Good |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | October 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 Currituck County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| NC168 over Shingle Landing Creek | 1996 | 31,000 | Good |
| NC168 over Roland Creek | 1999 | 24,500 | Fair |
| NC168 over New Bridge Creek | 1999 | 21,000 | Good |
| NC168 over Buckskin Creek | 1998 | 19,500 | Good |
| NC168 over Guinea Mill Run | 1999 | 19,000 | Good |
| US158 over Intracoastal Waterway | 1986 | 17,500 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Currituck County, NC bridge conditions · every bridge in Currituck County · North Carolina bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.