US21 over Fifth Creek
Iredell County, North Carolina · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- US21 over Fifth Creek in Iredell County, North Carolina, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the culvert, rated 5 (fair condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1925 and reconstructed in 1968, making it 100 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 11,000 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2021).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 188 of the 333 inventoried bridges in Iredell County rated fair (56.5%); 48 (14.4%) 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 July 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 → (35.85068, -80.85733)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Culvert | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Continuous concrete culvert |
| Length | about 39 ft |
| Location | 0.1 Mi. N. Jct. I77 |
| NBI structure number | 000000000970542 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | July 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 Iredell County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| I77 over Lake Norman | 2018 | 63,500 | Good |
| I77 over Ut to Fourth Creek | 1957 | 58,000 | Fair |
| I-77 over Duck Creek | 1970 | 56,500 | Fair |
| I77 over Cornelius Creek | 1966 | 54,000 | Fair |
| I-40 over Ut to Fourth Creek | 2022 | 41,500 | Good |
| I77 over Fifth Creek | 1973 | 38,500 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Iredell County, NC bridge conditions · every bridge in Iredell County · North Carolina bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.