US221(CLOSED) over North Fork Catawba River
McDowell County, North Carolina · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- US221(CLOSED) over North Fork Catawba River in McDowell 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 1938 and reconstructed in 1941, making it 87 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 2,900 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2022).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 108 of the 233 inventoried bridges in McDowell County rated fair (46.4%); 21 (9.0%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is closed to all traffic (NBI item 41).
- Its condition class and component ratings are unchanged from the 2024 inventory.
- Status change: newly closed since 2024.
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated February 2025, on a 12-month routine inspection cycle.
- It is coded scour critical (NBI item 113 = 3): scour critical: foundations unstable for the assessed or calculated scour.
- 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 → (35.87504, -81.9426)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Superstructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Substructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Concrete tee beam |
| Length | about 73 ft |
| Location | .2 MI.N.JCT.SR1570 |
| NBI structure number | 000000001110119 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Closed to all traffic |
| Last inspection (item 90) | February 2025 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 12 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 3: scour critical: foundations unstable for the assessed or calculated scour |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the North Carolina department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in McDowell County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| I40 over Big Camp Creek | 1958 | 31,500 | Fair |
| I-40 over Thompsons Fork Creek | 1958 | 31,000 | Fair |
| I-40 over North Muddy Creek | 1958 | 29,000 | Good |
| I-40 over Glades Creek | 1958 | 28,500 | Fair |
| I-40 over Youngs Fork Creek | 1958 | 28,000 | Fair |
| I-40 over Curtis Creek | 1991 | 27,500 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: McDowell County, NC bridge conditions · every bridge in McDowell County · North Carolina bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.