NC73 over Backwater Lake Tillery
Montgomery County, North Carolina · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- NC73 over Backwater Lake Tillery in Montgomery County, North Carolina, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the substructure, rated 6 (satisfactory condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1927 and reconstructed in 1985, making it 98 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 4,400 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2022).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 65 of the 151 inventoried bridges in Montgomery County rated fair (43.0%); 1 (0.7%) 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 September 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 → (35.30454, -80.07452)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
| Superstructure | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
| Substructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Concrete tee beam |
| Length | about 97 ft |
| Location | 0.1 Mi. E. Jct. NC24 |
| NBI structure number | 000000001230010 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | September 2023 |
| 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 Montgomery County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| I73/74 US220 Nbl over SR1509 | 1979 | 15,500 | Fair |
| I73/74 US220 over Cabin Creek | 1979 | 15,500 | Fair |
| NC24 NC27 over I73 I74 US220 | 1977 | 12,500 | Fair |
| NC24 NC27 over Little River | 2017 | 12,000 | Good |
| NC24 NC27 NC109 over Br. of Warner Creek | 2019 | 12,000 | Good |
| I73S/I74E/US220 S over NC211 & N.s.rr | 1979 | 11,000 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Montgomery County, NC bridge conditions · every bridge in Montgomery County · North Carolina bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.