NC73 over Big Branch

Montgomery County, North Carolina · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory

United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled August 20, 2026

NC73 over Big Branch in Montgomery County, North Carolina, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of August 20, 2026).
Its lowest-rated component is the culvert, rated 6 (satisfactory condition) on the 0-9 scale.
It was built in 1938, making it 87 years old at the 2025 inventory.
It carries about 2,600 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.
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.

Component ratings

Component	Rating (2025)	FHWA scale meaning
Culvert	6	Satisfactory condition


Structure	Continuous concrete culvert
Length	about 20 ft
Location	0.1 Mi. E. Jct. SR1128
NBI structure number	000000001230257
Condition class	Fair

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the North Carolina department of transportation.

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