SR1547 over Winkler Creek
Watauga County, North Carolina · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- SR1547 over Winkler Creek in Watauga County, North Carolina, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the substructure, rated 5 (fair condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1961 and reconstructed in 2022, making it 64 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 4,800 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2022).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 96 of the 202 inventoried bridges in Watauga County rated fair (47.5%); 19 (9.4%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is open, no restriction (NBI item 41).
- Its class is unchanged from 2024 (fair), but component ratings moved: deck 8 to 7, superstructure 9 to 8.
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated October 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 → (36.20016, -81.67044)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 8 | 7 | Good condition |
| Superstructure | 9 | 8 | Very good condition |
| Substructure | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Steel stringer or multi-beam girder |
| Length | about 46 ft |
| Location | 150 FT.N.JCT.SR1549 |
| NBI structure number | 000000001890011 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | October 2024 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 5: foundations stable, scour within the limits of the footing or piles |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the North Carolina department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Watauga County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| US221 321 over Winkler Creek | 1947 | 42,000 | Fair |
| NC105 over Hodges Creek | 1954 | 30,000 | Good |
| NC105 over Boone Creek | 1964 | 30,000 | Good |
| US221 421 over South Fork New River | 1990 | 27,000 | Fair |
| US221 US32 over Mid. Fork S. Fork New Rv | 1949 | 22,500 | Fair |
| US221 US32 over Middle Fork S.fork Newrv | 1949 | 21,000 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Watauga County, NC bridge conditions · every bridge in Watauga County · North Carolina bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.