NC197 over Bowlens Creek
Yancey County, North Carolina · rated Poor in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- NC197 over Bowlens Creek in Yancey County, North Carolina, is rated in poor condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- It was built in 1939, making it 86 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 2,500 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2021).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- A poor rating means at least one major component - deck, superstructure, or substructure - is rated 4 or lower on FHWA's 0-9 scale. It does not by itself mean the bridge is unsafe; bridges judged unsafe are closed or load-restricted by their owners.
View this bridge on a map → (35.90387, -82.30824)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Deck | 4 | Poor condition |
| Superstructure | 4 | Poor condition |
| Substructure | 5 | Fair condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Steel stringer or multi-beam girder |
| Length | about 52 ft |
| Location | .03 MI.S.JCT.SR1139 |
| NBI structure number | 000000001990051 |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the North Carolina department of transportation.
All bridges nearby: Yancey County, NC bridge conditions · North Carolina bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.