Tow String Road over Oconaluftee River
Swain County, North Carolina · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- Tow String Road over Oconaluftee River in Swain 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 2005, making it 20 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 240 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2009).
- It is one of 83 of the 131 inventoried bridges in Swain County rated fair (63.4%); 15 (11.5%) 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 May 2023, on a 24-month routine inspection cycle.
- It has fracture-critical members (NBI item 92A): steel tension members without a redundant load path, which get their own scheduled inspections.
- 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 → (35.54122, -83.29717)
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 | Steel through truss |
| Length | about 88 ft |
| Location | 0.1 Miles to Newfound Gap |
| NBI structure number | 5460103P0000000 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | May 2023 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 5: foundations stable, scour within the limits of the footing or piles |
| Fracture critical (item 92A) | Yes |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the North Carolina department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Swain County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irr SR1378 over Oconaluftee River | 1972 | 14,000 | Fair |
| US74 SR1193 over Connelly Creek | 1976 | 13,500 | Fair |
| US19 over Oconaluftee River | 2010 | 13,000 | Good |
| US19 74 NC28 over Little Tennessee River | 1982 | 9,900 | Fair |
| SR1323 over Tuckasegee River | 1969 | 9,800 | Fair |
| US441 over Oconaluftee River Gov.rd | 1987 | 8,900 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Swain County, NC bridge conditions · every bridge in Swain County · North Carolina bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.