Bridge conditions in Ashe County, North Carolina 242 inventoried bridges · 53 rated poor · 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions 2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWA Compiled August 20, 2026
About one in 5 bridges in Ashe County is rated in poor condition: 53 of 242 on the federal inventory, one of the higher shares in North Carolina.
53 of the 242 bridges in Ashe County, North Carolina, are rated in poor condition (21.9%) in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory, as of August 20, 2026 .87 bridges (36.0%) are rated good and 102 (42.1%) fair.
The median Ashe County bridge was built in 1982 .
The busiest poor-rated bridge is NC88 194 over Buffalo Creek (built 1949), carrying about 6,800 vehicles a day.
Good 36.0% · Fair 42.1% · Poor 21.9% of 242 bridges
Bridges rated poor Every bridge in the county with a poor rating, busiest first. Poor means a major component is rated 4 or lower on FHWA's 0-9 scale; it is a repair flag, not a closure notice.
Bridge Built Vehicles/day Condition NC88 194 over Buffalo Creek 1949 6,800 Poor NC88 over Buffalo Creek 1949 6,500 Poor NC194 over Big Horse Creek 1983 3,800 Poor NC88 over Roan Creek 1960 2,500 Poor Blue Ridge Parkway over Laurel Fork 1939 2,300 Poor NC194 over Old Field Branch 1978 2,200 Poor NC88 over North Fork New River 1981 1,700 Poor NC88 over Ut to Peak Creek 1960 1,700 Poor SR1514 over North Fork New River 1962 1,300 Poor SR1100 over Gap Creek 1967 1,000 Poor SR1628 over Roan Creek 1964 760 Poor SR1133 over Buffalo Creek 1982 670 Poor SR1602 over Nathans Creek 1959 650 Poor NC88 over North Fork New River 1981 600 Poor SR1120 over North Fork New River 1966 560 Poor NC88 over North Fork New River 1981 500 Poor NC194 over Helton Creek 1981 500 Poor SR1340 over North Fork New River 1977 500 Poor SR1100 over Three Top Creek 1978 500 Poor SR1125 over Ben Bolen Creek 1968 400 Poor SR1118 over Hoskin Fork Creek 1993 370 Poor SR1118 over North Fork New River 1968 350 Poor SR1308 over Cabbage Creek 1975 350 Poor SR1625 over Roan Creek 1985 350 Poor SR1310 over Big Laurel Creek 1968 300 Poor SR1508 over Little Buffalo Creek 1976 280 Poor SR1625 over Roan Creek 1958 270 Poor SR1324 over Little Horse Creek 1962 250 Poor SR1322 over Big Laurel Creek 1960 250 Poor SR1592 over Dog Creek 1975 200 Poor SR1573 over Grassy Creek 1964 200 Poor SR1362 over Big Horse Creek 1962 180 Poor SR1169 over W. Fork Pine Swamp Creek 1961 170 Poor SR1119 over North Fork New River 1972 160 Poor NC194 over Little Helton Creek 1978 150 Poor SR1599 over Peak Creek 1972 150 Poor SR1599 over Peak Creek 2007 150 Poor SR1599 over Peak Creek 1972 150 Poor SR1603 over Cranberry Creek 1961 130 Poor SR1600 over Cranberry Creek 1973 100 Poor SR1549 over North Fork New River 1961 70 Poor SR1539 over Helton Creek 1978 70 Poor SR1322 over Big Laurel Creek 1956 70 Poor SR1608 over Piney Branch 1964 60 Poor SR1326 over Big Laurel Creek 1967 60 Poor SR1686 over Ut to Peak Creek 1992 50 Poor SR1193 over Buffalo Creek 1961 40 Poor SR1361 over Ripshin Branch 1961 30 Poor SR1361 over Ripshin Branch 1963 30 Poor SR1361 over Ripshin Branch 1962 30 Poor SR1104 over S.fork New River 1962 30 Poor SR1379 over Little Helton Creek 1963 20 Poor SR1192 over Obids Creek 1962 10 Poor
Busiest bridges in the county Bridge Built Vehicles/day Condition US221 over Naked Creek 1981 13,500 Good US221 over Beaver Creek 1981 13,000 Good US221 NC88 over Naked Creek 1960 12,500 Fair US221 over Old Fields Creek 2019 9,500 Good US221 over Tributary to Gap Creek 2022 9,300 Good NC16 88 over Naked Creek 1999 8,100 Good NC88 over Naked Creek 1922 6,800 Fair NC88 194 over Buffalo Creek 1949 6,800 Poor NC88 194 over Buffalo Creek 2006 6,800 Good NC88 over Buffalo Creek 1949 6,500 Poor
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory , 2025. Counts cover inventoried highway bridges over 20 feet; ratings are reported by the state DOT.
Every bridge in Ashe County →
All of North Carolina: North Carolina bridge conditions by county · every download on the data page .
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected .