Bridge conditions in Swain County, North Carolina
131 inventoried bridges · 15 rated poor · 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
Of the 131 Swain County bridges in the federal inventory, 15 carry a poor rating. That 11.5% share is roughly 2x the national average.
- 15 of the 131 bridges in Swain County, North Carolina, are rated in poor condition (11.5%) in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory, as of .
- 33 bridges (25.2%) are rated good and 83 (63.4%) fair.
- The median Swain County bridge was built in 1974.
- The busiest poor-rated bridge is SR1137 over Bowers Creek (built 1978), carrying about 650 vehicles a day.
Good 25.2% · Fair 63.4% · Poor 11.5% of 131 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| SR1137 over Bowers Creek | 1978 | 650 | Poor |
| SR1140 over Alarka Creek | 1969 | 380 | Poor |
| SR1140 over Alarka Creek | 1961 | 380 | Poor |
| SR1103 over Silvermine Creek | 1953 | 320 | Poor |
| SR1103 over Silvermine Creek | 1953 | 220 | Poor |
| SR1103 over Silvermine Creek | 1977 | 220 | Poor |
| Oconaluftee Entran over Oconaluftee River | 1983 | 100 | Poor |
| SR1140 over Alarka Creek | 1961 | 70 | Poor |
| SR1307 over Alarka Creek | 1959 | 60 | Poor |
| SR1185 over Alarka Creek | 1970 | 40 | Poor |
| SR1308 over Alarka Creek | 1979 | 20 | Poor |
| Sam Sherrill Road over Sam Sherrill Road | 1950 | 15 | Poor |
| Tsali Enola Road over Soco Creek | 1960 | 10 | Poor |
| Malana Trail over Malana Trail | 1975 | 5 | Poor |
| Hornbuckle Creekrd over Hornbuckle Creek | 1950 | 5 | Poor |
Busiest bridges in the 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 |
| SR1364 over Tuckasegee River | 1969 | 7,800 | Fair |
| US74 Wbl over SR1173 RR Tuckasegee Rvr | 1976 | 7,250 | Fair |
| US74 Ebl over SR1155 | 1975 | 7,000 | Fair |
| US74 Wbl over SR1155 | 1975 | 7,000 | Fair |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025. Counts cover inventoried highway bridges over 20 feet; ratings are reported by the state DOT.
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.