Bridge conditions in Watauga County, North Carolina
202 inventoried bridges · 19 rated poor · 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
Watauga County tracks close to typical: 19 of its 202 inventoried bridges (9.4%) are rated poor, against a national rate of about 7%.
- 19 of the 202 bridges in Watauga County, North Carolina, are rated in poor condition (9.4%) in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory, as of .
- 87 bridges (43.1%) are rated good and 96 (47.5%) fair.
- The median Watauga County bridge was built in 1984.
- The busiest poor-rated bridge is NC105 over Watauga River (built 1955), carrying about 15,000 vehicles a day.
Good 43.1% · Fair 47.5% · Poor 9.4% of 202 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| NC105 over Watauga River | 1955 | 15,000 | Poor |
| Blue Ridge Parkway over U.S. Route 421 | 2001 | 2,300 | Poor |
| SR1113 over Upper Laurel Fork Creek | 1968 | 2,000 | Poor |
| SR1202 over Watauga River | 1962 | 1,100 | Poor |
| SR1359 over Meadow Creek | 1974 | 950 | Poor |
| SR1306 over Sharp Creek | 1995 | 800 | Poor |
| SR1142 over Brushy Fork Creek | 1958 | 550 | Poor |
| SR1134 over Dutch Creek | 1979 | 500 | Poor |
| SR1200 over Watauga River | 2005 | 400 | Poor |
| SR1508 over Elk Creek | 1974 | 370 | Poor |
| SR1508 over Elk Creek | 1975 | 370 | Poor |
| SR1594 over Watauga River | 1965 | 350 | Poor |
| SR1337 over Norris Fork Creek | 1966 | 290 | Poor |
| SR1339 over Meat Camp Creek | 1959 | 250 | Poor |
| SR1123 over Laurel Creek | 1965 | 250 | Poor |
| SR1351 over South Fork New River | 1967 | 120 | Poor |
| SR1227 over North Fork Cove Creek | 1962 | 100 | Poor |
| Buckeye Lake Road over Buckeye Creek | 1986 | 100 | Poor |
| SR1362 over Ut to Stony Fork Creek | 1965 | 60 | Poor |
Busiest bridges in the 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 |
| NC105 over Laurel Fork Creek | 1956 | 19,000 | Fair |
| US221 321 over Mid.fork S.fork New Rvr. | 1971 | 18,500 | Fair |
| US221 321 over Mid.fork S.fork New Rv | 1981 | 18,000 | Good |
| US221 US321 over Mid. Fork S. Fork New Rv | 1980 | 16,500 | Good |
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.