Structure 1890028 · Watauga County, NC

Us321 421 over Brushy Fork Creek

Carries Us321 421 over Brushy Fork Creek, .1 Mi.s.jct.us321 421.

Overall conditionFair

Set by its lowest-rated component: Culvert at 6 of 9.

How ratings work
Culvertsets the rating6/9 · Satisfactory
Channelnot part of overall6/9 · Satisfactory
0 failed4 poor6 fair9 excellent

Elevation

Side view, colored by inspection rating
CAR · 15 FT27 FT ACROSS25 FT0ELEVATION · LENGTHS TO SCALE
Culvert 6/9

A culvert 27 ft across with 3 openings. Lengths and the car on the deck are drawn to the same scale. Each part is colored by its latest inspection rating. The inventory records lengths but not heights, so those are drawn as typical for a culvert.

Built195571 years old
Length26.9 ft8.2 m
Daily traffic14,500counted 2021
Last inspectedJuly 2023every 24 months

Location

StateNorth Carolina
CountyWatauga
Location.1 Mi.s.jct.us321 421
CarriesUs321 421
CrossesBrushy Fork Creek
Coordinates36.25240, -81.77117

Physical Characteristics

MaterialConcrete Continuous
DesignCulvert
Total Length26.9 ft (8.2 m)
Max Span7.9 ft (2.4 m)
Deck Area64.8 sq m
Main Spans3
Year Built1955

Traffic

Avg Daily Traffic14,500 (2021)
Truck Traffic14%
Lanes On Bridge2

Inspection & Ownership

Last InspectionJuly 2023
Inspection FrequencyEvery 24 months
OwnerState Highway Agency
Historical SignificanceBridge is not eligible for the National Register
Scour Critical8 — Stable, low risk
Structure Number000000001890028

How Bridge Ratings Work

Inspectors rate each major part of a bridge (the deck you drive on, the superstructure of beams that holds it up, and the substructure of piers and abutments beneath) on a 0–9 scale. A bridge's overall condition is its lowest of those ratings, so one deteriorated component makes the whole bridge "poor."

0Failed
1Imminent failure
2Critical
3Serious
4Poor
5Fair
6Satisfactory
7Good
8Very good
9Excellent
Good · lowest component 7–9
Fair · lowest component 5–6
Poor · lowest component 0–4

A poor rating is not a closure. It means the bridge is flagged for priority repair or replacement; bridges judged unsafe are closed or posted with weight limits. The waterway (channel) rating is reported, but it does not count toward the overall classification.

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