Director Scott Marler says there are 4,558 structurally deficient bridges or poor bridges in the state — but that doesn’t mean they are unsafe. He says there are only two types of bridges in ...

These types of bridges — designed without redundancies, so if one key element fails the entire structure could collapse — were commonly built decades ago because they were cheaper.

While most highway bridges get regular inspections made available to the public, railroad bridges are different, a Howard Center investigation finds.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation says there are 13,700 bridges in the state under their jurisdiction. Of those, 1,150, or about 8.4%, are in “poor condition.” ...