Dowdy Crossing 731
Carrying Dowdy Crossing 731 over Crab Orchard Creek
0.70 Rt 727; 1.20 Rt 626, Bedford, Virginia
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: Dowdy Crossing 731
The Dowdy Crossing 731 bridge in Bedford, Virginia carries Dowdy Crossing 731 over Crab Orchard Creek. It was built in 1967, making it 59 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 1 section, stretching 11.3 meters (37 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 36 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Virginia bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 8/9, superstructure at 8/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in good condition. All reported major components score above the Poor range. Its NBI inventory load rating is 58.1 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How Dowdy Crossing 731 compares
Live comparison across Virginia.
Historical Sufficiency Rating
PlainBridge-computedFHWA discontinued this calculated item; it does not determine current condition, funding eligibility, posting, or closure. How the historical reference is calculated.
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1967
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 11.3 m (37 ft)
- Deck Width
- 6.5 m (21 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 36 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000002864
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates good at 8/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates good at 8/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether Dowdy Crossing 731 is safe to cross today. Here is how to use it.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Learn how the 0–9 condition scale and Good/Fair/Poor categories are defined. How condition ratings work
- Compare Dowdy Crossing 731 against other structures in Bedford and across Virginia. Virginia bridges
- Noticed visible damage or a safety concern? Report it to the agency that owns the bridge, or call 911 in an emergency. How to report a bridge
Condition codes come straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory and are not a real-time safety judgment. Only the owning agency, a state DOT, county, or other owner, can post, restrict, or close a bridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the condition ratings mean for Dowdy Crossing 731?
Dowdy Crossing 731 in Bedford, Virginia has a deck rating of 8/9, superstructure rating of 8/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is Dowdy Crossing 731 inspected?
Dowdy Crossing 731's responsible agency sets its routine interval under FHWA's risk-based inspection rules; this page does not expose the scheduled interval. It carries about 36 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. Dowdy Crossing 731 is currently shown as Good condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for Dowdy Crossing 731?
Dowdy Crossing 731 has an NBI inventory load rating of 58.1 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining Dowdy Crossing 731?
Dowdy Crossing 731 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is Dowdy Crossing 731 and does age affect safety?
Dowdy Crossing 731 was built in 1967, making it 59 years old.
Disclaimer: Bridge condition data is from the FHWA NBI and reflects the last reported inspection. A Poor condition rating is not a live declaration that a bridge is closed or unsafe for travel. For current closure, posting, or safety information, contact the responsible transportation agency.
Every figure on PlainBridge is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.