ROUTE 70
Carrying ROUTE 70 over POWELL RIVER
1.84 TO JONE&10.27 FR TEN, Lee, Virginia
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: ROUTE 70
The ROUTE 70 bridge in Lee, Virginia carries ROUTE 70 over POWELL RIVER. It was built in 1962, making it 64 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1991, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 5 sections, stretching 103.6 meters (340 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 741 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 5/9, superstructure at 4/9, substructure at 5/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. Because at least one major component scores 4 or lower, this bridge falls in FHWA's Poor condition category. That category is not a closure order. Its NBI inventory load rating is 32.7 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How ROUTE 70 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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1962
- Last Reconstructed
- 1991
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 5
- Structure Length
- 103.6 m (340 ft)
- Deck Width
- 9.4 m (31 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 741 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000010759
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • At 5/9, the deck (driving surface) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • At 4/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in poor shape, with advanced wear flagged for priority repair.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
How to read this record
ROUTE 70 is in the federal Poor condition category. That is a component-based result, not a closure order.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Understand what Poor condition does and does not mean before drawing conclusions. Poor condition explained
- Compare ROUTE 70 against other structures in Lee 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 ROUTE 70?
ROUTE 70 in Lee, Virginia has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 4/9, and substructure rating of 5/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is ROUTE 70 inspected?
ROUTE 70'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 741 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. ROUTE 70 is currently shown as Poor condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for ROUTE 70?
ROUTE 70 has an NBI inventory load rating of 32.7 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining ROUTE 70?
ROUTE 70 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is ROUTE 70 and does age affect safety?
ROUTE 70 was built in 1962, making it 64 years old and last reconstructed in 1991.
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.