Highway 16
Carrying Highway 16 over N F HOLSTON RIVER
1.12 FR 42; 8.31 TO 348, Smyth, Virginia
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: Highway 16
The Highway 16 bridge in Smyth, Virginia carries Highway 16 over N F HOLSTON RIVER. It was built in 1980, making it 46 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete and spans 3 sections, stretching 43.0 meters (141 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 542 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 6/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 5/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. None of this bridge's reported major components fall into the Poor condition range. Its NBI inventory load rating is 67.1 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How Highway 16 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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1980
- Material
- Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 43.0 m (141 ft)
- Deck Width
- 10.9 m (36 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 542 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000017389
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • At 6/9, the deck (driving surface) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates fair at 5/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether Highway 16 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 Highway 16 against other structures in Smyth 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 Highway 16?
Highway 16 in Smyth, Virginia has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 5/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is Highway 16 inspected?
Highway 16'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 542 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. Highway 16 is currently shown as Fair condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for Highway 16?
Highway 16 has an NBI inventory load rating of 67.1 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining Highway 16?
Highway 16 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is Highway 16 and does age affect safety?
Highway 16 was built in 1980, making it 46 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.