INTERSTATE 81
Carrying INTERSTATE 81 over NBL&SBL OVER STREAM
3.4 TO R107;.46 TO R11, Smyth, Virginia
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: INTERSTATE 81
The INTERSTATE 81 bridge in Smyth, Virginia carries INTERSTATE 81 over NBL&SBL OVER STREAM. It was built in 1963, making it 63 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete and spans 3 sections, stretching 7.0 meters (23 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 31,442 vehicles, placing it in the heavily-trafficked tier of Virginia bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show culvert at 6/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. No reported major component scores in the Poor range under the current federal condition thresholds. 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 INTERSTATE 81 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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1963
- Material
- Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 7.0 m (23 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 31,442 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000017489
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether INTERSTATE 81 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 INTERSTATE 81 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 INTERSTATE 81?
INTERSTATE 81 in Smyth, Virginia on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is INTERSTATE 81 inspected?
INTERSTATE 81'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 31,442 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. INTERSTATE 81 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 INTERSTATE 81?
INTERSTATE 81 has an NBI inventory load rating of 32.7 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining INTERSTATE 81?
INTERSTATE 81 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is INTERSTATE 81 and does age affect safety?
INTERSTATE 81 was built in 1963, making it 63 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.