Total bridges
680
Public highway bridges in Chester County
County profile · official public datasets
Chester County, PA
680 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 25% rated Good, 61.3% Fair, 13.7% Poor.
- 680
- Public bridges
- 25%
- Good condition
- 13.7%
- Poor condition
The verdict
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.
Chester County pairs a higher-than-median Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state with an older average build year than the state inventory.
- 43rd
- of 67 on Poor share
- 13.7%
- Poor-condition share
- 680
- public highway bridges
- 1963
- avg year built
Poor is an FHWA condition category from the lowest applicable component rating (4 or below), not a live crossing-safety or closure decision. Rankings cover counties with at least five public highway bridges.
Chester County Bridge Snapshot
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Chester County ranks #43 of 67 Pennsylvania counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 13.7%). Chester County, Pennsylvania contains 680 public highway bridges. Roughly 25% are rated “Good,” 61.3% “Fair,” and 13.7% “Poor.” Poor means the lowest applicable deck, superstructure, substructure, or culvert rating is 4 or below on the 0–9 NBI scale. It is a condition category, not a live safety or closure decision.
Responsible agencies inspect covered bridges on risk-based intervals under current NBIS rules and submit inventory data to FHWA annually. The list below shows every NBI-tracked bridge in the county. Use the “Sort by” controls to change the ordering, and click any row for its reported inspection date, traffic count, and condition fields.
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See methodology for full definitions.
Good condition
25%
170 of 680 rated 7-9
Fair condition
61.3%
417 of 680 rated 5-6
Poor condition
13.7%
93 of 680 rated 4 or below
In-state Poor-share rank
#43 of 67
Among Pennsylvania counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better
Condition distribution
Share of 680 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.
Good 25% (170)
Fair 61.3% (417)
Poor 13.7% (93)
Chester County's Poor-condition bridges carry 376,529 vehicle crossings a day
That is 5.5% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 13.4% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 4,138 crossings a day against 7,828 for a Good-condition one. A Poor rating is a condition category, not a closure or a live safety judgement; it means the lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below.
Computed over the 678 of 680 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
62.6% of Chester County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark
426 of the 680 bridges with a recorded construction year were built in 1974 or earlier. Age alone is not a defect: a well-maintained older bridge can rate Good, and 25% of this county's inventory does. Even so, this older cohort is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn, which is why the age profile below matters alongside the condition split above.
Cutoff derives from the 2024 release year minus a 50-year design life. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
One structure carries 17.1% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic
ROUTE 30 BY-PASS over CREEK RD BRANDYWINE CK., built 1961, carries 64,245 vehicles a day, the most of any Poor-rated structure here. The county's Poor-condition exposure is concentrated rather than evenly spread, so the 93-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.
Share is of the 376,529 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
When Chester County's bridges were built
680 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade
- pre-1900 26
Built before 1900
26 bridges
- 1900s 15
1900–1909
15 bridges
- 1910s 39
1910–1919
39 bridges
- 1920s 48
1920–1929
48 bridges
- 1930s 50
1930–1939
50 bridges
- 1940s 21
1940–1949
21 bridges
- 1950s
1950–1959
59 bridges
- 1960s
1960–1969
144 bridges
- 1970s 31
1970–1979
31 bridges
- 1980s 47
1980–1989
47 bridges
- 1990s
1990–1999
73 bridges
- 2000s 54
2000–2009
54 bridges
- 2010s
2010–2019
58 bridges
- 2020s 15
2020–2029
15 bridges
What this shows Construction peaked in the 1960s, when 144 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 21.2% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 55 to 64 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year is 1963, 7 years older than the Pennsylvania average of 1970.
How Chester County compares with Pennsylvania's closest counties by inventory size
The 5 Pennsylvania counties nearest Chester County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 13.7% Poor share is the 3rd-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1963 against a peer-group mean of 1964 is in line with the group.
Showing the 5 closest of 66 Pennsylvania counties eligible for comparison.
| County | Bridges | Good | Fair | Poor | Avg. built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bucks County | 699 | 24.3% | 60.2% | 15.5% | 1958 |
| Chester County (this page) | 680 | 25% | 61.3% | 13.7% | 1963 |
| Berks County | 667 | 21.4% | 63.6% | 15% | 1962 |
| Washington County | 655 | 38.3% | 49.6% | 12.1% | 1971 |
| Westmoreland County | 620 | 36.5% | 47.7% | 15.8% | 1975 |
| Philadelphia County | 585 | 22.7% | 64.1% | 13.2% | 1956 |
Each share is of that county's own total tracked bridges; peers are the counties with 5 or more bridges whose inventory size is closest to Chester County's. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
Nationwide counties with similar inventory size or average build year
Two NBI-derived peer sets for Chester County, both outside Pennsylvania so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.
Similar inventory size
Nearest county inventories outside PA (680 bridges here).
- Honolulu County, HI · 682 bridges
- Caddo County, LA · 682 bridges
- El Paso County, CO · 686 bridges
- Broward County, FL · 686 bridges
Similar average build year
Nearest mean year-built outside PA (1963 here).
- Worcester County, MA · avg 1963 · 1,014 bridges
- Essex County, NJ · avg 1963 · 505 bridges
- Passaic County, NJ · avg 1963 · 333 bridges
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.
All bridges (680)
US 1 BY-PASS
FairOver: WEST BRANCH BIG ELK CR.
NR. LINCOLN UNIV. 44B9, Chester, PA
Built 1968 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 16,670
WEST CHESTER PIKE
FairOver: INDIAN RUN
NEAR KUM-ON-INN 34A9, Chester, PA
Built 1960 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 28,199
SOUTH CHURCH STR.
FairOver: BRANCH BUCK RUN CREEK
S.E..PARKESBURG 27F10, Chester, PA
Built 1986 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,578
ROUTE 30 BY-PASS
FairOver: OLD WILMINGTON ROAD
NORTH COATESVILLE 27J4, Chester, PA
Built 1961 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 29,503
ROUTE 30 BY-PASS
FairOver: ROCK RAYMOND ROAD
NEAR DOWNINGTOWN 20D13, Chester, PA
Built 1961 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 64,245
NEWPORT PIKE
FairOver: LIMESTONE ROAD
NEAR KAOLIN 55C1, Chester, PA
Built 1941 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 20,209
UNION STREET
FairOver: EAST PENN RAILROAD
KENNETT SQUARE; 47F06, Chester, PA
Built 1932 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 7,497
CHADDSFORD ROAD
FairOver: BRANCH BRANDYWINE CREEK
.5MI.N.DEL.LINE 49B05, Chester, PA
Built 1860 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,124
PIKE SPRINGS ROAD
FairOver: BRANCH OF FRENCH CREEK
100 KIMBERTON RD 14H6, Chester, PA
Built 1961 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,479
WEST CHESTER BYPAS
FairOver: BRANCH CHESTER CREEK
NEAR WEST CHESTER 32E12, Chester, PA
Built 1954 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 56,708
US 202(NB)
FairOver: WEST CHESTER BYPASS WB
WEST CHESTER 32D07, Chester, PA
Built 1968 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 39,381
US 202 (SB)
FairOver: WEST CHESTER BYPASS WB
WEST CHESTER 32D7, Chester, PA
Built 1968 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 42,422
CREEK ROAD
FairOver: E.BR. BRANDYWINE CREEK
2 MI.S. 30 BYPASS 20G13, Chester, PA
Built 1974 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,262
JENNERSVILLE ROAD
FairOver: OCTORARO RAILROAD
NEAR KELTON 45A10/3908K1, Chester, PA
Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,139
CHATHAM ROAD
FairOver: US 1 BY-PASS
US-1;PA 841 INTER. 45J7, Chester, PA
Built 1967 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,111
LITTLE CONESTOGA R
FairOver: MARSH CREEK DAM PROJECT
MARSH CREEK PARK 20D1, Chester, PA
Built 1972 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,285
HORSE SHOE TRAIL
FairOver: BIRCH RUN
WEST VINCENT TWP. 13D08, Chester, PA
Built 1940 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 920
PA TPK (I-76)
FairOver: SR1003 NORFOLK SOUTHERN
NEAR DEVAULT, Chester, PA
Built 2003 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 42,480
PA TPK (I-76)
FairOver: W. BR. TROUT CRK
EAST OF VALLEY FORGE PARK, Chester, PA
Built 1950 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 47,120
NORTH BAILEY ROAD
FairOver: VALLEY RUN
0.2 Mi.N.SR 0030B 3580-J1, Chester, PA
Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,000
LOCUST GROVE ROAD
FairOver: BRANCH POCOPSON CREEK
0.7 MI N SR52 ADC 3692-C7, Chester, PA
Built 1966 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 750
CHESTERBROOK BLVD.
FairOver: US 202
INTER. OF SR0202 3365-F10, Chester, PA
Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,000
RESERVOIR ROAD
FairOver: ROCK RUN
3/4 MI S PA 340 3469-B10, Chester, PA
Built 1920 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 225
JAFFREY ROAD
FairOver: CRUM CREEK
2.0 MI W OF SR252 3475-C8, Chester, PA
Built 1920 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 250
MINERAL SPRINGS RD
FairOver: ROCK RUN
N. OF COATESVILLE 28G2, Chester, PA
Built 1959 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 732
GO Carlson Blvd.
FairOver: Valley Run
1.25 Mi W PA-340 3580-H1, Chester, PA
Built 2001 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,000
US 202
FairOver: VALLEY CREEK
1.5 MI. W. PA29 3474B02, Chester, PA
Built 2014 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 85,474
US 1 BY-PASS (NB)
FairOver: CHURCH ROAD
NEAR AVONDALE 46F04, Chester, PA
Built 1965 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 20,194
US 1 BY-PASS
FairOver: E.BRANCH RED CLAY CREEK
NR.KENNETT SQUARE 47F3, Chester, PA
Built 1965 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 23,485
SCHUYLKILL ROAD
FairOver: FRENCH CREEK
WEST PHOENIXVILLE 15A5, Chester, PA
Built 1940 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 18,111
ROUTE 30 BY-PASS
FairOver: HIKE/BIKE PATH
DOWNINGTOWN 20G13, Chester, PA
Built 1961 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 64,245
POTTSTOWN BY-PASS
FairOver: SCHUYLKILL ROAD
COVENTRY MALL 2D13, Chester, PA
Built 1954 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 18,832
TRAFFIC ROUTE 202
FairOver: KING ROAD
NEAR WEST CHESTER 22D13, Chester, PA
Built 1968 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 24,392
TRAFFIC ROUTE 202
FairOver: KING ROAD
NEAR WEST CHESTER 22D13, Chester, PA
Built 1968 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 25,031
US 202 BY-PASS
FairOver: LITTLE VALLEY CREEK
PAOLI 23G06, Chester, PA
Built 1966 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 92,313
PAOLI PIKE
FairOver: PHILA.ELECTRIC COMPANY
NEAR VALLEY FORGE 24C05, Chester, PA
Built 1967 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 10,713
YELLOW SPRINGS RD.
FairOver: VALLEY CR. 3365-G7
VALLEY FORGE PARK 16C13, Chester, PA
Built 1865 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 1,492
LINFIELD BRIDGE
FairOver: SCHUYLKILL RIVER
PARKERFORD 7E5, Chester, PA
Built 1932 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 5,576
FORGE ROAD
FairOver: US-1 BY-PASS
.7MI.N.PA INTERCH. 50K06, Chester, PA
Built 1968 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 1,084
STRASBURG ROAD
FairOver: OFFICERS RUN
NEAR BOYDS CORNER 26J7, Chester, PA
Built 1938 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 994
OLD STOTTSVILLE RD
FairOver: BRANCH BUCK RUN
NEAR STOTTSVILLE 27J9, Chester, PA
Built 1960 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 1,240
SCROGGY ROAD
FairOver: US-1 BY-PASS
.6MI.N.PA 472 INT. 43E13, Chester, PA
Built 1968 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 1,008
LITTLE CONESTOGA R
FairOver: BLACK HORSE CREEK
MARSH CREEK PARK 20D01, Chester, PA
Built 1973 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 6,285
STYER ROAD
FairOver: MARSH CREEK
UPPER UWCHLAN TWP. 12C13, Chester, PA
Built 1905 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 1,399
PA TPK (I-76)
FairOver: T-457
NEAR MARSH CREEK STATE PK, Chester, PA
Built 1950 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 46,178
PA TPK (I-76)
FairOver: T-466
NEAR TR113 & TR401 JCT, Chester, PA
Built 1950 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 47,120
PA TPK (I-76)
FairOver: SR 0401 LR 15139
NORTHEAST OF LIONVILLE, Chester, PA
Built 1950 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 47,120
SPRINGTON ROAD
FairOver: INDIAN RUN CREEK
1.5 MI. RTE 82 3360E8, Chester, PA
Built 2010 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 1,513
BARTON DRIVE
FairOver: BRANCH OF FRENCH CREEK
NE of Penn Dr 3251B4, Chester, PA
Built 1990 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 325
WENDLER CIRCLE
FairOver: Unnamed Trib Schuylkill
E of Hanover St 3138F4, Chester, PA
Built 2000 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 200
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges
Every figure on PlainBridges 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. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.