County profile · official public datasets

Washington County, VA

186 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 17.2% rated Good, 81.7% Fair, 1.1% Poor.

186
Public bridges
17.2%
Good condition
1.1%
Poor condition

The verdict

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.

Washington County pairs a top-quartile lowest Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state with an older average build year than the state inventory.

Top 24%
lowest Poor share in state
1.1%
Poor-condition share
186
public highway bridges
1968
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.

Washington County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Washington County ranks #31 of 129 Virginia counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 1.1%). Washington County, Virginia contains 186 public highway bridges. Roughly 17.2% are rated “Good,” 81.7% “Fair,” and 1.1% “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.

Total bridges

186

Public highway bridges in Washington County

Good condition

17.2%

32 of 186 rated 7-9

Fair condition

81.7%

152 of 186 rated 5-6

Poor condition

1.1%

2 of 186 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#31 of 129

Among Virginia counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better

Condition distribution

Share of 186 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
17.2% (32)
Fair
81.7% (152)
Poor
1.1% (2)

Washington County's Poor-condition bridges carry 3,790 vehicle crossings a day

That is 0.2% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 1.1% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 1,895 crossings a day against 5,775 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 186 of 186 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

64% of Washington County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

119 of the 186 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 17.2% 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 98.5% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

Lee Highway over HALL CREEK, built 1932, carries 3,734 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 2-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 3,790 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Washington County's bridges were built

186 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1960s, when 59 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 31.7% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 55 to 64 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year is 1968, 6 years older than the Virginia average of 1974.

Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory (year built) As of 2024 NBI release

How Washington County compares with Virginia's closest counties by inventory size

The 5 Virginia counties nearest Washington County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 1.1% Poor share is the 1st-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1968 against a peer-group mean of 1975 is 7 years older.

Showing the 5 closest of 128 Virginia counties eligible for comparison.

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Washington County and the 5 Virginia counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Montgomery County 196 2.6%
Smyth County 190 4.2%
Chesapeake city County 187 5.9%
Washington County (this page) 186 1.1%
Arlington County 183 3.8%
Wythe County 181 3.3%

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 Washington 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 Washington County, both outside Virginia so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside VA (186 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside VA (1968 here).

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.

All 186 Good 32 Fair 152 Poor 2

Fair-condition bridges (152)

INTERSTATE 81

Fair

Over: STOFFEL CREEK

4.70FR 11;0.87TO TENN LIN, Washington, VA

Built 1961 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 47,675

ROUTE 381

Fair

Over: COMMONWLTH AV O LITTL CK

1.67FR81S;0.63TO11, Washington, VA

Built 1962 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 13,618

CUMMINGS STREET

Fair

Over: TOWN CREEK

0.01 RTE 1515;0.49 RTE 81, Washington, VA

Built 1973 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 7,188

CUMMINGS STREET

Fair

Over: NS RAILWAY

0.58 SCL ABING;0.16 TO 11, Washington, VA

Built 1963 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 14,576

ROUTE I-81 N&SBL

Fair

Over: TOWN CREEK

2.5 FR. 11; 0.03 TO 75., Washington, VA

Built 1961 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 51,110

CLEAR CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: BEAVER CREEK

.3 TO 645 & 0.9 TO RT11, Washington, VA

Built 1932 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,489

ROUTE 745

Fair

Over: MCHENRY CREEK

0.10 TO R 91-.90 TO R 750, Washington, VA

Built 2005 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 590

TAYLOR VALLEY ROAD

Fair

Over: LAUREL CREEK

0.05 FR. 726; 0.55 TO End, Washington, VA

Built 1990 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 261

SBL ROUTE I-81

Fair

Over: RTE 793

1.37 FR. 75; 1.15 TO 11, Washington, VA

Built 1961 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 19,859

NBL ROUTE I-81

Fair

Over: RTE 793

1.37 FR. 75; 1.15 TO 11, Washington, VA

Built 1961 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 20,902

MONROE RD

Fair

Over: S FORK HOLSTON RIVER

9.50 FR 11&2.76 RT R58, Washington, VA

Built 1962 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 1,834

ROUTE 0622

Fair

Over: N FORK HOLSTON RIVER

.01 TO R798 & .01 FR R614, Washington, VA

Built 1961 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 506

I-81 NBL & SBL

Fair

Over: NS RAILWAY & BEAVER CK

.59 FR 11; 1.32 TO 658, Washington, VA

Built 1963 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 54,321

ROUTE 58

Fair

Over: LAUREL CREEK

10.75TOI81; 0.15TO RT. 91, Washington, VA

Built 1949 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 5,911

CLEVELAND ROAD

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

0.10 FR 663-1.10 TO RT666, Washington, VA

Built 1955 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 604

GREEN WAY RD.

Fair

Over: GREEN WAY CREEK

1.30 FR. 11; 0.90 TO 706, Washington, VA

Built 1932 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 235

ALVARADO ROAD

Fair

Over: S FORK HOLSTON RIVER

0.50 FR. 783; 0.52 TO 674, Washington, VA

Built 1968 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 638

I-81 SBL & NBL

Fair

Over: OLD AIRPORT ROAD

1.91FR11;2.58TO11, Washington, VA

Built 1994 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 51,598

I-81 SBL

Fair

Over: RT 694 & HOG THIEF CREEK

3.58 FR. 11; 3.18 TO 737., Washington, VA

Built 1962 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 20,320

I-81 NBL

Fair

Over: RT 694 & HOG THIEF CREEK

3.58 FR. 11; 3.18 TO 737., Washington, VA

Built 1962 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 19,841

KINGS MILL PIKE

Fair

Over: SINKING CREEK

0.75 FR. 649; 0.05 TO 648, Washington, VA

Built 1959 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 4,993

TOOLES CREEK RD

Fair

Over: TOOLES CREEK

.60 FR 700 -1.62 TO765, Washington, VA

Built 1963 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 430

RICH VALLEY ROAD

Fair

Over: LOGANS CREEK

2.35 TO 703 & .05 TO 80, Washington, VA

Built 1932 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 339

POTERFIELD HWY.

Fair

Over: GREENDALE CREEK

4.17 FR ALT58A-6.11TO RCL, Washington, VA

Built 1933 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 15,759

PORTERFIELD HWY

Fair

Over: N FORK HOLSTON RIVER

.50 FR 802 - 2.15 TO 700, Washington, VA

Built 1964 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 7,879

I-81 NBL

Fair

Over: ROUTE 767

2.37 Fr. 737; 0.72 TO 91., Washington, VA

Built 1962 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 18,764

BUCKS RIDGE ROAD

Fair

Over: S FORK HOLSTON RIVER

1.40 FR. 605; 0.01 TO 714, Washington, VA

Built 1973 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 633

WEST MAIN STREET

Fair

Over: REEDY CREEK

0.15TO19;0.35 WCL-ABIN, Washington, VA

Built 1977 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 22,803

I-81 SBL

Fair

Over: VA CREEPER HIKING TRAIL

0.89 FR. 75; 1.63 TO 11., Washington, VA

Built 1961 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 25,717

PORTERFIElD HWY SB

Fair

Over: N FORK HOLSTON RIVER

7.37 Fr ABIN.-3.90 To RCL, Washington, VA

Built 1964 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 7,879

I-81 SBL

Fair

Over: ROUTE 80

1.38 FR 737; 5.38 TO 11, Washington, VA

Built 1962 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 20,320

KINGS MILL PIKE

Fair

Over: SINKING CREEK

0.35 FR. 648; 0.23 TO 668, Washington, VA

Built 1959 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 4,993

SBL ROUTE 0081

Fair

Over: RT 794

1.20 FR. 647; 0.90 TO 75, Washington, VA

Built 1961 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 23,780

NBL ROUTE 0081

Fair

Over: RT 794

1.20 FR. 647; 0.95 TO 75, Washington, VA

Built 1961 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 23,955

I-81 NBL

Fair

Over: RTE 680 (WAGNER RD)

2.23MTOTN. & 3.31M TO 11, Washington, VA

Built 1961 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 23,016

I-81 NBL

Fair

Over: ROUTE 80

5.38 FR 11; 1.38 TO 737, Washington, VA

Built 1962 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 19,997

I-81 SBL

Fair

Over: ROUTE 767

2.37 FR. 737; 0.72 TO 91., Washington, VA

Built 1962 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 19,110

I-81 NBL

Fair

Over: VA CREEPER HIKING TRAIL

0.89 FR. 75; 1.63 TO 11., Washington, VA

Built 1961 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 25,393

CANEY VALLEY RD

Fair

Over: CASPER CREEK

0.10 FR. 625; 0.70 TO 625, Washington, VA

Built 1932 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 92

ORCHARD HILL ROAD

Fair

Over: LAUREL CREEK

1.00 TO 91 & 0.01 FR. 58, Washington, VA

Built 1932 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 230

I-81 SBL

Fair

Over: ISLAND RD & MUMPOWER CK

1.96 R 11 &3.58 TENN LINE, Washington, VA

Built 1961 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 22,477

HAYTERS GAP ROAD

Fair

Over: WOLF CREEK

5.80 TO RCL- 9.24 TO 11, Washington, VA

Built 1976 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 658

I-81 NBL

Fair

Over: ROUTE 91

2.99 FR. 737; 2.66 TO 11., Washington, VA

Built 1962 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 16,423

RHYMER ROAD

Fair

Over: LAUREL CREEK

0.01 FR. 603; 0.67 TO 58, Washington, VA

Built 1932 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 22

I-81 NBL

Fair

Over: ROUTES 11 & WBL 58

2.52 FR 75 6.76 TO 737, Washington, VA

Built 1961 Load: 46.3 t ADT: 20,902

I-81 SBL

Fair

Over: ROUTE 91

2.99 FR 737; 2.66 TO 11, Washington, VA

Built 1962 Load: 46.3 t ADT: 19,110

VAILS MILL RD.

Fair

Over: BIG LAUREL CREEK

0.01 FR 58; 0.02 TO 788, Washington, VA

Built 1979 Load: 46.3 t ADT: 221

MONROE ROAD

Fair

Over: M FORK HOLSTON RIVER

10.04MFRRT58;2.22MTORT11, Washington, VA

Built 1959 Load: 47.2 t ADT: 2,650

TUMBLING CREEK RD

Fair

Over: TUMBLING CREEK

.15 FR END MAI1.85 TO 613, Washington, VA

Built 1932 Load: 47.2 t ADT: 90

HAYTERS GAP ROAD

Fair

Over: WOLF CREEK

5.91 RUSSELL& 9.13 FR 11, Washington, VA

Built 1971 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 658

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Related

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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.