County profile · official public datasets

Braxton County, WV

148 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 16.9% rated Good, 73.6% Fair, 9.5% Poor.

148
Public bridges
16.9%
Good condition
9.5%
Poor condition

The verdict

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

Braxton County posts a top-quartile lowest Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state across mid-size county bridge inventory.

Top 13%
lowest Poor share in state
9.5%
Poor-condition share
148
public highway bridges
1978
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.

Braxton County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Braxton County ranks #7 of 55 West Virginia counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 9.5%). Braxton County, West Virginia contains 148 public highway bridges. Roughly 16.9% are rated “Good,” 73.6% “Fair,” and 9.5% “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

148

Public highway bridges in Braxton County

Good condition

16.9%

25 of 148 rated 7-9

Fair condition

73.6%

109 of 148 rated 5-6

Poor condition

9.5%

14 of 148 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#7 of 55

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

Condition distribution

Share of 148 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
16.9% (25)
Fair
73.6% (109)
Poor
9.5% (14)

Braxton County's Poor-condition bridges carry 4,050 vehicle crossings a day

That is 1.1% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 8.8% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 312 crossings a day against 903 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 147 of 148 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

48.6% of Braxton County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

72 of the 148 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 16.9% 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 46.9% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

WV ROUTE 4 F over ELK RIVER, built 1935, carries 1,900 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 14-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 4,050 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Braxton County's bridges were built

148 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1970s, when 42 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 28.4% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 45 to 54 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1978) matches the West Virginia average (1980).

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

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

The 5 West Virginia counties nearest Braxton County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 9.5% Poor share is the 1st-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1978 against a peer-group mean of 1982 is in line with the group.

Showing the 5 closest of 54 West Virginia counties eligible for comparison.

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Braxton County and the 5 West Virginia counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Wayne County 163 18.4%
Wyoming County 160 33.1%
Lewis County 159 13.2%
Braxton County (this page) 148 9.5%
Mason County 137 16.1%
Putnam County 135 15.6%

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

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside WV (148 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside WV (1978 here).

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

All 148 Good 25 Fair 109 Poor 14

All bridges (148)

COUNTY ROUTE 1

Fair

Over: POSEY RUN

0.01 MI W CO 1/2, Braxton, WV

Built 1991 Load: 63.5 t ADT: 300

COUNTY ROUTE 19/26

Fair

Over: PERKINS FORK OF CEDAR CR

0.05 MI S OF CO 5/6, Braxton, WV

Built 1998 Load: 64.4 t ADT: 300

COUNTY ROUTE 7 SLS

Fair

Over: BRUSHY FORK

0.03 MI N CO RT 20 SLS, Braxton, WV

Built 1994 Load: 68.0 t ADT: 1,000

COUNTY ROUTE 10/4

Fair

Over: CEDAR CREEK

0.01 MI S CO 10, Braxton, WV

Built 1995 Load: 71.7 t ADT: 226

WV 4

Fair

Over: GRANNY CREEK

0.11 MI S OF CO 19/40, Braxton, WV

Built 1998 Load: 76.2 t ADT: 8,318

COUNTY ROUTE 5/4

Fair

Over: SLABCAMP RUN

0.40 MI E OF CO 19/26, Braxton, WV

Built 1995 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 50

I-79

Fair

Over: Co 11/10

0.55 MI S CO 11, Braxton, WV

Built 1972 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 11,100

I79 X

Fair

Over: CR 4/22

0.55 MI S OF CO 19/22, Braxton, WV

Built 1972 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 9,700

I79 X

Fair

Over: CR 4/22

0.55 MI S OF CO 19/22, Braxton, WV

Built 1972 Load: 88.9 t ADT: 9,700

COUNTY ROUTE 5/14

Good

Over: RIGHT FORK SALTLICK CK

0.01 MI E WV 5, Braxton, WV

Built 1995 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 20

County Route 9

Good

Over: RIGHT FORK OF STEER CR__

0.65 MI S Of CO 9/2, Braxton, WV

Built 2020 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 390

ARCH BRIDGE

Good

Over: LOWER KANAWHA RUN

SUTTON LAKE CAMPGROUND, Braxton, WV

Built 1996 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 25

C0 35/2 SLS

Good

Over: LITTLE KANAWHA RIVER

0.12 MI S WV 5 F, Braxton, WV

Built 2020 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 55

COUNTY ROUTE 40

Good

Over: STRANGE CREEK

0.1 MI E JCT CO 40/3 SLS, Braxton, WV

Built 2011 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 200

US 19

Good

Over: LITTLE BIRCH RIVER

0.06 MI S OF CO 38, Braxton, WV

Built 1998 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 12,126

WV ROUTE 15 FEEDER

Good

Over: LEFT FORK OF HOLLY RIVER

1.21 MI E OF CO RT 15/8, Braxton, WV

Built 2021 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 650

COUNTY ROUTE 24

Good

Over: FALLS RUN

0.09 MI S OF US 19, Braxton, WV

Built 1978 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 30

COUNTY ROUTE 38 SL

Good

Over: POLEMIC RUN

0.12 MI S OF CO 38/3 SLS, Braxton, WV

Built 2008 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 80

COUNTY ROUTE 21

Good

Over: ELK RIVER

0.01 MI S OF WV 4, Braxton, WV

Built 1988 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 550

WV 4 F

Good

Over: ELK RIVER

0.15 MI N OF CO 4/24 SLS, Braxton, WV

Built 2001 Load: 46.3 t ADT: 1,900

COUNTY ROUTE 20

Good

Over: BRUSHY BRANCH

0.02 MI W OF CO 7, Braxton, WV

Built 1988 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 450

COUNTY ROUTE 17/1

Good

Over: BUCKEYE CREEK

0.01 MI N OF CO 17/2, Braxton, WV

Built 1999 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 150

COUNTY 1/7

Good

Over: OIL CREEK

0.02 MI S JCT CO 1/ (SLS), Braxton, WV

Built 2019 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 50

COUNTY ROUTE 10/6

Good

Over: CEDAR CREEK

0.02 MI. OF 10 SLS, Braxton, WV

Built 2016 Load: 50.8 t ADT: 10

COUNTY ROUTE 9 SLS

Good

Over: DRY FORK

0.41 MI N OF CO 9/6 SLS, Braxton, WV

Built 1989 Load: 51.7 t ADT: 550

WV 5

Good

Over: OBRIEN FK SALTLICK CK

0.71 MI W OF US 19, Braxton, WV

Built 1999 Load: 51.7 t ADT: 500

COUNTY ROUTE 7 SLS

Good

Over: WALNUT FORK

0.02 MI. N CO 7/8, Braxton, WV

Built 2006 Load: 53.5 t ADT: 1,000

COUNTY ROUTE 9 SLS

Good

Over: BIG RUN

0.32 MI N OF WV RT 4 F, Braxton, WV

Built 1989 Load: 54.4 t ADT: 800

COUNTY ROUTE 9 SLS

Good

Over: DRY FORK

0.40 MI N OF CO 9/5, Braxton, WV

Built 1989 Load: 56.2 t ADT: 450

COUNTY ROUTE 17

Good

Over: LEFT FORK OF WOLF CREEK

0.74 MI W OF JCT CO 36, Braxton, WV

Built 1991 Load: 58.0 t ADT: 950

COUNTY ROUTE 1

Good

Over: OIL CREEK

0.01 MI E OF CO 1/4, Braxton, WV

Built 2018 Load: 61.7 t ADT: 200

WV 5

Good

Over: BERRY FORK

0.05 W US 19 F, Braxton, WV

Built 1998 Load: 62.6 t ADT: 500

COUNTY ROUTE 9

Good

Over: DRY FORK

0.10 MI S OF CO 9/5, Braxton, WV

Built 1989 Load: 65.3 t ADT: 550

COUNTY ROUTE 2

Good

Over: RIGHT FORK OF SALT LICK

0.29 MI E OF CO 2/6, Braxton, WV

Built 2020 Load: 68.9 t ADT: 400

COUNTY ROUTE 40/15

Poor

Over: LITTLE BIRCH RIVER

0.03 MI S OF CO 40, Braxton, WV

Built 1905 Load: 0.0 t

COUNTY RTE 19/30

Poor

Over: TWOLICK RUN

0.01 MI E OF CO RT 19/40, Braxton, WV

Built 1980 Load: 11.8 t ADT: 10

COUNTY ROUTE 14

Poor

Over: OBRIEN FORK

0.01 MI S OF CO 20, Braxton, WV

Built 1990 Load: 12.7 t ADT: 10

WV ROUTE 4 F

Poor

Over: ELK RIVER

0.06 MI N OF CO 13/3 SLS, Braxton, WV

Built 1935 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 1,900

COUNTY ROUTE 9

Poor

Over: RIGHT FORK STEER CREEK

0.03 MI S OF CO 9/2, Braxton, WV

Built 1949 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 400

COUNTY ROUTE 26/3

Poor

Over: LEFT FORK OF HOLLY RIVER

0.02 MI E OF CO 26, Braxton, WV

Built 1920 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 10

COUNTY ROUTE 40

Poor

Over: STRANGE CREEK

0.06 MI W OF CO RT 40/2, Braxton, WV

Built 1952 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 450

COUNTY ROUTE 17/4

Poor

Over: WOLF CREEK

1.50 MI S OF CO 17, Braxton, WV

Built 1978 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 10

COUNTY ROUTE 19/95

Poor

Over: LITTLE BIRCH RIVER

0.01 MI N OF CR 19/40, Braxton, WV

Built 1978 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROUTE 9

Poor

Over: RIGHT FORK STEER CREEK

0.34 MI N OF CO 18, Braxton, WV

Built 1949 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 400

COUNTY ROUTE 22

Poor

Over: BENS RUN

0.03 MI N OF CO 22/11, Braxton, WV

Built 1987 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROUTE 11/9

Poor

Over: DUCK CREEK

0.08 MI W OF CO 11, Braxton, WV

Built 1990 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10

WV 5

Poor

Over: RIGHT FORK OF SALTLICK

0.01 MI W OF CO 2, Braxton, WV

Built 1988 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 450

COUNTY ROUTE 22

Poor

Over: PICKLES FORK OF SALTLICK

0.02 MI S CO 22/2, Braxton, WV

Built 1940 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 200

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

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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.