County profile · official public datasets

Lewis County, WV

159 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 21.4% rated Good, 65.4% Fair, 13.2% Poor.

159
Public bridges
21.4%
Good condition
13.2%
Poor condition

The verdict

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

Lewis 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 22%
lowest Poor share in state
13.2%
Poor-condition share
159
public highway bridges
1966
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.

Lewis County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Lewis County ranks #12 of 55 West Virginia counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 13.2%). Lewis County, West Virginia contains 159 public highway bridges. Roughly 21.4% are rated “Good,” 65.4% “Fair,” and 13.2% “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

159

Public highway bridges in Lewis County

Good condition

21.4%

34 of 159 rated 7-9

Fair condition

65.4%

104 of 159 rated 5-6

Poor condition

13.2%

21 of 159 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#12 of 55

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

Condition distribution

Share of 159 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
21.4% (34)
Fair
65.4% (104)
Poor
13.2% (21)

Lewis County's Poor-condition bridges carry 99,580 vehicle crossings a day

That is 20.5% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 13.2% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry more traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 4,742 crossings a day against 1,566 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 159 of 159 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

56.6% of Lewis County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

90 of the 159 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 21.4% 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 15% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

I-79 NBL over McKinney Run and Co 3, built 1970, carries 14,950 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 21-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 99,580 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Lewis County's bridges were built

159 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1970s, when 31 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 19.5% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 45 to 54 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year is 1966, 14 years older than the West Virginia average of 1980.

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

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

The 5 West Virginia counties nearest Lewis County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 13.2% Poor share is the 2nd-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1966 against a peer-group mean of 1983 is 17 years older.

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

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Lewis County and the 5 West Virginia counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Mercer County 174 25.3%
Mingo County 165 15.2%
Wayne County 163 18.4%
Wyoming County 160 33.1%
Lewis County (this page) 159 13.2%
Braxton County 148 9.5%

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

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside WV (159 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside WV (1966 here).

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

All bridges (159)

US 33

Fair

Over: ALUM FORK

0.03 MI W OF CO 10, Lewis, WV

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,500

I-79

Fair

Over: CO 21/1

2.03 MI S US 19, Lewis, WV

Built 1972 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 19,200

I 79 & RAMPS

Fair

Over: JESSE RUN

0.36 MI S OF CO 7, Lewis, WV

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 27,800

I-79 N & S

Fair

Over: County Route 14/6

2.33 MI S CO 7, Lewis, WV

Built 1971 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 27,800

CO RT 33/29 SLS

Fair

Over: POLK CREEK

0.03 MI S OF US 33, Lewis, WV

Built 1990 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50

US 33 EBL

Fair

Over: STONECOAL CREEK

0.08 MI W OF CO 119/18, Lewis, WV

Built 1974 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 12,450

COUNTY ROUTE 119/3

Fair

Over: LEADING CREEK

0.05 MI S OF US RT 33 F, Lewis, WV

Built 1981 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 10

COUNTY ROUTE 33/23

Fair

Over: POLK CREEK

0.05 MI S OF CO 33/24, Lewis, WV

Built 1995 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 20

US 19 F

Fair

Over: SAND FORK

0.20 MI S OF CO RT 15 SLS, Lewis, WV

Built 2001 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 1,300

COUNTY ROUTE 7/4

Fair

Over: HACKERS CREEK

0.46 MI W OF CO 7, Lewis, WV

Built 1980 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 20

US 33 EBL

Fair

Over: STONECOAL CREEK

0.09 MI W OF CO 119/21, Lewis, WV

Built 1974 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 7,450

I-79 S

Fair

Over: W Fk Rvr Co 19/39 & 38/3

2.87 M1 S OF US 33, Lewis, WV

Built 1972 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 11,350

US 33

Fair

Over: STONECOAL CREEK

0.09 MI W OF CO 119/21, Lewis, WV

Built 1963 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 7,450

COUNTY ROUTE 6

Fair

Over: DRY FK OF FINK CREEK

0.01 MI W CO 6/1, Lewis, WV

Built 1987 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 80

COUNTY ROUTE 21/5

Fair

Over: CO 21/5

1.19 MI S OF CO 21 SLS, Lewis, WV

Built 1972 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 100

I-79 N

Fair

Over: W Fk Rvr Co 19/39 & 38/3

2.87 MI S US 33, Lewis, WV

Built 1972 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 11,350

CO 119/29

Fair

Over: POLK CREEK

0.01 MI S US 33, Lewis, WV

Built 2001 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 50

CO 10

Fair

Over: Philips Fork

0.02 mi West CO 10/4, Lewis, WV

Built 2011 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 50

INTERSTATE 79

Fair

Over: US 33

2.81 MI N OF CO 19/39, Lewis, WV

Built 1972 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 13,900

I-79 NBL

Fair

Over: HACKERS CREEK

0.90 MI S CO 7, Lewis, WV

Built 1971 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 13,900

I-79 S

Fair

Over: HACKERS CREEK

0.90 MI S CO 7, Lewis, WV

Built 1971 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 13,900

I-79 NBL EXIT RAMP

Fair

Over: STONECOAL CRK & CR119/16

0.19 MI S OF US 33, Lewis, WV

Built 1972 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 27,800

INTERSTATE 79

Fair

Over: US 33

2.81 MI N OF CO 19/39, Lewis, WV

Built 1972 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 13,900

US 19

Fair

Over: WEST FORK RIVER

0.34 MI S OF CO 19/3, Lewis, WV

Built 1951 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 2,000

COUNTY RT 119/21

Fair

Over: STONECOAL CREEK

0.20 MI S OF US 33 X, Lewis, WV

Built 1963 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 400

US 19

Fair

Over: WEST FORK RIVER

0.70 MI S CO 42, Lewis, WV

Built 1983 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 2,200

COUNTY ROUTE 14/4

Fair

Over: SMITH RUN

.05 MI N CO 14 SLS, Lewis, WV

Built 1997 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 10

COUNTY ROUTE 20

Fair

Over: SAND FORK

0.04 MI S OF CO 17 SLS, Lewis, WV

Built 1940 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 90

COUNTY ROUTE 23

Fair

Over: WEST FORK RIVER

0.68 MI W OF US 19, Lewis, WV

Built 1983 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 450

COUNTY ROUTE 23

Fair

Over: SAND FORK

0.18 MI W OF US 19, Lewis, WV

Built 1983 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 450

COUNTY ROUTE 30/12

Fair

Over: SKIN CREEK

0.25 MI S CO 30 SLS, Lewis, WV

Built 1986 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 20

COUNTY ROUTE 8/4

Fair

Over: JESSE RUN

0.01 MI E CO 8 SLS, Lewis, WV

Built 1996 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 30

US ROUTE 19 SLS

Fair

Over: STONECOAL CREEK

0.40 MI N OF US RT 33 F, Lewis, WV

Built 1929 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 6,500

CO 119/18

Fair

Over: HERDMAN RUN

0.41 MI S US 33, Lewis, WV

Built 2004 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 221

COUNTY ROUTE 16

Fair

Over: FINK CREEK

0.01 MI W OF RT 11 SLS, Lewis, WV

Built 1976 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 50

HARP RT 932

Fair

Over: POLK CREEK

0.02 MI S OF US 33, Lewis, WV

Built 2001 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 40

COUNTY ROUTE 24

Fair

Over: MURPHY CREEK

0.01 MI S CO 22, Lewis, WV

Built 2002 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 592

HARP ROUTE 908

Fair

Over: SAND FORK

0.13 MI S OF CO 17, Lewis, WV

Built 1997 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 30

CO ROUTE 30 SLS

Fair

Over: LITTLE SKIN CREEK

0.08 MI S JCT CO 36 SLS, Lewis, WV

Built 1985 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 150

County 9/5

Fair

Over: Elk Lick Run

0.02 MI W JUCT CO 4/3, Lewis, WV

Built 1940 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 400

COUNTY ROUTE 26/4

Fair

Over: LAUREL LICK

0.05 MI W OF CO 26, Lewis, WV

Built 1980 Load: 46.3 t ADT: 30

COUNTY ROUT 19/52

Fair

Over: WEST RUN

0.06 MI WEST US 19, Lewis, WV

Built 2007 Load: 46.3 t ADT: 30

COUNTY ROUTE 44/2

Fair

Over: CSX RAILOAD

0.54 MI N OF CO 46, Lewis, WV

Built 2014 Load: 47.2 t ADT: 10

COUNTY ROUTE 23/7

Fair

Over: OIL CREEK

0.01 MI S OF CO 23, Lewis, WV

Built 1995 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 10

COUNTY ROUTE 33/25

Fair

Over: STONECOAL CREEK

0.01 MI E OF US RT 33 F, Lewis, WV

Built 2002 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 1,000

COUNTY ROUTE 8

Fair

Over: WEST RUN

0.08 MI W US 19, Lewis, WV

Built 2004 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 2,800

COUNTY ROUTE 7

Fair

Over: HACKERS CREEK

0.28 MI N CO 7/7 SLS, Lewis, WV

Built 1970 Load: 50.8 t ADT: 10,000

COURT AVENUE

Fair

Over: STONECOAL CREEK

0.23 MI N OF US 119, Lewis, WV

Built 1977 Load: 50.8 t ADT: 750

CENTER AVENUE

Fair

Over: STONECOAL CREEK

0.25 MI N OF US 119, Lewis, WV

Built 1977 Load: 52.6 t ADT: 750

COUNTY ROUTE 46

Fair

Over: WEST FORK RIVER

0.14 MI WEST CO RT 44 SLS, Lewis, WV

Built 1987 Load: 56.2 t ADT: 200
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.