State profile · Below median Poor share

Virginia bridge safety

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, condition ratings, load ratings, and Poor-condition shares for every public highway bridge in Virginia.

14,120
Public bridges
33.0%
Good condition
3.4%
Poor condition

Virginia holds 14,120 public highway bridges (#20 of 52 by inventory) with a 3.39% Poor share (#42 of 52 by Poor share).

That is 3.4% of the state's inventory, against an average of 7.5% across the 54 states and territories with Poor-rated bridges on file, which places it 11 of 54 ordered from the lowest Poor share upward. A bridge is rated Poor when its weakest applicable component scores 4 or below on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, so the category is a maintenance and funding signal rather than a closure order or a live crossing-safety verdict.

Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026

Total Bridges

14,120

Public highway bridges in Virginia

Good Condition

33.0%

4,660 bridges rated 7-9

-17.0pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

3.4%

478 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

-4.1pp vs national avg 7.5%

Virginia vs national bridge condition

Virginia - Good condition share 33.0%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

Virginia - Poor-condition share 11.3%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.5%.

Virginia in the national condition pattern

Each point is a state or territory in the FHWA NBI; the highlighted point is this profile.

Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Virginia has 14,120 bridges and a 3.4% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #11 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold. Scatter plot of 54 data points. 0%10%20%30%40% 0k20k40k60k Public bridges in inventory (thousands) Poor-condition share (%) VA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.39%AL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.35%AK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.89%AZ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.15%AR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.43%CA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 25.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.91%CO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.82%CT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.72%DE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.26%DC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.95%FL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.79%GA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.59%GU, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.77%HI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.53%ID, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.9%IL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.35%IN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.22%IA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 19.16%KS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.26%KY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.37%LA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 12.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.48%ME, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.41%MD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.56%MA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.88%MI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 11.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.27%MN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.44%MS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.03%MO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.95%MT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.81%NE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.9%NV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.14%NH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.51%NJ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 6.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.01%NM, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.51%NY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 17.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.43%NC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.76%ND, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 10.98%OH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.74%OK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 22.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.7%OR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.61%PA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.58%PR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 13.92%RI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.2%SC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.17%SD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 16.36%TN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 20.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.41%TX, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 56.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.23%UT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.91%VT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.9%VI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 29.17%WA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.45%WV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 7.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 18.64%WI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.52%WY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.51%
Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Virginia has 14,120 bridges and a 3.4% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #11 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold.

Virginia vs all states by public bridge inventory

Where this state's FHWA NBI public-highway bridge count sits among every state and territory on PlainBridges

14,120 20th of 54 higher than 34 of 54 states

States and territories, banded by public bridge inventory size

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · 2024

Read the rank neighborhood for Virginia

The highlighted point is Virginia: 14,120 bridges and 3.39% in Poor condition, rank #11 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below Virginia on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • Utah: 3,125 bridges · 2.91% Poor
  • Alabama: 16,205 bridges · 3.35% Poor
  • Virginia: 14,120 bridges · 3.39% Poor
  • Tennessee: 20,379 bridges · 4.41% Poor
  • Minnesota: 13,532 bridges · 4.44% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in Virginia

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 14,120 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains Virginia’s inventory

State agency holds 86.3% of the 14,120 public highway bridges filed under Virginia in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When Virginia’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 17.0% of the 14,120 bridges with a recorded original year in Virginia. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

Virginia33%63.6%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - Virginia (FHWA NBI)

Counties (131)

Accomack 31 Albemarle 262 Alexandria city 29 Alleghany 197 Amelia 58 Amherst 157 Appomattox 68 Arlington 183 Augusta 357 Bath 73 Bedford 204 Bland 122 Botetourt 202 Bristol city 34 Brunswick 152 Buchanan 283 Buckingham 72 Buena Vista city 18 Campbell 153 Caroline 107 Carroll 161 Charles City 22 Charlotte 97 Charlottesville city 24 Chesapeake city 187 Chesterfield 322 Clarke 38 Colonial Heights city 9 Covington city 8 Craig 60 Culpeper 99 Cumberland 39 Danville city 50 Dickenson 76 Dinwiddie 151 Emporia city 7 Essex 37 Fairfax 751 Fairfax city 7 Falls Church city 5 Fauquier 229 Floyd 115 Fluvanna 55 Franklin 174 Frederick 168 Fredericksburg city 18 Galax city 5 Giles 96 Gloucester 21 Goochland 87 Grayson 145 Greene 49 Greensville 92 Halifax 161 Hampton city 50 Hanover 161 Harrisonburg city 34 Henrico 352 Henry 135 Highland 53 Hopewell city 5 Isle of Wight 80 James City 60 King George 30 King William 32 King and Queen 32 Lancaster 9 Lee 153 Lexington city 8 Loudoun 442 Louisa 93 Lunenburg 88 Lynchburg city 80 Madison 80 Manassas Park city 3 Manassas city 13 Martinsville city 10 Mathews 5 Mecklenburg 160 Middlesex 10 Montgomery 196 Nelson 136 New Kent 60 Newport News city 60 Norfolk city 199 Northampton 12 Northumberland 16 Norton city 13 Nottoway 67 Orange 71 Page 96 Patrick 145 Petersburg city 41 Pittsylvania 267 Portsmouth city 50 Powhatan 34 Prince Edward 82 Prince George 132 Prince William 303 Pulaski 105 Radford city 2 Rappahannock 87 Richmond 23 Richmond city 125 Roanoke 204 Roanoke city 88 Rockbridge 255 Rockingham 288 Russell 136 Salem city 17 Scott 138 Shenandoah 213 Smyth 190 Southampton 145 Spotsylvania 102 Stafford 112 Staunton city 18 Suffolk city 132 Surry 31 Sussex 105 Tazewell 204 Virginia Beach city 119 Warren 81 Washington 186 Waynesboro city 19 Westmoreland 22 Williamsburg city 12 Winchester city 8 Wise 165 Wythe 181 York 122

Virginia vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states by Poor-condition share (lower share = better)

States are ranked by the share of bridges whose lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below. This describes recorded condition; it does not measure funding effectiveness or live crossing safety. States here sit immediately above and below Virginia on the same metric.

UT

Utah

2.91% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$3,125

AL

Alabama

3.35% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$16,205
Selected

VA

Virginia

3.39% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$14,120

TN

Tennessee

4.41% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$20,379

MN

Minnesota

4.44% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$13,532

Bridges Needing Most Attention in Virginia

Six lowest-condition bridges in Virginia, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

All Bridges in Virginia

Pilgrim Road 840

Fair

Over: Chestnut Branch

0.30-Rte668; 0.50-Rte643, Bedford, VA

Built 1932 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 263

SOUTH SCENIC HWY

Fair

Over: CRAB ORCHARD CREEK

0.02-RT1005 & 0.02-RT1010, Bland, VA

Built 1969 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,506

RAMP A

Fair

Over: RMP NBL O WILDERNESS CK

0.04 TO 606;1.98 TO 61, Bland, VA

Built 1973 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 308

ROUTE 0077

Fair

Over: WILDERNESS CREEK

0.06 TO 606;1.96 TO 61, Bland, VA

Built 1973 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 30,967

ROUTE 0098

Fair

Over: CRAB ORCHARD CREEK

0.5 FR 52 - 0.45 END RT98, Bland, VA

Built 1929 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 261

WALKERS CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: BIG WALKER CREEK #1

2.20 FR 42 - 1.25 TO 651, Bland, VA

Built 1958 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 271

WILDERNESS ROAD

Fair

Over: WILDERNESS CREEK

.20 FR I-77; 4.7 TO R608, Bland, VA

Built 1973 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,046

SUITER ROAD

Fair

Over: HUNTING CAMP CREEK

2.0-RT646WB & .45-RT646EB, Bland, VA

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 128

Lee Highway/Rte11

Fair

Over: Mill Creek

.03-Rte 651; .45-Rte 796, Botetourt, VA

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,472

Lee Hwy 11

Fair

Over: Looney Mill Creek

0.01 Rt 796; 1.57 Trvtvl, Botetourt, VA

Built 1924 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,472

Lee Highway / 11

Fair

Over: Buffalo Creek

1.37-N Trtv; 0.43-S Trtv, Botetourt, VA

Built 1932 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,099

NarrowPassageRd/43

Fair

Over: Branch of James River

1.20-Rte688N; 0.26-Rte729, Botetourt, VA

Built 1986 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 684

I-81

Fair

Over: Branch of Mill Creek

0.35-Rte640; 5.52-Rt 11, Botetourt, VA

Built 1964 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 41,034

I-81

Fair

Over: Beckner Branch

1.30-Rte640; 4.57-Rte11, Botetourt, VA

Built 1964 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 41,034

I-81& Route 800

Fair

Over: Mill Creek

3.38-Rte640; 2.49-Rte11, Botetourt, VA

Built 1964 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 41,034

81 N & SBL

Fair

Over: Buffalo Creek

0.11-Rte220; 6.00-Rte640, Botetourt, VA

Built 1963 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 58,719

81NRmpsto/fromRt11

Fair

Over: Buffalo Creek

0.15-Rte81NBL; 0.15-Rte11, Botetourt, VA

Built 1987 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,543

Botetourt Road 220

Fair

Over: Lapsley Run

0.08-Rte665; 1.52-Rte695, Botetourt, VA

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,060

Rt220&81SBLofframp

Fair

Over: Buffalo Creek

0.15-Rte816; 0.06-Rte81, Botetourt, VA

Built 1963 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 25,029

BlueRidgeBlvd./221

Fair

Over: Laymantown Creek

4.38BedfordCo;1.11 Roa.Co, Botetourt, VA

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,687

Grove Hill Rd/606

Fair

Over: North Fork Catawba Creek

0.30-Rte666; 0.40-Rte666, Botetourt, VA

Built 1958 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 319

JenningsCrkRd/614

Fair

Over: Jennings Creek

1.42-Rte618N; .00-Rte618S, Botetourt, VA

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 210

Springwood Rd/630

Fair

Over: Spreading Spring Branch

0.10-Rte625; 0.01-Rte601, Botetourt, VA

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 832

WillowbrookLane658

Fair

Over: Laymantown Creek

0.01-Rte460; 0.52-Rte738, Botetourt, VA

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 203

SaltPeterCaveRd688

Fair

Over: Branch of James River

0.95-Rte692; 0.55-Rte43, Botetourt, VA

Built 1986 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 215

U.S. 58 (WBL)

Fair

Over: TOTARO CREEK

0.59 FR 656 & 0.91 TO 681, Brunswick, VA

Built 1964 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,423

I-85 (SBL)

Fair

Over: BRANCH of GREAT CREEK

1.95 FR 644R &.76 TO 46, Brunswick, VA

Built 1968 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 12,144

VINELAND ROAD

Fair

Over: RATTLESNAKE CREEK

1.24 FR 46 & 2.6 TO 611, Brunswick, VA

Built 1962 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 156

OLD STAGE ROAD

Fair

Over: BRANCH OF STURGEON CREEK

.8 FR 632 & .45 TO 691, Brunswick, VA

Built 1988 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,696

BREAKS PARK RD

Fair

Over: GRASSY CREEK

.9 TO KY ; .4 TO DICKEN C, Buchanan, VA

Built 1972 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 614

HELEN HENDERSON HW

Fair

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

7.8 TO RU.CO;2.1 TO DI.CO, Buchanan, VA

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,533

BREAKS PARK RD

Fair

Over: GRASSY CREEK

At Dick. C.L-1.6 mi to KY, Dickenson, VA

Built 1972 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 779

Lovers Gap Road

Fair

Over: RUSSELL PRATER FORK

2.50To Dick.Co.&6.80FR620, Buchanan, VA

Built 1973 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,283

SLATE CREEK RD.

Fair

Over: ROCK HOUSE CREEK

7.5 TO WVA & 8.3 TO R460, Buchanan, VA

Built 1989 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,576

RIVERSIDE DR.

Fair

Over: LEVISA RIVER

9.9 TO R83;7.8 TO TAZE.CO, Buchanan, VA

Built 1966 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,824

RIVERSIDE DR.

Fair

Over: LEVISA RIVER

6.3FR TAZ;11.0 TO 83, Buchanan, VA

Built 1966 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,824

NANCE FORK CIRCLE

Fair

Over: GRASSY CREEK

1.6 TO TAZ. & 15.6 TO R83, Buchanan, VA

Built 1967 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,623

Old Kent. Turnpike

Fair

Over: LEVISA RIVER

2.4 TO R634 &0.0 R460, Buchanan, VA

Built 1967 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 470

Garden Creek Road

Fair

Over: GARDEN CREEK

0.5 TO 662 - 0.6 TO 683, Buchanan, VA

Built 1976 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,164

Garden Creek Road

Fair

Over: GARDEN CREEK

0.0 FR 662 - .8 TO RT 660, Buchanan, VA

Built 1976 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,144

Garden Creek Road

Fair

Over: GARDEN CREEK

0.2 TO R660 & 0.6 TO R662, Buchanan, VA

Built 1976 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,144

CHAMBERS ROAD

Fair

Over: LEVISA RIVER

AT R460 & 2.7 TO R632, Buchanan, VA

Built 1967 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 319

BROWN MOUNTAIN RD.

Fair

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

2.0 FR 638 & 4.08 TO 621, Buchanan, VA

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 639

ROUTE 638

Fair

Over: SPRUCE PINE CREEK

2.2 TO R680 & AT R654, Buchanan, VA

Built 1956 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 946

OLD ROCKLICK RD.

Fair

Over: ROCKLICK CREEK

2.6 M To 691&3.8 M FR 670, Buchanan, VA

Built 1961 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,091

OLD ROCKLICK RD.

Fair

Over: ROCKLICK CREEK

4.2 M to 670&2.2 M FR 691, Buchanan, VA

Built 1961 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,091

Union Church Rd.

Fair

Over: Grease Creek

0.90-Rt.697 / 0.70-Rt.691, Buckingham, VA

Built 1978 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 183

St. Andrews Rd.

Fair

Over: Waltons Fork

0.50-Rt.657 / 1.08-Rt.659, Buckingham, VA

Built 1973 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 317

Wards Road

Fair

Over: Trib. Flat Creek

4.06-Rt 24N/2.44-LY. C.L, Campbell, VA

Built 1932 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 20,953

East Ferry Road

Fair

Over: Seneca River

0.60 Rt 727 / 1.00 Rt 751, Campbell, VA

Built 1959 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 301

Showing 1,951-2,000 of 14,120 bridges

Data sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI), latest released cycle. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Poor condition is an inspection-record category, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult the bridge owner for current status.

What to do with this

Use Virginia's inventory picture to drill to a county or a specific span.

  • Browse counties in Virginia and open the highest-Poor shares first. County list
  • See where this state sits among peers on Poor-condition share. State rankings
  • Compare this state with another jurisdiction on the same measures. State compare

NBI condition ratings are inventory snapshots, not live crossing-safety verdicts.

Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Virginia Good/Fair/Poor shares and county rollups on this page are computed from the same NBI extract as the national boards; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.