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

BERGTON RD

Fair

Over: N F SHENANDOAH RIVER

0.77 RT 826 - 1.35 RT 259, Rockingham, VA

Built 1957 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,081

U. S. HIGHWAY 19

Fair

Over: ELK GARDEN CREEK

1.74MTO80&6.34MTOTAZ.CO., Russell, VA

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,878

U.S. HIGHWAY 19

Fair

Over: ELK GARDEN CREEK

1.34MTO80&6.74MTOTAZ.CO., Russell, VA

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,878

US Highway 19

Fair

Over: INDIAN CREEK

3.44MTOTAZ.CO.&4.64MTO80, Russell, VA

Built 1963 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,439

ROUTE 0019

Fair

Over: LITTLE MOCCASIN CREEK

.07MTO58A&1.90MTOWASH.CO., Russell, VA

Built 1968 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 13,769

U.S. Highway 19

Fair

Over: ELK GARDEN CREEK

.17MTO80W & 2.37MTO80E, Russell, VA

Built 1978 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,849

US HIGHWAY 58

Fair

Over: CARR CREEK

5.64M.TO19 &1.07M.TO 613, Russell, VA

Built 1975 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,142

DANTE ROAD

Fair

Over: HONEY BRANCH @ ST PAUL

.01MTO628&.16MTOWISECOLN., Russell, VA

Built 1925 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,025

SWORDS CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: SWORDS CREEK

6.9MTO80&4.03MTOTAZ.CO, Russell, VA

Built 1932 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,372

SOUTH 71

Fair

Over: MOLL CREEK

6.33MTO58A&1.86MTOSCLN, Russell, VA

Built 1955 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,295

SOUTH 71

Fair

Over: STREAM

7.87MTO58A&0.32MTOSCOTTCO, Russell, VA

Built 1954 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,295

HAYTERS GAP ROAD

Fair

Over: DRY BRANCH

.09M TO 656& 1.61M TO 619, Russell, VA

Built 1932 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 354

GRAVEL LICK ROAD

Fair

Over: CHANEY CREEK

.01M TO 616& 1.09M TO 616, Russell, VA

Built 1958 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 733

DRILL RD.

Fair

Over: LEWIS CREEK

.02MTO 843N & .56MTO 843S, Russell, VA

Built 1976 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,043

BIG CEDAR CREEK RD

Fair

Over: MOUNTAIN BRANCH

.10M TO 657 & .58M TO 727, Russell, VA

Built 1952 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 534

COXTOWN RD.

Fair

Over: LEWIS CREEK

.0M TO 653 & .50M TO 80, Russell, VA

Built 1987 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,285

ROUTE 0023

Fair

Over: LITTLE STOCK CREEK

0.05 FR 600: 0.40 TO 65, Scott, VA

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 12,370

US HIGHWAY 23

Fair

Over: TROUBLESOME CREEK

7.70FR23/58/421;1.86TO 65, Scott, VA

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 12,606

US HIGHWAY 23

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.36TN LINE;2.64TO 58/421, Scott, VA

Built 1932 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 20,812

US HIGHWAY 23 NBL

Fair

Over: DRY BRANCH

0.27 FR 654; 2.61 TO LCL, Scott, VA

Built 1968 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,589

US HIGHWAY 23

Fair

Over: SPURLOCK BRANCH

0.4 TO 58 & 3.0 TO SCL, Scott, VA

Built 1968 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 9,178

US HIGHWAY 23

Fair

Over: TROUBLESOME CREEK

7.14FR58/23/421;2.42TO 65, Scott, VA

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 12,606

Bristol Highway

Fair

Over: COVE CREEK

2.95FRRT615-4.20WASH.C.L., Scott, VA

Built 1930 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 352

CLINCH RIVER HWY

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

16.2 TO72North;5.2 CLPORT, Scott, VA

Built 1932 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 257

NEW HURLAND CHURCH

Fair

Over: TIMBERTREE BRANCH

0.55 FR 698; 1.10 DEAD EN, Scott, VA

Built 1991 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 28

WADLOW GAP HWY

Fair

Over: BRANCH

0.65M TO704& 0.30M TO 614, Scott, VA

Built 1990 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 9,233

ORKNEY GRADE

Fair

Over: CROOKED RUN

0.03 TO 710E-0.03 TO 710W, Shenandoah, VA

Built 1959 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,602

BACK RD

Fair

Over: NARROW PASSAGE CREEK

1.10 TO 679 - 0.10 TO 605, Shenandoah, VA

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,025

SOUTH OX RD

Fair

Over: TRIBUTARY STONY CREEK

0.60 TO 1411-0.15 TO 1409, Shenandoah, VA

Built 1964 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,640

TURKEY KNOB RD

Fair

Over: HOLMAN CREEK

0.55 TO 731 - 0.05 TO 767, Shenandoah, VA

Built 1952 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 613

PALMYRA CHURCH RD

Fair

Over: TRIB NF SHENANDOAH RIVER

0.25 TO 765 - 1.16 TO 618, Shenandoah, VA

Built 1932 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 169

LEE HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: HUTTON CREEK

.14 FR 753 - .02 TO 689, Smyth, VA

Built 1950 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,109

SUGAR GROVE HWY

Fair

Over: DICKEY CREEK

13.1 TO R11- 3 TO GRAY CO, Smyth, VA

Built 1933 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,181

N&SBL ROUTE 0081

Fair

Over: LAUREL SPRING BRANCH

3.28 TO R11;.87 TO R11SPR, Smyth, VA

Built 1963 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 33,381

INTERSTATE 81

Fair

Over: NBL&SBL OVER STREAM

3.4 TO R107;.46 TO R11, Smyth, VA

Built 1963 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 31,442

Interstate 81

Fair

Over: N&SBL O HUTTON BRANCH

1.07FR 11 SPUR;5.98TO 683, Smyth, VA

Built 1963 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 29,356

ROUTE 81

Fair

Over: NBL&SBL OVER STREAM

6.97 TO R11; .08 TO R683, Smyth, VA

Built 1964 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 27,803

ROUTE 0081

Fair

Over: RAMP TO SBL O STREAM

6.97-RT11 & .08-RT683, Smyth, VA

Built 1964 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 307

Interstate 81

Fair

Over: Stream

.05 TO R107 & 3.8 TO R11, Smyth, VA

Built 1963 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,839

INT 81 NBL On Ramp

Fair

Over: Stream

.05 TO R107 & 3.82 TO R11, Smyth, VA

Built 1963 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 973

SALTVILLE HWY.

Fair

Over: TURKEY RUN CREEK

4.57 TO RT42;2.22 TO R107, Smyth, VA

Built 1964 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,084

HIGHWAY 107

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

1.2 TO R11 & 4.06 TO R91, Smyth, VA

Built 1932 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,921

KONNAROCK RD.

Fair

Over: LAUREL CREEK

.45 TO R600;1.25TO WAS.CO, Smyth, VA

Built 1968 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 524

HARRIS LN.

Fair

Over: HUNGRY MOTHER CREEK

.7 TO R700;.3 TO R665, Smyth, VA

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,080

VA. HIGHLANDER RD.

Fair

Over: S FORK HOLSTON RIVER

.1 TO R601E & 1 MTO R601W, Smyth, VA

Built 1932 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 102

Meherrin Road

Fair

Over: Overflow Nottoway River

1.60 MI. TO INT. RTE. 58, Southampton, VA

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,665

Proctor Bridge Rd

Fair

Over: Proctor Swamp

2.51 MI. TO INT. RTE. 617, Southampton, VA

Built 1987 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 234

Ivor Road

Fair

Over: Branch Round Hill Swamp

0.50 MI. TO INT. RTE. 605, Southampton, VA

Built 1975 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,490

Womble Mill Road

Fair

Over: Wade Branch

0.50 Mi. to Int. Rte. 630, Southampton, VA

Built 1999 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 64

Sycamore Ave

Fair

Over: Branch Darden Millpond

0.11 mi to Int. Rte. 643, Southampton, VA

Built 1974 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 580

Showing 2,551-2,600 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.