State profile · Above median Poor share

West 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 West Virginia.

7,348
Public bridges
25.2%
Good condition
18.6%
Poor condition

West Virginia holds 7,348 public highway bridges (#31 of 52 by inventory) with a 18.64% Poor share (#2 of 52 by Poor share).

That is 18.6% 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 52 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

7,348

Public highway bridges in West Virginia

Good Condition

25.2%

1,855 bridges rated 7-9

-24.8pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

18.6%

1,370 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

11.1pp vs national avg 7.5%

West Virginia vs national bridge condition

West Virginia - Good condition share 25.2%
National avg

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

West Virginia - Poor-condition share 62.1%
National avg

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

West 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: West Virginia has 7,348 bridges and a 18.6% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #52 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 (%) WV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 7.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 18.64%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%VA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.39%WA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.45%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: West Virginia has 7,348 bridges and a 18.6% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #52 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.

West 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

7,348 31st of 54 higher than 23 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 West Virginia

The highlighted point is West Virginia: 7,348 bridges and 18.64% in Poor condition, rank #52 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below West Virginia on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • Maine: 2,518 bridges · 15.41% Poor
  • South Dakota: 5,887 bridges · 16.36% Poor
  • West Virginia: 7,348 bridges · 18.64% Poor
  • Iowa: 23,719 bridges · 19.16% Poor
  • Virgin Islands: 24 bridges · 29.17% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in West Virginia

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 7,348 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains West Virginia’s inventory

State agency holds 97.4% of the 7,348 public highway bridges filed under West Virginia in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When West Virginia’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 16.0% of the 7,348 bridges with a recorded original year in West Virginia. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

West Virginia25.2%56.1%18.6%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - West Virginia (FHWA NBI)

Counties (55)

Barbour 93 Berkeley 119 Boone 131 Braxton 148 Brooke 57 Cabell 207 Calhoun 49 Clay 87 Doddridge 99 Fayette 211 Gilmer 106 Grant 97 Greenbrier 207 Hampshire 92 Hancock 29 Hardy 131 Harrison 256 Jackson 191 Jefferson 45 Kanawha 554 Lewis 159 Lincoln 118 Logan 236 Marion 193 Marshall 85 Mason 137 McDowell 225 Mercer 174 Mineral 63 Mingo 165 Monongalia 203 Monroe 63 Morgan 55 Nicholas 97 Ohio 115 Pendleton 114 Pleasants 25 Pocahontas 118 Preston 182 Putnam 135 Raleigh 224 Randolph 190 Ritchie 127 Roane 130 Summers 66 Taylor 65 Tucker 69 Tyler 73 Upshur 99 Wayne 163 Webster 82 Wetzel 107 Wirt 42 Wood 180 Wyoming 160

West 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 West Virginia on the same metric.

ME

Maine

15.41% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$2,518

SD

South Dakota

16.36% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$5,887
Selected

WV

West Virginia

18.64% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$7,348

IA

Iowa

19.16% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$23,719

VI

Virgin Islands

29.17% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$24

Bridges Needing Most Attention in West Virginia

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

COUNTY ROUTE 40/15

Poor

Over: LITTLE BIRCH RIVER

0.03 MI S OF CO 40, Braxton, WV

Built 1905 Load: 0.0 t

WV ROUTE 2 SPUR

Poor

Over: Ohio River OH-7 R.R.

0.34 Mi West Jct. WV 2, Brooke, WV

Built 1904 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 11,500

DODDRIDGE CO RT 56

Poor

Over: BRUSHY FORK

0.73 MI SOUTH CO RT 25, Doddridge, WV

Built 1981 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 10

COUNTY ROUTE 19/31

Poor

Over: SCRABBLE CREEK

0.01 Miles N. of CR 19/8, Fayette, WV

Built 1920 Load: 0.0 t

COUNTY ROUTE 13

Poor

Over: CR 13/2 Kanawha R. CSX R

0.01 Miles S. of US 60, Fayette, WV

Built 1928 Load: 0.0 t

US. 50 T

Poor

Over: STONY RIVER

0.04 MI W OF CR 50/3 SLS, Grant, WV

Built 1931 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 1,700

All Bridges in West Virginia

Private Road

Poor

Over: ISLAND CREEK

0.01 MILE WEST OF WV 44, Logan, WV

Built 1930 Load: 19.0 t

MARION CO. 74

Poor

Over: LITTLE CREEK

0.10 MI SOUTH CO RT 73/1, Marion, WV

Built 1922 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 400

WV ROUTE 218

Poor

Over: HELENS RUN

0.03 MI NORTH CO RT 218/2, Marion, WV

Built 1939 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 5,400

COUNTY ROUTE 15

Poor

Over: OLDTOWN CREEK

0.63 MI E OF CR 13/4, Mason, WV

Built 1952 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 400

US Route 40

Poor

Over: Little Wheeling Creek

0.43 mi. West jct CR40/3, Ohio, WV

Built 1931 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 4,500

CR 5/11

Poor

Over: TROUT RUN

0.10 MI N JCT US 33, Pendleton, WV

Built 1936 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 10

CR 220/4

Poor

Over: DEER RUN

1.15 MI S JCT C R 11, Pendleton, WV

Built 1954 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 30

CR 28/8

Poor

Over: N. FORK S. BR POTOMAC R.

0.13 MI. E. WV 28, Pendleton, WV

Built 1999 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 20

PRESTON CO RT 21

Poor

Over: LICK RUN

0.06 MI NORTH CO RT 21/4, Preston, WV

Built 1936 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 250

PRESTON CO RT 29

Poor

Over: BOYD RUN

0.04 MI WEST CO RT 29/2, Preston, WV

Built 1937 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 4,100

PRESTON CO RT 39

Poor

Over: RACCOON CREEK

0.88 MI EAST CO RT 39/2, Preston, WV

Built 1939 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 250

PRESTON CO RT 39

Poor

Over: RACCOON CREEK

0.73 MI EAST CO RT 39/2, Preston, WV

Built 1940 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 250

PRESTON CO RT 39

Poor

Over: RACCOON CREEK

0.03 MI WEST CO RT 64/1, Preston, WV

Built 1939 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 250

COUNTY ROUTE 28/6

Poor

Over: Surveyor Creek

0.04 MI. NORTH OF CR. 28, Raleigh, WV

Built 2002 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 10

CR 33/2

Poor

Over: BEAVER CREEK

0.65 MI S CR 37/8, Randolph, WV

Built 1990 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 50

COUNTY ROUTE 3

Poor

Over: STAATS RUN

0.03 M SOUTH OF CR 3/6, Roane, WV

Built 1961 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 250

WEST VIRGINIA 36

Poor

Over: SLATE RUN

0.01 MILE NORTH OF CR 40, Roane, WV

Built 1915 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 1,300

CR 17

Poor

Over: LEFT FK OF WILSON CREEK

0.10 MI SOUTH OF CR 17/7, Wayne, WV

Built 1936 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 1,800

WEST VIRGINIA 5

Poor

Over: Little Kanawha River

0.12 MILE WEST OF CR 9, Wirt, WV

Built 1959 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 900

WEST VIRGINIA 14

Poor

Over: Little Kanawha River

0.34 MILE NORTH OF WV 95, Wood, WV

Built 1935 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 27,421

WEST VIRGINIA 14

Poor

Over: BIG RUN

0.20 M NORTH OF CR 21/2, Wood, WV

Built 1953 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 8,000

NO DATA ENTERED

Poor

Over: NO DATA ENTERED

2.7 MILES W INT 86 & 150, Pocahontas, WV

Built 2019 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 100

LOCK & DAM ACCESS

Poor

Over: WHITEDAY CREEK

1.0 MI. FROM OPEKISKA, Monongalia, WV

Built 1964 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 30

COUNTY ROUTE 26

Poor

Over: WHITES BRANCH OF POND F

0.01 MI N OF CR 5, Boone, WV

Built 1928 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 1,000

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 28

Poor

Over: LEATHERWOOD CREEK

0.03 MI N OF CR 17, Clay, WV

Built 1979 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 40

CR 09 SLS

Poor

Over: NORTH MILL CRK.

0.02 MI S OF CR 220/4 SLS, Grant, WV

Built 1982 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 800

HARRISON CO 50/53

Poor

Over: CHERRY CAMP RUN

0.02 MI WEST CO RT 50/3, Harrison, WV

Built 1922 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 50

COUNTY ROUTE 22/5

Poor

Over: LT FK COW CREEK

0.30 MI N OF CR 22/7, Jackson, WV

Built 1960 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 30

COUNTY ROUTE 50/11

Poor

Over: GLADY CREEK

0.01 MI N OF CO RT 50 SLS, Lewis, WV

Built 1940 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 200

WV 83

Poor

Over: BARRENSHE CREEK

0.15 MI E OF CR 83/20, McDowell, WV

Built 1968 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 1,100

WV 161

Poor

Over: SOUTH FORK

0.14 MI N OF CR 161/3, McDowell, WV

Built 1945 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 1,000

CR 5/2

Poor

Over: CRANE CREEK

0.12 MI S OF WV 80, McDowell, WV

Built 1978 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 250

CR 10

Poor

Over: UNNAMED STREAM

0.06 MI S OF CR 10/1, McDowell, WV

Built 1948 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 350

HARP 902/79

Poor

Over: South Fork

0.01 MI WEST OF WV 161, McDowell, WV

Built 1960 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 20

MARION COUNTY 18

Poor

Over: PLUM RUN

0.18 MI SOUTH CO RT 18/1, Marion, WV

Built 1925 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 350

County Route 1

Poor

Over: Boggs Run

0.84 Mi. East Jct. CR 4, Marshall, WV

Built 1921 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 650

County Route 5

Poor

Over: Grandstaff Run

0.28 mi. North jct CR 18, Marshall, WV

Built 1936 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 850

County Route 26/1

Poor

Over: Whetstone Run

0.45 mi. West jct CR 15, Marshall, WV

Built 1928 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 50

COUNTY ROUTE 5/1

Poor

Over: RICH CREEK

1.06 MI S OF CR 5/2, Mercer, WV

Built 1951 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 40

CR 27

Poor

Over: BRUSH CREEK

0.08 MI N OF US 460, Mercer, WV

Built 1960 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 10,100

CR 28

Poor

Over: HALES BRANCH

0.03 MI N OF CR 28/6, Mercer, WV

Built 1946 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 600

WV 104

Poor

Over: DAVES FORK

0.01 MI E OF WV 20, Mercer, WV

Built 1957 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 11,300

County Route 7/1

Poor

Over: North Fork Short Creek

0.01 mi. South jct CR 9, Ohio, WV

Built 1934 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 100

County Route 27

Poor

Over: Roneys Point Run

0.30 mi. North jct US 40, Ohio, WV

Built 1928 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 150

County Route 29

Poor

Over: Dixon Run

0.98 mi. North jct US 40, Ohio, WV

Built 1926 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 750

County Route 35

Poor

Over: McGraws Run

0.63 mi. North jct US 40, Ohio, WV

Built 1926 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 850

WV 39

Poor

Over: LAUREL CREEK

0.04 MI W OF WV 92, Pocahontas, WV

Built 1952 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 800

C. R. 27/3

Poor

Over: ISLAND LICK RUN

1.73 MI E JCT CR 21/3, Pocahontas, WV

Built 1935 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 100

C R 27/3

Poor

Over: ISLAND LICK RUN

2.05 MI E. JCT CR 21/3, Pocahontas, WV

Built 1935 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 100

Showing 6,351-6,400 of 7,348 bridges

Related

All states → | National rankings → | Understanding conditions → | Retired SD term explained →
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.

Understanding Bridge Conditions

How FHWA rates bridge condition on a 0-9 scale.

Check Your Daily Bridges

How to look up bridge condition data for bridges on your route.

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

What to do with this

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

  • Browse counties in West 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. West 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.