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)

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.

All Bridges in West Virginia

COUNTY ROUTE 11

Fair

Over: DRY FORK

0.04 MI. E. OF CR. 9, McDowell, WV

Built 1985 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 500

CR. 102/3

Fair

Over: TUG FORK

0.01 MI. W. OF WV 103, McDowell, WV

Built 1979 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 20

COUNTY ROUTE 1/2

Fair

Over: RIGHT FORK OF BULL CREEK

0.01 MI S OF CO 1/11, McDowell, WV

Built 2009 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 350

County Route 7/13

Fair

Over: Tug Fork

0.02 Mi. S. of CR. 7, McDowell, WV

Built 2013 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 30

INTERSTATE 79 NB

Fair

Over: Marion County Rt. 64/2

1.57 MI NORTH CO RT 64/1, Marion, WV

Built 1965 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 24,350

US ROUTE 250

Fair

Over: Coal Run Lot Kirk Way

0.08 MI SOUTH US ROUTE 19, Marion, WV

Built 1991 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 15,300

County Route 21

Fair

Over: Lynn Camp Run

0.03 mi. North CR 21/4, Marshall, WV

Built 1997 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 250

County Route 5

Fair

Over: Big Wheeling Creek

0.04 mi. South jct CR16, Marshall, WV

Built 2003 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 300

WV 62 SPUR

Fair

Over: CSX OHIO RIVER OH833

0.02 MILE N. OF 62, Mason, WV

Built 2008 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 9,577

COUNTY ROUTE 11

Fair

Over: BLUESTONE RIVER

0.03 MI N.OF WV.71, Mercer, WV

Built 1948 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 450

US ROUTE 460 EB

Fair

Over: NS RAILWAY

0.21 MI. EAST OF CR 27, Mercer, WV

Built 1978 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 8,300

US 460 EASTBOUND

Fair

Over: CO 35

0.10 MI E OF WV 112, Mercer, WV

Built 1972 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 4,600

US ROUTE 460 WB

Fair

Over: NS RAILWAY

0.21 MI. E. OF CR 27, Mercer, WV

Built 1978 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 8,300

COUNTY ROUTE 22/4

Fair

Over: ISLAND CREEK

0.01 MI N OF CO 20/1, Mercer, WV

Built 2003 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 10

WV ROUTE 71

Fair

Over: BLUESTONE RIVER

0.01 MILE N OF CO 71/14, Mercer, WV

Built 2003 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 3,000

CR 3/1 SLS

Fair

Over: SIR JOHNS RUN

0.08 MI N OF CR 03 SLS, Morgan, WV

Built 1997 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 50

US 19 NBL

Fair

Over: SUMMERSVILLE LAKE

1.01 Miles S. of CR 41/2, Nicholas, WV

Built 1994 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 15,116

US 19 SBL

Fair

Over: BIRCH RIVER

0.49 Miles N. of CR 1, Nicholas, WV

Built 1997 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 5,900

WV 39

Fair

Over: GAULEY RIVER

1.36 Miles E. of US 19, Nicholas, WV

Built 2006 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 5,600

PRESTON CO RT 7/12

Fair

Over: DAUGHERTY RUN

0.02 MI NORTH PRE 45/3, Preston, WV

Built 2002 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 500

COUNTY ROUTE 50

Fair

Over: CHARLEY CREEK

0.01 MI S OF CR 50/5, Putnam, WV

Built 1976 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 600

CR 50

Fair

Over: CHARLEY CREEK

0.05 MI N OF CR 50/5, Putnam, WV

Built 1976 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 600

CR 10

Fair

Over: PEACHTREE CREEK

0.64 MI S OF CR 10/1, Raleigh, WV

Built 1986 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 150

I-77 NB

Fair

Over: ROUTE 1 AND DIXON BRANCH

2.61 MI S OF PAX I/C, Raleigh, WV

Built 1983 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 21,035

Co Route 26

Fair

Over: Big Branch

3.19 Mi S of Co Rt. 27/2, Raleigh, WV

Built 2017 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 40

CR. 43

Fair

Over: TYGART VALLEY RIVER

0.04 MI. W. JCT. CR.56/1, Randolph, WV

Built 1989 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 250

C.R 46

Fair

Over: RIGHT FORK MILL CREEK

0.06 MI N JCT CR 46/3, Randolph, WV

Built 1989 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 1,100

CR 219/34

Fair

Over: TYGART VALLEY RIVER

0.12 MI. W. OF US 33, Randolph, WV

Built 1983 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 11,900

County Route 14

Fair

Over: LEADING CREEK

0.06 mile North of WV 92, Randolph, WV

Built 2011 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 600

COUNTY ROUTE 17

Fair

Over: INDIAN RUN

0.03 M WEST OF CR 17/7, Ritchie, WV

Built 1975 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 250

I-64 EBL

Fair

Over: I 64

0.00 Miles W. of CR 4, Summers, WV

Built 1985 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 9,782

COUNTY ROUTE 6

Fair

Over: HUNGARD CREEK

0.04 Miles N. of CR 11, Summers, WV

Built 1997 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 209

US 33 WBL

Fair

Over: CR 13 (SLS) & CSX RR

1.02 MI E. OF WV 20, Upshur, WV

Built 1991 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 5,950

COUNTY ROUTE 9 SLS

Fair

Over: RT FK MIDDLE FORK RIVER

0.02 MI S OF CO RT 9/10, Upshur, WV

Built 2002 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 560

CR 7

Fair

Over: BUFFALO CREEK

0.08 MI SOUTH OF WV 75, Wayne, WV

Built 1978 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 2,800

CR 24

Fair

Over: MILLER FORK

0.32 MI S OF CR 22, Wayne, WV

Built 2017 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 150

COUNTY ROUTE 26/1

Fair

Over: LEATHERWOOD CREEK

0.02 MI E CO 26, Webster, WV

Built 1989 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 200

County Route 56/1

Fair

Over: Piney Fork

0.01 mi. South jct CR56, Wetzel, WV

Built 1974 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 50

United States 250

Fair

Over: WV Fork of Fish Creek

0.23 mi. North of CR250/8, Wetzel, WV

Built 2006 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 500

I-77 SBL

Fair

Over: I-77

4.26 M N JACK. CO. RT 1, Wood, WV

Built 1967 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 6,300

US 50

Fair

Over: FAIRFAX STREET

0.45 MILE EAST OF WV 14, Wood, WV

Built 2004 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 5,900

US 50

Fair

Over: FAIRFAX STREET

0.45 MILE EAST OF WV 14, Wood, WV

Built 2004 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 5,900

CR 12/7

Fair

Over: GUYANDOTTE RIVER

0.03 MI N OF WV 16, Wyoming, WV

Built 1965 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 250

CO 16/24

Fair

Over: BIG BRANCH

0.09 MI EAST OF WV 16, Wyoming, WV

Built 2001 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 30

KY 40

Fair

Over: Tug Fork River

KY State Line, Mingo, WV

Built 1986 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 3,794

EAST JOHN STREET

Fair

Over: TUSCARORA CREEK

0.19 MI EAST OF WV 09 F, Berkeley, WV

Built 2007 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 1,150

COUNTY ROUTE 9 SLS

Fair

Over: SPRUCE FORK

0.01 MI W OF WV 17, Boone, WV

Built 1981 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 1,100

CR 119/76

Fair

Over: TURTLE CREEK

0.01 MI N OF US 119, Boone, WV

Built 1976 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 60

CR 85/13

Fair

Over: POND FK OF LITTLE COAL

0.01 MI. N. OF WV 85, Boone, WV

Built 1997 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 90

WV 03

Fair

Over: BIG COAL RIVER

0.01 MILE W OF CR 119/21, Boone, WV

Built 2000 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 2,500

Showing 2,301-2,350 of 7,348 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 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.