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

COUNTY ROUTE 36/3

Fair

Over: LEFT FORK OF MILL CREEK

0.01 mile S of CO 34/2, Wayne, WV

Built 2015 Load: 48.1 t ADT: 350

COUNTY ROUTE 9

Fair

Over: LAUREL CREEK

1.04 MI S OF CO 9/2, Webster, WV

Built 1996 Load: 48.1 t ADT: 500

County Route 56

Fair

Over: Fishing Creek

0.01 mi. South jct WV20, Wetzel, WV

Built 1977 Load: 48.1 t ADT: 450

County Route 19

Fair

Over: Raccoon Run

0.02 Mi. East Jct CR 19/4, Wetzel, WV

Built 2002 Load: 48.1 t ADT: 50

COUNTY ROUTE 42

Fair

Over: LITTLE TYGART CREEK

0.03 MILE N OF CR 42/1, Wood, WV

Built 1997 Load: 48.1 t ADT: 700

WEST VIRGINIA 14

Fair

Over: SLATE CREEK

0.07 MILE SOUTH OF CR 19, Wood, WV

Built 2006 Load: 48.1 t ADT: 3,600

CO RT 2/4

Fair

Over: CLEAR FORK

0.02 MI. S. OF CO 2, Wyoming, WV

Built 1997 Load: 48.1 t ADT: 20

COUNTY ROUTE 10/37

Fair

Over: LAUREL FORK

0.01 MILE EAST OF WV 10, Wyoming, WV

Built 1997 Load: 48.1 t ADT: 20

COUNTY ROUTE 8/5

Fair

Over: HUFF CREEK

0.01 MI EAST OF CO 8, Wyoming, WV

Built 2009 Load: 48.1 t ADT: 30

KY 194

Fair

Over: Tug Fork River

KY State Line, Mingo, WV

Built 1979 Load: 48.8 t ADT: 1,101

COUNTY ROUTE 11/3

Fair

Over: BIG RUN

0.01 MI E OF CO 11, Barbour, WV

Built 2002 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 100

US 119 NORTH

Fair

Over: LITTLE COAL RIVER CSXRR

2.68 MI N OF WV 3, Boone, WV

Built 1989 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 12,300

US 119 SOUTH

Fair

Over: LITTLE COAL RIVER CSXRR

2.68 MI N OF WV 3, Boone, WV

Built 1989 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 9,700

West Virginia 2

Fair

Over: Cleveland Cliffs & NS RR

0.16 mi. North jct US 22, Brooke, WV

Built 1988 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 5,000

WV 2 South

Fair

Over: Harmon Creek

0.01 Mi. South Jct CR 507, Brooke, WV

Built 1988 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 5,000

County Route 2/17

Fair

Over: Harmon Creek

0.01 mi. East jct WV2, Brooke, WV

Built 1988 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 400

CR 1/1

Fair

Over: SPURLOCK CREEK

0.35 MI WEST OF CR 1, Cabell, WV

Built 1988 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 250

I 64 EB

Fair

Over: COUNTY RT 60/21

4.13 MI EAST OF CR 13, Cabell, WV

Built 1958 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 24,900

COUNTY ROUTE 11

Fair

Over: STRANGE CREEK

0.01 MIL W OF CR 11/12, Clay, WV

Built 2002 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 300

I-77 N

Fair

Over: Fayette County 23/3

1.14 MI N OF FAY CO 23/2, Fayette, WV

Built 1982 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 14,141

I-77 SB

Fair

Over: Fayette County 23/3

1.14 MI N OF FAY CO 23/2, Fayette, WV

Built 1982 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 14,141

COUNTY ROUTE 7

Fair

Over: TANNER CREEK

0.10 MI S OF CO 24, Gilmer, WV

Built 1994 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 150

COUNTY ROUTE 7

Fair

Over: BULL FORK TANNER CREEK

0.01 MI S OF CO 9, Gilmer, WV

Built 1984 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 650

COUNTY RTE. 10

Fair

Over: FINK CREEK

0.99MI.N. OF WV.47, Gilmer, WV

Built 1991 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 30

COUNTY ROUTE 15/4

Fair

Over: GRASS RUN

0.07 MI S OF CO 15, Gilmer, WV

Built 1999 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 10

COUNTY ROUTE 7

Fair

Over: TANNER CREEK

0.80 MI S OF CO 3/3, Gilmer, WV

Built 2008 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 150

COUNTY ROUTE 60/32

Fair

Over: LITTLE SEWELL CREEK

0.05 Miles W. of CR 20/6, Greenbrier, WV

Built 2008 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 684

HARRISON CR 34/2

Fair

Over: WEST FORK RIVER

0.04 MI NORTH CO RT 34, Harrison, WV

Built 1913 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 50

HARRISON CO 19/10

Fair

Over: LAMBERT RUN

0.13 MI SOUTH CO RT 19/7, Harrison, WV

Built 1997 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 300

HARRISON CO 3/18

Fair

Over: BINGAMON CREEK

0.01 MI WEST CO RT 3, Harrison, WV

Built 2000 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 50

I-77 S EXIT RAMP

Fair

Over: NESSELROAD RUN

0.01 MILE NORTH OF CR 1, Jackson, WV

Built 1968 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 16,600

COUNTY ROUTE 42/9

Fair

Over: MIDDLE FK POCATALICO CRK

0.42 MILE SOUTH OF CR 42, Jackson, WV

Built 2002 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 20

CR 73

Fair

Over: CAMPBELLS CREEK

1.26 MI E OF CR 66, Kanawha, WV

Built 1997 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 450

COUNTY ROUTE 43

Fair

Over: RUCKER FK LTL SANDY CK

1.75 MILE N OF CR 43/4, Kanawha, WV

Built 2001 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 150

I- 64 EB & WB

Fair

Over: WESTMORELAND DRIVE

0.33 MIL E OF CR 25/25, Kanawha, WV

Built 1970 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 117,900

CR 214/12

Fair

Over: ALUM CREEK

0.01 MIL W OF WV 214, Kanawha, WV

Built 2002 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 60

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

CR 5/61

Fair

Over: MUD FORK

0.01 MILE SOUTH OF CR 5, Logan, WV

Built 1992 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 20

COUNTY ROUTE 7/8

Fair

Over: TUG FORK

0.23 MI. NORTH OF CR. 7, McDowell, WV

Built 1983 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 50

CR 6

Fair

Over: ELKHORN CREEK

0.06 MI S OF CR 52/19, McDowell, WV

Built 1996 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 300

COUNTY ROUTE 52/32

Fair

Over: TUG FORK

0.01 MILE N OF US 52, McDowell, WV

Built 1994 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 20

CO 17/6

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK

0.01 MI EAST OF CO 17, McDowell, WV

Built 2002 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 20

COUNTY ROUTE 13/1

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

0.23 MI WEST OF WV 103, McDowell, WV

Built 2002 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 90

MARION CO RT 17

Fair

Over: PAW PAW CREEK

0.15 MI EAST CO RT 17/12, Marion, WV

Built 1996 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 3,000

INTERSTATE 79 SB

Fair

Over: Booths Creek & Mar 73/73

2.23 MI SOUTH US RT 250, Marion, WV

Built 1966 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 18,600

CR 65/79

Fair

Over: PIGEON CREEK

0.01 MILE SOUTH OF WV 65, Mingo, WV

Built 2002 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 200

US Route 40

Fair

Over: Little Wheeling Creek

0.60 mi. East jct CR 8, Ohio, WV

Built 1991 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 5,000

US 250

Fair

Over: CR18/3 & Coll.-Dist.

0.24 mi. N. Jct US250 C-D, Ohio, WV

Built 1978 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 19,500

County Route 17

Fair

Over: Caldwell Run

0.01 mi. East jct CR 19, Ohio, WV

Built 2002 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 1,500

COUNTY ROUTE 17

Fair

Over: DRY RUN

2.44 MI.S.OF CR.19, Pendleton, WV

Built 1992 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 350

Showing 2,901-2,950 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.