National Bridge Inventory: West Virginia



  • Of the 7,317 bridges in the state, 1,461, or 20.0 percent, are classified as structurally deficient. This means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition.
  • This is up from 1,444 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2018.
  • The deck area of structurally deficient bridges accounts for 15.0 percent of total deck area on all structures.
  • 91 of the structurally deficient bridges are on the Interstate Highway System. A total of 86.7 percent of the structurally deficient bridges are not on the National Highway System, which includes the Interstate and other key roads linking major airports, ports, rail and truck terminals.
  • 922 bridges are posted for load, which may restrict the size and weight of vehicles crossing the structure.
  • The state has identified needed repairs on 3,599 bridges at an estimated cost of $3.7 billion.
  • This compares to 3,637 bridges that needed work in 2018.

County Year Built Daily Crossings Type of Bridge Location
Kanawha 1965 68,700 Urban Interstate I-64 Ramp B over Wv25
Putnam 1959 64,400 Urban Interstate I-64 EB over Cr 33/5
Kanawha 1954 63,500 Urban Interstate I-77 Belle Ramps over US 60 EB & WB
Kanawha 1954 63,500 Urban Interstate I-77 Belle Ramps over Cr 60/29 and N&S RR
Harrison 1974 48,700 Urban other principal arterial US Route 50 over Interstate 79
Harrison 1955 47,600 Urban other principal arterial US Route 50 over Elk Creek, City Streets
Cabell 1959 42,325 Urban Interstate I 64 WB over Guyandotte R, Cr60/52&26
Cabell 1959 42,325 Urban Interstate I 64 EB over Guyandotte R, Cr60/52&26
Brooke 1984 34,200 Urban freeway/expressway US Route 22 over Ramp D, Railroad
Putnam 1959 32,200 Urban Interstate I 64 WB over Cr 29 & Rocky Step Run
Ohio 1968 30,400 Urban Interstate I-70 EB & WB over Ohio River/City Streets
Berkeley 1965 29,200 Urban Interstate I 81 X over Cr 51/5 and Mill Creek
Berkeley 1965 29,200 Urban Interstate I 81 X over Cr 51/5 and Mill Creek
Wood 1935 27,421 Urban other principal arterial West Virginia 14 over Little Kanawha River
Ohio 1966 27,010 Urban Interstate Interstate 70 EB over Wheeling Creek & City St
Harrison 1977 26,100 Urban other principal arterial US Route 50 over CSX Railbed
Harrison 1977 25,900 Urban other principal arterial US Route 50 over US 19 & WV 20
Monongalia 1967 24,800 Rural Interstate Interstate 79 SB over Mon. Co. Rt. 77
Cabell 1958 24,755 Urban Interstate I 64 over County Route 60/89
Cabell 1958 24,755 Urban Interstate I 64 over County Route 60/89
Ohio 1966 24,550 Urban Interstate Interstate 70 WB over Wheeling Creek & City St
Ohio 1958 24,180 Urban Interstate Interstate 70 EB over Mt. Dechantal Road
Monongalia 1970 23,600 Rural Interstate Interstate 79 SB over I-68 Eastbound On-Ramp
Monongalia 1970 23,600 Rural Interstate Interstate 79 NB over I-68 Eastbound On-Ramp
Ohio 1955 23,000 Urban Interstate Interstate 70 over Ohio River & N Front St
Type of Bridge Number of Bridges Area of All Bridges
(sq. meters)
Daily Crossings on All Bridges Number of Structurally Deficient Bridges Area of Structurally Deficient Bridges
(sq. meters)
Daily Crossings on Structurally Deficient Bridges
Rural Interstate 397 480,403 5,872,821 47 49,726 656,213
Rural arterial 429 723,370 2,669,064 63 73,948 321,875
Rural minor arterial 356 204,564 1,144,879 84 29,209 265,935
Rural major collector 1,478 446,457 2,114,731 332 76,221 474,358
Rural minor collector 503 93,159 316,227 90 13,512 46,391
Rural local road 3,030 423,861 655,956 621 63,903 126,098
Urban Interstate 255 594,868 6,998,357 44 94,967 1,053,935
Urban freeway/expressway 77 181,361 821,682 14 31,495 172,383
Urban other principal arterial 154 306,709 2,141,074 27 70,030 397,098
Urban minor arterial 207 221,282 1,734,886 49 44,229 432,458
Urban collector 144 79,060 563,804 25 15,406 113,239
Urban local road 287 98,237 372,472 65 15,353 56,361
Total 7,317 3,853,333 25,405,953 1,461 578,001 4,116,344
Type of Work Number of Bridges Cost to Repair
(in millions)
Daily Crossings Area of Bridges
(sq. meters)
Bridge replacement 2,079 $1,153 3,746,577 425,455
Widening & rehabilitation 225 $112 448,238 61,519
Rehabilitation 684 $1,129 4,214,175 630,791
Deck rehabilitation/replacement 523 $1,162 4,028,737 650,453
Other structural work 88 $149 316,410 83,775
Total 3,599 $3,705 12,754,137 1,851,992

About the data:

Data and cost estimates are from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on February 1, 2023. Note that specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections.

Effective January 1, 2018, FHWA changed the definition of structurally deficient as part of the final rule on highway and bridge performance measures, published May 20, 2017 pursuant to the 2012 federal aid highway bill Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). Two measures that were previously used to classify bridges as structurally deficient are no longer used. This includes bridges where the overall structural evaluation was rated in poor or worse condition, or where the adequacy of waterway openings was insufficient.

The new definition limits the classification to bridges where one of the key structural elements—the deck, superstructure, substructure or culverts, are rated in poor or worse condition. During inspection, the conditions of a variety of bridge elements are rated on a scale of 0 (failed condition) to 9 (excellent condition). A rating of 4 is considered “poor” condition.

Cost estimates have been derived by ARTBA, based on 2021 average bridge replacement costs for structures on and off the National Highway System, published by FHWA. Bridge rehabilitation costs are estimated to be 68 percent of replacement costs. A bridge is considered to need repair if the structure has identified repairs as part of the NBI, a repair cost estimate is supplied by the bridge owner or the bridge is classified as structurally deficient. Please note that for a few states, the number of bridges needing to be repaired can vary significantly from year to year, and reflects the data entered by the state.

Bridges are classified by FHWA into types based on the functional classification of the roadway on the bridge. Interstates comprise routes officially designated by the Secretary of Transportation. Other principal arterials serve major centers of urban areas or provide mobility through rural areas. Freeways and expressways have directional lanes generally separated by a physical barrier, and access/egress points generally limited to on- and off-ramps. Minor arterials serve smaller areas and are used for trips of moderate length. Collectors funnel traffic from local roads to the arterial network; major collectors have higher speed limits and traffic volumes and are longer in length and spaced at greater intervals, while minor collectors are shorter and provide service to smaller communities. Local roads do not carry through traffic and are intended for short distance travel.

1
Compared to 1 in 2021

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridges

1. West Virginia 20.0%
2. Iowa 19.0%

9
Compared to 9 in 2021

in the nation in # of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 4,604
8. California 1,547
9. West Virginia 1,461
10. North Carolina 1,303

2
Compared to 2 in 2021

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridge deck area

1. Rhode Island 17.0%
1. Rhode Island 17.0%
2. West Virginia 15.0%
3. Illinois 12.0%
Full State Ranking

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  • Source: Data is from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on February 1, 2023. Note that specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections.

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