Historic Bridges in West Virginia
1,245 bridges built before 1951 in West Virginia still in service today.
Bridges Built Before 1951
The United States has 1,245 bridges in West Virginia built before 1951 that remain in active service. These structures are 75+ years old — many predate modern engineering codes and were not designed for today's traffic volumes and vehicle weights. The average design life of a bridge is 50 years, making these aging structures a significant infrastructure concern.
| Bridge | State | Condition | Year Built | Age (Years) | ADT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELK RIVER | West Virginia | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 2,400 |
| MILL CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 1,100 |
| LOWER CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 400 |
| COVE CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 400 |
| LITTLE SEWELL CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 5,750 |
| LOMAN BRANCH | West Virginia | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 2,100 |
| South Fork Tomlinson Run | West Virginia | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 3,200 |
| LOST RIVER | West Virginia | Poor | 1931 | 95 | 80 |
| MOORES RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 4,000 |
| POLK CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 10,000 |
| PARGUT RUN | West Virginia | Good | 1931 | 95 | 2,500 |
| NEW CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1931 | 95 | 1,400 |
| BOOTHS CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1931 | 95 | 2,400 |
| RICH CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 5,199 |
| INDIAN CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 1,807 |
| BREAKNECK RUN | West Virginia | Poor | 1931 | 95 | 6,000 |
| INDIAN RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 6,000 |
| Little Wheeling Creek | West Virginia | Poor | 1931 | 95 | 4,500 |
| LITTLE SANDY CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 3,300 |
| NORTH FORK HUGHES RIVER | West Virginia | Poor | 1931 | 95 | 650 |
| GOOSE CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 250 |
| GOOSE CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1931 | 95 | 250 |
| MIDDLE FORK REEDY CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 2,000 |
| BLACKWATER RIVER | West Virginia | Poor | 1931 | 95 | 1,800 |
| GUYANDOTTE RIVER | West Virginia | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 50 |
| BIG ROOT RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1932 | 94 | 1,100 |
| WEST FK LITTLE KANAWHA R | West Virginia | Poor | 1932 | 94 | 1,100 |
| WEST FK LITTLE KANAWHA R | West Virginia | Poor | 1932 | 94 | 1,100 |
| MILLSTONE CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1932 | 94 | 1,500 |
| HANSFORD FK OF LAUREL CK | West Virginia | Poor | 1932 | 94 | 1,400 |
| COVE CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1932 | 94 | 50 |
| MILLIGAN CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1932 | 94 | 11 |
| BEAR WALLOW CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1932 | 94 | 4,600 |
| N.Fork Little Cacapon R. | West Virginia | Fair | 1932 | 94 | 8,900 |
| HALTERMAN HOLLOW RUN | West Virginia | Poor | 1932 | 94 | 1,900 |
| BUFFALO CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1932 | 94 | 2,000 |
| TRACE FK OF DAVIS CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1932 | 94 | 500 |
| RT. FK. WEST FORK RIVER | West Virginia | Fair | 1932 | 94 | 650 |
| BOTTOM CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1932 | 94 | 3,500 |
| Wolf Run | West Virginia | Poor | 1932 | 94 | — |
| LONG HOLLOW RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1932 | 94 | 1,300 |
| Little Wheeling Creek | West Virginia | Poor | 1932 | 94 | 1,700 |
| CHEAT RIVER | West Virginia | Fair | 1932 | 94 | 800 |
| ELK RIVER | West Virginia | Fair | 1932 | 94 | 2,100 |
| DRAWDY CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 3,600 |
| DRAWDY CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 2,500 |
| DUCK CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 20 |
| S.FK. LITTLE CACAPON R. | West Virginia | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 7,500 |
| CACAPON RIVER | West Virginia | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 6,000 |
| COPPER FORK OF SANDY CRK | West Virginia | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 1,900 |
About Historic Bridge Data
Bridges built before 1951 are classified as historic in this database. Many were designed to 1940s standards with lower load limits and narrower lanes. While FHWA requires regular inspections of all bridges regardless of age, older structures often require more frequent monitoring and rehabilitation investment.