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.

Clear
Bridge State Condition Year Built Age (Years) ADT
GUANO CREEK West Virginia Poor 1939 87 4,100
ISNER CREEK West Virginia Poor 1939 87 3,800
TRACE FORK West Virginia Poor 1939 87 2,400
S FORK CRANBERRY RIVER West Virginia Fair 1939 87 50
MIDDLE FORK RIVER West Virginia Poor 1940 86 100
LAUREL CREEK West Virginia Fair 1940 86 10
TETER CREEK West Virginia Fair 1940 86 20
WOLF RUN West Virginia Fair 1940 86 3,000
SPRUCE FK LITTLE COAL RV West Virginia Poor 1940 86 524
PICKLES FORK OF SALTLICK West Virginia Poor 1940 86 200
FALLS RUN West Virginia Fair 1940 86 10
LEFT FK. OF HEATH CK. West Virginia Poor 1940 86 5,000
FOURPOLE CREEK West Virginia Poor 1940 86 1,000
CHARLEY CREEK West Virginia Fair 1940 86 750
LAUREL CREEK West Virginia Good 1940 86 1,300
SYCAMORE CREEK West Virginia Poor 1940 86 1,400
OBRION CREEK West Virginia Fair 1940 86 500
GLADE CREEK West Virginia Poor 1940 86 22
SEWELL CREEK West Virginia Fair 1940 86 1,402
SEWELL CREEK West Virginia Fair 1940 86 1,483
TANNER FK RT FK STEER CK West Virginia Good 1940 86 200
LITTLE KANAWHA RIVER West Virginia Poor 1940 86 50
Steer Creek West Virginia Good 1940 86 350
TRINTON HOLLOW RUN West Virginia Fair 1940 86 150
THREE CHURCHES RUN West Virginia Fair 1940 86 60
GRAYBILL HOLLOW RUN West Virginia Fair 1940 86 60
CULLERS RUN West Virginia Fair 1940 86 250
NORTH RIVER West Virginia Fair 1940 86 850
WEST FORK RIVER West Virginia Poor 1940 86 600
TACKETT CREEK West Virginia Poor 1940 86 4,400
LEFTHAND CREEK West Virginia Fair 1940 86 40
TACKETT CREEK West Virginia Fair 1940 86 6,500
TACKETT CREEK West Virginia Fair 1940 86 28,200
MILE CREEK West Virginia Fair 1940 86 15,800
THOROFARE RUN West Virginia Poor 1940 86 1,200
BEAR HOLLOW CREEK West Virginia Poor 1940 86 2,100
SMITH CREEK West Virginia Poor 1940 86 1,000
TENMILE FK OF CABIN CK West Virginia Fair 1940 86 600
TENMILE FK OF CABIN CK West Virginia Fair 1940 86 600
TEN MILE FK OF CABIN CR West Virginia Fair 1940 86 650
STONECOAL CREEK West Virginia Fair 1940 86 1,500
PRINGLE FORK West Virginia Fair 1940 86 30
GLADY CREEK West Virginia Poor 1940 86 200
SAND FORK West Virginia Fair 1940 86 90
Elk Lick Run West Virginia Fair 1940 86 400
BEAR FORK West Virginia Poor 1940 86 2,100
PORTER FORK West Virginia Fair 1940 86 1,100
LAUREL FORK West Virginia Fair 1940 86 1,400
FUQUAY CREEK West Virginia Fair 1940 86 1,100
BUFFALO CREEK West Virginia Fair 1940 86 350

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.