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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SLATE ROCK RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1941 | 85 | 2,600 |
| LIMESTONE RUN | West Virginia | Poor | 1941 | 85 | 3,900 |
| DRY FORK | West Virginia | Poor | 1941 | 85 | 250 |
| MIDDLE FORK SLEEPY CK. | West Virginia | Fair | 1941 | 85 | 150 |
| MOUNTAIN RUN | West Virginia | Poor | 1941 | 85 | 90 |
| McGraws Run | West Virginia | Fair | 1941 | 85 | 3,400 |
| SHELBY RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1941 | 85 | 200 |
| BERKELEY RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1941 | 85 | 2,900 |
| RIGHT FORK STEER CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1942 | 84 | 400 |
| Camp Run | West Virginia | Fair | 1942 | 84 | 50 |
| MORGANS RUN | West Virginia | Good | 1942 | 84 | 50 |
| N. Branch Potomac River | West Virginia | Fair | 1942 | 84 | 240 |
| DILLONS RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1942 | 84 | 250 |
| NORTH RIVER | West Virginia | Good | 1942 | 84 | 50 |
| OLDTOWN CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1942 | 84 | 5,800 |
| ABRAM CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1942 | 84 | 90 |
| REEDY CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1942 | 84 | 10 |
| LEAFBANK RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1943 | 83 | 1,100 |
| BRANCH OF YELLOW CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1943 | 83 | 700 |
| PETERS FORK | West Virginia | Fair | 1943 | 83 | 750 |
| HORNER RUN | West Virginia | Good | 1943 | 83 | 700 |
| GEORGES CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1943 | 83 | 300 |
| KANAWHA TWOMILE CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1943 | 83 | 10,500 |
| EAST RIVER | West Virginia | Poor | 1943 | 83 | 150 |
| MEADOW RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1943 | 83 | 1,100 |
| MUDDY CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1943 | 83 | 2,700 |
| HURRICANE CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1943 | 83 | 4,700 |
| CHENOWETH CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1943 | 83 | 2,000 |
| PLUMMER RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1943 | 83 | 90 |
| LEE CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1943 | 83 | 100 |
| MIDDLE CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1944 | 82 | 1,500 |
| MIDDLE CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1944 | 82 | 1,500 |
| TANNER CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1944 | 82 | 750 |
| ROCK GAP RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1944 | 82 | 70 |
| LEFT FORK OF SANDY CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1944 | 82 | 50 |
| ELK RIVER | West Virginia | Fair | 1944 | 82 | 100 |
| ELK RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 2,700 |
| NINEMILE CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 250 |
| NORTH FORK CHERRY RIVER | West Virginia | Poor | 1945 | 81 | 550 |
| BEAR RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 770 |
| CR 60/12 | West Virginia | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 14,770 |
| GEORGES CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 30,900 |
| POLK CREEK | West Virginia | Good | 1945 | 81 | 500 |
| ELKHORN CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 90 |
| SOUTH FORK | West Virginia | Poor | 1945 | 81 | 750 |
| Penn. Fork of Fish Creek | West Virginia | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 50 |
| BIG SPRING CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 850 |
| LITTLE INDIAN CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 2,300 |
| WARM SPRING RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 50 |
| WARM SPRING RUN | West Virginia | Poor | 1945 | 81 | 50 |
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.