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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WILLIAMS RIVER | West Virginia | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 40 |
| STONECOAL CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 350 |
| BRUSHY FORK | West Virginia | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 6,800 |
| BUFFALO CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1945 | 81 | 150 |
| LEFT FORK STILLWELL CK | West Virginia | Poor | 1945 | 81 | 300 |
| BRANCH OF POND RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 37,900 |
| POND RUN | West Virginia | Good | 1945 | 81 | 37,900 |
| LAUREL FORK | West Virginia | Poor | 1945 | 81 | 250 |
| MOSSY CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 1,700 |
| LEFT FK LEATHERWOOD CK | West Virginia | Poor | 1946 | 80 | 70 |
| CSX RAILROAD & TRACE CK | West Virginia | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 10 |
| Tug Fork & Tug Street | West Virginia | Poor | 1946 | 80 | 40 |
| HALES BRANCH | West Virginia | Poor | 1946 | 80 | 600 |
| INDIAN CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1946 | 80 | 968 |
| Big Wheeling Creek | West Virginia | Poor | 1946 | 80 | 5,200 |
| STILLWELL CREEK | West Virginia | Good | 1946 | 80 | 6,800 |
| NANCY FORK | West Virginia | Poor | 1946 | 80 | 1,600 |
| WOLFPEN BRANCH | West Virginia | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 1,600 |
| WOLFPEN BRANCH | West Virginia | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 1,700 |
| WOLFPEN BRANCH | West Virginia | Poor | 1946 | 80 | 1,700 |
| WOLFPEN BRANCH | West Virginia | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 1,700 |
| BUCKEYE RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 750 |
| BUCKEYE RUN | West Virginia | Poor | 1947 | 79 | 850 |
| BUCKEYE RUN | West Virginia | Poor | 1947 | 79 | 850 |
| TANNER CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 700 |
| MILLIGAN CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 2,100 |
| GRASSY LICK RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 90 |
| MILL CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 3,200 |
| Tomlinson Run | West Virginia | Poor | 1947 | 79 | 1,100 |
| STONY RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 700 |
| PANTHER CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 200 |
| TRACE FORK | West Virginia | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 200 |
| WAR CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 450 |
| C104/5 & NSRR & BRUSH CR | West Virginia | Poor | 1947 | 79 | 8,200 |
| LAUREL FORK | West Virginia | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 2,700 |
| CUMMINS CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1947 | 79 | 1,400 |
| BUFFALO CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 700 |
| MARSH FORK | West Virginia | Poor | 1947 | 79 | 20 |
| TYGART RV. DIVERSION DAM | West Virginia | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 800 |
| LAUREL RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 900 |
| BONDS CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 2,400 |
| BURNING SPRINGS RUN | West Virginia | Poor | 1947 | 79 | 50 |
| CR 32 | West Virginia | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 10,900 |
| JOES CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 712 |
| Cross Creek | West Virginia | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 9,500 |
| Girty Run | West Virginia | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 50 |
| Castlemans Run | West Virginia | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 250 |
| LITTLE SANDY CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 2,400 |
| ELKS RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 1,400 |
| POCA FK OF LTL SANDY CR | West Virginia | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 1,200 |
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.