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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAUREL FORK | West Virginia | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 200 |
| GAULEY RIVER | West Virginia | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 250 |
| SANDY CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 20 |
| NEW RIVER | West Virginia | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 225 |
| MCCALLISTER RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 131 |
| North Fork Tomlinson Run | West Virginia | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 250 |
| LITTLE TENMILE CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 50 |
| LITTLE ROCK CAMP RUN | West Virginia | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 300 |
| MCINTIRE FORK | West Virginia | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 400 |
| JACOBS FORK | West Virginia | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 350 |
| BIG CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 800 |
| MILL FALL RUN | West Virginia | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 200 |
| SLEEPY CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 250 |
| BIRCH RIVER | West Virginia | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 40 |
| INDIAN CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 10 |
| RIGHT FORK SIMPSON CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 100 |
| Middle Island Creek | West Virginia | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 90 |
| BEECH FORK | West Virginia | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 100 |
| DUNLOUP CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1917 | 109 | 517 |
| LAUREL CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1917 | 109 | 757 |
| ANTHONY CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1917 | 109 | 100 |
| ELK CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1917 | 109 | 2,500 |
| UPTON CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1917 | 109 | 600 |
| TUG FORK | West Virginia | Poor | 1917 | 109 | 500 |
| PRICKETT CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1917 | 109 | 50 |
| SLEEPY CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1917 | 109 | 250 |
| MORGAN RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1917 | 109 | 250 |
| MUDDY CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1917 | 109 | 50 |
| COOKS RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1917 | 109 | 200 |
| LITTLE CABIN RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1917 | 109 | 100 |
| SPRUCE CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1917 | 109 | 50 |
| WHITE OAK FORK | West Virginia | Fair | 1917 | 109 | 20 |
| SIMPSON CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1917 | 109 | 50 |
| GLADY CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1917 | 109 | 50 |
| North Fork Fishing Creek | West Virginia | Fair | 1917 | 109 | 50 |
| North Fork Fishing Creek | West Virginia | Poor | 1917 | 109 | 50 |
| CLEAR FORK | West Virginia | Poor | 1917 | 109 | 600 |
| LAUREL CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1918 | 108 | 20 |
| BUCKEYE CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1918 | 108 | 50 |
| BUCKEYE CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1918 | 108 | 50 |
| MCINTIRE FORK | West Virginia | Fair | 1918 | 108 | 50 |
| MCINTIRE FORK | West Virginia | Good | 1918 | 108 | 50 |
| NEW CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1918 | 108 | 300 |
| CUNNINGHAM RUN | West Virginia | Poor | 1918 | 108 | 250 |
| CUNNINGHAM RUN | West Virginia | Poor | 1918 | 108 | 250 |
| LITTLE TENMILE CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1918 | 108 | 50 |
| DAVISSON RUN | West Virginia | Poor | 1918 | 108 | 11,500 |
| DAVISSON RUN | West Virginia | Poor | 1918 | 108 | 5,200 |
| BLOODY RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1918 | 108 | 850 |
| HILLY UPLAND RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1918 | 108 | 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.