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
Little Wheeling Creek West Virginia Fair 1817 209 7,600
GRASSY CREEK West Virginia Good 1817 209 50
Ohio River West Virginia Poor 1849 177 5,234
TYGART VALLEY RIVER West Virginia Fair 1852 174 7,000
BUCKHANNON RIVER West Virginia Fair 1856 170 250
MILLIGAN CREEK West Virginia Fair 1884 142 155
BIG SANDY CREEK West Virginia Poor 1884 142 10
ELK CREEK West Virginia Poor 1886 140 10
LEFT FORK OF SANDY CREEK West Virginia Poor 1887 139 150
BOOTHS CREEK West Virginia Poor 1888 138 2
TUG FORK West Virginia Poor 1890 136 500
TUG FORK West Virginia Poor 1890 136
TENMILE CREEK West Virginia Fair 1891 135 10
Wheeling Creek West Virginia Fair 1892 134 5,300
BIG SANDY CREEK West Virginia Poor 1893 133 10
EAST FORK GREENBRIER R West Virginia Poor 1895 131 20
CSX RAILROAD West Virginia Poor 1897 129 10
CEDAR CREEK West Virginia Poor 1898 128 10
MIDDLE FORK HUGHES RIVER West Virginia Poor 1898 128 40
MCKOWN CREEK West Virginia Fair 1898 128 70
WV Fork Fish Creek West Virginia Fair 1898 128 250
TUSCARORA CREEK West Virginia Good 1900 126 2,000
KITCHEN CREEK West Virginia Fair 1900 126 150
BRANCH CHERRY RUN West Virginia Fair 1900 126 250
SLEEPY CREEK West Virginia Poor 1900 126 3,100
Wheeling Creek West Virginia Poor 1900 126 7,500
TYGART VALLEY RIVER West Virginia Poor 1900 126 600
Sugar Run West Virginia Fair 1901 125 300
CSX RAILROAD West Virginia Poor 1901 125 100
BIG CREEK West Virginia Fair 1901 125 150
RT FORK WEST FORK RIVER West Virginia Fair 1902 124 50
SIXTEENMILE CREEK West Virginia Fair 1904 122 20
Ohio River West Virginia Poor 1905 121 7,500
PYLES FORK West Virginia Poor 1905 121 200
BUCKHANNON RIVER West Virginia Fair 1905 121 25
POND CREEK West Virginia Poor 1905 121 10
Fish Creek West Virginia Poor 1906 120 50
SOUTH FORK HUGHES RIVER West Virginia Poor 1907 119
W. FK OF TWELVEPOLE CK. West Virginia Fair 1907 119 10
HACKERS CREEK West Virginia Fair 1909 117 20
Potomac River CSX West Virginia Fair 1909 117 6,761
MIDDLE FORK RIVER West Virginia Poor 1909 117 10
SLAB CREEK West Virginia Poor 1909 117 10
SOUTH FORK OF LEE CREEK West Virginia Poor 1909 117 20
DUNLOUP CREEK West Virginia Fair 1910 116 50
PATTERSON FORK West Virginia Poor 1910 116 1,000
JACOBS RUN West Virginia Poor 1910 116 250
GLADY CREEK West Virginia Fair 1910 116 50
WHITESTICK CREEK West Virginia Fair 1910 116 1,200
POCATALICO RIVER West Virginia Fair 1910 116 10

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.