West Virginia's mountainous and rugged terrain is filled with streams and rivers, which have required a substantial number of bridges to be built as part of the road and highway system. Many of these bridges are old and in dire need of replacement or repair. Weight limits placed on older bridges can cause traffic delays or detours for commercial vehicles, school buses, emergency service trucks or other large vehicles. Some bridges also are becoming actual safety hazards.
- Thirty-seven percent of West Virginia’s bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.
- The average age of West Virginia’s Interstate bridges is 34 years. Older bridges typically need significant repairs, reconstruction or replacement at approximately 50 years.
- Nearly half (46 percent) of the bridges on the state’s interstate highway system will need significant repairs or reconstruction by the year 2026.