Ha 902/79 over South Fork
McDowell County, West Virginia · rated Poor in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- Ha 902/79 over South Fork in McDowell County, West Virginia, is rated in poor condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the superstructure, rated 4 (poor condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1960, making it 65 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 20 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2022).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 63 of the 224 inventoried bridges in McDowell County rated poor (28.1%); 63 (28.1%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is posted for load (NBI item 41).
- Its condition class and component ratings are unchanged from the 2024 inventory.
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated July 2024, on a 12-month routine inspection cycle.
- It is coded scour critical (NBI item 113 = 3): scour critical: foundations unstable for the assessed or calculated scour.
- It has fracture-critical members (NBI item 92A): steel tension members without a redundant load path, which get their own scheduled inspections.
- A poor rating means at least one major component - deck, superstructure, or substructure - is rated 4 or lower on FHWA's 0-9 scale. It does not by itself mean the bridge is unsafe; bridges judged unsafe are closed or load-restricted by their owners.
View this bridge on a map → (37.30482, -81.46987)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
| Superstructure | 4 | 4 | Poor condition |
| Substructure | 4 | 4 | Poor condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Steel stringer or multi-beam girder |
| Length | about 33 ft |
| Location | 0.01 Mi West of Wv 161 |
| NBI structure number | 00000000024A348 |
| Condition class | Poor |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Posted for load |
| Last inspection (item 90) | July 2024 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 12 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 3: scour critical: foundations unstable for the assessed or calculated scour |
| Fracture critical (item 92A) | Yes |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the West Virginia department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in McDowell County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| US 52 over Tug Fork | 1957 | 5,300 | Fair |
| US 52 over Elkhorn Creek | 2024 | 3,700 | Good |
| US 52 over Bottom Creek | 1932 | 3,500 | Fair |
| US 52 over Elkhorn Creek | 1936 | 3,500 | Fair |
| US 52 Alternate over Elkhorn Creek | 1979 | 3,400 | Fair |
| US 52 over Spice Creek | 1933 | 3,200 | Poor |
All bridges nearby: McDowell County, WV bridge conditions · every bridge in McDowell County · West Virginia bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.