Bridge conditions in Nelson County, Virginia
135 inventoried bridges · 5 rated poor · 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
Nelson County tracks close to typical: 5 of its 135 inventoried bridges (3.7%) are rated poor, against a national rate of about 7%.
- 5 of the 135 bridges in Nelson County, Virginia, are rated in poor condition (3.7%) in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory, as of .
- 53 bridges (39.3%) are rated good and 77 (57.0%) fair.
- The median Nelson County bridge was built in 1970.
- The busiest poor-rated bridge is Roseland Road over Hat Creek (built 1963), carrying about 1,005 vehicles a day.
Good 39.3% · Fair 57.0% · Poor 3.7% of 135 bridges
Bridges rated poor
Every bridge in the county with a poor rating, busiest first. Poor means a major component is rated 4 or lower on FHWA's 0-9 scale; it is a repair flag, not a closure notice.
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roseland Road over Hat Creek | 1963 | 1,005 | Poor |
| Rocky Road over Branch Rockfish River | 1970 | 235 | Poor |
| Carter Hill Road over Tye River | 1970 | 154 | Poor |
| Moses Hughes Lane over S.Fork Rockfish River | 1970 | 71 | Poor |
| Drumheller Lane over Rockfish River | 1970 | 20 | Poor |
Busiest bridges in the county
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Nelson Hwy over Hickory Creek | 1976 | 12,626 | Fair |
| Critzer Shop Road over Stockton Creek | 2023 | 8,500 | Good |
| SBL T. Nelson Hwy. over Dillard Creek | 1928 | 8,282 | Fair |
| Nbl 0029 over Rucker Run | 1970 | 8,282 | Fair |
| Route 29 SBL over Rucker Run | 1932 | 8,282 | Good |
| NBL T. Nelson Hwy over Dillard Creek | 1965 | 8,282 | Fair |
| Thomas Nelson Hwy over Davis Creek | 1932 | 8,122 | Fair |
| Thomas Nelson Hwy. over Muddy Creek | 1932 | 8,122 | Fair |
| NBL T. Nelson Hwy over Muddy Creek | 1966 | 8,122 | Fair |
| SBL T. Nelson Hwy over Davis Creek | 1966 | 8,122 | Fair |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025. Counts cover inventoried highway bridges over 20 feet; ratings are reported by the state DOT.
All of Virginia: Virginia bridge conditions by county · every download on the data page.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.