Bridge conditions in Smyth County, Virginia
189 inventoried bridges · 7 rated poor · 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
The federal inventory lists 189 bridges in Smyth County: 31 rated good, 151 fair, and 7 poor.
- 7 of the 189 bridges in Smyth County, Virginia, are rated in poor condition (3.7%) in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory, as of .
- 31 bridges (16.4%) are rated good and 151 (79.9%) fair.
- The median Smyth County bridge was built in 1964.
- The busiest poor-rated bridge is Interstate 81 Nbl over M. Fork Holston River (built 1962), carrying about 16,486 vehicles a day.
Good 16.4% · Fair 79.9% · Poor 3.7% of 189 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interstate 81 Nbl over M. Fork Holston River | 1962 | 16,486 | Poor |
| Interstate 81 Sbl over M. Fork Holston River | 1962 | 15,197 | Poor |
| Railroad Drive over NS Railway | 1932 | 949 | Poor |
| Old Ebenezer Rd over M Fork Holston River | 1966 | 868 | Poor |
| Laurel Spring Road over Interstate 81 | 1962 | 556 | Poor |
| Cedar Springs Road over Branch | 1932 | 435 | Poor |
| East Chilhowie St over Mf Holston River | 1885 | 168 | Poor |
Busiest bridges in the county
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| N&sbl Route 0081 over Laurel Spring Branch | 1963 | 33,381 | Fair |
| Interstate 81 over Nbl&sbl over Stream | 1963 | 31,442 | Fair |
| I-81 Nbl & Sbl over Rte 11 Nsrr Mfh River | 2021 | 31,084 | Good |
| Interstate 81 over Staley Creek | 1962 | 30,390 | Fair |
| Interstate 81 over N&sbl O Hutton Branch | 1963 | 29,356 | Fair |
| Route 81 over Nbl&sbl over Stream | 1964 | 27,803 | Fair |
| Interstate 81 Sbl over Rte. 691 (johnston Road) | 1963 | 18,000 | Fair |
| Interstate 81 Nbl over RT658(SCRATCH Gravel)&ck | 1962 | 17,343 | Good |
| Interstate 81 Nbl over Matson Dr & Hooks Branch | 1963 | 17,343 | Fair |
| Interstate 81- Nbl over Rte. 691 (johnston Road) | 1963 | 17,000 | 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.