A new study has identified Lunenburg County as having some of the worst bridges in Virginia, with ten of the county’s 89 bridges in need of repairs.

While Virginia has over 14,000 bridges, most of them are in good condition. However, factors such as wear and tear over time can contribute to the deterioration of a bridge’s condition.

The report revealed that Virginia currently has 501 structurally defective bridges, accounting for 3.5% of all bridges in the state.

Why are the bridges deficient?

These bridges are classified as structurally deficient due to missing elements that make them unsafe for use. The severity of a bridge’s deficiency determines the level of repair required to make it safe. The two classifications for bridge safety are intolerable and tolerable.

An intolerable bridge is in a critical state and requires major repairs before it can be considered safe for use

On the other hand, a tolerable bridge may be missing an element, but it is still safe for use. While the condition may not be optimal, it is not structurally deficient to the extent that it cannot be used.

Many of the bridges are listed as structurally deficient and had their last inspection in 2021. Additionally, most of the bridges are intolerable and require a high priority for repairs.

Which Lunenburg County bridges are bad?

According to Victoria Marks, Senior Communications Specialist with the Virginia Department of Transportation the following ten bridges are the worst in the county and will be replaced in the next several years.

• Sneads Store Road over Flat Rock Creek – Scheduled for replacement 2026/27

• Plank Road over BR Bear Element Creek – Scheduled for replacement 2024

• Reedy Creek Road over Branch of Reedy Creek – Scheduled for replacement 2026

• Manson Road over Beaver Pound Creek – Scheduled for replacement 2028

• Iron Clad Road over Bold Ranch – Superstructure replacement scheduled 2025

• Whittles Mill Road over Crooked Creek – Scheduled for replacement 2025

• Owl Creek Road over Owl Creek – Scheduled for replacement 2026

• Arvings Store Road over Tusekiah Creek – Scheduled for replacement 2026/27

• Eubank Road over Middle Meherrin River – Scheduled for replacement2024

• Sugar Hill Road over Nash Mill Creek – Scheduled for replacement 2026/27