MD 5 NB
Carrying MD 5 NB over ZEKIAH SWAMP
0.44 MILE SOUTH OF MD 488, Charles, Maryland
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
MD 5 NB in Charles, Maryland sits above 40% of rated Maryland bridges on inventory load rating (41 t), while its 1966 build year is earlier than 57% of Charles's recorded-year cohort (94 bridges).
MD 5 NB in Charles, Maryland is rated Fair in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1966, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 6. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Fair result describes the weakest reported component rather than the structure as a whole. No NBI category is a closure decision or a live crossing-safety verdict.
NBI record plate
Structure MD:100000080002011
INTERSTATE-ERA · STEEL · MULTI-SPAN · TIED-CTRL · HEAVY-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-FAIR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- STEEL Steel
- MULTI-SPAN 2 spans
- TIED-CTRL Tied control
- HEAVY-ADT Heavy ADT
- HEAVY-LOAD Heavy load
- CAT-FAIR Fair
Inspection-sheet codes from this record’s year, material family, spans, controlling component, ADT, inventory load, and NBI category, not a live closure verdict.
Bridge Snapshot: MD 5 NB
The MD 5 NB bridge in Charles, Maryland carries MD 5 NB over ZEKIAH SWAMP. It was built in 1966, making it 60 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 2 sections, stretching 22.3 meters (73 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 37,490 vehicles, placing it in the heavily-trafficked tier of Maryland bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure at 6/9, substructure at 6/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. None of this bridge's reported major components fall into the Poor condition range.
How MD 5 NB compares
Age against the county: built in 1966, earlier than 54 of Charles's 94 bridges with a recorded construction year (57%), against a county median build year of 1984. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across Maryland bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (5,479 of 5,484 rated).
MD 5 NB vs every rated Maryland bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
41 Top 60% higher than 40% of 5,479 bridges
rated Maryland bridges, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more bridges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · August 2026
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Reported 0–9 component ratings from the FHWA NBI. The highlighted component is the lowest reported input to this record’s current condition category; it is not a closure or live crossing-safety decision.
Charles inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 94 bridges in this county. Orthogonal to this structure's component profile above: a county catalog share, not a live crossing-safety verdict.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1966
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 2
- Structure Length
- 22.3 m (73 ft)
- Deck Width
- 12.8 m (42 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 37,490 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 100000080002011
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates fair at 6/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in fair condition (6/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • At 6/9, the substructure (piers and abutments) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether MD 5 NB is safe to cross today. Here is how to use it.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Learn how the 0–9 condition scale and Good/Fair/Poor categories are defined. How condition ratings work
- Compare MD 5 NB against other structures in Charles and across Maryland. Maryland bridges
- Noticed visible damage or a safety concern? Report it to the agency that owns the bridge, or call 911 in an emergency. How to report a bridge
Condition codes come straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory and are not a real-time safety judgment. Only the owning agency, a state DOT, county, or other owner, can post, restrict, or close a bridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the condition ratings mean for MD 5 NB?
MD 5 NB in Charles, Maryland has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 6/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is MD 5 NB inspected?
MD 5 NB's responsible agency sets its routine interval under FHWA's risk-based inspection rules; this page does not expose the scheduled interval. It carries about 37,490 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. MD 5 NB is currently shown as Fair condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for MD 5 NB?
MD 5 NB has an NBI inventory load rating of 40.8 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining MD 5 NB?
MD 5 NB is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is MD 5 NB and does age affect safety?
MD 5 NB was built in 1966, making it 60 years old.
Disclaimer: Bridge condition data is from the FHWA NBI and reflects the last reported inspection. A Poor condition rating is not a live declaration that a bridge is closed or unsafe for travel. For current closure, posting, or safety information, contact the responsible transportation agency.
Share this inspection record
Send this source-bounded record or download its data card. An NBI condition category is not a closure or live crossing-safety verdict.
Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Component ratings, ADT, and condition category on this page are copied from the NBI record for this structure; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.