HORNETS NEST ROAD
Carrying HORNETS NEST ROAD over FRIENDS CREEK
2.0 MILES W OF RIFFLE RD, Frederick, Maryland
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
HORNETS NEST ROAD in Frederick, Maryland sits above 73% of rated Maryland bridges on inventory load rating (58 t), while its 1981 build year is earlier than 41% of Frederick's recorded-year cohort (486 bridges).
HORNETS NEST ROAD in Frederick, Maryland is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1981, it carries 1 rated component on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 3. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Poor 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:200000F-0522030
LATE-CENTURY · STEEL · SHORT-BRIDGE · CULVERT-LED · LOCAL-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- LATE-CENTURY 1980–1999
- STEEL Steel
- SHORT-BRIDGE 11.9 m
- CULVERT-LED Culvert-led
- LOCAL-ADT Local ADT
- HEAVY-LOAD Heavy load
- CAT-POOR Poor
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: HORNETS NEST ROAD
The HORNETS NEST ROAD bridge in Frederick, Maryland carries HORNETS NEST ROAD over FRIENDS CREEK. It was built in 1981, making it 45 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel, stretching 11.9 meters (39 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 179 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Maryland bridges. It is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show culvert at 3/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. Because at least one major component scores 4 or lower, this bridge falls in FHWA's Poor condition category. That category is not a closure order.
How HORNETS NEST ROAD compares
Age against the county: built in 1981, earlier than 200 of Frederick's 486 bridges with a recorded construction year (41%), against a county median build year of 1976. This is one of the newer structures in its county.
Live comparison across Maryland bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (5,479 of 5,484 rated).
HORNETS NEST ROAD vs every rated Maryland bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
58 Top 27% higher than 73% 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.
Frederick inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 486 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
- 1981
- Material
- Steel
- Structure Length
- 11.9 m (39 ft) 0
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 179 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 200000F-0522030
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
HORNETS NEST ROAD is in the federal Poor condition category. That is a component-based result, not a closure order.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Understand what Poor condition does and does not mean before drawing conclusions. Poor condition explained
- Compare HORNETS NEST ROAD against other structures in Frederick 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 HORNETS NEST ROAD?
HORNETS NEST ROAD in Frederick, Maryland on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is HORNETS NEST ROAD inspected?
HORNETS NEST ROAD'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 179 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. HORNETS NEST ROAD is currently shown as Poor condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for HORNETS NEST ROAD?
HORNETS NEST ROAD has an NBI inventory load rating of 58.0 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining HORNETS NEST ROAD?
HORNETS NEST ROAD is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is HORNETS NEST ROAD and does age affect safety?
HORNETS NEST ROAD was built in 1981, making it 45 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.