Total bridges
192
Public highway bridges in Kent County
County profile · official public datasets
Kent County, DE
192 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 55.7% rated Good, 42.7% Fair, 1.6% Poor.
- 192
- Public bridges
- 55.7%
- Good condition
- 1.6%
- Poor condition
The verdict
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.
Kent County pairs a higher-than-median Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state with a newer average build year than the state inventory.
- 2nd
- of 3 on Poor share
- 1.6%
- Poor-condition share
- 192
- public highway bridges
- 1983
- avg year built
Poor is an FHWA condition category from the lowest applicable component rating (4 or below), not a live crossing-safety or closure decision. Rankings cover counties with at least five public highway bridges.
Kent County Bridge Snapshot
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Kent County ranks #2 of 3 Delaware counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 1.6%). Kent County, Delaware contains 192 public highway bridges. Roughly 55.7% are rated “Good,” 42.7% “Fair,” and 1.6% “Poor.” Poor means the lowest applicable deck, superstructure, substructure, or culvert rating is 4 or below on the 0–9 NBI scale. It is a condition category, not a live safety or closure decision.
Responsible agencies inspect covered bridges on risk-based intervals under current NBIS rules and submit inventory data to FHWA annually. The list below shows every NBI-tracked bridge in the county. Use the “Sort by” controls to change the ordering, and click any row for its reported inspection date, traffic count, and condition fields.
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See methodology for full definitions.
Good condition
55.7%
107 of 192 rated 7-9
Fair condition
42.7%
82 of 192 rated 5-6
Poor condition
1.6%
3 of 192 rated 4 or below
In-state Poor-share rank
#2 of 3
Among Delaware counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better
Condition distribution
Share of 192 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.
Good 55.7% (107)
Fair 42.7% (82)
Poor 1.6% (3)
Kent County's Poor-condition bridges carry 19,033 vehicle crossings a day
That is 1.5% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 1.6% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 6,344 crossings a day against 6,603 for a Good-condition one. A Poor rating is a condition category, not a closure or a live safety judgement; it means the lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below.
Computed over the 192 of 192 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
34.9% of Kent County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark
67 of the 192 bridges with a recorded construction year were built in 1974 or earlier. Age alone is not a defect: a well-maintained older bridge can rate Good, and 55.7% of this county's inventory does. Even so, this older cohort is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn, which is why the age profile below matters alongside the condition split above.
Cutoff derives from the 2024 release year minus a 50-year design life. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
One structure carries 53.6% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic
US ROUTE 13 over C & D CANAL, built 1941, carries 10,208 vehicles a day, the most of any Poor-rated structure here. The county's Poor-condition exposure is concentrated rather than evenly spread, so the 3-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.
Share is of the 19,033 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
When Kent County's bridges were built
192 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade
- pre-1900 1
Built before 1900
1 bridges
- 1900s 1
1900–1909
1 bridges
- 1910s 2
1910–1919
2 bridges
- 1920s 6
1920–1929
6 bridges
- 1930s 8
1930–1939
8 bridges
- 1940s 3
1940–1949
3 bridges
- 1950s 18
1950–1959
18 bridges
- 1960s 21
1960–1969
21 bridges
- 1970s 15
1970–1979
15 bridges
- 1980s 12
1980–1989
12 bridges
- 1990s
1990–1999
54 bridges
- 2000s 16
2000–2009
16 bridges
- 2010s
2010–2019
30 bridges
- 2020s 5
2020–2029
5 bridges
What this shows Construction peaked in the 1990s, when 54 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 28.1% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 25 to 34 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year is 1983, 6 years newer than the Delaware average of 1977.
How Kent County compares with Delaware's closest counties by inventory size
The 2 Delaware counties nearest Kent County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 1.6% Poor share is the 2nd-lowest of these 3. Its average build year of 1983 against a peer-group mean of 1975 is 8 years newer.
| County | Bridges | Good | Fair | Poor | Avg. built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Castle County | 527 | 34.9% | 64.1% | 0.9% | 1976 |
| Kent County (this page) | 192 | 55.7% | 42.7% | 1.6% | 1983 |
| Sussex County | 153 | 40.5% | 57.5% | 2% | 1974 |
Each share is of that county's own total tracked bridges; peers are the counties with 5 or more bridges whose inventory size is closest to Kent County's. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
Nationwide counties with similar inventory size or average build year
Two NBI-derived peer sets for Kent County, both outside Delaware so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.
Similar inventory size
Nearest county inventories outside DE (192 bridges here).
- Barbour County, AL · 192 bridges
- El Dorado County, CA · 192 bridges
- Santa Cruz County, CA · 192 bridges
- Morgan County, CO · 192 bridges
Similar average build year
Nearest mean year-built outside DE (1983 here).
- Dallas County, TX · avg 1983 · 3,230 bridges
- Bexar County, TX · avg 1983 · 2,342 bridges
- Sedgwick County, KS · avg 1983 · 1,333 bridges
- Will County, IL · avg 1983 · 649 bridges
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.
All bridges (192)
McGINNIS POND RD
FairOver: MC GINNIS POND
EAST OF CANTERBURY, Kent, DE
Built 1968 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 1,513
S. LITTLE CREEK RD
FairOver: LITTLE RIVER
WEST OF LITTLE CREEK, Kent, DE
Built 2000 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 1,177
LUCKS DR
FairOver: SHADES BRANCH
S.E. OF MARYDEL, Kent, DE
Built 1985 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 417
LEBANON RD/SR10 EB
FairOver: ST. JONES RIVER
SOUTH OF DOVER, Kent, DE
Built 1978 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 8,725
NEW BURTON RD
FairOver: ISAAC BRANCH
WYOMING, Kent, DE
Built 1998 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 4,960
SHARON HILL RD
FairOver: CAHOON BRANCH
WEST OF DOVER, Kent, DE
Built 1996 Load: 41.1 t ADT: 739
C & R CENTER RD
FairOver: IRON MINE PRONG
WEST OF VIOLA, Kent, DE
Built 1958 Load: 41.1 t ADT: 186
ANDREWS LAKE RD
FairOver: ANDREWS LAKE
N/W OF FREDERICA, Kent, DE
Built 1964 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 955
SORGHUM MILL RD.
FairOver: TIDBURY CREEK
LEBANON, Kent, DE
Built 1989 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 4,215
SOUTH STATE ST
FairOver: TIDBURY BRANCH
SOUTH OF DOVER, Kent, DE
Built 1919 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 9,355
STATE ST
FairOver: ISAAC BRANCH-MOORES LAKE
MOORES LAKE, Kent, DE
Built 1919 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 11,225
TODDS MILL ROAD
FairOver: ISSAC BRANCH
WEST OF WYOMING, Kent, DE
Built 1962 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 1,081
DUPONT BLVD / US13
FairOver: SMYRNA RIVER/DUCK CREEK
SMYRNA, Kent, DE
Built 1995 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 22,296
CARTER RD
FairOver: MILL CREEK
SOUTH OF SMYRNA, Kent, DE
Built 1970 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 7,264
DUPONT HWY NB
FairOver: MURDERKILL RIVER
SOUTH OF FELTON, Kent, DE
Built 1954 Load: 45.0 t ADT: 12,269
STATE ST
FairOver: PUNCHEON RUN
DOVER, Kent, DE
Built 1957 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 14,406
KOREAN WAR VET HWY
FairOver: LEIPSIC RIVER
EAST OF GARRISONS LAKE, Kent, DE
Built 1992 Load: 46.0 t ADT: 21,018
KOREAN WAR VET HWY
FairOver: LEIPSIC RIVER
EAST OF GARRISONS LAKE, Kent, DE
Built 1992 Load: 46.0 t ADT: 21,018
SR 14 / VERNON RD
FairOver: MARSHYHOPE CREEK
VERNON, Kent, DE
Built 1968 Load: 46.3 t ADT: 3,903
COLLEGE RD
FairOver: FORK BRANCH
DEL STATE COLLEGE, Kent, DE
Built 1968 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 8,041
CYPRESS BRANCH RD
FairOver: CYPRESS BRANCH
SOUTH OF DOVER, Kent, DE
Built 1993 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 1,848
FREDERICA RD
FairOver: MURDERKILL RIVER
FREDERICA, Kent, DE
Built 2000 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 2,576
LITTLE MASTENS COR
FairOver: BLACK SWAMP CREEK
SOUTH OF FELTON, Kent, DE
Built 1977 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 455
CEDAR GROVE CHURCH
FairOver: WHITE MARSH BRANCH
N. OF WHITELEYSBURG, Kent, DE
Built 1957 Load: 50.9 t ADT: 192
HOURGLASS RD
FairOver: TAPPAHANNA DITCH
N.E. OF MARYDEL, Kent, DE
Built 1958 Load: 53.5 t ADT: 881
M.L.K. JR. BLVD.
FairOver: ST. JONES RIVER
DOVER, Kent, DE
Built 1957 Load: 54.8 t ADT: 9,607
CARPENTER BRIDGE
FairOver: MURDERKILL RIVER
S.W. OF FREDERICA, Kent, DE
Built 1962 Load: 55.4 t ADT: 2,333
MUDMILL RD
FairOver: MUDMILL POND & CHOPTANK
N/W OF SANDTOWN, Kent, DE
Built 1976 Load: 55.7 t ADT: 589
SR1/KOREAN VET WAR
FairOver: RD 331/DYKE BRANCH RD
N.E. OF DOVER, Kent, DE
Built 1992 Load: 67.7 t ADT: 21,019
KOREAN WAR VET HWY
FairOver: BIG OAK RD
S.E. OF SYMRNA, Kent, DE
Built 1992 Load: 69.7 t ADT: 26,405
KOREAN WAR VET HGW
FairOver: RD 331/DYKE BRANCH RD
N.E. OF DOVER, Kent, DE
Built 1992 Load: 69.7 t ADT: 21,019
CANTERBURY RD/SR15
FairOver: McCOLLEYS POND
McCOLLEYS POND, Kent, DE
Built 1984 Load: 71.6 t ADT: 5,231
PUNCHEON RUN CONN
GoodOver: S. STATE ST
SOUTH DOVER, Kent, DE
Built 2000 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 12,559
KILLENS POND RD
GoodOver: KILLEN POND SPILLWAY
S.E. OF FELTON, Kent, DE
Built 1969 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 2,903
POW MIA PARKWAY
GoodOver: NEW BURTON RD & N/S RR
WEST DOVER, Kent, DE
Built 2017 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 5,734
PUNCHEON RUN CONN.
GoodOver: BAY ROAD
S. OF ADMIN BLDG/DOVER, Kent, DE
Built 2000 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 5,692
KOREAN WAR VET MEM
GoodOver: SR10/E. LEBANON RD.
NORTH GATE DAFB, Kent, DE
Built 1993 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 37,408
HICKMAN RD / SR16
GoodOver: MARSHYHOPE CREEK
ADAMSVILLE, Kent, DE
Built 1958 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 4,287
SCARBOROUGH RD
GoodOver: NORFOLK SOUTHERN
NORTH OF DOVER, Kent, DE
Built 1999 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 14,877
KENTON RD
GoodOver: CAHOON BROOK
WEST DOVER, Kent, DE
Built 1934 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 7,058
DUPONT HWY/US13
GoodOver: MILL CREEK
SMYRNA, Kent, DE
Built 1940 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 25,313
PUNCHEON RUN CONN.
GoodOver: BAY ROAD / US113
S. OF ADMIN BLDG/DOVER, Kent, DE
Built 2000 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 5,692
FAST LANDING RD
GoodOver: SR 1/KOREAN WAR VET MEM
EAST OF CHESWOLD, Kent, DE
Built 1991 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 2,276
N. MAIN ST / RD 65
GoodOver: DUCK CREEK
NORTH SMYRNA, Kent, DE
Built 1960 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 3,626
RD 88 / LEIPSIC RD
GoodOver: SR1/KOREAN WAR VET MEM
EAST OF DOVER DOWNS, Kent, DE
Built 1993 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 1,334
SIMMS WOODS RD
GoodOver: SR 1
EAST OF CHESWOLD, Kent, DE
Built 1991 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 791
MILFORD-HARRINGTON
GoodOver: BROWNS BRANCH
EAST OF HARRINGTON, Kent, DE
Built 1922 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 7,277
MILFORD NECK RD
GoodOver: SR1 / BAY RD
SOUTH OF FREDERICA, Kent, DE
Built 2018 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 500
SMYRNA LANDING RD
GoodOver: DUCK CREEK
EAST OF SMYRNA, Kent, DE
Built 1998 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 772
FOX HOLE RD
GoodOver: CULBRETH MARSH DITCH
S.E. OF MARYDEL, Kent, DE
Built 1974 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 336
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges
Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.