Total bridges
527
Public highway bridges in New Castle County
County profile · official public datasets
New Castle County, DE
527 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 34.9% rated Good, 64.1% Fair, 0.9% Poor.
- 527
- Public bridges
- 34.9%
- Good condition
- 0.9%
- Poor condition
The verdict
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.
New Castle County posts a better-than-median Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state across large county bridge inventory.
- Top 33%
- lowest Poor share in state
- 0.9%
- Poor-condition share
- 527
- public highway bridges
- 1976
- 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.
New Castle County Bridge Snapshot
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, New Castle County ranks #1 of 3 Delaware counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 0.9%). New Castle County, Delaware contains 527 public highway bridges. Roughly 34.9% are rated “Good,” 64.1% “Fair,” and 0.9% “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
34.9%
184 of 527 rated 7-9
Fair condition
64.1%
338 of 527 rated 5-6
Poor condition
0.9%
5 of 527 rated 4 or below
In-state Poor-share rank
#1 of 3
Among Delaware counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better
Condition distribution
Share of 527 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.
Good 34.9% (184)
Fair 64.1% (338)
Poor 0.9% (5)
New Castle County's Poor-condition bridges carry 16,646 vehicle crossings a day
That is 0.2% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 0.9% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 3,329 crossings a day against 13,982 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 527 of 527 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
46.1% of New Castle County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark
243 of the 527 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 34.9% 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 63.8% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic
DUPONT PKW/US13 SB over BLACKBIRD CREEK, built 1920, carries 10,619 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 5-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.
Share is of the 16,646 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
When New Castle County's bridges were built
527 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade
- pre-1900 3
Built before 1900
3 bridges
- 1900s 6
1900–1909
6 bridges
- 1910s 7
1910–1919
7 bridges
- 1920s 21
1920–1929
21 bridges
- 1930s 25
1930–1939
25 bridges
- 1940s 10
1940–1949
10 bridges
- 1950s 31
1950–1959
31 bridges
- 1960s
1960–1969
103 bridges
- 1970s
1970–1979
88 bridges
- 1980s
1980–1989
42 bridges
- 1990s
1990–1999
91 bridges
- 2000s 28
2000–2009
28 bridges
- 2010s
2010–2019
60 bridges
- 2020s 12
2020–2029
12 bridges
What this shows Construction peaked in the 1960s, when 103 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 19.5% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 55 to 64 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1976) matches the Delaware average (1977).
How New Castle County compares with Delaware's closest counties by inventory size
The 2 Delaware counties nearest New Castle County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 0.9% Poor share is the 1st-lowest of these 3. Its average build year of 1976 against a peer-group mean of 1979 is in line with the group.
| County | Bridges | Good | Fair | Poor | Avg. built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Castle County (this page) | 527 | 34.9% | 64.1% | 0.9% | 1976 |
| Kent County | 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 New Castle 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 New Castle County, both outside Delaware so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.
Similar inventory size
Nearest county inventories outside DE (527 bridges here).
- Merced County, CA · 528 bridges
- LaSalle County, IL · 528 bridges
- Nueces County, TX · 528 bridges
- Marathon County, WI · 530 bridges
Similar average build year
Nearest mean year-built outside DE (1976 here).
- Marion County, IN · avg 1976 · 958 bridges
- Mohave County, AZ · avg 1976 · 641 bridges
- Comanche County, OK · avg 1976 · 593 bridges
- Prince George's County, MD · avg 1976 · 576 bridges
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.
Good-condition bridges (184)
CHAMBERS ROCK RD
GoodOver: WHITE CLAY CREEK
WHITE CLAY CREEK PRESERVE, New Castle, DE
Built 1928 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 4,666
PHILADELPHIA PIKE
GoodOver: NAAMANS CREEK/HAUL ROAD
NAAMANS, New Castle, DE
Built 1997 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 13,052
LLANGOLLEN BLVD.
GoodOver: ARMY CREEK
W. OF NEW CASTLE, New Castle, DE
Built 1975 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 3,510
HARMONY RD
GoodOver: AMTRAK
EAST OF NEWARK, New Castle, DE
Built 1972 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 20,228
JFK MEM HGY/I95 NB
GoodOver: TALLEY ROAD
N. E. OF WILMINGTON, New Castle, DE
Built 1968 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 23,319
WELDIN RD
GoodOver: TURKEY RUN
E. OF BLUE BALL AREA, New Castle, DE
Built 1999 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 4,484
GRANVILLE RD
GoodOver: PIKE CREEK
WEST OF MERMAID, New Castle, DE
Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 796
BAYVIEW
GoodOver: SR1/KOREAN WAR VET MEM H
S. OF BOYDS CORNER, New Castle, DE
Built 1998 Load: 26.2 t ADT: 1,423
KIRKWOOD HWY/SR2
GoodOver: TRIB TO LITTLE MILL CRK
ELSMERE, New Castle, DE
Built 1949 Load: 26.6 t ADT: 21,909
12TH ST
GoodOver: NORFOLK SOUTHERN
WILMINGTON, New Castle, DE
Built 1977 Load: 26.6 t ADT: 5,790
MILL CREEK RD
GoodOver: MILL CREEK
SOUTH OF HOCKESSIN, New Castle, DE
Built 1984 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 2,272
HERCULES RD
GoodOver: HYDE RUN
S/W OF DE NAT. CNTRY CLUB, New Castle, DE
Built 1971 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 7,799
KOREAN VET MEM HWY
GoodOver: US 13 (DUPONT BLVD)
NORTH OF SMYRNA, New Castle, DE
Built 1993 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 27,318
MALL RD
GoodOver: SR 1
CHRISTIANA MALL ENTRANCE, New Castle, DE
Built 1991 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 7,432
SR141S/POWDER MILL
GoodOver: ROCKLAND ROAD
N/W OF BLUEBALL, New Castle, DE
Built 1997 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 12,702
I 295 SB
GoodOver: US13 & I295S-US13SB RAMP
FARNHURST, New Castle, DE
Built 1958 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 64,107
GRUBB RD
GoodOver: TRIB. TO NAAMANS CREEK
WEST OF ARDEN, New Castle, DE
Built 1994 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 9,527
SR71 / RED LION RD
GoodOver: RED LION CREEK
RED LION, New Castle, DE
Built 2004 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 3,589
CHOPTANK RD.
GoodOver: BACK CREEK
SOUTH OF SUMMIT BRIDGE, New Castle, DE
Built 2002 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 7,262
COACHMANS RD
GoodOver: SHELLPOT CREEK
S/E OF TALLEYVILLE, New Castle, DE
Built 1976 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 99
CONCORD PIKE/US202
GoodOver: EAST PARK DR.
NORTH WILMINGTON, New Castle, DE
Built 2006 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 37,016
AUBURN HEIGHTS LOT
GoodOver: MILL RACE
YORKLYNN, New Castle, DE
Built 2019 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 99
SR 72 POSSUM PARK
GoodOver: MIDDLE RUN
EAST OF NEWARK, New Castle, DE
Built 1953 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 14,399
BEAVER DAM RD.
GoodOver: TRIB. TO BRANDYWINE CRK
N/E OF CENTERVILLE, New Castle, DE
Built 1962 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 1,867
SR72/WRANGLE HILL
GoodOver: SR 1
WRANGLE HILL, New Castle, DE
Built 1995 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 21,742
OTTS CHAPEL RD
GoodOver: PERSIMMON RUN
S.W. OF NEWARK, New Castle, DE
Built 2010 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 18,107
STANTON CHRISTIANA
GoodOver: CHURCHMANS RD
CHURCHMANS CROSSING, New Castle, DE
Built 1997 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 35,323
BALTIMORE AVE.
GoodOver: DERRICKSON RUN
TOWN OF ELSMERE, New Castle, DE
Built 1998 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 99
FOX DEN RD.
GoodOver: MIDDLE RUN
PIKE CREEK AREA, New Castle, DE
Built 1997 Load: 32.1 t ADT: 4,110
STANTON CHRISTIANA
GoodOver: CHURCHMANS RD/SR58
CHURCHMANS CROSSING, New Castle, DE
Built 1997 Load: 32.1 t ADT: 35,323
BRACKENVILLE RD
GoodOver: MILL CREEK
SOUTH OF HOCKESSIN, New Castle, DE
Built 1846 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 6,278
LOWER TWIN LANE RD
GoodOver: SR 1
WEST OF DELAWARE CITY, New Castle, DE
Built 1992 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 729
CHESPEAKE CITY RD.
GoodOver: GUTHRIE RUN
N.W. OF SUMMIT BRIDGE, New Castle, DE
Built 2013 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,146
VANDYKE-GREENSPRIN
GoodOver: GREENSPRING BRANCH
N. OF CLAYTON, New Castle, DE
Built 1987 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,491
WALNUT ST/US13 NB
GoodOver: SHOPPING PLAZA DRAINAGE
S. OF WILMIGTON, New Castle, DE
Built 2010 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 11,684
OLD KENNET PIKE RD
GoodOver: WATERWAY
N. OF OWLS NEST ESTATES, New Castle, DE
Built 2018 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,940
MEADOWBROOK AVE
GoodOver: WATERWAY
NEAR KIAMENSKI YARD, New Castle, DE
Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 99
RED MILL RD
GoodOver: STREAM MILL POND
EAST OF NEWARK, New Castle, DE
Built 1971 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 18,195
SONGSMITH DRIVE
GoodOver: TRIB. TO SMALLEYS POND
N. OF GOVERNORS SQUARE, New Castle, DE
Built 2016 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 99
GLASGOW AVE.
GoodOver: MUDDY RUN
NORTH OF GLASGOW, New Castle, DE
Built 1926 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 11,825
CARAVEL DR
GoodOver: BELLTOWN RUN
CARAVEL FARMS, New Castle, DE
Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 99
BRICK MILL RD
GoodOver: DOVE NEST BRANCH
NORTH MIDDLETOWN LIMITS, New Castle, DE
Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,222
SILVER LAKE RD.
GoodOver: SILVER LAKE SPILLWY
S.E. OF MIDDLETOWN, New Castle, DE
Built 1931 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,932
MARYLAND LINE RD.
GoodOver: TRIB OF SASSAFRAS RIVER
WEST OF TOWNSEND, New Castle, DE
Built 2021 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 223
US301 NB
GoodOver: SR1
SOUTH OF ST. GEORGES, New Castle, DE
Built 2018 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 7,665
EAGLES NEST LDG RD
GoodOver: SAW MILL BRANCH
S/E OF BLACKBIRD, New Castle, DE
Built 2020 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 213
DEER RUN RD
GoodOver: SAW MILL BRANCH
EAST OF BLACKBIRD, New Castle, DE
Built 2021 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 114
BUNKER HILL RD
GoodOver: US 301
NORTHWEST OF MIDDLETOWN, New Castle, DE
Built 2017 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 7,693
PALMETTO DR
GoodOver: ARMY CREEK
BEAR, New Castle, DE
Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 99
BEAVER DAM RD
GoodOver: BEAVER CREEK
N. OF BRANDYWINE S.P., New Castle, DE
Built 1987 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 2,658
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.