County profile · official public datasets

Frederick County, MD

486 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 43.2% rated Good, 54.1% Fair, 2.7% Poor.

486
Public bridges
43.2%
Good condition
2.7%
Poor condition

The verdict

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.

Frederick County posts a top-quartile lowest Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state across mid-size county bridge inventory.

Top 25%
lowest Poor share in state
2.7%
Poor-condition share
486
public highway bridges
1971
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.

Frederick County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Frederick County ranks #6 of 24 Maryland counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 2.7%). Frederick County, Maryland contains 486 public highway bridges. Roughly 43.2% are rated “Good,” 54.1% “Fair,” and 2.7% “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.

Total bridges

486

Public highway bridges in Frederick County

Good condition

43.2%

210 of 486 rated 7-9

Fair condition

54.1%

263 of 486 rated 5-6

Poor condition

2.7%

13 of 486 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#6 of 24

Among Maryland counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better

Condition distribution

Share of 486 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
43.2% (210)
Fair
54.1% (263)
Poor
2.7% (13)

Frederick County's Poor-condition bridges carry 17,033 vehicle crossings a day

That is 0.3% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 2.7% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 1,310 crossings a day against 7,809 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 486 of 486 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

47.5% of Frederick County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

231 of the 486 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 43.2% 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 39.6% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

SHOOKSTOWN ROAD over CARROLL CREEK, built 1911, carries 6,750 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 13-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 17,033 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Frederick County's bridges were built

486 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1980s, when 104 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 21.4% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 35 to 44 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1971) matches the Maryland average (1972).

Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory (year built) As of 2024 NBI release

How Frederick County compares with Maryland's closest counties by inventory size

The 5 Maryland counties nearest Frederick County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 2.7% Poor share is the 2nd-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1971 against a peer-group mean of 1975 is in line with the group.

Showing the 5 closest of 23 Maryland counties eligible for comparison.

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Frederick County and the 5 Maryland counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Prince George's County 576 3.1%
Montgomery County 515 4.9%
Frederick County (this page) 486 2.7%
Anne Arundel County 389 1.5%
Baltimore city County 374 8.6%
Howard County 309 5.8%

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 Frederick 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 Frederick County, both outside Maryland so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside MD (486 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside MD (1971 here).

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.

All 486 Good 210 Fair 263 Poor 13

All bridges (486)

SUGARLOAF PARKWAY

Good

Over: TRIB OF PETER PAN RUN

S OF BUSH CREEK DRIVE, Frederick, MD

Built 1999 Load: 68.0 t ADT: 1,080

MONUMENT ROAD

Good

Over: GRINDSTONE RUN

1.55 MI WEST OF MD 17, Frederick, MD

Built 1977 Load: 68.0 t ADT: 311

MD 17

Good

Over: MIDDLE CREEK

0.02 M S OF SPRUCE RUN RD, Frederick, MD

Built 1994 Load: 69.4 t ADT: 1,951

EAST STREET

Good

Over: CARROLL CREEK

JUST S. OF SOUTH STREET, Frederick, MD

Built 1999 Load: 69.4 t ADT: 15,334

BRENTLAND ROAD

Good

Over: LITTLE CATOCTIN CREEK

0.25 MI EAST OF MD RTE 17, Frederick, MD

Built 1982 Load: 70.7 t ADT: 44

STAUFFER ROAD

Good

Over: ISRAEL CREEK

1 MI E OF MD RTE 194, Frederick, MD

Built 1998 Load: 71.2 t ADT: 517

PEARRE ROAD

Good

Over: CLEMSON BRANCH

0.5 MI E OF CLEMSONVILLE, Frederick, MD

Built 1982 Load: 71.7 t ADT: 62

BLOOMFIELD ROAD

Good

Over: TUSCARORA CREEK

0.1 MI N OF OPOSSUMTWN PK, Frederick, MD

Built 1982 Load: 71.7 t ADT: 439

OLD MIDDLETOWN RD

Good

Over: HOLLOW CREEK

0.34 MI SOUTH OF MD 17, Frederick, MD

Built 1974 Load: 72.1 t ADT: 966

EASTERDAY ROAD

Good

Over: LITTLE CATOCTIN CREEK

0.2 MI N OF WOODLAND WAY, Frederick, MD

Built 1982 Load: 73.0 t ADT: 90

KINGSBROOK DRIVE

Good

Over: KING BRANCH

.1 MI S. OF CORPORATE DR, Frederick, MD

Built 1992 Load: 73.9 t ADT: 2,500

BARNES ROAD

Good

Over: WELDON CREEK

0.9 MI S OF OAK ORCHRD RD, Frederick, MD

Built 1979 Load: 73.9 t ADT: 216

WATER STREET ROAD

Good

Over: ISRAEL CREEK

0.6 MI S OF DAYSVILLE RD, Frederick, MD

Built 2006 Load: 75.3 t ADT: 1,100

OLD HAGERSTOWN RD

Good

Over: LITTLE CATOCTIN CREEK

0.25 MI N OF ALT. 40, Frederick, MD

Built 1994 Load: 76.2 t ADT: 938

MD 550

Good

Over: OWENS CREEK

0.82 MILE NORTH OF US 15, Frederick, MD

Built 1996 Load: 77.1 t ADT: 7,221

NEW DESIGN ROAD

Good

Over: ARUNDEL BRANCH

.25 Mi. N. of Corporate D, Frederick, MD

Built 1998 Load: 77.1 t ADT: 17,000

US 15 NBR

Good

Over: FLAT RUN

0.2 MILE SOUTH OF MD 140, Frederick, MD

Built 1981 Load: 79.8 t ADT: 18,340

ROCK HALL ROAD

Good

Over: WASHINGTON RUN

1200 FT. S. OF ROUTE 28, Frederick, MD

Built 1983 Load: 80.3 t ADT: 202

BEAVER DAM ROAD

Good

Over: BEAVER DAM CREEK

0.8 MI NORTH OF MD 75, Frederick, MD

Built 1982 Load: 80.3 t ADT: 53

MD 75

Good

Over: HAINES BRANCH

0.56 MI S OF CARROLL CO, Frederick, MD

Built 2015 Load: 80.4 t ADT: 1,150

CATHOLIC CHURCH RD

Good

Over: BROAD RUN

0.6 MI N OF GAPLAND RD, Frederick, MD

Built 1974 Load: 80.7 t ADT: 331

EMERSON BURRIER RO

Good

Over: TALBOT BRANCH

0.4 MI S OF WOODVILLE RD, Frederick, MD

Built 1982 Load: 81.2 t ADT: 175

WELLER ROAD

Good

Over: CHURCH BRANCH

0.37 MI EAST OF MD 75, Frederick, MD

Built 1982 Load: 81.6 t ADT: 1,131

FOREST SCHOOL ROAD

Good

Over: MIDDLE CREEK

AT BRANDENBURG HOLLOW RD, Frederick, MD

Built 1982 Load: 82.1 t ADT: 125

SPRUCE RUN ROAD

Good

Over: SPRUCE RUN

0.6 MI NORTH OF MD 17, Frederick, MD

Built 1982 Load: 82.1 t ADT: 166

IS 70 RAMP 7

Good

Over: US 40 RAMP 5

0.46 MILE NORTH OF IS 70, Frederick, MD

Built 2002 Load: 82.5 t ADT: 3,723

MD 550

Good

Over: ISRAEL CREEK

0.24 MILE SOUTH OF MD 194, Frederick, MD

Built 2015 Load: 82.9 t ADT: 3,450

MOLASSES ROAD

Good

Over: BEAVER DAM CREEK

AT DOTTERER RD INTERSECTN, Frederick, MD

Built 1982 Load: 85.3 t ADT: 141

HARMONY ROAD

Good

Over: LITTLE CATOCTIN CREEK

0.25 MI SOUTH OF US 40, Frederick, MD

Built 1999 Load: 86.2 t ADT: 1,296

CAP STINE ROAD

Good

Over: RENN BRANCH

0.7 MI SE OF US RTE 340, Frederick, MD

Built 1985 Load: 86.2 t ADT: 1,359

HOFFMAN SEACHRIST

Good

Over: CABBAGE RUN

100 N OF BENNIE DUNCAN R, Frederick, MD

Built 1985 Load: 87.5 t ADT: 202

ST. MARKS ROAD

Good

Over: TRIB. OF BROAD RUN

1.0 MI S OF MD RTE 383, Frederick, MD

Built 1982 Load: 88.4 t ADT: 196

BALLENGER CREEK PI

Good

Over: DOUBS BRANCH

0.1 MI SW OF DOUBS ROAD, Frederick, MD

Built 1975 Load: 89.8 t ADT: 1,065

JEFFERSON TECHNOLO

Good

Over: US ROUTE 340/15 INTERCHA

0.7 MI S OF I-70, Frederick, MD

Built 2015 Load: 97.2 t ADT: 500

MD 17

Good

Over: DRY RUN

3.10 MI S OF WASH CO, Frederick, MD

Built 1981 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 3,480

NEW DESIGN ROAD

Good

Over: TUSCARORA CREEK

0.53 MI S OF MD RTE 28, Frederick, MD

Built 1982 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 125

CAP STINE ROAD

Good

Over: BR OF TUSCARORA CREEK

AT HOWARD STUP RD INTER, Frederick, MD

Built 1975 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 183

WINCHESTER BOULEVA

Good

Over: TRIBUTARY OF TUSCARORA C

0.1 MI E OF MOUNTVILLE RD, Frederick, MD

Built 1992 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 350

WILLOW BROOK ROAD

Good

Over: TUSCARORA CREEK

0.1 MI SOUTH OF WILLOW RD, Frederick, MD

Built 1982 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 3,811

CORPORATE DRIVE

Good

Over: KING BRANCH

.5 MI. WEST OF NEW DESIGN, Frederick, MD

Built 1992 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 8,118

CORPORATE DRIVE

Good

Over: ARUNDEL BRANCH

0.25 MI W OF NEW DESIGN R, Frederick, MD

Built 1990 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 6,273

CRESTWOOD BLVD

Good

Over: ARUNDEL BRANCH

.2 MI E. OF NEW DESIGN RD, Frederick, MD

Built 1990 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 9,500

CORPORATE DRIVE

Good

Over: PIKE BRANCH

0.39 MI EAST OF BALLENGER, Frederick, MD

Built 1993 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 5,986

CORPORATE DRIVE

Good

Over: PIKE BRANCH

0.40 MI EAST OF BALLENGER, Frederick, MD

Built 1993 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 5,986

ANGLEBERGER ROAD

Good

Over: SANDY RUN

2.5 MILES EAST OF US 15, Frederick, MD

Built 1982 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 122

WILHIDE ROAD

Good

Over: LITTLE HUNTING CREEK

0.37 MI S OF BLACKS MILL, Frederick, MD

Built 1982 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 153

IRISHTOWN ROAD

Good

Over: FLAT RUN

0.8 MI NORTH OF EMMITSBRG, Frederick, MD

Built 1982 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 201

HAYES ROAD

Good

Over: MIDDLE CREEK

AT BRANDENBURG HOLLOW RD, Frederick, MD

Built 1981 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 27

PRICES DISTILLERY

Good

Over: FAHRNEY BRANCH

1.0 MI S OF MD RTE. 80, Frederick, MD

Built 1983 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 750

ARLINGTON MILL RD

Good

Over: TOWN BRANCH

0.1 MILE WEST OF MD 75, Frederick, MD

Built 1997 Load: 99.9 t ADT: 125

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Related

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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.