County profile · official public datasets

Somerset County, MD

46 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 19.6% rated Good, 73.9% Fair, 6.5% Poor.

46
Public bridges
19.6%
Good condition
6.5%
Poor condition

The verdict

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

Somerset County posts a higher-than-median Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state across rated county bridge inventory.

19th
of 24 on Poor share
6.5%
Poor-condition share
46
public highway bridges
1975
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.

Somerset County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Somerset County ranks #19 of 24 Maryland counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 6.5%). Somerset County, Maryland contains 46 public highway bridges. Roughly 19.6% are rated “Good,” 73.9% “Fair,” and 6.5% “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

46

Public highway bridges in Somerset County

Good condition

19.6%

9 of 46 rated 7-9

Fair condition

73.9%

34 of 46 rated 5-6

Poor condition

6.5%

3 of 46 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#19 of 24

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

Condition distribution

Share of 46 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
19.6% (9)
Fair
73.9% (34)
Poor
6.5% (3)

Somerset County's Poor-condition bridges carry 246 vehicle crossings a day

That is 0.1% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 6.5% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 82 crossings a day against 2,102 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 46 of 46 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

37% of Somerset County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

17 of the 46 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 19.6% 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 57.3% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

MARUMSCO ROAD over MARUMSCO CREEK, built 1950, carries 141 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 246 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Somerset County's bridges were built

46 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1970s, when 11 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 23.9% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 45 to 54 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1975) matches the Maryland average (1972).

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

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

The 5 Maryland counties nearest Somerset County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 6.5% Poor share is the 5th-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1975 against a peer-group mean of 1971 is in line with the group.

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

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Somerset County and the 5 Maryland counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
St. Mary's County 50 4%
Dorchester County 47 10.6%
Somerset County (this page) 46 6.5%
Kent County 44 4.5%
Talbot County 42 2.4%
Calvert County 33 0%

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

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside MD (46 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside MD (1975 here).

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

All 46 Good 9 Fair 34 Poor 3

All bridges (46)

US 13 NB

Fair

Over: KINGS CREEK

0.18 MILE SOUTH OF MD 920, Somerset, MD

Built 1962 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 20,870

L.Q. POWELL ROAD

Fair

Over: EAST CREEK

0.5 MI W OF TULLS CORNER, Somerset, MD

Built 1975 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 210

OLD PRINCESS ANNE

Fair

Over: KINGS CREEK

2 MI S OF PRINCESS ANNE, Somerset, MD

Built 1950 Load: 27.7 t ADT: 648

US 13 NB

Fair

Over: JONES CREEK

0.38 MILE NORTH OF MD 920, Somerset, MD

Built 1934 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 20,870

SIGN POST ROAD

Fair

Over: BACK CREEK

1 MI N OF SAM BARNES ROAD, Somerset, MD

Built 1985 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 784

MD 675

Fair

Over: MANOKIN RIVER

0.08 MILE NORTH OF MD 918, Somerset, MD

Built 1921 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 7,131

STEWART NECK ROAD

Fair

Over: TAYLOR BRANCH

0.7 MI S OF PRINCESS ANNE, Somerset, MD

Built 1978 Load: 32.2 t ADT: 770

US 13 NB

Fair

Over: MANOKIN RIVER

0.05 MILE NORTH OF MD 363, Somerset, MD

Built 1958 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 22,370

FRENCHTOWN ROAD

Fair

Over: MINE CREEK

1.0 MI SE OF RUMBLEY, Somerset, MD

Built 1984 Load: 34.9 t ADT: 64

MD 413

Fair

Over: BIG ANNEMESSEX RIVER

2.59 MILES S OF MD 361, Somerset, MD

Built 1949 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 5,670

MD 363

Fair

Over: S BRANCH OF ROCK CREEK

0.21 M E OF EARL WEBST RD, Somerset, MD

Built 1977 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 2,245

US 13 NB

Fair

Over: BACK CREEK

0.19 MILE SOUTH OF MD 413, Somerset, MD

Built 1934 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 13,630

MD 363

Fair

Over: DAMES QUARTER CREEK

0.01 M E OF MESSICK ROAD, Somerset, MD

Built 1976 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 2,308

RUMBLEY ROAD

Fair

Over: TEAGUE CREEK

1.2 MI EAST OF MD 361, Somerset, MD

Built 1978 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 223

COVENTRY PARISH RO

Fair

Over: REHOBETH BRANCH

0.3 MI S OF REHOBETH ROAD, Somerset, MD

Built 1985 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 250

MILLARD LONG ROAD

Fair

Over: BACK CREEK

1 MI N OF MANOKIN ROAD, Somerset, MD

Built 1996 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 368

US 13 SB

Fair

Over: MANOKIN RIVER

0.05 MILE NORTH OF MD 363, Somerset, MD

Built 1964 Load: 40.4 t ADT: 22,370

MD 667

Fair

Over: REHOBETH BRANCH

4.96 MILES WEST OF US 13, Somerset, MD

Built 1976 Load: 40.4 t ADT: 2,999

US 13

Fair

Over: PASSERDYKE CREEK

ON WICOMICO CO LINE, Somerset, MD

Built 1900 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 27,695

MD 822

Fair

Over: LORETTO BRANCH

0.6 MILE EAST OF US 13, Somerset, MD

Built 2002 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 2,000

FRENCHTOWN ROAD

Fair

Over: GOOSE CREEK

1.2 MI SE OF RUMBLEY, Somerset, MD

Built 1983 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 64

MD 363

Fair

Over: E BRANCH OF ROCK CREEK

0.70 M W OF LONG POINT RD, Somerset, MD

Built 1976 Load: 41.3 t ADT: 2,245

MD 667

Fair

Over: MARUMSCO CREEK

0.47 M E OF LOVERS LANE, Somerset, MD

Built 1976 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 2,520

CATHELL ROAD

Fair

Over: PASSERDYKE CREEK

ON WICOMICO CO LINE, Somerset, MD

Built 1996 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 12

CASH CORNER ROAD

Fair

Over: JOHNSON CREEK

0.35 MILES EAST OF MD 667, Somerset, MD

Built 1998 Load: 45.8 t ADT: 356

WHITEHAVEN FERRY R

Fair

Over: WAUKIKI CREEK

1.36 MI W OF WIDGEON, Somerset, MD

Built 2002 Load: 48.1 t ADT: 404

HAINES POINT ROAD

Fair

Over: TRIB OF UPPER THOROFARE

AT HARRISON POINT ROAD, Somerset, MD

Built 1986 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 81

ARDEN STATION ROAD

Fair

Over: KINGS CREEK

0.3 MI S OF DUBLIN ROAD, Somerset, MD

Built 1982 Load: 50.8 t ADT: 327

US 13 SB

Fair

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN RR

0.40 MILE NORTH OF MD 364, Somerset, MD

Built 1965 Load: 54.4 t ADT: 16,470

US 13 NB

Fair

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN RR

0.40 MILE NORTH OF MD 364, Somerset, MD

Built 1957 Load: 62.1 t ADT: 16,470

MD 460

Fair

Over: LITTLE ANNEMESSEX RIVER

0.52 MILE WEST OF MD 413, Somerset, MD

Built 1966 Load: 62.1 t ADT: 4,071

MD 363

Fair

Over: UPPER THOROFARE

0.36 MILE E OF HOTEL RD, Somerset, MD

Built 1987 Load: 63.5 t ADT: 1,322

MD 363

Fair

Over: MANOKIN RIVER

0.06 MILE WEST OF US 13, Somerset, MD

Built 1974 Load: 85.3 t ADT: 3,722

US 13 SB

Fair

Over: KINGS CREEK

0.18 MILE SOUTH OF MD 920, Somerset, MD

Built 1962 Load: 97.2 t ADT: 10,500

BRYAN HALL ROAD

Good

Over: MARUMSCO CREEK

1.2 MI W OF CORNSTACK RD, Somerset, MD

Built 1978 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 140

US 13 SB

Good

Over: BACK CREEK

0.19 MILE SOUTH OF MD 413, Somerset, MD

Built 1964 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 13,630

ALLEN ROAD

Good

Over: SOMERSET CREEK

1.2 MILES NW OF US 13, Somerset, MD

Built 2002 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 609

STEWART NECK ROAD

Good

Over: KINGS CREEK

2.3 MI S OF PRINCESS ANNE, Somerset, MD

Built 2014 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 661

CALVARY ROAD

Good

Over: JENKINS CREEK

0.6 MI S OF CRISFIELD RD, Somerset, MD

Built 2008 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 307

MD 362

Good

Over: MONIE CREEK

3.31 MILES WEST OF US 13, Somerset, MD

Built 2009 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 1,622

RIVER ROAD

Good

Over: BIG ANNEMESSEX RIVER

1.5 MI N OF KINGSTON ROAD, Somerset, MD

Built 1988 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 484

BYRD ROAD

Good

Over: LITTLE ANNEMESSEX RIVER

0.2 MILES WEST OF MD 358, Somerset, MD

Built 1984 Load: 69.4 t ADT: 493

MD 364

Good

Over: DIVIDING CREEK

ON WORCESTER CO LINE, Somerset, MD

Built 2019 Load: 92.3 t ADT: 975

MARSH ROAD

Poor

Over: SHANKS CREEK

SMITH ISLAND, Somerset, MD

Built 1971 Load: 15.0 t ADT: 50

MARUMSCO ROAD

Poor

Over: MARUMSCO CREEK

1.5 MI WEST OF MARUMSCO, Somerset, MD

Built 1950 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 141

SMITH ISLAND ROAD

Poor

Over: SHANKS CREEK

0.5 MI N OF RHODES POINT, Somerset, MD

Built 1984 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 55

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.