State profile · Below median Poor share

Maryland bridge safety

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, condition ratings, load ratings, and Poor-condition shares for every public highway bridge in Maryland.

5,484
Public bridges
32.3%
Good condition
4.6%
Poor condition

Maryland holds 5,484 public highway bridges (#34 of 52 by inventory) with a 4.56% Poor share (#38 of 52 by Poor share).

That is 4.6% of the state's inventory, against an average of 7.5% across the 54 states and territories with Poor-rated bridges on file, which places it 15 of 54 ordered from the lowest Poor share upward. A bridge is rated Poor when its weakest applicable component scores 4 or below on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, so the category is a maintenance and funding signal rather than a closure order or a live crossing-safety verdict.

Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026

Total Bridges

5,484

Public highway bridges in Maryland

Good Condition

32.3%

1,771 bridges rated 7-9

-17.7pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

4.6%

250 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

-3.0pp vs national avg 7.5%

Maryland vs national bridge condition

Maryland - Good condition share 32.3%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

Maryland - Poor-condition share 15.2%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.5%.

Maryland in the national condition pattern

Each point is a state or territory in the FHWA NBI; the highlighted point is this profile.

Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Maryland has 5,484 bridges and a 4.6% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #15 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold. Scatter plot of 54 data points. 0%10%20%30%40% 0k20k40k60k Public bridges in inventory (thousands) Poor-condition share (%) MD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.56%AL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.35%AK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.89%AZ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.15%AR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.43%CA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 25.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.91%CO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.82%CT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.72%DE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.26%DC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.95%FL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.79%GA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.59%GU, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.77%HI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.53%ID, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.9%IL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.35%IN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.22%IA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 19.16%KS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.26%KY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.37%LA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 12.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.48%ME, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.41%MA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.88%MI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 11.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.27%MN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.44%MS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.03%MO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.95%MT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.81%NE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.9%NV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.14%NH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.51%NJ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 6.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.01%NM, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.51%NY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 17.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.43%NC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.76%ND, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 10.98%OH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.74%OK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 22.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.7%OR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.61%PA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.58%PR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 13.92%RI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.2%SC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.17%SD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 16.36%TN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 20.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.41%TX, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 56.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.23%UT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.91%VT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.9%VI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 29.17%VA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.39%WA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.45%WV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 7.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 18.64%WI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.52%WY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.51%
Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Maryland has 5,484 bridges and a 4.6% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #15 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold.

Maryland vs all states by public bridge inventory

Where this state's FHWA NBI public-highway bridge count sits among every state and territory on PlainBridges

5,484 34th of 54 higher than 20 of 54 states

States and territories, banded by public bridge inventory size

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. 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 · 2024

Read the rank neighborhood for Maryland

The highlighted point is Maryland: 5,484 bridges and 4.56% in Poor condition, rank #15 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below Maryland on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • Minnesota: 13,532 bridges · 4.44% Poor
  • New Mexico: 4,035 bridges · 4.51% Poor
  • Maryland: 5,484 bridges · 4.56% Poor
  • Oregon: 8,305 bridges · 4.61% Poor
  • Connecticut: 4,365 bridges · 4.72% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in Maryland

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 5,484 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains Maryland’s inventory

State agency holds 53.4% of the 5,484 public highway bridges filed under Maryland in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When Maryland’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 15.9% of the 5,484 bridges with a recorded original year in Maryland. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

Maryland32.3%63.1%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - Maryland (FHWA NBI)

Maryland vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states by Poor-condition share (lower share = better)

States are ranked by the share of bridges whose lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below. This describes recorded condition; it does not measure funding effectiveness or live crossing safety. States here sit immediately above and below Maryland on the same metric.

MN

Minnesota

4.44% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$13,532

NM

New Mexico

4.51% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$4,035
Selected

MD

Maryland

4.56% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$5,484

OR

Oregon

4.61% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$8,305

CT

Connecticut

4.72% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$4,365

Bridges Needing Most Attention in Maryland

Six lowest-condition bridges in Maryland, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

All Bridges in Maryland

FAYETTE STREET

Poor

Over: CSXT RAILROAD

.08 MI W OF CUMBERLAND ST, Allegany, MD

Built 1885 Load: 12.2 t ADT: 109

TIBER ALLEY

Poor

Over: TIBER RIVER

0.01 MI S MAIN STREET, Howard, MD

Built 1935 Load: 12.2 t ADT: 45

LOST LAND RUN ROAD

Poor

Over: TRIBUTARY OF LOST LAND R

POTOMAC GARRETT ST FOREST, Garrett, MD

Built 1920 Load: 12.2 t ADT: 5

GREEN SPRING ROAD

Poor

Over: NORTH BRANCH OF POTOMAC

0.3 MI S OF MD RTE 51, Allegany, MD

Built 1937 Load: 12.7 t ADT: 880

SMITHVILLE ROAD

Poor

Over: SULLIVAN BRANCH

2.3 MI NE OF FEDERALSBURG, Caroline, MD

Built 1946 Load: 12.7 t ADT: 545

NOBLES MILL ROAD

Poor

Over: DEER CREEK

0.8 MI E MAIN ST, Harford, MD

Built 1883 Load: 12.7 t ADT: 70

DAISY ROAD

Poor

Over: LITTLE CATTAIL CREEK

0.3 MI N JENNINGS CHAPEL, Howard, MD

Built 1935 Load: 12.7 t ADT: 1,525

APPLETOWN ROAD

Poor

Over: TRIBUTARY OF DOG CREEK

0.05 MI E OF MD RTE 67, Washington, MD

Built 1920 Load: 12.7 t ADT: 172

RUSSELL ROAD

Poor

Over: BASIN RUN

0.24 MI W OF COLORA RD, Cecil, MD

Built 1930 Load: 13.2 t ADT: 94

DOGWOOD ROAD

Poor

Over: DOGWOOD RUN

200 SW OF HOLLIFIELD RD, Baltimore, MD

Built 1929 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 3,062

GARRETT PARK ROAD

Poor

Over: ROCK CREEK

100 FT W OF BEACH DRIVE, Montgomery, MD

Built 1965 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 3,554

YARROWSBURG ROAD

Poor

Over: ISRAEL CREEK

0.3 MI W OF MD RTE 67, Washington, MD

Built 1940 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 687

PINEY GROVE ROAD

Poor

Over: CSX RAILROAD

0.1 MI SE OF OLD HANOVER, Baltimore, MD

Built 1907 Load: 14.1 t ADT: 551

BUFFALO RUN ROAD

Poor

Over: BUFFALO RUN

0.2 MI NE OF MD RTE 42, Garrett, MD

Built 1989 Load: 14.1 t ADT: 48

OLD LANDOVER ROAD

Poor

Over: BEAVERDAM CREEK

0.14 MI N OF MD 202, Prince George's, MD

Built 1966 Load: 14.1 t ADT: 163

JACOBS ROAD

Poor

Over: MAPLE RUN

5.61 MI. S. OF I-68, Allegany, MD

Built 1978 Load: 15.0 t ADT: 22

HOOKERS MILL ROAD

Poor

Over: BYNUM RUN

0.8 MILES W OF MD 136, Harford, MD

Built 1957 Load: 15.0 t ADT: 3,986

MARSH ROAD

Poor

Over: SHANKS CREEK

SMITH ISLAND, Somerset, MD

Built 1971 Load: 15.0 t ADT: 50

CORNFIELD HARBOR D

Poor

Over: POINT LOOKOUT CREEK

1 Mile South of SR 5, St. Mary's, MD

Built 1970 Load: 15.0 t ADT: 150

WILDWOOD AVENUE

Poor

Over: TRIBUTARY TO HERRING RUN

0.12 MI E OF OAKLEIGH AVE, Baltimore, MD

Built 1960 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 200

MARUMSCO ROAD

Poor

Over: MARUMSCO CREEK

1.5 MI WEST OF MARUMSCO, Somerset, MD

Built 1950 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 141

FAIRVIEW AVENUE

Poor

Over: CARROLL CREEK

0.2 MI SOUTH OF US 15, Frederick, MD

Built 1963 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 2,674

ABINGDON ROAD

Poor

Over: CSX RAILROAD

0.1 MILES N OF US 40, Harford, MD

Built 1940 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 9,272

WARREN ROAD

Poor

Over: GUNPOWDER FALLS

2.3 MI E YORK RD, Baltimore city, MD

Built 1923 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 6,234

FLEMING MILL ROAD

Poor

Over: DIVIDING CREEK

WOR-SOMER CO LINE, Worcester, MD

Built 1974 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 90

MANTUA MILL ROAD

Poor

Over: DEADMAN RUN

0.7 MI N OF TUFTON AVE, Baltimore, MD

Built 1930 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 388

MCKINSTRYS MILL RD

Poor

Over: SAMS CREEK

ON FREDERICK CO LINE, Carroll, MD

Built 1972 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 119

BESTPITCH FERRY RD

Poor

Over: TRANSQUAKING RIVER

0.1 MI W OF GRIF NECK RD, Dorchester, MD

Built 1946 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 93

GREGG ROAD

Poor

Over: GAREY MILL POND BRANCH

2.5 MILES NORTH OF MD 317, Caroline, MD

Built 1950 Load: 17.7 t ADT: 40

ALAN FIKE ROAD

Poor

Over: MILL RUN

0.02 MI S MILL RUN ROAD, Garrett, MD

Built 1935 Load: 17.7 t ADT: 11

OLD KAYS MILL ROAD

Poor

Over: BEAVER RUN

AT HUGHES ROAD, Carroll, MD

Built 1974 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 209

MOUTH OF MONOCACY

Poor

Over: LITTLE MONOCACY RIVER

0.5 MI E OF MT EPHRAM RD, Montgomery, MD

Built 1971 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 79

VALLEYWOOD DRIVE

Poor

Over: JOSEPHS BRANCH

0.5 MI. EAST OF ROUTE 185, Montgomery, MD

Built 1960 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 706

HOTEL ROAD

Poor

Over: CAREY BRANCH

0.13 MI N OF HAMMOND ROAD, Worcester, MD

Built 1989 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 110

BLOOMERY ROAD

Poor

Over: MARSHYHOPE CREEK

1.19 MILES SW OF DELAWARE, Caroline, MD

Built 1951 Load: 18.6 t ADT: 540

BUFFALO RUN ROAD

Poor

Over: BUFFALO RUN

0.37 MI NE OF MD RTE 42, Garrett, MD

Built 1989 Load: 18.6 t ADT: 44

LITTLE ORLEANS ACC

Poor

Over: C&O CANAL

Little Orleans Campground, Allegany, MD

Built 1969 Load: 18.6 t ADT: 72

DARGAN BEND ACCESS

Poor

Over: C&O CANAL

Harpers Ferry Road to Bac, Washington, MD

Built 1969 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 159

OLD MILL ROAD

Poor

Over: MARYLAND MIDLAND RAILROA

1000 FEET SOUTH OF MD 77, Frederick, MD

Built 1975 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 97

TUNIS MILLS ROAD

Poor

Over: LEEDS CREEK

6 MI NW OF EASTON, Talbot, MD

Built 1963 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 820

ERICSSON ROAD

Poor

Over: CLARA BARTON PARKWAY

1.3 MILES SOUTH OF I-495., Montgomery, MD

Built 1962 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 16,120

LONG SWAMP ROAD

Poor

Over: SULLIVAN BRANCH

1.3 MI SE OF AGNER, Caroline, MD

Built 1953 Load: 19.5 t ADT: 106

PUTTY HILL AVENUE

Poor

Over: IS 695

@ IS 695, Baltimore, MD

Built 1961 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 12,400

HARRIS MILL ROAD

Poor

Over: LITTLE DEER CREEK

0.12 MI E OF LENTZ RD, Baltimore, MD

Built 1920 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 734

HURLEY AVENUE

Poor

Over: WATTS BRANCH TRIBUTARY

0.1 MI S OF JCT SR 28, Montgomery, MD

Built 1969 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 5,724

HALFWAY BOULEVARD

Poor

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILROA

0.64 MI E OF IS 81, Washington, MD

Built 1967 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 21,909

TWILLEYS BRIDGE RD

Poor

Over: NASSAWANGO CREEK

3 MI S OF MD RTE 350, Wicomico, MD

Built 1951 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 59

SNYDERS LANDING AC

Poor

Over: C&O CANAL

2.0 miles west of Sharpsb, Washington, MD

Built 1969 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 212

TAYLORS LANDING AC

Poor

Over: C&O CANAL

0.1 miles from Taylors La, Washington, MD

Built 1969 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 530

FREDERICK ROAD

Poor

Over: HUNTING CREEK

0.2 MI SW OF MD 77, Frederick, MD

Built 1928 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 1,163

Showing 5,251-5,300 of 5,484 bridges

Data sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI), latest released cycle. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Poor condition is an inspection-record category, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult the bridge owner for current status.

What to do with this

Use Maryland's inventory picture to drill to a county or a specific span.

  • Browse counties in Maryland and open the highest-Poor shares first. County list
  • See where this state sits among peers on Poor-condition share. State rankings
  • Compare this state with another jurisdiction on the same measures. State compare

NBI condition ratings are inventory snapshots, not live crossing-safety verdicts.

Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Maryland Good/Fair/Poor shares and county rollups on this page are computed from the same NBI extract as the national boards; 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.