A bridge walked into a bar. The bartender said, 'Why the long span?'
A bridge walked into a bar. The bartender said, 'Why the long span?'
Infrastructure Grade
Infrastructure Report Card
4.4% of bridges in poor condition
Total Bridges
5,500
Poor Condition
240(4.4%)
Avg Bridge Age
54 yrs
Trend
Stable
| Metric | Maryland | National Avg | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| % Poor Condition | 4.4% | 6.7% | Stable |
| vs. National Average | -2.3 pts | -- | -- |
| Average Bridge Age | 54 yrs | 48 yrs | -- |
| Good or Better | 2,082(37.9%) | -- | -- |
Grade Scale
Percentage of bridges in poor condition over time. The dashed line shows the national average for comparison.
Total Bridges
5,500
Poor Condition
240(4.4%)
Average Age
54 yrs
Daily Crossings
116.9M
Good or Better
2,082(37.9%)
These bridges have at least one major component rated "5" (Fair) — one step above the poor threshold. Sorted by daily traffic to highlight highest-impact structures at risk.
| Bridge | Location | Deck | Super | Sub | Daily Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IS 495 | Montgomery County | 5 | 5 | 6 | 242,821 |
| IS 495 | Montgomery County | 5 | 6 | 6 | 239,310 |
| IS 495 | Montgomery County | 5 | 6 | 6 | 239,310 |
| IS 495 | Montgomery County | 6 | 5 | 5 | 239,022 |
| IS 495 | Montgomery County | 6 | 5 | 5 | 238,050 |
| IS 495 | Montgomery County | 7 | 5 | 6 | 232,010 |
| I-495 I.L. | Prince George's County | 5 | 6 | 5 | 226,100 |
| IS 95 OL | Prince George's County | 5 | 6 | 6 | 220,640 |
| IS 95 IL | Prince George's County | 5 | 6 | 6 | 220,640 |
| IS 495 | Montgomery County | 6 | 5 | 6 | 212,410 |
| IS 695 | Baltimore County | 7 | 5 | 6 | 205,485 |
| IS 95 IL | Prince George's County | 5 | 5 | 6 | 204,147 |
| IS 95/495 | Prince George's County | 6 | 5 | 6 | 204,147 |
| IS 95 OL | Prince George's County | 5 | 5 | 5 | 204,147 |
| IS 95/495 | Prince George's County | 6 | 5 | 6 | 204,147 |
The 10 bridges in poorest condition, ranked by lowest sufficiency rating.
over HUNTING CREEK
over CSX RAILROAD
over CSXT RAILROAD
over OLD MILL STREAM BRANCH
over ROCK RUN
over PATUXENT RIVER
over CSXT RAILROAD
over CSXT RR & WMATA METRO
over BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON PAR
over BEAR CREEK
States with similar infrastructure profiles, ranked by percentage of bridges in poor condition.
Grading: Grades are based on the percentage of bridges classified as "poor condition." A bridge is in poor condition when at least one major component (deck, superstructure, or substructure) is rated 4 or below on the NBI 0-9 scale.
Data Source: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Data is updated annually. BridgeStats is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FHWA.
Watchlist Criteria: Bridges with any component rated "5" (Fair) are one step from the poor threshold of 4 and are flagged for monitoring. These bridges are not yet in poor condition but may deteriorate without maintenance.