Md 496 over Bear Branch
Carroll County, Maryland · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- Md 496 over Bear Branch in Carroll County, Maryland, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the deck, rated 6 (satisfactory condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1931, making it 94 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 4,042 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2009).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 138 of the 205 inventoried bridges in Carroll County rated fair (67.3%); 10 (4.9%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is open, no restriction (NBI item 41).
- Its condition class and component ratings are unchanged from the 2024 inventory.
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated March 2024, on a 24-month routine inspection cycle.
- A fair rating means the lowest-rated major component scores 5 or 6 on FHWA's 0-9 scale: some deterioration or minor section loss, but the structure is sound. It is the middle class, not a warning.
View this bridge on a map → (39.63373, -76.98896)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Superstructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Substructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Concrete slab |
| Length | about 20 ft |
| Location | 0.76 Mile East of Md 97 |
| NBI structure number | 100000060040010 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | March 2024 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 5: foundations stable, scour within the limits of the footing or piles |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the Maryland department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Carroll County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Is 70 EB over Md 27 | 1974 | 65,550 | Fair |
| Is 70 WB over Md 27 | 1974 | 65,550 | Fair |
| Md 140 WB & Ramp B over Md 97 | 2006 | 47,060 | Good |
| Md 140 EB over Md 97 | 2006 | 47,060 | Good |
| Md 140 over Md Mid RR MD27 West Br | 2006 | 45,521 | Good |
| Md 32 over Piney Run | 1957 | 26,590 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Carroll County, MD bridge conditions · every bridge in Carroll County · Maryland bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.