Md 281 over Big Elk Creek
Cecil County, Maryland · rated Good in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- Md 281 over Big Elk Creek in Cecil County, Maryland, is rated in good condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the deck, rated 7 (good condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1960 and reconstructed in 1992, making it 65 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 6,681 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2009).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 62 of the 193 inventoried bridges in Cecil County rated good (32.1%); 6 (3.1%) 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 May 2023, on a 24-month routine inspection cycle.
- A good rating means every major component - deck, superstructure, substructure, or culvert - is rated 7 or higher on FHWA's 0-9 scale: no more than minor problems.
View this bridge on a map → (39.61207, -75.81674)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
| Superstructure | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
| Substructure | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Continuous steel stringer or multi-beam girder |
| Length | about 216 ft |
| Location | 0.39 Mile East of Md 7D |
| NBI structure number | 100000070060010 |
| Condition class | Good |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | May 2023 |
| 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 Cecil County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-95 over Mill Creek | 1963 | 89,058 | Fair |
| I-95 over Stream | 1963 | 89,058 | Fair |
| I-95 over Principio Creek | 1963 | 83,628 | Fair |
| I-95 over Md 824 | 1964 | 80,402 | Fair |
| I-95 over Northeast Creek | 1963 | 78,625 | Fair |
| I-95 over Little Northeast Creek | 1963 | 78,625 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Cecil County, MD bridge conditions · every bridge in Cecil County · Maryland bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.