Watersville Road over Hay Meadow Branch
Howard County, Maryland · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- Watersville Road over Hay Meadow Branch in Howard County, Maryland, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the superstructure, rated 5 (fair condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1935 and reconstructed in 1991, making it 90 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 539 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2000).
- Its listed owner is the county highway agency.
- It is one of 193 of the 312 inventoried bridges in Howard County rated fair (61.9%); 16 (5.1%) 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 April 2023, 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 → (39.35964, -77.09707)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
| Superstructure | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
| Substructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Steel stringer or multi-beam girder |
| Length | about 24 ft |
| Location | 1 Mi N Old Frederick Rd |
| NBI structure number | 200000HO0043010 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | April 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 Howard County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Is 95 NB over Md 103 | 1968 | 193,331 | Fair |
| Is 95 SB over Md 103 | 1968 | 193,331 | Fair |
| Is 95 & Ramps 2 & over Hammond Branch | 1968 | 192,401 | Fair |
| Is 95 NB over CSX Transportation | 1970 | 187,920 | Fair |
| Is 95 SB over CSX Transportation | 1970 | 187,920 | Fair |
| Is 95 NB over Guilford Road | 1970 | 187,920 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Howard County, MD bridge conditions · every bridge in Howard County · Maryland bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.