Maryland Bridge Deficit Rose to 24 Structures
Business owners should expect potential transit and freight delays as infrastructure funding shifts.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Transportation
Live Poll
Should your state prioritize road and bridge maintenance over public transit funding?
The number of state-owned bridges rated as poor in Maryland increased to 24 in 2026, up from 20 at the start of 2025. This change follows a $190 million decrease in the system preservation program budget compared to plans from three years ago.
Why it matters
Operators face increased logistical risks and potential route disruptions as transportation officials prioritize transit spending over state highway maintenance. Declining infrastructure reliability is exacerbated by higher material costs and lower-than-anticipated revenue.
Maryland currently manages 24 state-owned bridges rated as poor out of a total network of 2,574 bridges, representing roughly 1% of the system. State Highway Administration funding fell by $43 million while capital funding for the Maryland Transit Administration increased by $174 million.
The players
State Highway Administration
The state agency responsible for managing highway infrastructure and allocating road maintenance funding.
Maryland Transit Administration
The state authority overseeing public transportation capital projects that received an additional $174 million in funding.
The details
The state allocates finite Transportation Trust Fund revenue across competing priorities including highways, public transit, and bridge maintenance. With the system preservation budget now at $685 million, officials are balancing road integrity against rising construction costs and inflation. While five bridges slipped into the poor category during 2025, only one was addressed, leaving logistics networks vulnerable to future load restrictions or maintenance closures.
Timeline
In 2005, Maryland reported 143 poor-rated bridges.
State infrastructure data for 2025 showed 20 poor-rated bridges.
The count of poor-rated bridges rose to 24 by 2026.
Six bridges are scheduled to be advertised for construction by 2027.
Market Landscape
The rise in poor-rated bridges reflects a strategic pivot in the use of the Transportation Trust Fund. This shift emphasizes public transit capital projects at the direct expense of long-term highway and bridge preservation.
Logistics managers should audit their local delivery routes for potential weight restrictions on state and municipal bridges. Operators should also review their 2027 project timelines, as current funding constraints may delay planned road upgrades.
The takeaway
The increasing number of poor-rated bridges serves as a signal to monitor regional infrastructure project advertisements. Business owners should maintain alternative route planning to account for potential maintenance closures as the state addresses the current backlog of 240 poor-rated bridges.
Further reading
For more on how infrastructure projects are moving through the state, see Transportation.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WBFF.
Live Poll
Should your state prioritize road and bridge maintenance over public transit funding?
