WARD ROAD
Carrying WARD ROAD over CHOLLAS CREEK
BETWEEN GATES #2 AND #3, San Diego, California
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: WARD ROAD
The WARD ROAD bridge in San Diego, California carries WARD ROAD over CHOLLAS CREEK. It was built in 1971, making it 55 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete continuous and spans 15 sections, stretching 59.6 meters (196 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 3,300 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of California bridges. It is owned and maintained by Army.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 6/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. None of this bridge's reported major components fall into the Poor condition range. Its NBI inventory load rating is 37.2 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How WARD ROAD compares
Live comparison across California.
Historical Sufficiency Rating
PlainBridge-computedFHWA discontinued this calculated item; it does not determine current condition, funding eligibility, posting, or closure. How the historical reference is calculated.
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1971
- Material
- Concrete Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 15
- Structure Length
- 59.6 m (196 ft)
- Deck Width
- 14.3 m (47 ft)
- Owner
- Army
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 3,300 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 1CA0482
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • At 6/9, the deck (driving surface) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • At 7/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in fair condition (6/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether WARD ROAD is safe to cross today. Here is how to use it.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Learn how the 0–9 condition scale and Good/Fair/Poor categories are defined. How condition ratings work
- Compare WARD ROAD against other structures in San Diego and across California. California bridges
- Noticed visible damage or a safety concern? Report it to the agency that owns the bridge, or call 911 in an emergency. How to report a bridge
Condition codes come straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory and are not a real-time safety judgment. Only the owning agency, a state DOT, county, or other owner, can post, restrict, or close a bridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the condition ratings mean for WARD ROAD?
WARD ROAD in San Diego, California has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is WARD ROAD inspected?
WARD ROAD's responsible agency sets its routine interval under FHWA's risk-based inspection rules; this page does not expose the scheduled interval. It carries about 3,300 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. WARD ROAD is currently shown as Fair condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for WARD ROAD?
WARD ROAD has an NBI inventory load rating of 37.2 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining WARD ROAD?
WARD ROAD is owned and maintained by Army.
How old is WARD ROAD and does age affect safety?
WARD ROAD was built in 1971, making it 55 years old.
Disclaimer: Bridge condition data is from the FHWA NBI and reflects the last reported inspection. A Poor condition rating is not a live declaration that a bridge is closed or unsafe for travel. For current closure, posting, or safety information, contact the responsible transportation agency.
Every figure on PlainBridge is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.