N BIG TREES PRK RD
Carrying N BIG TREES PRK RD over SAN LORENZO RIVER
H COWELL ST PK, Santa Cruz, California
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: N BIG TREES PRK RD
The N BIG TREES PRK RD bridge in Santa Cruz, California carries N BIG TREES PRK RD over SAN LORENZO RIVER. It was built in 1931, making it 95 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete continuous and spans 3 sections, stretching 44.2 meters (145 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 500 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of California bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Park/Forest/Reservation.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 4/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. A component scored 4 or below, placing this bridge in the federal Poor condition category rather than declaring it unsafe or closed. Its NBI inventory load rating is 21.1 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How N BIG TREES PRK RD 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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1931
- Material
- Concrete Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 44.2 m (145 ft)
- Deck Width
- 11.0 m (36 ft)
- Owner
- State Park/Forest/Reservation
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 500 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 36P0013
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in poor condition (4/9), showing advanced deterioration that may require priority repair.
How to read this record
N BIG TREES PRK RD is in the federal Poor condition category. That is a component-based result, not a closure order.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Understand what Poor condition does and does not mean before drawing conclusions. Poor condition explained
- Compare N BIG TREES PRK RD against other structures in Santa Cruz 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 N BIG TREES PRK RD?
N BIG TREES PRK RD in Santa Cruz, California has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 4/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is N BIG TREES PRK RD inspected?
N BIG TREES PRK RD'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 500 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. N BIG TREES PRK RD is currently shown as Poor condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for N BIG TREES PRK RD?
N BIG TREES PRK RD has an NBI inventory load rating of 21.1 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining N BIG TREES PRK RD?
N BIG TREES PRK RD is owned and maintained by State Park/Forest/Reservation.
How old is N BIG TREES PRK RD and does age affect safety?
N BIG TREES PRK RD was built in 1931, making it 95 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.