RAILROAD AVENUE
Carrying RAILROAD AVENUE over WRIGLEY FORD CREEK
NORTH OF WELLER LANE, Santa Clara, California
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: RAILROAD AVENUE
The RAILROAD AVENUE bridge in Santa Clara, California carries RAILROAD AVENUE over WRIGLEY FORD CREEK. It was built in 1920, making it 106 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1986, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of concrete and spans 1 section, stretching 22.5 meters (74 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 10 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of California bridges. It is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 4/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. At least one major component here scores 4 or below, which produces a Poor condition classification under FHWA's current reporting rules. Its NBI inventory load rating is 16.8 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How RAILROAD AVENUE 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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1920
- Last Reconstructed
- 1986
- Material
- Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 22.5 m (74 ft)
- Deck Width
- 10.0 m (33 ft)
- Owner
- City/Municipal Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 10 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 37C0847
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.
- • At 5/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in poor condition (4/9), showing advanced deterioration that may require priority repair.
How to read this record
RAILROAD AVENUE 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 RAILROAD AVENUE against other structures in Santa Clara 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 RAILROAD AVENUE?
RAILROAD AVENUE in Santa Clara, California has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 4/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is RAILROAD AVENUE inspected?
RAILROAD AVENUE'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 10 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. RAILROAD AVENUE 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 RAILROAD AVENUE?
RAILROAD AVENUE has an NBI inventory load rating of 16.8 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining RAILROAD AVENUE?
RAILROAD AVENUE is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
How old is RAILROAD AVENUE and does age affect safety?
RAILROAD AVENUE was built in 1920, making it 106 years old and last reconstructed in 1986.
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.