HILLS FERRY ROAD
Carrying HILLS FERRY ROAD over SAN JOAQUIN RIVER
STANISLAUS COUNTY LINE, Merced, California
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: HILLS FERRY ROAD
The HILLS FERRY ROAD bridge in Merced, California carries HILLS FERRY ROAD over SAN JOAQUIN RIVER. It was built in 1961, making it 65 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete continuous and spans 5 sections, stretching 197.2 meters (647 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 4,660 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of California bridges. It is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. No reported major component scores in the Poor range under the current federal condition thresholds. Its NBI inventory load rating is 22.0 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How HILLS FERRY 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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1961
- Material
- Concrete Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 5
- Structure Length
- 197.2 m (647 ft)
- Deck Width
- 9.9 m (32 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 4,660 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 39C0001
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 fair at 5/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether HILLS FERRY 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 HILLS FERRY ROAD against other structures in Merced 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 HILLS FERRY ROAD?
HILLS FERRY ROAD in Merced, California has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is HILLS FERRY ROAD inspected?
HILLS FERRY 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 4,660 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. HILLS FERRY 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 HILLS FERRY ROAD?
HILLS FERRY ROAD has an NBI inventory load rating of 22.0 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining HILLS FERRY ROAD?
HILLS FERRY ROAD is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is HILLS FERRY ROAD and does age affect safety?
HILLS FERRY ROAD was built in 1961, making it 65 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.