ROAD 21
Carrying ROAD 21 over COTTONWOOD CREEK
0.25 MI S AVE 9, Madera, California
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: ROAD 21
The ROAD 21 bridge in Madera, California carries ROAD 21 over COTTONWOOD CREEK. It was built in 1948, making it 78 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete continuous and spans 2 sections, stretching 6.7 meters (22 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 189 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of California bridges. It is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 5/9. 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 19.4 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How ROAD 21 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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1948
- Material
- Concrete Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 2
- Structure Length
- 6.7 m (22 ft)
- Deck Width
- 8.4 m (28 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 189 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 41C0114
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether ROAD 21 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 ROAD 21 against other structures in Madera 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 ROAD 21?
ROAD 21 in Madera, California has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 5/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is ROAD 21 inspected?
ROAD 21'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 189 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. ROAD 21 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 ROAD 21?
ROAD 21 has an NBI inventory load rating of 19.4 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining ROAD 21?
ROAD 21 is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is ROAD 21 and does age affect safety?
ROAD 21 was built in 1948, making it 78 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.