RAILROAD AVENUE
Carrying RAILROAD AVENUE over BRADLEY CHANNEL
AT CANAL STREET, Santa Barbara, California
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: RAILROAD AVENUE
The RAILROAD AVENUE bridge in Santa Barbara, California carries RAILROAD AVENUE over BRADLEY CHANNEL. It was built in 1991, making it 35 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete and spans 1 section, stretching 13.8 meters (45 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 4,600 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of California bridges. It is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in good condition. None of this bridge's reported major components fall into the Poor condition range. Its NBI inventory load rating is 32.4 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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1991
- Material
- Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 13.8 m (45 ft)
- Deck Width
- 15.9 m (52 ft)
- Owner
- City/Municipal Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 4,600 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 51C0334
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) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether RAILROAD AVENUE 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 RAILROAD AVENUE against other structures in Santa Barbara 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 Barbara, California has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 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 4,600 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 Good 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 32.4 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 1991, making it 35 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.