N. COAST HIGHWAY
Carrying N. COAST HIGHWAY over SAN LUIS REY RIVER
0.22M S/O HARBOR DR, San Diego, California
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: N. COAST HIGHWAY
The N. COAST HIGHWAY bridge in San Diego, California carries N. COAST HIGHWAY over SAN LUIS REY RIVER. It was built in 1929, making it 97 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1969, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 3 sections, stretching 289.6 meters (950 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 12,000 vehicles, placing it in the heavily-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 5/9, superstructure at 4/9, substructure at 7/9. 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 15.6 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How N. COAST HIGHWAY 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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1929
- Last Reconstructed
- 1969
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 289.6 m (950 ft)
- Deck Width
- 14.9 m (49 ft)
- Owner
- City/Municipal Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 12,000 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 57C0322
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 4/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in poor shape, with advanced wear flagged for priority repair.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
How to read this record
N. COAST HIGHWAY 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. COAST HIGHWAY against other structures in San Diego 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. COAST HIGHWAY?
N. COAST HIGHWAY in San Diego, California has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 4/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is N. COAST HIGHWAY inspected?
N. COAST HIGHWAY'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 12,000 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. N. COAST HIGHWAY 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. COAST HIGHWAY?
N. COAST HIGHWAY has an NBI inventory load rating of 15.6 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining N. COAST HIGHWAY?
N. COAST HIGHWAY is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
How old is N. COAST HIGHWAY and does age affect safety?
N. COAST HIGHWAY was built in 1929, making it 97 years old and last reconstructed in 1969.
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.