State profile · Below median Poor share

California bridge safety

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, condition ratings, load ratings, and Poor-condition shares for every public highway bridge in California.

25,848
Public bridges
45.6%
Good condition
5.9%
Poor condition

California holds 25,848 public highway bridges (#4 of 52 by inventory) with a 5.91% Poor share (#28 of 52 by Poor share).

That is 5.9% of the state's inventory, against an average of 7.5% across the 54 states and territories with Poor-rated bridges on file, which places it 25 of 54 ordered from the lowest Poor share upward. A bridge is rated Poor when its weakest applicable component scores 4 or below on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, so the category is a maintenance and funding signal rather than a closure order or a live crossing-safety verdict.

Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026

Total Bridges

25,848

Public highway bridges in California

Good Condition

45.6%

11,798 bridges rated 7-9

-4.4pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

5.9%

1,527 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

-1.6pp vs national avg 7.5%

California vs national bridge condition

California - Good condition share 45.6%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

California - Poor-condition share 19.7%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.5%.

California in the national condition pattern

Each point is a state or territory in the FHWA NBI; the highlighted point is this profile.

Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: California has 25,848 bridges and a 5.9% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #25 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold. Scatter plot of 54 data points. 0%10%20%30%40% 0k20k40k60k Public bridges in inventory (thousands) Poor-condition share (%) CA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 25.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.91%AL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.35%AK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.89%AZ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.15%AR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.43%CO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.82%CT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.72%DE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.26%DC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.95%FL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.79%GA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.59%GU, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.77%HI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.53%ID, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.9%IL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.35%IN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.22%IA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 19.16%KS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.26%KY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.37%LA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 12.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.48%ME, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.41%MD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.56%MA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.88%MI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 11.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.27%MN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.44%MS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.03%MO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.95%MT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.81%NE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.9%NV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.14%NH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.51%NJ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 6.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.01%NM, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.51%NY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 17.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.43%NC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.76%ND, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 10.98%OH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.74%OK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 22.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.7%OR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.61%PA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.58%PR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 13.92%RI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.2%SC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.17%SD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 16.36%TN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 20.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.41%TX, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 56.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.23%UT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.91%VT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.9%VI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 29.17%VA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.39%WA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.45%WV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 7.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 18.64%WI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.52%WY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.51%
Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: California has 25,848 bridges and a 5.9% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #25 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold.

California vs all states by public bridge inventory

Where this state's FHWA NBI public-highway bridge count sits among every state and territory on PlainBridges

25,848 4th of 54 higher than 50 of 54 states

States and territories, banded by public bridge inventory size

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · 2024

Read the rank neighborhood for California

The highlighted point is California: 25,848 bridges and 5.91% in Poor condition, rank #25 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below California on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • Arkansas: 12,974 bridges · 5.43% Poor
  • Washington: 8,474 bridges · 5.45% Poor
  • California: 25,848 bridges · 5.91% Poor
  • New Jersey: 6,827 bridges · 6.01% Poor
  • Mississippi: 16,739 bridges · 6.03% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in California

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 25,848 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains California’s inventory

State agency holds 48.8% of the 25,848 public highway bridges filed under California in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When California’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 15.5% of the 25,848 bridges with a recorded original year in California. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

California45.6%48.4%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - California (FHWA NBI)

Counties (58)

Alameda 658 Alpine 32 Amador 61 Butte 437 Calaveras 105 Colusa 211 Contra Costa 618 Del Norte 96 El Dorado 192 Fresno 916 Glenn 242 Humboldt 396 Imperial 444 Inyo 66 Kern 668 Kings 168 Lake 129 Lassen 108 Los Angeles 3547 Madera 247 Marin 207 Mariposa 109 Mendocino 357 Merced 528 Modoc 87 Mono 49 Monterey 377 Napa 158 Nevada 135 Orange 1164 Placer 337 Plumas 165 Riverside 1117 Sacramento 740 San Benito 76 San Bernardino 1422 San Diego 1632 San Francisco 143 San Joaquin 644 San Luis Obispo 401 San Mateo 361 Santa Barbara 418 Santa Clara 964 Santa Cruz 192 Shasta 492 Sierra 65 Siskiyou 421 Solano 373 Sonoma 609 Stanislaus 386 Sutter 121 Tehama 450 Trinity 194 Tulare 589 Tuolumne 125 Ventura 501 Yolo 271 Yuba 127

California vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states by Poor-condition share (lower share = better)

States are ranked by the share of bridges whose lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below. This describes recorded condition; it does not measure funding effectiveness or live crossing safety. States here sit immediately above and below California on the same metric.

AR

Arkansas

5.43% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$12,974

WA

Washington

5.45% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$8,474
Selected

CA

California

5.91% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$25,848

NJ

New Jersey

6.01% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$6,827

MS

Mississippi

6.03% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$16,739

Bridges Needing Most Attention in California

Six lowest-condition bridges in California, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

OLD COTTONWOOD CR

Poor

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

0.2 MI E/O COTTONWOOD CK, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1957 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 10

STATE ROUTE 211

Poor

Over: EEL RIVER

01-HUM-211-78.10, Humboldt, CA

Built 1911 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 5,300

CR 305 (MAPES RD)

Poor

Over: HARTSON SLOUGH

0.4 MI E/O RD 303, Lassen, CA

Built 1978 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 100

CR 111 (PITTVILLE)

Poor

Over: BEAVER CREEK

1.0 MI S OF CR 404, Lassen, CA

Built 1975 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 100

RD 424 (BASSETT)

Poor

Over: WILLOW CREEK

1.5 MI N OF RD A-2, Lassen, CA

Built 1960 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 120

CR417 (PUNKIN CTR)

Poor

Over: MUDDY SLOUGH NO 1

2.8 MI S OF CR A2, Lassen, CA

Built 1955 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 200

All Bridges in California

GOLD LAKE ROAD

Fair

Over: HOWARD CREEK

JUST NORTH OF SR 49, Sierra, CA

Built 2008 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 830

STATE ROUTE 20

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK CACHE CREEK

01-LAK-020-37.07, Lake, CA

Built 1989 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 6,300

STATE ROUTE 29

Fair

Over: ROBINSON CREEK

01-LAK-029-50.82, Lake, CA

Built 1947 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 5,700

STATE ROUTE 20

Fair

Over: POLK JONES CATTLEPASS

01-LAK-020-9.41, Lake, CA

Built 1955 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 8,000

STATE ROUTE 29

Fair

Over: SCOTTS CREEK

01-LAK-029-52.11, Lake, CA

Built 1989 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 5,700

STATE ROUTE 29

Fair

Over: SEIGLER CREEK

01-LAK-029-20.37, Lake, CA

Built 1991 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 10,600

STATE ROUTE 29

Fair

Over: COLE CREEK

01-LAK-029-32.91, Lake, CA

Built 1959 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 10,350

SR 53

Fair

Over: CACHE CREEK

01-LAK-053-1.10, Lake, CA

Built 1997 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 8,500

STATE ROUTE 20

Fair

Over: PHIPPS CREEK

01-LAK-020-36.08, Lake, CA

Built 1993 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 6,300

LAKE ST

Fair

Over: CACHE CREEK

0.03 MI S/O DAM ROAD, Lake, CA

Built 1987 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,700

BIG VALLEY RD

Fair

Over: MCGOUGH SLOUGH

JUST SE ARGONAUT RD, Lake, CA

Built 1963 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,116

BIG VALLEY RD

Fair

Over: HILL CREEK

0.2 MI WEST OF FINLEY, Lake, CA

Built 1963 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,038

BURNS VALLEY RD

Fair

Over: BURNS VALLEY CREEK

NEAR CLEARLAKE HIGHLANDS, Lake, CA

Built 1990 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,200

JESSIE ST

Fair

Over: SEIGLER CANYON CREEK

0.1 MI E OF SR 53, Lake, CA

Built 1987 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 300

MERRITT ROAD

Fair

Over: KELSEY CREEK

500 FT E/O BIG VALLEY RD, Lake, CA

Built 2008 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,870

STATE ROUTE 45

Fair

Over: WILKINS SLOUGH

03-COL-045-6.85, Colusa, CA

Built 1992 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,000

INTERSTATE 5

Fair

Over: FARM LAND DRAIN

03-COL-005-R1.14, Colusa, CA

Built 1968 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 30,000

STATE ROUTE 20

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

03-COL-020-3.28, Colusa, CA

Built 2009 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 5,400

FRESHWATER ROAD

Fair

Over: FRESHWATER CREEK

AT SCHAAD RD, Colusa, CA

Built 1968 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 252

GRIDLEY ROAD

Fair

Over: ANGEL SLOUGH

1.7 MI E BUTLER RD, Colusa, CA

Built 1973 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 541

LODOGA-SITES RD

Fair

Over: STONE CORRAL CREEK

9.6 MI WEST OF I-5, Colusa, CA

Built 1991 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 342

SITES-LODOGA ROAD

Fair

Over: HOWARD CREEK

15 MI WEST OF I-5, Colusa, CA

Built 1995 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 303

SAN JOSE ROAD

Fair

Over: LURLINE CREEK

0.5 MI N LURLINE RD, Colusa, CA

Built 1972 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 46

FOUR MILE ROAD

Fair

Over: STONE CORRAL CREEK

1.2 MI N MAXWELL RD, Colusa, CA

Built 1988 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 32

SAN JOSE ROAD

Fair

Over: FRESHWATER CREEK

0.6 MI NORTH OF SR 20, Colusa, CA

Built 1960 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 71

WILBUR SPRINGS RD

Fair

Over: SULPHUR CREEK

1 MI W/O BEAR VALLEY ROAD, Colusa, CA

Built 2001 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 20

GIBSON ROAD

Fair

Over: LURLINE CREEK

0.3 MI S/O LURLINE ROAD, Colusa, CA

Built 2001 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 33

FAIRVIEW ROAD

Fair

Over: GLENN-COLUSA CANAL

AT DANLEY ROAD, Colusa, CA

Built 2004 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 324

MCDERMOTT ROAD

Fair

Over: FUNKS CREEK

0.4 MI S LENAHAN RD, Colusa, CA

Built 2006 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 271

OHM RD

Fair

Over: SALT CREEK

0.5 MI SOUTH OF HAHN RD., Colusa, CA

Built 2006 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 105

STATE ROUTE 20

Fair

Over: YUBA RIVER TIMBUCTOO PL

03-YUB-020-R17.73, Yuba, CA

Built 1993 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,800

STATE ROUTE 70 EB

Fair

Over: UP RR BNSF RY PLUMAS-AR

03-YUB-070-R3.92, Yuba, CA

Built 2004 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 8,000

ERLE ROAD

Fair

Over: STATE ROUTE 70

03-YUB-070-R10.16, Yuba, CA

Built 1980 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,000

STATE ROUTE 20

Fair

Over: SMARTSVILLE FARM CANAL

03-YUB-020-R20.92, Yuba, CA

Built 2019 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 8,421

LOMA RICA RD

Fair

Over: JACK SLOUGH

0.8 MI N OF SR 20, Yuba, CA

Built 1957 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,670

ERLE ROAD

Fair

Over: UP RR & AMTRAK

0.1 MI EAST OF S.R. 70, Yuba, CA

Built 1980 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,890

MATHEWS LANE

Fair

Over: JACK SLOUGH

0.7 MI N WOODRUFF LANE, Yuba, CA

Built 1988 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,470

FRUITLAND RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE DRY CREEK

0.5 MI NW MARYSVILLE RD, Yuba, CA

Built 1987 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,030

RIVERBANK DRIVE

Fair

Over: OLIVEHURST CANAL

1/4 MI E OF EDGEWATER CIR, Yuba, CA

Built 2007 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,200

CHUCK YEAGER ROAD

Fair

Over: VINEYARD CREEK

0.3 MI SW OF WALDO ROAD, Yuba, CA

Built 2013 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 500

SCALES ROAD

Fair

Over: SLATE CREEK

3 MI EAST OF LA PORTE RD, Yuba, CA

Built 2017 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 100

SPRING VALLEY ROAD

Fair

Over: BROWNS VALLEY DITCH

2 MI E OF SR 20, Yuba, CA

Built 2015 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 400

MARYSVILLE ROAD

Fair

Over: DOBBINS CREEK

0.1 MI N OF POWDER HOUSE, Yuba, CA

Built 1999 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,400

STATE ROUTE 49

Fair

Over: SOUTH YUBA RIVER

03-NEV-049-R21.86, Nevada, CA

Built 1994 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,850

STATE ROUTE 49

Fair

Over: MIDDLE YUBA RIVER

03-NEV-049-R32.62, Nevada, CA

Built 1994 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,650

INTERSTATE 80

Fair

Over: TRUCKEE RIVER

03-NEV-080-21.13, Nevada, CA

Built 2004 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 28,000

INTERSTATE 80

Fair

Over: TRUCKEE RIVER

03-NEV-080-20.84, Nevada, CA

Built 2004 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 28,000

INTERSTATE 80

Fair

Over: DONNER PASS ROAD

03-NEV-080-14.97-TRK, Nevada, CA

Built 1991 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 34,000

STATE ROUTE 174

Fair

Over: WOLF CREEK

03-NEV-174-10.17-GVY, Nevada, CA

Built 1969 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 8,000

INTERSTATE 80 WB

Fair

Over: UP BNSF AMTRAK TRUCKEE R

03-NEV-080-20.23, Nevada, CA

Built 1988 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 14,000

Showing 5,601-5,650 of 25,848 bridges

Related

All states → | National rankings → | Understanding conditions → | Retired SD term explained →
Data sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI), latest released cycle. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Poor condition is an inspection-record category, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult the bridge owner for current status.

Understanding Bridge Conditions

How FHWA rates bridge condition on a 0-9 scale.

Check Your Daily Bridges

How to look up bridge condition data for bridges on your route.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What to do with this

Use California's inventory picture to drill to a county or a specific span.

  • Browse counties in California and open the highest-Poor shares first. County list
  • See where this state sits among peers on Poor-condition share. State rankings
  • Compare this state with another jurisdiction on the same measures. State compare

NBI condition ratings are inventory snapshots, not live crossing-safety verdicts.

Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. California Good/Fair/Poor shares and county rollups on this page are computed from the same NBI extract as the national boards; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.