State profile · Below national median SD

California bridge safety

Condition ratings, load ratings, and structural-deficiency data for every public highway bridge in California — drawn straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory.

27,040
Public bridges
32.5%
Good condition
4.6%
Poor condition
4.6%
Structurally deficient

Total Bridges

27,040

Public highway bridges in California

Good Condition

32.5%

8,777 bridges rated 7-9

-17.5pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

4.6%

1,244 bridges rated 0-4

Structurally Deficient

4.6%

1,244 bridges flagged for repair priority

-2.4pp vs national avg 7.0%

California vs national bridge condition

California — Good condition share 32.5%
National avg

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

California — Structurally deficient share 15.3%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.0%.

Condition Distribution

Bridge inventory deck-condition mix — California (FHWA NBI)

California32.45931952662722%34.67455621301775%GoodFairPoorStructurally Deficient
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix — California (FHWA NBI)

Counties (58)

Alameda 800 Alpine 32 Amador 62 Butte 441 Calaveras 106 Colusa 211 Contra Costa 686 Del Norte 96 El Dorado 196 Fresno 929 Glenn 242 Humboldt 398 Imperial 448 Inyo 67 Kern 686 Kings 168 Lake 129 Lassen 108 Los Angeles 3937 Madera 250 Marin 217 Mariposa 109 Mendocino 357 Merced 532 Modoc 87 Mono 49 Monterey 390 Napa 160 Nevada 135 Orange 1224 Placer 347 Plumas 170 Riverside 1142 Sacramento 775 San Benito 76 San Bernardino 1465 San Diego 1707 San Francisco 170 San Joaquin 666 San Luis Obispo 408 San Mateo 393 Santa Barbara 429 Santa Clara 1041 Santa Cruz 203 Shasta 500 Sierra 65 Siskiyou 423 Solano 383 Sonoma 613 Stanislaus 390 Sutter 120 Tehama 452 Trinity 194 Tulare 599 Tuolumne 128 Ventura 511 Yolo 282 Yuba 136

California vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states on the structurally deficient leaderboard (lower share = better)

States are ranked by share of bridges flagged structurally deficient — the FHWA classification for any span where deck, superstructure, or substructure carries a condition rating of 4 or below. Lower percentages indicate stronger maintenance funding and inspection follow-through. States here sit immediately above and below California on the same metric.

39

Ohio

4.54% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$26,753

34

New Jersey

4.59% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$6,796
Selected

06

California

4.60% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$27,040

05

Arkansas

4.71% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$5,544

53

Washington

4.81% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$8,808

Bridges Needing Most Attention in California

Six lowest-condition bridges in California, ranked by composite NBI rating. Each is inspected at least every 24 months.

SPRING CREEK RD

Poor

Over: FALL RIVER

0.5 MI N OF MCARTHUR RD, Shasta, CA

Built 1950 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 50

ORESTIMBA ROAD

Poor

Over: CCID MAIN CANAL

0.1 MI E DRAPER RD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1919 Load: 2.9 t ADT: 684

CLARK STREET

Poor

Over: M.I.D. CANAL

0.1 MI WEST OF ROAD 26.0, Madera, CA

Built 1955 Load: 3.2 t ADT: 200

GULLING STREET

Structurally Deficient

Over: MIDDLE FORK FEATHER RIV

0.2 MI S SH 70, Plumas, CA

Built 1954 Load: 3.2 t ADT: 10,046

AVENUE 10

Poor

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

JUST E/O ROAD 23, Madera, CA

Built 1950 Load: 3.6 t ADT: 50

S BISHOP AVE

Poor

Over: CRESCENT DITCH

0.64 MI S/O MT WHITNEY AV, Fresno, CA

Built 1950 Load: 3.9 t ADT: 125

All Bridges in California

ROUTE 125 NB

Unknown

Over: OTAY LAKES ROAD

11-SD-125-4.04, San Diego, CA

Built 2007 ADT: 40,800

ROUTE 125 SB

Unknown

Over: EAST H STREET

11-SD-125-5.08, San Diego, CA

Built 2007 ADT: 17,800

ROUTE 125 NB

Unknown

Over: EAST H STREET

11-SD-125-5.08, San Diego, CA

Built 2007 ADT: 17,800

EASTLAKE PARKWAY

Unknown

Over: ROUTE 125

11-SD-125-4.53, San Diego, CA

Built 2007 ADT: 21,100

SAN MIGUEL RNCH RD

Unknown

Over: ROUTE 125

11-SD-125-6.05, San Diego, CA

Built 2007 ADT: 34,000

ROUTE 125 S

Unknown

Over: BIRCH ROAD

11-SD-125-2.29-CHV, San Diego, CA

Built 2007 ADT: 1,500

ROUTE 125 N

Unknown

Over: BIRCH ROAD

11-SD-125-2.29-CHV, San Diego, CA

Built 2007 ADT: 1,500

ROUTE 125 SB

Unknown

Over: OLYMPIC PARKWAY

11-SD-125-3.06, San Diego, CA

Built 2007 ADT: 36,700

ROUTE 125 NB

Unknown

Over: OLYMPIC PARKWAY

11-SD-125-3.06, San Diego, CA

Built 2007 ADT: 36,700

ROUTE 125 SB

Unknown

Over: PROCTOR VALLEY ROAD

11-SD-125-5.66, San Diego, CA

Built 2007 ADT: 3,000

ROUTE 125 NB

Unknown

Over: PROCTOR VALLEY ROAD

11-SD-125-5.66, San Diego, CA

Built 2007 ADT: 3,000

POWAY ROAD

Unknown

Over: INTERSTATE 15 W/ HOV

11-SD-015-M18.18-SD, San Diego, CA

Built 2011 ADT: 263,000

INTERSTATE 125 SB

Unknown

Over: OTAY MESA ROAD

11-SD-125-0.99-OTM, San Diego, CA

Built 2022 ADT: 1,200

ROUTE 125 NORTHBOU

Unknown

Over: OTAY MESA ROAD

11-SD-125-0.74, San Diego, CA

Built 2016 ADT: 1,500

HILLERY DRIVE DAR

Unknown

Over: INTERSTATE 15

11-SD-015-M15.63-SD, San Diego, CA

Built 2014 ADT: 140,000

CARROLL CANYON RD

Unknown

Over: INTERSTATE 15 W/ HOV

11-SD-015-M15.00-SD, San Diego, CA

Built 2011 ADT: 283,000

NORDAHL ROAD

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 78

11-SD-078-15.49, San Diego, CA

Built 2013 ADT: 158,000

PALOMAR STREET

Unknown

Over: INTERSTATE 805

11-SD-805-5.07-CHV, San Diego, CA

Built 2017 ADT: 153,000

GENESEE AVE

Unknown

Over: INTERSTATE 5

11-SD-005-R29.46-SD, San Diego, CA

Built 2018 ADT: 161,000

ROUTE 11

Unknown

Over: SANYO AVE

11-SD-011-0.75-OTM, San Diego, CA

Built 2015 ADT: 4,000

ROUTE 11W

Unknown

Over: ROUTE 125

11-SD-011-0.36-OTM, San Diego, CA

Built 2015 ADT: 4,000

ROUTE 11 E

Unknown

Over: ROUTE 125

11-SD-011-0.37-OTM, San Diego, CA

Built 2015 ADT: 4,000

W11-W905 CONNECTOR

Unknown

Over: WB 905 OFFRAMP

11-SD-011-0.20-OTM, San Diego, CA

Built 2015 ADT: 3,000

E905-E11 CONNECTOR

Unknown

Over: ROUTE 905

11-SD-011-0.18-OTM, San Diego, CA

Built 2015 ADT: 15,000

BIKE PATH

Unknown

Over: GENSEE AVENUE

11-SD-005-R29.46-SD, San Diego, CA

Built 2018 ADT: 29,877

MTDB LRT & SDIV RR

Unknown

Over: INTERSTATE 8

11-SD-008-10.96-LMSA, San Diego, CA

Built 2000 ADT: 175,000

PEDESTRIAN-BICYCLE

Unknown

Over: INTERSTATE 15 BUS LANES

11-SD-015-M4.62-SD, San Diego, CA

Built 2018 ADT: 6,000

PEDESTRIAN-BICYCLE

Unknown

Over: ROUTE 15 MEDIAN BUSLANES

11-SD-015-M4.68-SD, San Diego, CA

Built 2018 ADT: 100

PEDESTRIAN-BICYCLE

Unknown

Over: INTERSTATE 15 BUS LANES

11-SD-015-M4.99-SD, San Diego, CA

Built 2018 ADT: 6,000

PEDESTRIAN-BICYCLE

Unknown

Over: ROUTE 15 MEDIAN BUSLANES

11-SD-015-M5.06-SD, San Diego, CA

Built 2018 ADT: 100

ENRICO FERMI DR

Unknown

Over: ROUTE 11

11-SD-011-1.69-OTM, San Diego, CA

Built 2022 ADT: 1

E PALOMAR ST BUSWA

Unknown

Over: ROUTE 125

11-SD-125-2.64-CHV, San Diego, CA

Built 2019 ADT: 15,800

TORREY MEADOWS DR

Unknown

Over: SR 56

11-SD-056-5.60-SD, San Diego, CA

Built 2020 ADT: 70,000

INTERSTATE 5

Unknown

Over: SAN ELIJO LAGOON

11-SD-005-R38.40-ENTS, San Diego, CA

Built 2022 ADT: 2,800

S125-SR11

Unknown

Over: SR11, SR125

11-SD-125-0.67-OTM, San Diego, CA

Built 2022 ADT: 3,350

ALVARADO CANYON RD

Unknown

Over: WARING RD/ALVARADO CRK

11-SD-008-7.05-SD, San Diego, CA

Built 2006 ADT: 5,250

WASHINGTON ST

Unknown

Over: SIXTH AVE

0.16 MI W/0 SR 163, San Diego, CA

Built 1940 ADT: 38,134

MORENA BLVD

Unknown

Over: SAN DIEGO RVR, FRIARS RD

JUST NORTH OF I-8, San Diego, CA

Built 1952 ADT: 12,697

BNSF RY, AMTRAK

Unknown

Over: WITHERBY STREET

450 FT N/O PAC. COAST HWY, San Diego, CA

Built 1924 ADT: 9,680

ADAMS AVE

Unknown

Over: TEXAS STREET

0.45M S/O ROUTE I-8, San Diego, CA

Built 1964 ADT: 26,000

UNIVERSITY AVE

Unknown

Over: WASHINGTON STREET

0.7 MI N/O RTE 5, San Diego, CA

Built 1945 ADT: 26,000

MTDB LRT & SDIV RR

Unknown

Over: 24TH STREET

100 FT E/O RTE 5, San Diego, CA

Built 1951 ADT: 19,800

MTDB LTR & SDIV RR

Unknown

Over: 18TH STREET, 19TH STREET

250 FT W/O WILSON AVE, San Diego, CA

Built 1951 ADT: 3,150

MARKET STREET

Unknown

Over: 28TH ST

0.1 M S/O SR 94, San Diego, CA

Built 1928 ADT: 8,574

EL CAJON BLVD

Unknown

Over: SPRING ST, SDIV RR, LRT

325FT E/O BALTIMORE DR., San Diego, CA

Built 1962 ADT: 12,019

MTDB LRT & SDIV RR

Unknown

Over: E. BEYER BLVD

0.8M N/O SAN YSIDRO BLVD, San Diego, CA

Built 1982 ADT: 6,638

MTDB LRT & SDIV RR

Unknown

Over: E. BEYER BLVD

0.8 MI N/O SAN YSIDRO BL, San Diego, CA

Built 1928 ADT: 6,638

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

Unknown

Over: HARBOR DRIVE

AT INTRSCTN OF HARBOR DR, San Diego, CA

Built 1956 ADT: 17,000

GENERAL DYNAMICS

Unknown

Over: PACIFIC HWY

470FT S/O SASSAFRAS ST., San Diego, CA

Built 1942 ADT: 75,000

WABASH BLVD (SR15)

Unknown

Over: MAIN STREET

0.25M N/O 32ND ST/N.SCOTT, San Diego, CA

Built 1954 ADT: 18,330

Showing 5,751-5,800 of 27,040 bridges

Related

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

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). A "structurally deficient" rating is a repair-priority signal, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult a qualified civil engineer before making decisions based on this data.

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.