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

CAMINO DEL MAR

Unknown

Over: MTDB, BNSF RY, & AMTRAK

AT JIMMY DURANTE BLVD, San Diego, CA

Built 1927 ADT: 8,000

PALOMAR AIRPORT RD

Unknown

Over: CARLSBAD BLVD

0.35MI W/O ROUTE 5, San Diego, CA

Built 1953 ADT: 7,269

UPAS STREET.

Unknown

Over: PACIFIC HWY

0.15 MI N/O SASSAFRAS ST, San Diego, CA

Built 1965 ADT: 7,690

PACIFIC HWY

Unknown

Over: BNSF & WASHINGTON STREET

0.16 W/O I 5, San Diego, CA

Built 1958 ADT: 1,050

BARNETT AVENUE

Unknown

Over: PACIFIC HIGHWAY

PACIFIC HWY & BARNETT, San Diego, CA

Built 1943 ADT: 11,357

GENERAL DYNAMICS

Unknown

Over: PACIFIC HWY

0.6MI S/O TAYLOR ST., San Diego, CA

Built 1942 ADT: 22,800

PACIFIC HWY

Unknown

Over: SAN DIEGO RIV, FRIARS RD

0.46MI S/O SEA WORLD DR, San Diego, CA

Built 1933 ADT: 12,829

W MISSION BAY DR

Unknown

Over: INGRAHAM STREET

0.75MI N/O I-8, San Diego, CA

Built 1972 ADT: 42,735

INGRAHAM ST RAMP

Unknown

Over: INGRAHAM ST-SUNSET CLIFF

0.6MI N/O RTE I-8, San Diego, CA

Built 1972 ADT: 5,000

SEA CLIFF BLVD

Unknown

Over: WEST MISSION BAY DRIVE

0.4MI N/O RTE I-8, San Diego, CA

Built 1972 ADT: 53,900

MTDB, BNSF, AMTRAK

Unknown

Over: ENCINITAS BLVD

175FT E/O COAST HWY 101, San Diego, CA

Built 1966 ADT: 17,035

VOLTAIRE ST

Unknown

Over: NIMITZ BLVD

0.65 MI S/O PT. LOMA BL, San Diego, CA

Built 1959 ADT: 37,930

FAMOSA BLVD

Unknown

Over: NIMITZ BLVD

0.5 MI S/O PT. LOMA BL, San Diego, CA

Built 1959 ADT: 37,930

FRIARS RD

Unknown

Over: MISSION CENTER RD

0.5MI E/O SR-163, San Diego, CA

Built 1968 ADT: 19,286

FRIARS RD

Unknown

Over: QUALCOMM WAY

0.3 MI W/O I-805, San Diego, CA

Built 1968 ADT: 22,900

MISSION VILLAGE RD

Unknown

Over: FRIARS RD

0.35MI W/O RTE I-15, San Diego, CA

Built 1968 ADT: 36,628

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

Unknown

Over: HARBOR DR,MTDB,BNSF,SDIV

0.12 MI S/O 32ND ST, San Diego, CA

Built 1969 ADT: 17,000

MTDB LRT & SDIV RR

Unknown

Over: 47TH STREET

0.6 MI SOUTH OF SR 94, San Diego, CA

Built 1975 ADT: 11,300

MTDB LRT & SDIV RR

Unknown

Over: IMPERIAL AVENUE

275FT E/O 32ND ST, San Diego, CA

Built 1981 ADT: 6,495

GEORGIA ST

Unknown

Over: UNIVERSITY AVE

0.62 MI E/O SR 163, San Diego, CA

Built 1914 ADT: 19,224

FAIRMOUNT AVE

Unknown

Over: ALDINE DRIVE

1.2 MI S/O RTE I-8, San Diego, CA

Built 1960 ADT: 21,284

FAIRMOUNT AVE

Unknown

Over: ALDINE DRIVE

1.2 MI S/O RTE I-8, San Diego, CA

Built 1960 ADT: 21,284

TWIN OAKS VALLEY R

Unknown

Over: MISSION RD,BNSF RR,NCTD

475 FT N/O W.SAN MARCOS, San Diego, CA

Built 1977 ADT: 11,900

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

Unknown

Over: TORREY PINES RD

300FT E/O LA JOLLA SHORE, San Diego, CA

Built 1977 ADT: 52,789

LA JOLLA VILLAGE D

Unknown

Over: GILMAN DRIVE

0.5 MI W/O I-5, San Diego, CA

Built 1968 ADT: 31,000

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

Unknown

Over: LA JOLLA VILLAGE DR

200 FT W/O VILLA LAJOLLA, San Diego, CA

Built 1978 ADT: 50,000

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

Unknown

Over: LA JOLLA VILLAGE DR

360 FT E/O GENESEE AVE, San Diego, CA

Built 1978 ADT: 37,000

ORANGE AVE

Unknown

Over: 54TH STREET

0.3 MI S/O EL CAJON BLVD, San Diego, CA

Built 1957 ADT: 21,900

HARRIS PLANT RD

Unknown

Over: KEARNY VILLA RD

0.15MI N/O SR 163, San Diego, CA

Built 1968 ADT: 23,560

MIRAMAR WAY

Unknown

Over: KEARNY VILLA RD

1.75MI N/O RTE 163, San Diego, CA

Built 1970 ADT: 23,560

COB POC

Unknown

Over: 1ST AVE

BETWEEN A ST AND B ST, San Diego, CA

Built 1969 ADT: 14,600

CURRAN PLAZA

Unknown

Over: B STREET

BTWN PARK BLVD & 16TH ST, San Diego, CA

Built 1973 ADT: 14,000

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

Unknown

Over: PARK BLVD

0.6 MI N/O I-5, San Diego, CA

Built 1971 ADT: 18,400

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

Unknown

Over: NORTH HARBOR DR

285 FT E/O NIMITZ BLVD, San Diego, CA

Built 1985 ADT: 18,160

LAUREL ST

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 163

0.2 MI E/O 6TH AVE, San Diego, CA

Built 1915 ADT: 118,000

PACIFIC TERRACE

Unknown

Over: CASSIDY STREET

0.8MI SW/O RTE I-5, San Diego, CA

Built 1927 ADT: 9,000

MTDB LRT & SDIV RR

Unknown

Over: CORONADO AVENUE

0.25M E/O RTE 5, San Diego, CA

Built 1984 ADT: 18,969

MTDB LRT & SDIV RR

Unknown

Over: JACKSON DRIVE

0.03 S/O FLETCHER PKWY, San Diego, CA

Built 1989 ADT: 45,000

CAMINO SAN BERNARD

Unknown

Over: CAMINO DEL NORTE

1.7MI W/O I-15, San Diego, CA

Built 1989 ADT: 34,000

6TH AVE POC

Unknown

Over: 6TH AVENUE

0.2 MI N/O OF UNIVERSITY, San Diego, CA

Built 1967 ADT: 38,134

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

Unknown

Over: BLACK MOUNTAIN RD

0.25 MI N/O MIRA MESA BL, San Diego, CA

Built 1993 ADT: 24,700

MTDB LRT & SDIV RR

Unknown

Over: MAIN STREET

0.25M E/O RTE 5, San Diego, CA

Built 1993 ADT: 23,080

MTDB LRT & SDIV RR

Unknown

Over: MAIN STREET

0.3M E/O RTE 5, San Diego, CA

Built 1993 ADT: 23,080

MONTEZUMA RD

Unknown

Over: FAIRMOUNT AVE

0.5 MI S/O ROUTE I-8, San Diego, CA

Built 1996 ADT: 36,487

WASHINGTON ST POC

Unknown

Over: SR163 RMP, WASHINGTON ST

500 FT E/O SR163, San Diego, CA

Built 2000 ADT: 30,826

MTDB, BNSF, AMTRAK

Unknown

Over: GARNET AVE

0.1 MI E OF I-5, San Diego, CA

Built 1960 ADT: 47,900

MORENA BLVD

Unknown

Over: BALBOA AVE

750 FT E/O I-5 FREEWAY, San Diego, CA

Built 1969 ADT: 38,129

GOLF CART/PED WALK

Unknown

Over: COLLEGE BLVD

460FT N/O PALOMAR AIRPORT, San Diego, CA

Built 2005 ADT: 11,000

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

Unknown

Over: CALLE BARCELONA

0.5 M E/O EL CAMINO REAL, San Diego, CA

Built 1999 ADT: 10,489

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

Unknown

Over: DEL MAR HEIGHTS RD

200 FT E/O EL CAMINO REAL, San Diego, CA

Built 1992 ADT: 16,000

Showing 5,801-5,850 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.