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

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 1

04-SM-001-R44.07-PFA, San Mateo, CA

Built 2019 ADT: 32,500

BAYFRONT POC

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 84

04-SM-084-R27.02-MLP, San Mateo, CA

Built 2022 ADT: 27,500

CALTRAIN & UP RR

Unknown

Over: AIRPORT BLVD

0.1 MI N SAN MATEO AVE, San Mateo, CA

Built 1927 ADT: 25,127

DUNMAN ST

Unknown

Over: HICKEY BLVD

OVER HICKEY BLVD, San Mateo, CA

Built 1965 ADT: 23,578

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

Unknown

Over: JUNIPERO SERRA BL

0.2 MI S/O HICKEY RD, San Mateo, CA

Built 1968 ADT: 10,000

PACIFIC BLVD

Unknown

Over: HILLSDALE BLVD

PACIFIC BLVD @ HILLSDALE, San Mateo, CA

Built 1965 ADT: 25,620

CALTRAIN & UP RR

Unknown

Over: HILLSDALE BLVD

CALTRAIN @ HILLSDALE BLVD, San Mateo, CA

Built 1965 ADT: 25,620

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

Unknown

Over: N MCDONNELL ROAD

NORHT OF SAN BRUNO AVE, San Mateo, CA

Built 1986 ADT: 27,000

CALTRAIN & UP RR

Unknown

Over: TILTON AVENUE

EAST OF RAILROAD AVE, San Mateo, CA

Built 1903 ADT: 4,900

CITY PARKING LOT

Unknown

Over: SM DR AND ELLSWORTH AVE

SOUTH OF 3RD AVE, San Mateo, CA

Built 1966 ADT: 6,580

CALTRAIN & UP RR

Unknown

Over: SANTA INEZ AVE

EAST OF RAMONA ST, San Mateo, CA

Built 1903 ADT: 1,270

CALTRAIN & UP RR

Unknown

Over: EAST POPLAR AVE

EAST RAMONA ST, San Mateo, CA

Built 1903 ADT: 9,270

TUNNEL AVE

Unknown

Over: UP RR

TUNNEL AVE @ UPRR, San Mateo, CA

Built 2007 ADT: 20

DEPARTING FLT TRFC

Unknown

Over: ARRIVING FLIGHT TRAFFIC

EAST OF US RT 101, San Mateo, CA

Built 1973 ADT: 4,890

ROAD-1 NORTH

Unknown

Over: MCDONNELL RD

EAST OF SH 101, San Mateo, CA

Built 1970 ADT: 4,490

ROAD-1 SOUTH

Unknown

Over: MCDONNELL RD

EAST OF SH 101, San Mateo, CA

Built 1970 ADT: 4,490

R-1S

Unknown

Over: R-1S

EAST OF US 101, San Mateo, CA

Built 1973 ADT: 12,930

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

Unknown

Over: 31ST AVE

WEST OF SH 82, San Mateo, CA

Built 1983 ADT: 3,000

CALTRAIN & UP RR

Unknown

Over: 42ND AVE

EAST OF US 101, San Mateo, CA

Built 1989 ADT: 7,060

OYSTER POINT BLVD

Unknown

Over: CALTRAIN & UP RR

0.1 MILES W OF GATEWAY BL, San Mateo, CA

Built 1994 ADT: 385

AIRPORT TERM OFF-R

Unknown

Over: US 101

H16 TO A26 OF 35 0275K, San Mateo, CA

Built 1987 ADT: 5,000

AIRPORT TERM ON-RP

Unknown

Over: US 101

RAMP TO RTE SB 101, San Mateo, CA

Built 1996 ADT: 4,890

I380 NB ON-RAMP

Unknown

Over: US 101

SPAN 9 HINGE TO BENT 19, San Mateo, CA

Built 1996 ADT: 4,890

S101-SFO INTERNTNL

Unknown

Over: NB101-SFO DOMESTIC TRMNL

SIU H19 & NIU HP TO B22, San Mateo, CA

Built 1996 ADT: 4,890

AIRPORT TERM OFF-R

Unknown

Over: US 101

RAMP FROM RTE SB 101, San Mateo, CA

Built 1996 ADT: 7,154

GARAGE CONNECTOR

Unknown

Over: NORTH/SOUTH GARAGE

0.3 MI E/O N. MACDONNELL, San Mateo, CA

Built 2000 ADT: 2,500

INTERNATIONAL VIA

Unknown

Over: AIRPORT ACCESS ROAD

EAST OF MCDONNELL ROAD, San Mateo, CA

Built 2001 ADT: 18,000

INTNL RETURN LOOP

Unknown

Over: AIRPORT ACCS RDS,N MCDON

AT N.MCDONNELL RD, San Mateo, CA

Built 2001 ADT: 50,000

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

Unknown

Over: UPPER LEVEL DOMESTIC VIA

TERMINAL 1 - AREA B, San Mateo, CA

Built 2006 ADT: 19,170

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

Unknown

Over: UPPER LEVEL DOMESTIC VIA

TERMINAL 2 - AREA D, San Mateo, CA

Built 2006 ADT: 19,170

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

Unknown

Over: UPPER LEVEL DOMESTIC VIA

TERMINAL 3 - AREA F, San Mateo, CA

Built 2006 ADT: 19,170

AIR TRAIN TRACKS

Unknown

Over: UPPER LEVEL DOMESTIC VIA

SF AIRPORT DOMESTIC TERM, San Mateo, CA

Built 2003 ADT: 19,170

AIR TRAIN TRACKS

Unknown

Over: BART, INTERNL VIA, RAMPS

SF AIR INTERNATIONAL TERM, San Mateo, CA

Built 2003 ADT: 19,170

AIR TRAIN TRACKS

Unknown

Over: NORTH MCDONNELL RD, NB

0.2 MI S OF SAN BRUNO AVE, San Mateo, CA

Built 2003 ADT: 5,000

OLIVE MILL ROAD

Unknown

Over: U.S. HIGHWAY 101

05-SB-101-10.54-SB, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1956 ADT: 76,000

STATE ROUTE 1 NB

Unknown

Over: ST RTE 135 (@PM 11.72)

05-SB-001-M36.16, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1966 ADT: 18,600

ALVIN AVE

Unknown

Over: US HWY 101 & BRADLEY CHN

05-SB-101-89.13-SMRA, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1972 ADT: 58,000

US HIGHWAY 101 SB

Unknown

Over: SANTA MARIA WAY

05-SB-101-84.34, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1962 ADT: 11,600

US HIGHWAY 101 NB

Unknown

Over: SANTA MARIA WAY

05-SB-101-84.34, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1962 ADT: 11,600

US HIGHWAY 101 SB

Unknown

Over: CABRILLO BLVD

05-SB-101-11.43-SB, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1934 ADT: 15,700

US HIGHWAY 101 NB

Unknown

Over: CABRILLO BLVD

05-SB-101-11.43-SB, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1956 ADT: 15,700

TURNPIKE ROAD

Unknown

Over: US HIGHWAY 101

05-SB-101-20.06, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1975 ADT: 121,000

STATE ROUTE 1 NB

Unknown

Over: ST RT 135 SB (@PM R9.09)

05-SB-001-R34.76, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1966 ADT: 3,050

STATE ROUTE 135 SB

Unknown

Over: RICE RANCH RD

05-SB-135-R10.00, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1966 ADT: 1,870

STATE ROUTE 135 NB

Unknown

Over: RICE RANCH RD

05-SB-135-R10.00, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1966 ADT: 1,870

STATE ROUTE 135 SB

Unknown

Over: E CLARK AVE

05-SB-135-R10.41, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1966 ADT: 14,864

STATE ROUTE 135 NB

Unknown

Over: E CLARK AVE

05-SB-135-R10.41, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1966 ADT: 14,864

STATE ROUTE 217

Unknown

Over: HOLLISTER AVE

05-SB-217-2.23-SB, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1963 ADT: 12,000

STATE ROUTE 217

Unknown

Over: GOLETA SLOUGH

05-SB-217-0.72-SB, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1963 ADT: 1,500

PATTERSON AVE

Unknown

Over: US HIGHWAY 101

05-SB-101-21.15, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1992 ADT: 121,000

Showing 6,401-6,450 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.