State profile · Below median Poor share

California bridge safety

Condition ratings, load ratings, and Poor-condition data for every public highway bridge in California, based on the FHWA National Bridge Inventory.

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

Data updated May 2026

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 whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

-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 - Poor-condition share 15.3%
National avg

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

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.

OH

Ohio

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

NJ

New Jersey

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

CA

California

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

AR

Arkansas

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

WA

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 the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

All Bridges in California

INTERSTATE 880

Unknown

Over: N 1ST ST & VTA LRT

04-SCL-880-3.56-SJS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1960 ADT: 37,035

INTERSTATE 880

Unknown

Over: NORTH FOURTH STREET

04-SCL-880-3.78-SJS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1960 ADT: 13,800

STORY ROAD

Unknown

Over: U.S. HIGHWAY 101

04-SCL-101-34.55-SJS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1967 ADT: 229,000

NB RENGSTORFF AVE

Unknown

Over: U.S. HIGHWAY 101

04-SCL-101-49.61-MVW, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1961 ADT: 155,000

STATE ROUTE 9

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 17

04-SCL-009-11.43-LGTS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1957 ADT: 61,000

SAN ANTONIO ROAD

Unknown

Over: U.S. HIGHWAY 101

04-SCL-101-50.32-PA, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1960 ADT: 187,000

STATE ROUTE 17

Unknown

Over: CAMDEN AVE

04-SCL-017-10.50-CMB, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1971 ADT: 62,140

BLOSSOM HILL ROAD

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 17

04-SCL-017-7.67-LGTS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1959 ADT: 97,700

OREGON EXPRESSWAY

Unknown

Over: U.S. HIGHWAY 101

04-SCL-101-52.01-PA, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1965 ADT: 11,800

EMBARCADERO ROAD

Unknown

Over: U.S. HIGHWAY 101 & RAMPS

04-SCL-101-52.17-PA, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1960 ADT: 18,800

LARK AVENUE

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 17 & RAMPS

04-SCL-017-8.89-LGTS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1994 ADT: 101,900

LAWRENCE EXPWY

Unknown

Over: U.S. HIGHWAY 101

04-SCL-101-43.85-SUNV, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1998 ADT: 134,000

N. SHORELINE BLVD

Unknown

Over: U.S. HIGHWAY 101

04-SCL-101-48.60-MVW, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1992 ADT: 155,000

EMBARCADERO-SB 101

Unknown

Over: SB HIGHWAY 101 RAMP

04-SCL-101-52.11-PA, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1965 ADT: 11,700

SAN TOMAS EXPWY

Unknown

Over: U.S. HIGHWAY 101

04-SCL-101-41.98-SCL, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1961 ADT: 134,000

FAIR OAKS AVENUE

Unknown

Over: U.S. HIGHWAY 101

04-SCL-101-44.83-SUNV, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1961 ADT: 134,000

LAFAYETTE ST (NB)

Unknown

Over: U.S. HIGHWAY 101

04-SCL-101-41.07-SCL, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1961 ADT: 134,000

INTERSTATE 880

Unknown

Over: FOREST AVE

04-SCL-880-0.69-SJS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1959 ADT: 4,500

MATHILDA AVENUE

Unknown

Over: U.S. HIGHWAY 101

04-SCL-101-45.68-SUNV, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1961 ADT: 134,000

STATE ROUTE 237

Unknown

Over: U.S. HIGHWAY 101

04-SCL-237-2.45-SUNV, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1959 ADT: 134,000

STATE ROUTE 237

Unknown

Over: MATHILDA AVENUE

04-SCL-237-2.99-SUNV, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1961 ADT: 35,800

N87-N101 CONNECTOR

Unknown

Over: U.S. HIGHWAY 101

04-SCL-087-9.20-SJS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1992 ADT: 160,000

STATE ROUTE 85

Unknown

Over: FREMONT AVENUE

04-SCL-085-R19.86-SUNV, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1965 ADT: 22,578

STATE ROUTE 85

Unknown

Over: MOFFETT BOULEVARD

04-SCL-085-R23.44-MVW, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1965 ADT: 32,000

S280-S17 CONNECTOR

Unknown

Over: MOORPARK AVENUE

04-SCL-280-L5.49-SJS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1964 ADT: 22,700

SARATOGA AVENUE

Unknown

Over: INTERSTATE 280

04-SCL-280-5.95-SJS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1964 ADT: 10,000

STEVENS CR BL-S280

Unknown

Over: S880-N&S280 CONNECTOR RP

04-SCL-880-0.15-SJS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1963 ADT: 15,500

MONROE STREET POC

Unknown

Over: I 280, CONN, TISCH WAY

04-SCL-280-L5.58-SJS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1964 ADT: 5,500

S280-N880 CONNECTR

Unknown

Over: I 280, I 880 & CONNECTRS

04-SCL-280-L5.50-SJS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1963 ADT: 174,000

INTERSTATE 280

Unknown

Over: SAN TOMAS EXPRESSWAY

04-SCL-280-5.31-SJS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1964 ADT: 51,850

WINCHESTER BLVD

Unknown

Over: INTERSTATE 280

04-SCL-280-R4.57-SJS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1964 ADT: 204,000

STATE ROUTE 85

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 237

04-SCL-085-R22.13-MVW, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1965 ADT: 2,450

STATE ROUTE 82

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 85

04-SCL-082-18.82-MVW, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1965 ADT: 115,000

DANA STREET

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 237 & RAMPS

04-SCL-237-R0.61-MVW, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1964 ADT: 68,000

DE ANZA BOULEVARD

Unknown

Over: INTERSTATE 280

04-SCL-280-9.43-CPO, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1965 ADT: 138,000

STATE ROUTE 85

Unknown

Over: CALTRAIN,UP RR,CENTRAL,

04-SCL-085-R22.63-MVW, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1965 ADT: 18,700

HOMESTEAD ROAD

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 85

04-SCL-085-R18.86-CPO, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1965 ADT: 115,000

STELLING ROAD

Unknown

Over: INTERSTATE 280

04-SCL-280-9.94-CPO, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1965 ADT: 138,000

INTERSTATE 280

Unknown

Over: LAWRENCE EXPWY & CREEK

04-SCL-280-7.12-SJS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1965 ADT: 53,800

INTERSTATE 280

Unknown

Over: STEVENS CREEK BOULEVARD

04-SCL-280-7.39-SCL, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1965 ADT: 31,550

BLANEY AVENUE

Unknown

Over: INTERSTATE 280

04-SCL-280-8.96-CPO, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1965 ADT: 138,000

MIDDLEFIELD ROAD

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 85

04-SCL-085-R23.19-MVW, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1965 ADT: 115,000

DE LA CRUZ BLVD

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 82

04-SCL-082-11.38-SCL, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1961 ADT: 23,900

CYPRESS AVENUE POC

Unknown

Over: INTERSTATE 280

04-SCL-280-5.11-SJS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1989 ADT: 203,000

WOLFE ROAD

Unknown

Over: INTERSTATE 280

04-SCL-280-8.38-CPO, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1965 ADT: 5,000

HELLYER AVENUE

Unknown

Over: US HIGHWAY 101

04-SCL-101-30.10, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1965 ADT: 128,000

CAPITOL EXPRESSWAY

Unknown

Over: U.S. HIGHWAY 101

04-SCL-101-31.70-SJS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1965 ADT: 12,750

SAN ANTONIO STREET

Unknown

Over: U.S. HIGHWAY 101

04-SCL-101-R35.46-SJS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1993 ADT: 188,000

SB INTERSTATE 280

Unknown

Over: MAGDALENA AVENUE

04-SCL-280-14.10, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1967 ADT: 5,803

NB INTERSTATE 280

Unknown

Over: MAGDALENA AVENUE

04-SCL-280-14.10, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1967 ADT: 5,803

Showing 6,551-6,600 of 27,040 bridges

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.

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.