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

FRUITVALE RD

Fair

Over: ALTA CANAL

AT AVE 416, Tulare, CA

Built 1915 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 100

AVENUE 328

Fair

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

0.3 MI WEST OF SR 245, Tulare, CA

Built 1949 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 420

ROAD 180

Fair

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

0.4 MI N OF A 352, Tulare, CA

Built 1937 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 240

M296

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK TULE RIVER

0.3 MI EAST OF M239, Tulare, CA

Built 1927 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 280

BROAD ST

Fair

Over: SAN LUIS OBISPO CREEK

0.1 MI NORTH OF HIGUERA, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1911 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 3,000

MORRO ST

Fair

Over: SAN LUIS OBISPO CREEK

JUST W OF HIGUERA, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1925 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 3,000

EQUIPMENT SHOP RD

Fair

Over: STENNER CREEK

.1KM W OF MT BISHOP RD, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1947 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 50

HOLLISTER AVENUE

Fair

Over: TECOLOTITO CREEK

0.1 MI E LOS CARNEROS RD, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1929 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 14,800

CHANNEL LANE

Fair

Over: SANTA MONICA CYN CHANNEL

0.1 N/O ENTRADA DR, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1940 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 135

DIMMICK DR.

Fair

Over: DIMMICK DR.

200FT FROM CRANE BLVD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1926 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 50

INTERSTATE 15 NB

Fair

Over: BNSF RY AMTRAK & UP RR

08-SBD-015-15.90, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1969 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 63,500

GOLDEN AVENUE

Fair

Over: CARBON CANYON CHANNEL

0.2 MI W/O ROSE DRIVE, Orange, CA

Built 1934 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 3,700

HARBOR BLVD

Fair

Over: BREA CREEK CHANNEL

0.1 MI N/O CHAPMAN AVE, Orange, CA

Built 1930 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 40,100

YORBA PLACE

Fair

Over: CARBON CANYON CHANNEL

0.1 MI E/O YORBA LINDA BL, Orange, CA

Built 1912 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 1,000

SB INDIO BLVD

Fair

Over: UP RR & AMTRAK

0.3 MI W/O JEFFERSON STR, Riverside, CA

Built 1956 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 16,800

ROAD 22N94

Fair

Over: FALL RIVER

FALL RIVER, Butte, CA

Built 1973 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 50

WINDING ROAD

Fair

Over: NUTMEG CREEK

10S69-12.4, Fresno, CA

Built 1967 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 50

SOUTH SHORE DRIVE

Fair

Over: BOULDER CREEK

3.5 miles south of Hwy 29, Shasta, CA

Built 1996 Load: 15.6 t

MILL CREEK CMPGRND

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

DEL NORTE STATE PARK, Del Norte, CA

Built 1989 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 200

STATE ROUTE 36

Fair

Over: YAGER CREEK

01-HUM-036-4.86, Humboldt, CA

Built 1968 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 2,800

LOWREY ROAD

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK ELDER CREEK

9.0 MI N PASKENTA RD, Tehama, CA

Built 1942 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 90

SOUTH AVE

Fair

Over: SACRAMENTO RIV OVRFLO #1

3.0 MI W OF SH 99, Tehama, CA

Built 1941 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 6,552

CENTRAL HOUSE RD

Fair

Over: WYANDOTTE CREEK

0.8 MI W PLRMO-HONCUT HWY, Butte, CA

Built 1970 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 71

FEATHER RIVER BLVD

Fair

Over: LAKE OF THE WOODS SLOUGH

1.8 MI WEST OF S.R. 70, Yuba, CA

Built 1926 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 770

HAINES RD

Fair

Over: WISE CANAL

0.45 MI N BELL RD, Placer, CA

Built 1930 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 1,269

PETALUMA BLVD N

Fair

Over: PETALUMA RIVER

0.2 MI S JCT US 101, Sonoma, CA

Built 1940 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 4,200

SALMON CREEK RD

Fair

Over: TANNERY CREEK

0.12 MI W TANNERY CRK RD, Sonoma, CA

Built 1920 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 100

2ND STREET

Fair

Over: NATHANSON CREEK

.02 MI SO. OF E. NAPA ST, Sonoma, CA

Built 1909 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 820

CHILES POPE VLY RD

Fair

Over: CHILES CREEK

2.1 MI N OF S.R. 128, Napa, CA

Built 1907 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 1,600

STATE ROUTE 160

Fair

Over: SACRAMENTO RIVER

03-SAC-160-20.87, Sacramento, CA

Built 1923 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 1,550

SUTTER CREEK RD

Fair

Over: SUTTER CREEK

1.6 MI EAST OF MAIN ST, Amador, CA

Built 1925 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 1,800

BLUE LAKES RD

Fair

Over: WEST FORK CARSON RIVER

3.0 MI SOUTH OF S.H. 88, Alpine, CA

Built 1960 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 400

STATE ROUTE 92

Fair

Over: INDUSTRIAL BLVD

04-ALA-092-R5.12-HAY, Alameda, CA

Built 1966 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 92,000

MILLBRAE AVENUE

Fair

Over: U.S. HIGHWAY 101

04-SM-101-17.95-MLBR, San Mateo, CA

Built 1947 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 53,747

STATE ROUTE 9

Fair

Over: MARSHALL CREEK

05-SCR-009-9.85, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1922 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 21,100

VILLA MARIA ENT RD

Fair

Over: STEVENS CREEK

0.2 MI S/O STEVENS CYN RD, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1930 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 250

STEVENS CYN RD

Fair

Over: STEVENS CREEK

0.3 MI S/O MT EDEN RD, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1957 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 810

VIA REAL DRIVE

Fair

Over: SARATOGA CREEK

NEAR VIA MADRONAS DR, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1968 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 230

MORGAN ROAD

Fair

Over: T.I.D. LATERAL #5

JCT AT HARDING AVE, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1929 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 180

TERMINAL AVENUE

Fair

Over: M.I.D. MAIN CANAL

0.1 MI S CLARIBEL RD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1948 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 3,294

ORTIGALITA ROAD

Fair

Over: DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL

0.15 MI S ALMOND DR, Merced, CA

Built 1950 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 561

COTTONWOOD ROAD

Fair

Over: OUTSIDE CANAL

0.9 MI W OF SH 33, Merced, CA

Built 1915 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 344

WOO ROAD

Fair

Over: DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL

1.5 MI S COTTON GIN RD, Merced, CA

Built 1950 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 100

CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL

0.1 MI S CACTUS DR, Merced, CA

Built 1950 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 180

ELHOLM ROAD

Fair

Over: DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL

WEST OF GRAVEL PIT ROAD, Merced, CA

Built 1949 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 50

CHARLESTON ROAD

Fair

Over: DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL

0.2 MI W OF SR 165, Merced, CA

Built 1950 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 181

EASTSIDE DR

Fair

Over: RIDGE DITCH

0.1 MI E RD #11, Madera, CA

Built 1972 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 100

STATE ROUTE 168

Fair

Over: RANCHERIA CREEK

06-FRE-168-65.74, Fresno, CA

Built 1955 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 1,300

AVE 452

Fair

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

0.2 MI WEST OF RD 124, Tulare, CA

Built 1949 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 100

AVENUE 432

Fair

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

AT ROAD 144, Tulare, CA

Built 1949 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 200

Showing 651-700 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.