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

MT VIEW AVE

Fair

Over: SAN TIMOTEO CREEK

0.9 MI S/O I-10, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1980 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 23,151

BEAR VALLEY ROAD

Fair

Over: BNSF RY AMTRAK & UP RR

3.8 MI E OF ROUTE I-15, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1979 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 72,700

CARNELIAN & WILSON

Fair

Over: DEMENS CREEK CHANNEL

INT CARNELIAN & WILSN AVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1980 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 12,839

AIRPORT DR

Fair

Over: ETIWANDA CREEK

0.2 MI W OF ETIWANDA AVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1980 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,000

SANTA ANA AVE

Fair

Over: ETIWANDA CREEK

0.3 MI W OF ETIWANDA AVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1980 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,881

D ST

Fair

Over: W CUCAMONGA CREEK

0.1 MI E OF GROVE AVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1980 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,500

FOURTH ST

Fair

Over: W CUCAMONGA CREEK

0.1 MI W OF GROVE AVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1981 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 10,762

GROVE AVE

Fair

Over: W CUCAMONGA CREEK

0.1 MI S OF FOURTH ST, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1982 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 19,546

PALM AVE

Fair

Over: CITY CREEK CHANNEL

0.15 MI N OF 5TH ST, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1982 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 10,500

CHERRY AVE

Fair

Over: METROLINK BNSF RY DITCH

2.0 MI N OF RTE I-10, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1980 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 21,750

MT VERNON AVE

Fair

Over: RECHE CANYON CHANNEL

0.5 MI NORTH OF I-215, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1979 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 10,000

ONAGA TRAIL

Fair

Over: HOSPITAL WASH

0.5 MI E ACOMA TRAIL, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1986 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,060

DEL ROSA DR

Fair

Over: WARM CREEK

0.1 MI S OF BASELINE ST, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1987 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,140

PHELAN ROAD

Fair

Over: HORSE CANYON

9.2 MI W US 395, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1993 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 13,260

PRINCETON ST

Fair

Over: W CUCAMONGA CR CHANNEL

150 W GROVE AVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1986 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,500

JURUPA AVE

Fair

Over: ETIWANDA CREEK

0.9 MI E OF RTE I-15, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1986 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 26,926

G STREET

Fair

Over: W CUCAMONGA CRK CHANNEL

50 E GROVE AVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1986 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 5,912

NOCTA ST

Fair

Over: W CUCAMONGA CRK CHANNEL

0.2 MI E GROVE AVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1986 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 490

GRAND AVE

Fair

Over: SAN ANTONIO CREEK CHANEL

0.1 MI W STATE RTE 71, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1991 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 29,500

DEL NORTE ST

Fair

Over: E ETIWANDA CREEK CHANNEL

75 W OF HERITAGE CIRCLE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1988 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 650

SLOVER AVE

Fair

Over: SAN SEVAINE CREEK

0.6 MI E ETIWANDA AVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1989 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 17,000

POPLAR AVE

Fair

Over: DECLEZ CHANNEL

0.1 MI S JURUPA AVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1990 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 6,500

CITRUS AVE

Fair

Over: DECLEZ CHANNEL

0.1 MI S JURUPA AVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1990 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 5,500

COOLEY DR

Fair

Over: RECHE CANYON CHANNEL

0.2 MI N WASHINGTON ST, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1985 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 300

LITTLE LEAGUE DR

Fair

Over: CABLE CREEK

0.2 MI E RTE I-215, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1993 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,703

EAST YERMO RD

Fair

Over: YERMO DITCH

BTWN YERMO RD & FWY, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1963 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 760

GREENSPOT ROAD

Fair

Over: PLUNGE CREEK

1.4 MILES E/O CHURCH ST, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1997 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 8,300

REDLANDS BLVD

Fair

Over: SAN TIMOTEO CREEK

0.4 MI E WATERMAN AVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1996 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 17,454

EDELWEISS DRIVE

Fair

Over: DART CREEK

1.3 MI N. LAKE DRIVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1995 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 600

PALM LANE

Fair

Over: CITY CREEK

10 M. N OF 3RD ST, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1999 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,837

WASHINGTON ST

Fair

Over: RECHE CANYON CHANNEL

0.7 MI W. WATERMAN AVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1999 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 12,000

OAK GLEN RD SOUTH

Fair

Over: WILSHIRE CREEK

2.3 MI N WILDWOOD CNYN RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1999 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 661

CENTRAL AVENUE

Fair

Over: SAN ANTONIO CHANNEL

0.5 MI S CHINO HILLS PKWY, San Bernardino, CA

Built 2002 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 32,710

BRYANT STREET

Fair

Over: WILDWOOD CREEK

0.3 MI S WILDWOOD CYN RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 2004 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,200

AVENUE "E"

Fair

Over: WILSON CREEK

0.15 MI W/O OAK GLEN ROAD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 2004 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 8,082

ORANGE SHOW ROAD

Fair

Over: SANTA ANA RIVER

0.8 MI E. OF WATERMAN AVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1999 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 11,063

VALLEY BLVD.

Fair

Over: SAN SEVAINE CHANNEL

0.1 MI E COMMERCE DR, San Bernardino, CA

Built 2002 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 20,930

PHELAN ROAD

Fair

Over: DAISY ROAD DRAIN

1.7 MI W US 395, San Bernardino, CA

Built 2001 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,408

EAST FIFTH STREET

Fair

Over: CITY CREEK

0.15 MI WEST OF I210, San Bernardino, CA

Built 2003 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 6,800

CENTRAL AVENUE

Fair

Over: CITY CREEK

0.1 MI N 5TH AVENUE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1999 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,530

YUCAIPA BLVD

Fair

Over: WILSON CREEK

0.15 MI W. OAK GLEN ROAD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 2004 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 29,892

14TH STREET

Fair

Over: WILSON CREEK

0.15 MI N OAK GLEN ROAD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 2003 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 9,015

FOOTHILL BLVD

Fair

Over: DAY CREEK CHANNEL

0.25 MI E ROCHESTER AVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1992 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 42,500

FOOTHILL BLVD

Fair

Over: SAN SEVAINE CREEK

0.5 MI E ETIWANDA AVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1990 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 31,700

BEAUMONT AVENUE

Fair

Over: SAN TIMOTEO WASH

0.5 MI W SAN TIMOTEO CYN, San Bernardino, CA

Built 2007 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,925

5TH STREET

Fair

Over: WILSON CREEK

0.6 MI N. YUCAIPA BLVD., San Bernardino, CA

Built 2004 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,723

OLD WATERMAN CYN R

Fair

Over: WATERMAN CANYON

1 MI N/O ARROWHEAD SPR RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 2006 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 941

OLD WATERMAN CYN R

Fair

Over: WATERMAN CANYON

2.3 MI N ARROWHEAD SPR RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 2006 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 750

ORANGE STREET

Fair

Over: SANTA ANA RIVER

0.5 MI N/O PIONEER AVENUE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 2006 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 19,000

ALABAMA STREET

Fair

Over: SANTA ANA RIVER

2 MI N/O I10, San Bernardino, CA

Built 2006 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 20,000

Showing 8,101-8,150 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.