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

HOWSLEY ROAD

Fair

Over: KING RAVINE

0.2 MI W PLEASANT GROV RD, Sutter, CA

Built 1931 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 3,311

EDGEWOOD RD

Fair

Over: WISE CANAL

0.2 MI W SH 49, Placer, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,413

HAINES RD

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK DRY CREEK

JUST S DRY CREEK RD, Placer, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,269

VALLEY FORD RD

Fair

Over: STEMPLE CREEK

7.5 MI INTERSECTION SR 1, Sonoma, CA

Built 1915 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 3,100

BODEGA HWY

Fair

Over: NOLAN CREEK

1.2 MI NE INTX SR 1, Sonoma, CA

Built 1955 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 6,400

DRY CRK CANYON RD

Fair

Over: LYTTON SPRINGS CREEK

INTERSECTION LYTTON RD, Sonoma, CA

Built 1935 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,800

W COLLEGE AVE

Fair

Over: COLLEGE CREEK

0.05 MI W MARLOW RD, Sonoma, CA

Built 1935 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 26,000

WARM SPRINGS RD

Fair

Over: YULUPA CREEK

11.15 MI N OF S.H. 116, Sonoma, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,700

OAK ST

Fair

Over: DOWDALL CREEK

0.1 MI W/O RIVERSIDE DR, Sonoma, CA

Built 1940 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 350

ODONNELL LANE

Fair

Over: CALABAZAS CREEK

NEAR ARNOLD DRIVE, Sonoma, CA

Built 1900 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 500

FAUGHT ROAD

Fair

Over: PRUITT CREEK

0.3 MI N OF E SHILOH RD, Sonoma, CA

Built 1935 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,900

ARNOLD DR

Fair

Over: STEWART CREEK

0.4 MI S JCT SR 12, Sonoma, CA

Built 1928 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 3,700

STATE ROUTE 128

Fair

Over: BLOSSOM CREEK

04-NAP-128-2.80, Napa, CA

Built 1901 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,775

STATE ROUTE 128

Fair

Over: SAGE CREEK

04-NAP-128-11.26, Napa, CA

Built 1945 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,125

STATE ROUTE 29

Fair

Over: GARNETT CREEK BRANCH

04-NAP-029-38.96, Napa, CA

Built 1920 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 12,000

ZINFANDEL LANE

Fair

Over: NAPA RIVER

1 MI E RT 29 WHEELER STA, Napa, CA

Built 1913 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,600

SILVERADO TRAIL

Fair

Over: DUTCH HENRY CREEK

.4 MI N/O LARKMEAD LANE, Napa, CA

Built 1938 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 4,310

OAK KNOLL AVE

Fair

Over: NAPA RIVER OVERFLOW

300 W SILVERADO TRAIL, Napa, CA

Built 1910 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,600

POPE ST

Fair

Over: NAPA RIVER

SILVERADO TRAIL, Napa, CA

Built 1894 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,790

POPE ST

Fair

Over: SULPHUR CREEK

0.25 MI N/W SR 29, Napa, CA

Built 1908 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,790

SPRING MOUNTAIN RD

Fair

Over: YORK CREEK

0.3 MI WEST OF MADRONA ST, Napa, CA

Built 1903 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,500

COUNTY ROAD 99W

Fair

Over: SMITH CREEK

0.77 MI SE OF CR 13, Yolo, CA

Built 1916 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,500

HORSHOE ST CR 87A

Fair

Over: CREEK S14

0.01 MI S OF S.H. 128, Yolo, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 50

C.R. #25

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK WILLOW SLOUGH

0.22 MI E OF C.R. #95, Yolo, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 145

C.R. #91A

Fair

Over: DRY SLOUGH

0.06 MI N OF C.R. #32, Yolo, CA

Built 1913 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 12

Fair

Over: WILLOW SPRING CREEK

0.04 MI WEST OF CR #94, Yolo, CA

Built 1940 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 160

COUNTY ROAD 97

Fair

Over: SLOUGH S7

0.29 MI NORTH OF CR #15, Yolo, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 710

COUNTY ROAD 99W

Fair

Over: BRETONA CREEK

0.44 MI SE OF CR #91B, Yolo, CA

Built 1946 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,460

STATE ROUTE 12

Fair

Over: WELL CREEK

04-SOL-012-22.91, Solano, CA

Built 1918 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 16,700

STATE ROUTE 84

Fair

Over: MINER SLOUGH

04-SOL-084-12.09, Solano, CA

Built 1933 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 288

COUNTRY CLUB DR

Fair

Over: GREEN VALLEY CREEK

0.16 MI W GREEN VALLEY RD, Solano, CA

Built 1936 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 672

WINTERS ROAD

Fair

Over: MC CUNE CREEK

1.83 MI N ALLENDALE RD, Solano, CA

Built 1911 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,521

HAY ROAD

Fair

Over: OLD ALAMO CREEK

0.6 MI WEST OF HWY 113, Solano, CA

Built 1935 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 543

SUTTER SLU BR RD

Fair

Over: SUTTER SLOUGH

SAC RIV ACROSS COURTLAND, Sacramento, CA

Built 1939 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,913

HERNANDO RD

Fair

Over: CHICKEN RANCH SLOUGH

200 W/O GWEN RD, Sacramento, CA

Built 1940 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,300

BEAR CREEK RD

Fair

Over: TRAVERSE CREEK

1.1 MI S/E GEORGETOWN RD, El Dorado, CA

Built 1925 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 300

OLD WHITE ROCK RD

Fair

Over: CARSON CREEK

1.1 MI E OF LATROBE RD, El Dorado, CA

Built 1918 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 100

FORNI ROAD

Fair

Over: WEBER CREEK

1.1 MI N/E MISSOURI FLAT, El Dorado, CA

Built 1914 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,049

PICCARDO LANE

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK JACKSON CREEK

200 FT WEST OF N. MAIN ST, Amador, CA

Built 1925 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 30

STATE ROUTE 1

Fair

Over: LAGUNITAS CREEK OVERFLOW

04-MRN-001-28.39, Marin, CA

Built 1929 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 3,000

STATE ROUTE 1

Fair

Over: LAGUNITAS CREEK OVERFLOW

04-MRN-001-28.56, Marin, CA

Built 1929 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 3,000

STATE ROUTE 1

Fair

Over: ELLIS CREEK

04-MRN-001-34.97, Marin, CA

Built 1931 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,300

STATE ROUTE 1

Fair

Over: TOMASINI CANYON

04-MRN-001-29.85, Marin, CA

Built 1925 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,300

SUTRO AVE

Fair

Over: NOVATO CREEK

0.1 MI S NOVATO BLVD, Marin, CA

Built 1935 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 7,153

WILSON HILL RD

Fair

Over: ARROYO SAUSAL TRIBUTARY

0.22 MI W PT RYS-PETLMA R, Marin, CA

Built 1928 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 330

MONTEZUMA RD

Fair

Over: SAN GERONIMO CREEK

.03 MI S SR FRNCS DRAKE B, Marin, CA

Built 1938 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 50

MARIN DR

Fair

Over: FAIRFAX CREEK

AT BOTHIN RD, Marin, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 110

INTERSTATE 680

Fair

Over: CANAL & BIKE PATH

04-CC-680-16.08, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1956 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 257,000

MONUMENT BLVD

Fair

Over: PINE CREEK

0.2 MI NE OAK GROVE RD, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1940 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 32,500

BYRON HWY

Fair

Over: KELLOGG CREEK

0.5 MI S SR 4, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1940 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 13,637

Showing 801-850 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.