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

STATE ROUTE 232

Fair

Over: US HIGHWAY 101

07-VEN-232-0.43-OXN, Ventura, CA

Built 1975 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 43,000

STATE ROUTE 126

Fair

Over: TODD BARRANCA

07-VEN-126-R7.81, Ventura, CA

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 25,000

OAK GLEN PL OC

Fair

Over: ROUTE 2

07-LA-002-14.46-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1962 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 420

STATE ROUTE 60

Fair

Over: POMONA BLVD

07-LA-060-R4.68-MONP, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1967 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 250,000

STATE ROUTE 57

Fair

Over: AUTO CENTER DRIVE

07-LA-057-R11.57L-GDR, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1971 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 79,000

CLARK AVE

Fair

Over: LOS CERRITOS DRN CHAN

100FT S/O SPRING ST, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1954 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 23,479

SAN GABRIEL BLVD

Fair

Over: RUBIO WASH

0.3MI S/O AS TUNAS DR, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1914 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 32,542

DUARTE RD

Fair

Over: SANTA ANITA WASH

0.8MI W/O MYRTLE AVE, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 21,445

BARANCA AVE S

Fair

Over: BIG DALTON WASH

0.3MI S/O I-10 FWY, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1975 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,524

HERMOSA DR

Fair

Over: EATON WASH

0.3MI W/O ROSEMEAD BLVD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1955 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,652

INTERSTATE 10 EB

Fair

Over: BNSF RY & METROLINK

08-SBD-010-R22.36-COL, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1956 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 102,000

"D" STREET

Fair

Over: ROUTE 40

08-SBD-040-R142.97-NED, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1973 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,900

AMBOY RD

Fair

Over: 29 PALMS FL CONT CHANNEL

0.2 MI E OF UTAH TRAIL, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1977 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,925

DUNCAN ROAD

Fair

Over: CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT

1.25 MI W BALDY MESA RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1971 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 236

EIGHTH STREET

Fair

Over: CUCAMONGA CREEK CHANNEL

0.15 MI E VINEYARD AVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,620

INTERSTATE 10 WB

Fair

Over: COXCOMB DITCH

08-RIV-010-R106.63, Riverside, CA

Built 1966 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 21,400

STATE ROUTE 78 EB

Fair

Over: ESCONDIDO BLVD

11-SD-078-R17.41-ESD, San Diego, CA

Built 1967 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 28,000

S805-E54 CONNECTOR

Fair

Over: STATE ROUTE 54

11-SD-805-8.84, San Diego, CA

Built 1974 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 11,500

FAMOSA BLVD

Fair

Over: NIMITZ BLVD

0.5 MI S/O PT. LOMA BL, San Diego, CA

Built 1959 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 16,079

COUSER CANYON ROAD

Fair

Over: SAN LUIS REY RIVER

0.2MI S/O SR 76, San Diego, CA

Built 1994 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 700

PATROL RD UNIT 3A

Fair

Over: CANAL TURNOUT

CENTER PATROL RD/UNIT 3A, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1953 Load: 32.7 t

AUTO TOUR ROAD

Fair

Over: CANAL TURNOUT

SW CORNER UNIT 4A, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1963 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50

ROAD M01

Fair

Over: RATTLESNAKE CREEK

40 MI. NORTH OF UPPERLAKE, Lake, CA

Built 1966 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 20

DAVISON ROAD

Fair

Over: PRAIRIE CREEK

Approximately 0.2 miles f, Humboldt, CA

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50

EL PORTAL ROAD

Fair

Over: LOWER CASCADE CREEK OVER

5.0 miles east from El Po, Mariposa, CA

Built 2000 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,080

SITE 1 SOUTH ACCES

Fair

Over: ANAVERDE CREEK

Site 1 South Entrance int, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1954 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 40

SITE 1 NORTH ACCES

Fair

Over: ANAVERDE CREEK

Site 1 North Entrance int, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1954 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 40

SITE 2 NORTH ACCES

Fair

Over: ANAVERDE CREEK

Site 2 North Entrance/20t, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1954 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 20

WARREN SHINGLE ROA

Fair

Over: BRANCH OF HUTCHINSON CRE

0.25 MILES EAST OF INTERS, Yuba, CA

Built 1951 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,100

GAVIN MANDRY DRIVE

Fair

Over: BRANCH OF HUTCHINSON CRE

0.3 MILES EAST OF INTERSE, Yuba, CA

Built 2015 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,100

CAMP BEALE HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

0.6 MILES NORTH OF INTERS, Yuba, CA

Built 1962 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,200

8TH STREET BRIDGE

Fair

Over: WATER CHANNEL

Just north of drive to Ma, Riverside, CA

Built 1960 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,000

EL RANCHO ROAD

Fair

Over: UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD

10.1 MILES FROM MAIN GATE, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1961 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 400

SAN ANTONIO ROAD

Fair

Over: SAN ANTONIO CREEK

CONTINUE NORTH ON CA-1 (D, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1969 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 750

WHITE ROAD

Fair

Over: CUNNINGHAM SLOUGH

E OF STEVENS ROAD, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1968 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10

BARSTOW RD

Fair

Over: STORM DRAINAGE

0.2 MI. NE LOOP RD., San Bernardino, CA

Built 1960 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,920

SAWYERS BAR RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE N FK SALMON RIVER

1 MI W KELLEY GULCH RD, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1968 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 120

INTERSTATE 5 SB

Fair

Over: STATE ROUTE 299

02-SHA-005-R17.30-RDG, Shasta, CA

Built 1965 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 26,500

INTERSTATE 5 NB

Fair

Over: STATE ROUTE 299

02-SHA-005-R17.30-RDG, Shasta, CA

Built 1965 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 26,500

INTERSTATE 5 NB

Fair

Over: UPPER SALT CREEK ROAD

02-SHA-005-R37.08, Shasta, CA

Built 1966 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 8,800

WESTSIDE AVE

Fair

Over: CANYON HOLLOW CREEK

0.1 MI S CANYON CREEK RD, Shasta, CA

Built 1957 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 6,400

EASTSIDE RD

Fair

Over: CANYON HOLLOW CREEK

0.3 MI N RADIO LANE, Shasta, CA

Built 1950 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 3,728

S BONNYVIEW RD WB

Fair

Over: SACRAMENTO RIVER

1.7 MI E/O SR 273, Shasta, CA

Built 1978 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 21,320

GALLAGHER AVE

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 5

02-TEH-005-R9.97, Tehama, CA

Built 1965 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 574

7 MILE LANE

Fair

Over: EDGAR SLOUGH

1.1 MI N OF NELSON RD, Butte, CA

Built 1956 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 710

BRUCE RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE CHICO CREEK

0.5 MI S HUMBOLT RD, Butte, CA

Built 1969 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 10,600

DURNEL RD

Fair

Over: WESTERN CANAL

0.5 MI N OF NELSON RD, Butte, CA

Built 1965 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 48

EICKHOFF RD

Fair

Over: SCOTTS CREEK

0.1 MI N/O SCOTTS VALLEY, Lake, CA

Built 1984 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 56

STONY POINT RD

Fair

Over: LAGUNA DE SANTA ROSA

0.65 MI N OF LOWELL AVE, Sonoma, CA

Built 1960 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 10,300

MILL CREEK RD

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

1.9 MI W OF WESTSIDE RD, Sonoma, CA

Built 1966 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 210

Showing 9,251-9,300 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.