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 99

Fair

Over: LITTLE DRY CREEK

06-MAD-099-5.88, Madera, CA

Built 1912 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 67,000

E MANNING AVE

Fair

Over: FOWLER SWITCH CANAL

1.0 MI W OF MCCALL AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1938 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 4,200

S GOLDEN STATE BL

Fair

Over: NORTH AVE & BNSF RY

0.25 MI E OF S CEDAR AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1936 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 5,410

S ELM AVE

Fair

Over: MURPHY SLOUGH

2 MI SOUTH OF ELKHORN AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1922 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 340

BRANNON AVE

Fair

Over: LAGUNA CANAL

0.3 MI S OF MERRILL AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1931 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 830

N. CLOVIS AVE

Fair

Over: MILL DITCH

SOUTH OF MCKINLEY AV, Fresno, CA

Built 1921 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 35,496

E HERNDON AVE

Fair

Over: ENTERPRISE CANAL

.05 MI WEST OF DEWOLF AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1947 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 7,900

N ACADEMY AVE

Fair

Over: FRESNO CANAL

0.4 MI SOUTH OF MCKINLEY, Fresno, CA

Built 1942 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 3,200

S FOWLER AVE

Fair

Over: MURPHY SLOUGH

0.06 MI N OF RIVERDALE AV, Fresno, CA

Built 1922 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,200

S FOWLER AVE

Fair

Over: LIBERTY DITCH

0.9 MI NORTH OF HARLAN AV, Fresno, CA

Built 1925 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,900

S FOWLER AVE

Fair

Over: FOWLER SWITCH CANAL

0.4 MI S OF FLORAL AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1925 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,300

E ELKHORN AVE

Fair

Over: LIBERTY DITCH

0.4 MI EAST OF S.R. 41, Fresno, CA

Built 1949 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,600

N SAN PABLO AVE

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK CANAL

AT ELIZABETH ST, Fresno, CA

Built 1935 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 3,101

E FLORAL AVE

Fair

Over: SELMA BRANCH C & K CANAL

AT (E/O) ORANGE AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1936 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 5,650

E ASHLAN AVE

Fair

Over: ENTERPRISE CANAL

0.1 MI WEST OF RIVERBEND, Fresno, CA

Built 1940 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 800

N RIVERBEND AVE

Fair

Over: ENTERPRISE CANAL

0.5 MI NORTH OF SHIELDS, Fresno, CA

Built 1940 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 800

N GRANTLAND AVE

Fair

Over: HOUGHTON CANAL

0.5 MI SOUTH OF BELMONT, Fresno, CA

Built 1940 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 700

N ZEDIKER AVE

Fair

Over: GOULD CANAL

0.6 MI NORTH OF OLIVE AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1950 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 300

E NEBRASKA AVE

Fair

Over: CROSSCUT CANAL

0.9 MI E OF FOWLER AV, Fresno, CA

Built 1925 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,100

E ADAMS AVE

Fair

Over: COLE SLOUGH CANAL

1.25 MI E OF ACADEMY AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1925 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 3,000

S NEWMARK AVE

Fair

Over: COLE SLOUGH CANAL

0.5 MI S OF ADAMS AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1925 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,400

E SOUTH AVE

Fair

Over: KINGSBURG BRANCH CANAL

0.1 MI E OF ACADEMY AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1925 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 300

E HUNTSMAN AVE

Fair

Over: KINGSBURG BRANCH CANAL

0.7 MI E OF BETHEL AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1935 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 200

E MICHIGAN AVE

Fair

Over: HERNDON CANAL

WEST OF MILLBROOK AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1954 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,121

N ROOSEVELT AVE

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK CANAL

SOUTH OF FRANKLIN AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1935 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 367

E LINCOLN AVE

Fair

Over: SMITH-FERRY CANAL

AT (JEO) NEWMARK AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1925 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 300

E. KINGS CANYON RD

Fair

Over: FANCHER CREEK CANAL

0.25 MI WEST OF CLOVIS AV, Fresno, CA

Built 1910 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 12,102

MISSION VINYARD RD

Fair

Over: SAN JUAN CREEK

SOUTH OF SH 156, San Benito, CA

Built 1940 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 500

U.S. HIGHWAY 101

Fair

Over: ELKHORN SLOUGH TRIBUTARY

05-MON-101-100.95, Monterey, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 59,000

WHITLEY AVE

Fair

Over: SWEET CANAL

0.8 MI W TULARE CO LINE, Kings, CA

Built 1918 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,060

GRANGEVILLE BL

Fair

Over: LAST CHANCE DITCH

0.5 MI E OF 15TH AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1957 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 5,800

EXCELSIOR AVE

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK PEOPLES DITCH

JUST E/O 7TH AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1918 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 670

18TH AVE

Fair

Over: W BR LEMOORE CANAL

0.4 MI N IDAHO AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1940 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,500

18TH AVE

Fair

Over: LEMOORE CANAL

N/O JACKSON AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1940 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 6,960

LAUREL AVE

Fair

Over: STRATFORD CANAL

0.65 MI E SR 41, Kings, CA

Built 1959 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 818

IDAHO AVE

Fair

Over: LEMOORE CANAL

0.5 MI E 18TH AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1940 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 641

STATE ROUTE 137

Fair

Over: CAMERON CREEK

06-TUL-137-4.57, Tulare, CA

Built 1920 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 4,500

STATE ROUTE 137

Fair

Over: CAMERON CREEK

06-TUL-137-10.62, Tulare, CA

Built 1920 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 4,500

COUNTY RD D112

Fair

Over: ELK BAYOU

0.8 MI N AVE 184, Tulare, CA

Built 1916 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,200

ROAD D112

Fair

Over: BATES SLOUGH

0.3 MI SOUTH OF AVE 196, Tulare, CA

Built 1917 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 575

ROAD 196 (RTE J27)

Fair

Over: WUTCHUMNA DITCH

0.2 MI S OF AVE 336, Tulare, CA

Built 1945 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,900

ROAD 192

Fair

Over: WOOD CENTRAL DITCH

0.4 MI NORTH OF AVE 152, Tulare, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,820

AVE 384

Fair

Over: HORSEMAN DITCH

0.1 MI W OF RD 74, Tulare, CA

Built 1949 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,500

AVE 144

Fair

Over: LAKELAND CANAL

2.0 MI EAST OF SR 43, Tulare, CA

Built 1945 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 470

ROAD 80 (CR J19)

Fair

Over: ST JOHNS RIVER CANAL # 2

1.0 MI N OF AVE 328, Tulare, CA

Built 1937 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 3,160

ROAD 80

Fair

Over: CROSS CREEK

0.6 MI S OF AVE 360, Tulare, CA

Built 1937 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 3,160

ROAD 144

Fair

Over: ALTA CANAL

@ AVE 408, Tulare, CA

Built 1939 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 800

AVENUE 256

Fair

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

0.6 MI EAST OF ROAD 216, Tulare, CA

Built 1949 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,300

ROAD 232

Fair

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

0.2 MI SOUTH OF AVE 200, Tulare, CA

Built 1949 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 535

AVENUE 184

Fair

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

AT DRIVE 232/NEWCOMB ST, Tulare, CA

Built 1949 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 400

Showing 951-1,000 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.