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

N LIVERMORE AVE

Fair

Over: ARROYO LAS POSITAS

375 FT SOUTH OF I-580, Alameda, CA

Built 1972 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 25,000

RICHLAND AVE

Fair

Over: SAN JOSE AVE

SOUTH OF 34C0016, San Francisco, CA

Built 1927 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 3,000

E CLIFF DR

Fair

Over: SAN LORENZO RIVER

0.1 MI N/O BUENA VISTA DR, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1926 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 14,928

SB I280 ON-RAMP

Fair

Over: PAGE MILL ROAD

04-SCL-280-18.38, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1969 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 7,600

NB I280 ON-RAMP

Fair

Over: PAGE MILL ROAD

04-SCL-280-18.38, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1969 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 7,000

STATE ROUTE 132

Fair

Over: M.I.D. CANAL LATERAL 4

10-STA-132-12.18, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1919 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 11,900

STATE ROUTE 99 NB

Fair

Over: UP RR

10-STA-099-R3.18-TUR, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1973 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 41,475

WINTON WAY

Fair

Over: LIVINGSTON CANAL

1.67 MI N OF SR 99, Merced, CA

Built 1950 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 14,695

STATE ROUTE 140

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

10-MPA-140-34.08, Mariposa, CA

Built 1926 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 2,125

KAMM AVENUE

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 5

06-FRE-005-38.36, Fresno, CA

Built 1967 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 243

MAXSON ROAD

Fair

Over: WATTS CREEK TRIBUTARY

0.3 MI E WATT VALLEY RD, Fresno, CA

Built 1967 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 100

INTERSTATE 5 SB

Fair

Over: GRAPEVINE ROAD

06-KER-005-8.47L, Kern, CA

Built 1960 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 24,375

STATE ROUTE 119

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 5

06-KER-119-19.74, Kern, CA

Built 1967 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 6,200

PRIVATE DRIVE

Fair

Over: NOJOQUI CREEK

05-SB-101-54.40, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1956 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 10

U.S. HWY 101 SB

Fair

Over: TELEPHONE RD

07-VEN-101-25.97-VEN, Ventura, CA

Built 1961 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 57,500

E&W60-S710 CONNCTR

Fair

Over: RTE60/710 FORD ST 3RDST

07-LA-060-R3.28-EALA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1967 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 27,000

HNTINGTN DR-E&W210

Fair

Over: CENTRAL AVENUE

07-LA-210-R36.39-DRT, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1968 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 6,000

SEPULVEDA BLVD

Fair

Over: DOMINGUEZ CHAN

0.5MI E/O ALAMEDA ST, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1959 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 18,900

OLD TOPANGA CYN RD

Fair

Over: OLD TOPANGA CRK

300FT S/O TOPANGA SKY DR, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1927 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 2,300

SAN FRNDO MISON BL

Fair

Over: BULL CREEK

0.1 MI W WOODLEY AVE, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1962 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 15,500

LAKE LINDERO DR S

Fair

Over: LAKE LINDERO CRK

1.0MI E/O LINDERO CYN RD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1965 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 2,142

LAKE LINDERO DR N

Fair

Over: LAKE LINDERO CRK

1.0MI E/O LINDERO CN RD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1965 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 2,142

GRAND AVE

Fair

Over: SPRR

0.5MI S/O VALLEY BLVD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1991 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 19,323

SEPULVEDA BLVD

Fair

Over: ALAMEDA ST

1.7MI S/O 223RD ST, Los Angeles, CA

Built 2001 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 18,900

METRO CMMERCIAL DW

Fair

Over: ACTA

0.2MI N/O NADEAU ST, Los Angeles, CA

Built 2000 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 505

NADEAU ST

Fair

Over: ACTA

40FT E/O ALAMEDA ST, Los Angeles, CA

Built 2000 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 15,014

92ND ST

Fair

Over: ACTA

50FT E/O ALAMEDA ST, Los Angeles, CA

Built 2000 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 11,400

TWEEDY BLVD

Fair

Over: ACTA

50FT E/O ALAMEDA ST, Los Angeles, CA

Built 2000 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 15,758

RICHARDSON STREET

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 10

08-SBD-010-26.81-LMLN, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1962 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 450

W10-S215 CONNECTOR

Fair

Over: I 10 I 215 CON RR ST

08-SBD-010-R24.30-COL, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1972 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 45,000

W10-S15 CONNECTOR

Fair

Over: UPRR & AMTRAK

08-SBD-010-9.92-ONT, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1978 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 29,000

STATE ROUTE 210 WB

Fair

Over: ROCHESTER AVENUE

08-SBD-210-8.66-RCUC, San Bernardino, CA

Built 2001 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 96,500

K STREET

Fair

Over: LYTLE CREEK CHANNEL

0.15 MI N MILL ST, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1973 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 4,030

5TH AV-S5 ON-RAMP

Fair

Over: S5-10TH AV OFF-RAMP

11-SD-005-R16.18-SD, San Diego, CA

Built 1961 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 10,500

NATIONAL AVE

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 5

11-SD-005-R13.48-SD, San Diego, CA

Built 1963 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 13,600

INTERSTATE 805

Fair

Over: SORRENTO VALLEY BLVD

11-SD-805-28.30-SD, San Diego, CA

Built 1972 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 186,000

S15-E78 CONNECTOR

Fair

Over: RTE 15 RTE 78 CONNS ST

11-SD-015-R31.56, San Diego, CA

Built 1977 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 4,900

INTERSTATE 905 EB

Fair

Over: BEYER BLVD

11-SD-905-3.82-SD, San Diego, CA

Built 1976 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 19,500

NORTH EARL ROAD

Fair

Over: BRANCH OF HUTCHINSON CRE

1.3 MILES NORTH OF INTER, Yuba, CA

Built 2018 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 50

SOUTH FORK ROAD

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK SCOTT RIVER

E/O CECILVILLE ROAD, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1969 Load: 40.2 t ADT: 49

STATE ROUTE 139

Fair

Over: UP RR

02-MOD-139-30.63, Modoc, CA

Built 1954 Load: 40.2 t ADT: 2,000

CANYON CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: CANYON CREEK

12.4 M N JUNCTION CITY, Trinity, CA

Built 1955 Load: 40.2 t ADT: 65

EAST HETTENSHAW RD

Fair

Over: VAN DUZEN RIVER

100 SOUTH RUTH-ZENIA RD, Trinity, CA

Built 1950 Load: 40.2 t ADT: 10

LITTLE BROWN CK RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE BROWNS CREEK

2.0 MI N/E S.R. 299, Trinity, CA

Built 1974 Load: 40.2 t ADT: 155

STATE ROUTE 36

Fair

Over: ROBBERS CREEK

02-LAS-036-3.15, Lassen, CA

Built 1924 Load: 40.2 t ADT: 2,300

BOGGS CHAMPLIN RD

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

0.4 MI N PASKENTA RD, Tehama, CA

Built 1941 Load: 40.2 t ADT: 50

LARKIN RD

Fair

Over: FEATHER RIVER OUTLET

1 MI E/O HAMILTON RD, Butte, CA

Built 1966 Load: 40.2 t ADT: 1,403

ANDERSON SPRINGS R

Fair

Over: ANDERSON CREEK

0.8 MI W OF SR 175, Lake, CA

Built 1940 Load: 40.2 t ADT: 154

INTERSTATE 80

Fair

Over: UP RR BNSF RY & AMTRAK

03-PLA-080-R20.59, Placer, CA

Built 1973 Load: 40.2 t ADT: 55,000

US HIGHWAY 101 NB

Fair

Over: POOL CREEK

04-SON-101-27.97, Sonoma, CA

Built 1962 Load: 40.2 t ADT: 62,000

Showing 10,801-10,850 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.