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

IRR FRTBRG-SRWD RD

Fair

Over: RESERVATION CREEK

11 MI W/O US 101, Mendocino, CA

Built 1985 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 167

STATE ROUTE 99 SB

Fair

Over: LITTLE CHICO CREEK

03-BUT-099-R32.20-CHC, Butte, CA

Built 1965 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 24,750

STATE ROUTE 29 SB

Fair

Over: SUSCOL CREEK

04-NAP-029-R6.08, Napa, CA

Built 1981 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 32,500

ANTELOPE ROAD

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 80

03-SAC-080-16.68, Sacramento, CA

Built 1973 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 100,000

ELKHORN BLVD

Fair

Over: STATE ROUTE 99

03-SAC-099-33.36, Sacramento, CA

Built 1987 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 3,000

CAMANCHE ROAD

Fair

Over: JACKSON CREEK

0.2 MI S JACKSON VLY RD, Amador, CA

Built 1976 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 1,834

SB ROUTE 101 ONRMP

Fair

Over: ALEMANY CIR

04-SF-101-2.00-SF, San Francisco, CA

Built 1954 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 3,200

NB INTERSTATE 280

Fair

Over: MAGDALENA AVENUE

04-SCL-280-14.10, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1967 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 58,500

STATE ROUTE 87

Fair

Over: PARK AVENUE

04-SCL-087-5.56-SJS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1978 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 99,000

RUCKER AVE

Fair

Over: LLAGAS CREEK

BTWN SH 101/NEW AVE, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1987 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 2,090

HARRY RD

Fair

Over: ARROYO CALERO CREEK

NEAR CAMDEN AVE, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1985 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 1,670

CROWSLANDING ROAD

Fair

Over: CCID MAIN CANAL

0.5 MI E SR33 @ARMSTRONG, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1953 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 3,337

N WISHON AVE

Fair

Over: HERNDON CANAL

SOUTH OF LANSING WAY, Fresno, CA

Built 1988 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 800

ROAD 112

Fair

Over: NORTH BRANCH TULE RIVER

0.25 MI N OF AVE 176, Tulare, CA

Built 1962 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 475

ROAD 180

Fair

Over: PACKWOOD CREEK

0.1 MI S OF AVE 312, Tulare, CA

Built 1954 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 550

U.S. HIGHWAY 101

Fair

Over: MAIN STREET

07-VEN-101-26.72-VEN, Ventura, CA

Built 1961 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 60,500

TAPO CANYON RD

Fair

Over: ARROYO SIMI

0.1 MI S ROYAL AVE, Ventura, CA

Built 1982 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 1,500

INTERSTATE 110

Fair

Over: CHANNEL ST & UP RR SPUR

07-LA-110-R1.25-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1970 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 90,000

INTERSTATE 210

Fair

Over: GLENDORA AVENUE

07-LA-210-R42.10-GDR, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1970 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 250,000

ARROW HWY

Fair

Over: SAN DIMAS WASH

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

Built 1959 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 26,036

TOPANGA SCHOOL RD

Fair

Over: GARAPITO CRK

25FT W/O TOPANGA CYN BLVD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1953 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 765

PLATT AVE

Fair

Over: BELL CREEK(S FORK)

0.1 M SOUTH VICTORY BLVD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1959 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 21,850

SAN GABRIEL RIV PK

Fair

Over: SAN GABRIEL RIV

0.6MI N/O BEVERLY BLVD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1954 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 11,088

BRAND BLVD

Fair

Over: VERDUGO WASH

0.3MI N/O US-101 FWY, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1986 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 23,760

AZUSA AVE

Fair

Over: SAN DIMAS CHAN

0.1MI N/O COVINA BLVD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1959 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 35,490

GREENLEAF BLVD

Fair

Over: ACTA

25FT E/O ALAMEDA ST, Los Angeles, CA

Built 2000 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 13,843

INTERSTATE 40

Fair

Over: GAS LINE WASH

08-SBD-040-R15.41, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1968 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 19,500

INTERSTATE 40

Fair

Over: GAS LINE WASH

08-SBD-040-R15.41, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1968 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 19,500

INTERSTATE 40

Fair

Over: TWIN HILLS WASH

08-SBD-040-R15.92, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1968 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 19,500

INTERSTATE 40

Fair

Over: TWIN HILLS WASH

08-SBD-040-R15.92, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1968 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 19,500

SR 241 NB

Fair

Over: OAK CANYON WILDLIFE

12-ORA-241-34.81-ANA, Orange, CA

Built 1998 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 20,500

MARKET STREET

Fair

Over: 28TH ST

0.1 M S/O SR 94, San Diego, CA

Built 1928 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 9,761

GIRARD RIDGE

Fair

Over: SACRAMENTO RIVER

NO DATA ENTERED, Shasta, CA

Built 1974 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 50

WINDING ROAD

Fair

Over: TUOLUMNE RIVER

NO DATA ENTERED, Tuolumne, CA

Built 1975 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 50

ROUTE I-5 N/B

Fair

Over: W60 W60-N101 CON RAMP

07-LA-005-16.36-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1960 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 129,000

INTERSTATE 405

Fair

Over: PLUMMER STREET

07-LA-405-45.24-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1963 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 216,000

RIVERSIDE DR

Fair

Over: TUJUNGA WASH

RIVERSIDE DR/WHITSETT AV, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1950 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 16,918

TANGAIR ROAD

Fair

Over: UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD

FROM MAIN GATE: TAKE CALI, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1959 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 300

WILDER RIDGE ROAD

Fair

Over: BEARTRAP CREEK

1.5 MI S MATTOLE RD, Humboldt, CA

Built 1960 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 128

EAST FORK ROAD

Fair

Over: POTATO CREEK

2.2 MI E WILDWOOD ROAD, Trinity, CA

Built 1950 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 50

LOCUST RD

Fair

Over: A.C.I.D. CANAL

30 SOUTH OF KIMBERLY RD, Shasta, CA

Built 1963 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 1,802

BRUCE ST

Fair

Over: LITTLE CHICO CREEK

AT/SOUTH OF HUMBOLDT AVE, Butte, CA

Built 1961 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 1,058

STATE ROUTE 29

Fair

Over: LUPIYOMA CREEK

01-LAK-029-6.84, Lake, CA

Built 1955 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 10,900

STATE ROUTE 20

Fair

Over: COLUSA TROUGH

03-COL-020-27.83, Colusa, CA

Built 1962 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 6,400

BAILHACHE ROAD

Fair

Over: HILLSIDE

2 MI NE OF HEALDSBURG AVE, Sonoma, CA

Built 1985 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 700

PACIFIC AVENUE

Fair

Over: HILLSIDE

IN JENNER, Sonoma, CA

Built 2015 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 100

STATE ROUTE 12

Fair

Over: UNION CREEK

04-SOL-012-8.54, Solano, CA

Built 1957 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 12,200

STATE ROUTE 4 WB

Fair

Over: ALHAMBRA AVE

04-CC-004-R8.55-MTZ, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1967 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 31,000

159TH AVE

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 580

04-ALA-580-R32.32, Alameda, CA

Built 1965 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 4,375

CHARLOTTE WAY

Fair

Over: ARROYO SECO

0.3 MI N OF EAST AVE, Alameda, CA

Built 1968 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 3,450

Showing 11,051-11,100 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.