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

MAINE ST

Fair

Over: BIDWELL CREEK

FORT BIDWELL, Modoc, CA

Built 1934 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 400

ETSBRG HNYDEW RD

Fair

Over: MATTOLE RIVER

5.77 MI N/O THORNE RD, Humboldt, CA

Built 1928 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 200

HOWE CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: HOWE CREEK

2.1 MI S/O BLUE SLIDE RD, Humboldt, CA

Built 2006 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 19

OLD HWY 99 W

Fair

Over: JEWETT CREEK

8.9 MI N/O GLENN CO LINE, Tehama, CA

Built 1914 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 2,025

MERIDIAN RD

Fair

Over: S FORK PINE CREEK

1.1 MI S LASSEN RD, Tehama, CA

Built 1937 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 100

KIRKWOOD RD

Fair

Over: BURCH CREEK

0.3 MI S VIOLA AVE, Tehama, CA

Built 1925 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 955

BIG SPRINGS RD/A13

Fair

Over: HAMILTON BRANCH CREEK

0.1 MI WEST OF SR 147, Plumas, CA

Built 1955 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 1,300

BLARSDEN GRAGLE RD

Fair

Over: MIDDLE FORK FEATHER RIV

0.5 MI NORTH OF S.H.89, Plumas, CA

Built 1910 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 370

SLOAT-POPLAR VLY R

Fair

Over: MIDDLE FORK FEATHER RIV

AT SLOAT RD, Plumas, CA

Built 1959 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 140

STATE ROUTE 1

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK EEL RIVER

01-MEN-001-104.96, Mendocino, CA

Built 1944 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 700

COUNTY ROAD D

Fair

Over: WHITE CABIN CREEK

5.8 MI N OF S.H. 162, Glenn, CA

Built 1919 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 351

ROAD 61

Fair

Over: PRINCETON CODORA CANAL

0.05 MI W OF S.H. 45, Glenn, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 967

COUNTY ROAD Z

Fair

Over: CAMPBELL SLOUGH

0.96 MI N OF S.H. 162, Glenn, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 586

ROAD Y

Fair

Over: AFTON DRAIN

1.1 MI N ROAD 69, Glenn, CA

Built 1940 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 207

COUNTY RD 35

Fair

Over: ARTOIS DRAWLET

JUST W/O ROAD H, Glenn, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 85

ROAD XX

Fair

Over: VANSYCKLE SLOUGH

0.2 MII SOUTH OF ROAD 19, Glenn, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 26

COUNTY RD 306

Fair

Over: BRANCH STONY CREEK

1 MI N OF RD #303, Glenn, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 235

CO RD 302 \ CLARKS

Fair

Over: S FK WILLOW CREEK

1.9 MI W SH 162, Glenn, CA

Built 1916 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 46

STATE ROUTE 99

Fair

Over: BIGGS EXTENSION CANAL

03-BUT-099-9.21, Butte, CA

Built 1921 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 11,050

SKYWAY RD WB

Fair

Over: BUTTE CREEK

0.5 MI SE OF HUMBUG RD, Butte, CA

Built 1949 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 12,054

PALERMO-HONCUT HWY

Fair

Over: EAST BRANCH WYANDOTTE CR

1.5 MI N LOWER HONCUT RD, Butte, CA

Built 1960 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 158

DAYTON RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE CHICO CREEK

AT ORANGE ST, Butte, CA

Built 1940 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 6,112

BANGOR HWY

Fair

Over: BRANCH ROCKYHONCUT CREEK

1.7 MI N OF LA PORTE RD, Butte, CA

Built 1940 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 1,740

MEAD AVE

Fair

Over: BRNCH SUTTER-BUTTE CANAL

0.2 MI N/O SOUTH AVE, Butte, CA

Built 1938 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 100

PRYDE AVE

Fair

Over: NO NAME DRAIN

0.2 MI E/O RAILROAD AVE, Butte, CA

Built 1936 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 80

FARRIS RD

Fair

Over: MAIN DRAINAGE CANAL

2 MI W/O BIGGS GRIDLEY RD, Butte, CA

Built 1970 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 89

FARRIS RD

Fair

Over: MAIN DRAINAGE CANAL

1.5 MI N GRID-COLUSA HWY, Butte, CA

Built 1942 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 89

WILD PLUM ROAD

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK YUBA RIVER

0.7 MI EAST OF SR 49, Sierra, CA

Built 1963 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 200

HILLGATE ROAD

Fair

Over: WHISKEY CREEK

0.3 MI E WHISKEY CREEK RD, Colusa, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 484

OLD 99W

Fair

Over: NORTH BRANCH BRUSH CREEK

0.2 MI N OF PERKINS RD, Colusa, CA

Built 1925 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 1,958

MCCOURTNEY ROAD

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

S/E OF S.H. 26, Nevada, CA

Built 1960 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 899

NICOLAUS AVE

Fair

Over: COON CREEK

4.85 MI E OF SH 99, Sutter, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 405

HOWSLEY RD

Fair

Over: PLEASANT GROVE CRK CANAL

AT PACIFIC AVE, Sutter, CA

Built 1935 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 3,106

PLACER HILLS RD

Fair

Over: BEAR RIVER CANAL

1.2 MI N OF I-80, Placer, CA

Built 1935 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 8,097

CROTHER RD

Fair

Over: WOOLEY CREEK

AT PLACER HILLS RD, Placer, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 320

OPHIR ROAD

Fair

Over: AUBURN RAVINE

0.25 KM E JCT WISE RD, Placer, CA

Built 1925 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 4,403

OLD REDWOOD HWY

Fair

Over: SOTOYOME CREEK

0.7 MI SE EASTSIDE RD, Sonoma, CA

Built 1913 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 5,900

STWRT PT-SKGG SPRG

Fair

Over: SHINGLE MILL CR (OHLSON)

14.3 MI SR 1 VIA ANPLS RD, Sonoma, CA

Built 1935 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 300

WARM SPRINGS RD

Fair

Over: CALABAZAS CREEK

NEAR ARNOLD DR, Sonoma, CA

Built 1928 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 3,000

FULTON RD

Fair

Over: MARK WEST CREEK

0.2 MI N OF US HWY 101, Sonoma, CA

Built 1971 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 14,650

CANYON RD

Fair

Over: CANYON CREEK

0.4 MI E JCT DRY CREEK RD, Sonoma, CA

Built 1928 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 416

MYRTLEDALE RD

Fair

Over: NAPA RIVER

0.2 MI SE TUBBS LANE, Napa, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 671

C. R. 85

Fair

Over: WEST ADAMS CANAL

1 MILE NORTH OF CAPAY, Yolo, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 461

COUNTY ROAD 88

Fair

Over: UNION SCHOOL SLOUGH

0.96 MI S OF C.R. #27, Yolo, CA

Built 1916 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 115

COUNTY ROAD 12A

Fair

Over: OAT CREEK

0.37 MI WEST OF CR #89B, Yolo, CA

Built 1945 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 50

EAST SECOND ST

Fair

Over: WEST CHANNEL ROAD

1.2 MI N I-780 IN BENICIA, Solano, CA

Built 1944 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 5,681

KIEFER BLVD

Fair

Over: DEER CREEK

0.7 MI NW STATE RTE 16, Sacramento, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 479

PORTAL DR

Fair

Over: UPPER TRUCKEE RIVER

0.1 MI W OF S.R. 89, El Dorado, CA

Built 1965 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 660

SWEENEY RD

Fair

Over: N FK COSUMNES RIVER

0.1 MI S OF HAPPY VALLEY, El Dorado, CA

Built 1957 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 790

COUNTRY CLUB DR

Fair

Over: DEER CREEK

0.3 M EAST OF CAMBRIDGE, El Dorado, CA

Built 1918 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 3,062

Showing 1,101-1,150 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.