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

SOUTH SHORE DR

Fair

Over: LAKEVIEW CANYON

NEAR LARCH ST, Nevada, CA

Built 1966 Load: 64.8 t ADT: 800

AMES AVE

Fair

Over: BERRYESSA CREEK

E OF MILPITAS BLVD, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1972 Load: 64.8 t ADT: 2,573

CREEK RD

Fair

Over: SAN ANTONIO CREEK

0.1 MI N/E HERMOSA RD, Ventura, CA

Built 1976 Load: 64.8 t ADT: 2,800

E210-W2 CONNECTOR

Fair

Over: VERDUGO BLVD

07-LA-210-R18.78-GNDL, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1972 Load: 64.8 t ADT: 26,100

TEMPLE ST

Fair

Over: SILVER LAKE BLVD

AT SILVER LAKE BLVD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1934 Load: 64.8 t ADT: 24,918

CUSTER AVE

Fair

Over: COLONY MAIN CANAL

0.5 MI S OF VALERIA AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1935 Load: 65.1 t ADT: 250

KIMBERLINA RD

Fair

Over: LERDO CANAL

0.7 MI W OF DRIVER RD, Kern, CA

Built 1985 Load: 65.1 t ADT: 3,000

SR 2

Fair

Over: GLENOAKS BLVD

07-LA-002-R19.18-GNDL, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1978 Load: 65.1 t ADT: 115,000

WEST HILLS PKWY

Fair

Over: SAN DIEGO RIVER

0.3 MI N/O MISSION GORGE, San Diego, CA

Built 1980 Load: 65.1 t ADT: 22,300

S5&S101-E60 CONNEC

Fair

Over: W60-W10 SOTO ST & RAMP

07-LA-005-16.59-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1960 Load: 65.3 t ADT: 76,000

CEDAR GROVE ROAD (

Fair

Over: ROARING RIVER

KINGS CANYON HWY. MP 31.9, Fresno, CA

Built 1953 Load: 65.3 t ADT: 278

WALNUT DR

Fair

Over: SALT CREEK

1.5 MI E OF SR 20, Colusa, CA

Built 1970 Load: 65.4 t ADT: 181

E JEFFERSON AVE

Fair

Over: TRAVERS CREEK

0.75 MI E ALTA AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1935 Load: 65.4 t ADT: 340

VINEYARD DR

Fair

Over: SALINAS RIVER

0.3 MI E OF U.S. 101, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1977 Load: 65.4 t ADT: 4,119

STATE ROUTE 34

Fair

Over: UP RR AMTRAK METROLINK

07-VEN-034-R13.27-CMRL, Ventura, CA

Built 1972 Load: 65.4 t ADT: 18,800

JURUPA ROAD

Fair

Over: DAY CREEK CHANNEL

0.3 MI. W/O ETIWANDA AVE., Riverside, CA

Built 1980 Load: 65.4 t ADT: 8,254

ACCESS ROAD

Fair

Over: LIL SAN GORGONIO CREEK

.1MI S OF WILDWOOD+.1MI E, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1969 Load: 65.8 t ADT: 8

AUTOGOLF CENTER DR

Fair

Over: WHITEWATER RIVER

0.15 MI SW/O I-10, Riverside, CA

Built 1972 Load: 65.8 t ADT: 15,500

INTERSTATE 5

Fair

Over: SMITH CREEK

03-YOL-005-R16.74, Yolo, CA

Built 1970 Load: 66.1 t ADT: 11,750

MIDWAY ROAD

Fair

Over: MC CUNE CREEK

1.3 MI E OF I-80, Solano, CA

Built 1970 Load: 66.1 t ADT: 5,000

ALGERINE RD

Fair

Over: CURTIS CREEK

2.0 MI NW OF TWIST RD, Tuolumne, CA

Built 1925 Load: 66.1 t ADT: 265

E10-N57 CONNECTOR

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 10 AND RAMPS

07-LA-010-42.44-POM, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1972 Load: 66.1 t ADT: 5,000

I 5

Fair

Over: WASHINGTON BLVD

07-LA-005-11.55-CMRC, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1953 Load: 66.2 t ADT: 222,360

TENNANT RD

Fair

Over: ANTELOPE CREEK

11.6 MI SE SR97, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1971 Load: 66.4 t ADT: 79

N680-DIABLO RD OFF

Fair

Over: SAN RAMON CREEK

04-CC-680-R7.35-DNVL, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1975 Load: 66.4 t ADT: 4,650

STATE ROUTE 132

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

10-STA-132-15.64-MOD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1990 Load: 66.4 t ADT: 16,100

JACKSON ST

Fair

Over: VERDUGO WASH

0.1MI N/O US-101 FWY, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1969 Load: 66.4 t ADT: 5,253

STATE ROUTE 20

Fair

Over: EAST FORK RUSSIAN RIVER

01-MEN-020-36.36, Mendocino, CA

Built 1958 Load: 66.7 t ADT: 11,350

FULTON AVE

Fair

Over: STATE ROUTE 51

03-SAC-051-6.79-SAC, Sacramento, CA

Built 1954 Load: 66.7 t ADT: 15,000

STATE ROUTE 4 EB

Fair

Over: WILLOW PASS ROAD

04-CC-004-R16.83, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1976 Load: 66.7 t ADT: 73,000

SECOND STREET

Fair

Over: SAN LORENZO CREEK

N/O RUSSELL WAY, Alameda, CA

Built 1974 Load: 66.7 t ADT: 11,762

NORTH BROADWAY

Fair

Over: LA RIV BNSF UPRR METRO

0.3 MI WEST INTERSTATE 5, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1909 Load: 66.7 t ADT: 23,648

E24 & ACALANES RD

Fair

Over: ACALANES ROAD

04-CC-024-R4.40-LFYT, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1959 Load: 67.1 t ADT: 1,700

TORREY RD

Fair

Over: SANTA CLARA RIVER

1.1 MI S OF S.R. 126, Ventura, CA

Built 1974 Load: 67.1 t ADT: 500

INTERSTATE 110

Fair

Over: SR 1 (PACIFIC COAST HWY)

07-LA-110-4.06-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1956 Load: 67.1 t ADT: 93,900

BALBOA AVE

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 805 & RAMPS

11-SD-805-21.65-SD, San Diego, CA

Built 1972 Load: 67.4 t ADT: 56,000

SWTWATER SPRING RD

Fair

Over: PORTER CREEK

6.1 MI W ARMSTRONG RD, Sonoma, CA

Built 1974 Load: 67.7 t ADT: 140

REDWOOD ROAD

Fair

Over: REDWOOD CREEK

S/E OF MT VEEDER RD, Napa, CA

Built 1977 Load: 67.7 t ADT: 1,221

S FRUIT AVE

Fair

Over: RIVERDALE DITCH

0.06 MI S OF RIVERDALE AV, Fresno, CA

Built 1940 Load: 67.7 t ADT: 500

JEFFERSON AVENUE

Fair

Over: WARM SPRINGS CREEK

1.1 MI. NW/O WINCHESTER, Riverside, CA

Built 1978 Load: 67.7 t ADT: 29,474

ROAD M2

Fair

Over: THOMES CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Tehama, CA

Built 1981 Load: 67.7 t ADT: 50

SAWYERS BAR RD

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK SALMON RIVER

3 MI N WHITES GULCH RD, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1982 Load: 68.0 t ADT: 105

LAVEZZOLA ROAD

Fair

Over: LAVEZZOLA CREEK

3.6 MI NORTH OF SR 49, Sierra, CA

Built 1958 Load: 68.0 t ADT: 50

SEVENTH ST

Fair

Over: FRANKLIN CREEK

0.15 MI E OF CARP. AVE, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1977 Load: 68.0 t ADT: 3,214

STATE ROUTE 99 NB

Fair

Over: UP RR

10-STA-099-R6.41-TUR, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1973 Load: 68.4 t ADT: 36,500

INTERSTATE 210

Fair

Over: FLINT CANYON WASH

07-LA-210-R21.84-PAS, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1974 Load: 68.4 t ADT: 113,000

INTERSTATE 15 NB

Fair

Over: LYTLE CREEK

08-SBD-015-13.08, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1975 Load: 68.4 t ADT: 69,000

U.S. HIGHWAY 101

Fair

Over: BENBOW DR & S FK EEL RIV

01-HUM-101-R5.63, Humboldt, CA

Built 1980 Load: 68.7 t ADT: 4,500

VERNON ST

Fair

Over: WASHINGTON BLVD

AT WASHINGTON BLVD, Placer, CA

Built 1950 Load: 68.7 t ADT: 11,029

INTERSTATE 210 EB

Fair

Over: SIERRA MADRE VILLA AVE

07-LA-210-R29.29-PAS, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1976 Load: 68.9 t ADT: 147,000

Showing 12,351-12,400 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.