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

GUERNEVILLE ROAD

Good

Over: PINER CREEK

1/2 MI E FULTON ROAD, Sonoma, CA

Built 1921 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 10,000

COUNTY ROAD 29

Good

Over: DRY SLOUGH

0.77 MI W OF C.R. #98, Yolo, CA

Built 1930 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 645

U.S. HIGHWAY 101

Good

Over: IRWIN CREEK

04-MRN-101-11.20-SRF, Marin, CA

Built 1895 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 129,000

SCHILLINGSBURG AVE

Good

Over: ARROYO CALERO

0.1 MI E MCKEAN RD, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1924 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 450

E WILLIAM ST

Good

Over: COYOTE CREEK

BTWN E 17TH & E 18TH ST, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1934 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 6,140

STARK ROAD

Good

Over: WESTLEY WASTEWAY

0.7 MI S HOWARD RD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1930 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 158

CANADA LARGA RD

Good

Over: CANADA LARGA

0.1 MI E RTE 33, Ventura, CA

Built 1928 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 150

ACACIA ST

Good

Over: SIERRA MADRE WASH

0.5MI W/O SANTA ANITA AVE, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1939 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 232

RICHMAN AVE

Good

Over: BREA CREEK CHANNEL

50 N/O CHAPMAN AVE, Orange, CA

Built 1940 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 4,653

N PALM CANYON DR

Good

Over: TAHQUITZ CREEK CHANNEL

0.4 MI. S/O RAMON ROAD, Riverside, CA

Built 1930 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 10,969

INTERSTATE 8 WB

Good

Over: SWEETWATER RIVER

11-SD-008-R36.53, San Diego, CA

Built 1970 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 11,050

FENDER FERRY

Good

Over: SACRAMENTO RIVER

NO DATA ENTERED, Shasta, CA

Built 1934 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 50

O&M Service Road

Good

Over: Bee Wash Overchute

7 m north of Yuma AZ, Imperial, CA

Built 1935 Load: 14.7 t ADT: 50

SLATE CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: SLATE CREEK

0.4 MI W OF I-5, Shasta, CA

Built 1920 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 82

OLD HWY 99 W

Good

Over: RED BANK CREEK

1.1 MI SOUTH OF I-5, Tehama, CA

Built 1940 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 11,199

WALNUT ST

Good

Over: BRICKYARD CREEK

FRANKLIN ST IN RED BLUFF, Tehama, CA

Built 1935 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 9,853

JELLYS FERRY RD

Good

Over: BATTLE CREEK

TEHAMA/SHASTA CO LINE, Tehama, CA

Built 1984 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 184

ROAD 28

Good

Over: BRANCH WALKER CREEK

0.3 MI W/O ROAD F, Glenn, CA

Built 1925 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 155

POWERLINE ROAD

Good

Over: COON CREEK

0.3 MI SOUTH OF SR99, Sutter, CA

Built 1925 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 122

NICOLAUS RD

Good

Over: E NICOLAUS DSTRBTN CANAL

1.5 MI WEST OF DOWD RD, Placer, CA

Built 1963 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 1,981

GLADDING RD

Good

Over: COON CREEK

SOUTH OF RIOSA RD, Placer, CA

Built 1928 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 560

JEFFERSON STREET

Good

Over: NAPA CREEK

AT CEDAR AVE, Napa, CA

Built 1904 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 15,691

SEMINARY ST

Good

Over: NAPA CREEK

AT ARROYO, Napa, CA

Built 1904 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 1,446

INTERSTATE 5 SB

Good

Over: PIONEER AVE

03-YOL-005-R6.63, Yolo, CA

Built 1973 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 22,000

INTERSTATE 5 NB

Good

Over: PIONEER AVE

03-YOL-005-R6.65, Yolo, CA

Built 1973 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 22,000

MONTGOMERY AVENUE

Good

Over: BRANCH PUTAH CREEK

0.1 MI E OF C.R. #103, Yolo, CA

Built 1921 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 1,815

W. CYPRESS RD

Good

Over: CONTRA COSTA CANAL

0.06 MI W ROSE AVE, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1938 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 6,167

PARK AVENUE

Good

Over: WILDCAT CREEK

0.4 MI E MARIN AVE, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1977 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 100

NORTH B STREET

Good

Over: SAN MATEO CREEK

BALDWIN AVE @ NORTH B ST, San Mateo, CA

Built 1924 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 2,790

U.S. HIGHWAY 101

Good

Over: MATADERO CREEK

04-SCL-101-51.37-PA, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1960 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 187,000

SAN ANTONIO ST

Good

Over: COYOTE CREEK

0.8 MI WEST OF US 101, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1928 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 5,300

MAHER RD

Good

Over: CARNEROS CREEK

0.25 MI S TARPEY RD, Monterey, CA

Built 1950 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 2,800

MISSION RD

Good

Over: METROLINK

1/4 MI NE CESAR CHAVEZ AV, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1930 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 22,500

LA CADENA DR

Good

Over: LYTLE CAJON CHANNEL

0.2 MI NE LAUREL ST, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1945 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 6,000

MALDEN AVE

Good

Over: BREA CREEK CHANNEL

50 N/O CHAPMAN AVE, Orange, CA

Built 1934 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 3,102

TOMPKINS HILL ROAD

Good

Over: SALMON CREEK

0.8 MI SOUTH OF ROUTE 345, Humboldt, CA

Built 1929 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 179

HALL RD

Good

Over: UNNAMED CREEK

1.5 MI S OF SOUTH AVE, Tehama, CA

Built 1971 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 558

U.S. HIGHWAY 101

Good

Over: LONG VALLEY CREEK

01-MEN-101-61.32, Mendocino, CA

Built 1960 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 6,700

FIRST STREET

Good

Over: CLOVER CREEK

0.1 MI E MAIN ST UPER LK, Lake, CA

Built 1930 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 400

TRAVERSE CREEK RD

Good

Over: LOWER TRAVERSE CREEK

2.54 MI E OF S.R. 193, El Dorado, CA

Built 1930 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 500

NOKOMIS AVE

Good

Over: SAN ANSELMO CREEK

300 FT N MADRONE AVE, Marin, CA

Built 1930 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 400

MAIN ST

Good

Over: ARROYO DEL HAMBRE

AT ESTUDILLO ST, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1925 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 5,500

CRYSTAL SPRINGS RD

Good

Over: SAN MATEO CREEK

N EL CERRITO AVE, San Mateo, CA

Built 1904 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 10,000

DELAWARE ST

Good

Over: SAN MATEO CREEK

SOUTH OF CYPRESS AVE, San Mateo, CA

Built 1910 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 8,530

STATE ROUTE 236

Good

Over: BOULDER CREEK

05-SCR-236-1.61, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1921 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 4,350

HERRIMAN AVE

Good

Over: SARATOGA CREEK

NEAR LANNOY CT, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1935 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 3,891

VILA MARIA ENTRY R

Good

Over: STEVENS CREEK

0.3 MI S STEVENS CYN RD, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1930 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 250

WEST SAINT JOHN

Good

Over: GUADALUPE RIVER

BTWN AUTUMN ST & RIVER ST, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1935 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 2,140

FRANK COX ROAD

Good

Over: WESTLEY WASTEWAY

0.3 MI SW OF SR 33, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1948 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 946

N. MAPLE AVE

Good

Over: MILL DITCH

NE/O SAN FELIPE RD, Fresno, CA

Built 1948 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 13,021

Showing 12,751-12,800 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.