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

HARRISON STREET

Good

Over: BEALE STREET

OVER BEAGLE ST, San Francisco, CA

Built 1936 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 20,000

N CLAREMONT

Good

Over: SAN MATEO CREEK

NORTH OF 1ST ST, San Mateo, CA

Built 1920 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 1,830

E ZAYANTE RD

Good

Over: ZAYANTE CREEK

1 MI N GRAHAM HILL RD, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1939 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 5,800

STATE ROUTE 17

Good

Over: MADRONE DR

04-SCL-017-1.14, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1938 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 59,900

CHURCH ST

Good

Over: MILLER SLOUGH

NEAR HOWSON ST, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1960 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 7,469

WELBURN AVE

Good

Over: MILLER SLOUGH

NEAR CHURCH ST, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1950 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 10,617

LOS GATOS ROAD

Good

Over: LOS GATOS CREEK

14.4 MI W OF DERRICK BLVD, Fresno, CA

Built 1947 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 100

LOS GATOS ROAD

Good

Over: LOS GATOS CREEK

14.55 MI W DERRICK BLVD, Fresno, CA

Built 1947 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 100

ELM AVE

Good

Over: ARROYO SECO RIVER

ARROYO SECO ROAD, Monterey, CA

Built 1943 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 640

TIPTON OVERPASS

Good

Over: STATE ROUTE 99

06-TUL-099-18.95-TIP, Tulare, CA

Built 1958 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 1,050

ATLANTIC-W91 ONRMP

Good

Over: LOS ANGELES RIV E91-N710

07-LA-091-R11.82-LBCH, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1971 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 13,400

CAMILLO ST

Good

Over: SIERRA MADRE WASH

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

Built 1928 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 155

HUNTINGTON DR

Good

Over: SAWPIT WASH

0.2MI W/O MOUNTAIN AVE, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1928 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 29,916

HWY 99-97 CUTOFF

Good

Over: SHASTA RIVER

1.1 MI E/O MONTAGUE GNADA, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1955 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,685

COUNTY ROAD 215

Good

Over: HOWARDS GULCH

4.2 MI N OF SH 299, Modoc, CA

Built 1931 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 32

PLACER RD

Good

Over: DRY CREEK

0.35 MI N/E CLEAR CR RD, Shasta, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 631

PLATINA RD

Good

Over: ARBUCKLE GULCH

15 MI S/W OF ONO, Shasta, CA

Built 1927 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 150

STATE ROUTE 99

Good

Over: SHORT CREEK

02-TEH-099-3.67, Tehama, CA

Built 1912 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 11,500

STATE ROUTE 99

Good

Over: LAKE DRAW

02-TEH-099-2.35, Tehama, CA

Built 1912 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 11,500

STATE ROUTE 99

Good

Over: LONG CREEK

02-TEH-099-7.53, Tehama, CA

Built 1912 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 6,800

MERIDIAN RD

Good

Over: CAMPBELL CREEK OVERFLOW

0.1 MI S LASSEN RD, Tehama, CA

Built 1938 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 100

MERIDIAN RD

Good

Over: CAMPBELL CREEK

SOUTH OF LASSEN RD, Tehama, CA

Built 1938 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 100

MAIN ST

Good

Over: EAST FORK RUSSIAN RIVER

0.5 MI E POWER HOUSE RD, Mendocino, CA

Built 1928 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,203

ROAD Y

Good

Over: SACRAMENTO RIV OVERFLOW

0.3 MI S HWY 162, Glenn, CA

Built 1940 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 319

CANA HWY

Good

Over: DIANES DITCH

4.2 MI W STATE HWY 99, Butte, CA

Built 1921 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 276

MESA RD

Good

Over: E BR DURHAM MUTUAL DITCH

0.35 MI W OROVLE CHICO HY, Butte, CA

Built 1920 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 50

LEESVILLE-LODGA RD

Good

Over: INDIAN CREEK

1.0 MI S LDOGA-STNYFD RD, Colusa, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 69

WHITE ROAD

Good

Over: RD 108 10Q CANAL

1.4 MI W/O SR 45/BROWNING, Colusa, CA

Built 1926 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 59

RANCHO RD

Good

Over: HUTCHINSON CREEK

.3 MI NW/O OSTROM RD, Yuba, CA

Built 1925 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,700

PLEASANT GROVE RD

Good

Over: KING SLOUGH

6.5 MI N/O RIEGO RD, Sutter, CA

Built 1931 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,427

PETALUMA HILL RD

Good

Over: LICHAU CREEK

0.1 MI N JCT OLD RDW HWY, Sonoma, CA

Built 1920 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 10,600

MELITA ROAD

Good

Over: SANTA ROSA CREEK

0.1 M S LOS ALAMOS RD, Sonoma, CA

Built 1915 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 500

SILVERADO TRAIL

Good

Over: NO NAME CREEK

2.0 MI N/W OAKNOLL AVE, Napa, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 5,450

COUNTY ROAD 99W

Good

Over: QUAKER DRAW

0.33 MI NW OF CR 95, Yolo, CA

Built 1916 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,000

COUNTY ROAD 99W

Good

Over: ZAMORA DITCH

0.35 MI NW OF CR #12, Yolo, CA

Built 1920 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,724

COUNTY ROAD 98

Good

Over: SLOUGH S7

0.09 MI SOUTH OF CR #13, Yolo, CA

Built 1940 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 204

COUNTY ROAD 19

Good

Over: SLOUGH S6

0.27 MI EAST OF I-505, Yolo, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 650

PUTAH CR RD

Good

Over: PLEASANTS CREEK

NEAR PLEASENT VALLEY RD, Solano, CA

Built 1907 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 500

STATE ROUTE 104

Good

Over: WINDMILL DRAW

03-SAC-104-5.44, Sacramento, CA

Built 1918 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 4,300

STATE ROUTE 104

Good

Over: ROLLING DRAW

03-SAC-104-5.18, Sacramento, CA

Built 1918 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 4,300

FRANKLIN BLVD

Good

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

50 FT N OF LAMBERT RD, Sacramento, CA

Built 1925 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,346

FRANKLIN BLVD

Good

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

1.8 MI N LAMBERT RD, Sacramento, CA

Built 1925 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,346

NEW HOPE ROAD

Good

Over: SUITOR SLOUGH

2.8 MI NE SAN JOQ CO LINE, Sacramento, CA

Built 1947 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,821

HOWE AVE

Good

Over: STRONG RANCH SLOUGH

0.3 MI N OF NORTHRUP AVE, Sacramento, CA

Built 1945 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 47,689

EL CAMINO AVE

Good

Over: CHICKEN RANCH SLOUGH

0.25 MI W FULTON AVE, Sacramento, CA

Built 1940 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 25,101

DEWEY DRIVE

Good

Over: ARCADE CREEK

S/O NORTHBROOK WAY, Sacramento, CA

Built 1940 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 22,851

OLD SACRAMENTO RD

Good

Over: LITTLE INDIAN CREEK

0.2 MI W OF LATROBE RD, Amador, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 375

PT REYES PETLMA RD

Good

Over: ARROYO SAUSAL(CHSE FACT)

0.5 MI S INTX NWTO BL, Marin, CA

Built 1933 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,590

SIR FRANCIS DRAKE

Good

Over: CORTE MADERA CREEK

3.0 MI E OF US HWY 101, Marin, CA

Built 1926 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 32,300

23RD ST

Good

Over: WILDCAT CREEK

0.2 MI S SAN PABLO AVE, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1940 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 13,993

Showing 12,851-12,900 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.