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

SHELL AVE

Good

Over: OIL REFINERY PIPE UC

0.2 MI N PACHECO BLVD, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1940 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 4,386

THORNTON ROAD

Good

Over: MOSHER SLOUGH

S DAVIS RD IN TX, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1931 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 26,616

ESCALON-BELLOTA RD

Good

Over: TEMPLE CREEK BRANCH

0.2 MI N OF SKIFF RD, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1926 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,194

GAWNE RD

Good

Over: DRAIN A

0.7 MI E MARIPOSA RD, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1935 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 427

WAGNER RD

Good

Over: SSJID CANAL

.01 MI N OF RIVER RD, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1928 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 328

MURPHY ROAD

Good

Over: DRAIN CANAL

2.8 MI S OF MARIPOSA RD, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1926 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 520

CASTRO VALLEY BLVD

Good

Over: LAKE CHABOT CREEK

JUST W/O LAKE, Alameda, CA

Built 1900 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 33,600

REDWOOD RD

Good

Over: REDWOOD RD FLD CNTRL CH

NEAR LESSLEY AVE, Alameda, CA

Built 1900 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 29,900

SAN LEANDRO UP RR

Good

Over: LION CREEK

NEAR 69TH AVE, Alameda, CA

Built 1940 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 20,904

OLD COUNTY RD

Good

Over: PULGAS CREEK

SOUTH COMMERCIAL ST, San Mateo, CA

Built 1920 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 7,000

SYCAMORE AVE

Good

Over: LLAGAS CREEK

0.4 MI W/O BOWDEN AVE, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1928 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 780

EDMUNDSON AVE

Good

Over: LITTLE LLAGAS CRK

SUNNYSIDE AVE, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1915 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,410

CENTER AVE

Good

Over: CHURCH CREEK

0.3 MI S/ O CHURCH AVE, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1915 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,070

FRAZIER LAKE RD

Good

Over: FURLONG CREEK

BLOOMFIELD AVE, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1927 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 3,800

8TH & 9TH STREET

Good

Over: M.I.D. LATERAL #4

S/O KANSAS, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1914 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 9,356

ELM AVENUE

Good

Over: PATTERSON ID MAIN CANAL

0.2 MI S LAS PALMAS, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1925 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 960

SONORA ROAD

Good

Over: S SAN JOAQUIN ID DITCH

.75 MI NW/O ORA BLOSSOM R, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1935 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 182

S BEAR CREEK DRIVE

Good

Over: LE GRAND CANAL

0.2 MI E PLAINSBURG ROAD, Merced, CA

Built 1925 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 218

STATE ROUTE 140

Good

Over: BEAR CREEK

10-MPA-140-R31.29, Mariposa, CA

Built 1926 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,125

STATE ROUTE 152

Good

Over: ALAMO DRAIN

06-MAD-152-4.45, Madera, CA

Built 1936 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 16,500

N COLLEGE AVE

Good

Over: DRY CREEK CANAL

SOUTH OF ELIZABETH ST, Fresno, CA

Built 1935 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 662

E FRANKLIN AVE

Good

Over: DRY CREEK CANAL

WEST OF YOSEMITE AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 325

PACHECO HIGHWAY

Good

Over: TEQUISQUITA SLOUGH

1.1 MI S FAIRWAY RD, San Benito, CA

Built 1920 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 400

HANFORD-ARMONA RD

Good

Over: LEMOORE CANAL

0.1 MI W 17TH AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1917 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 8,915

STATE ROUTE 137

Good

Over: WILLOW CANAL

06-TUL-137-17.49-TUL, Tulare, CA

Built 1921 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 21,000

AV 376 \ PIEDRA AV

Good

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

0.6 MI WEST OF SR 201, Tulare, CA

Built 1949 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 125

SD 243/DRY CRK DR

Good

Over: BEAR CREEK

8.66 MI N OF SR 216, Tulare, CA

Built 1938 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 200

ROAD 148

Good

Over: DEEP CREEK

0.1 MI S OF AVE 264, Tulare, CA

Built 1946 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 75

LARSON LANE

Good

Over: IRRIGATION CANAL

1.2 MI E RTE 395 PM 110, Mono, CA

Built 1952 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 104

MAIN ST

Good

Over: TEMPLETON CREEK

0.35 MI SOUTH RAMADA DR, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1929 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 6,836

MAIN ST

Good

Over: NORTH FORK TEMPLETON CRK

0.3 MI SOUTH RAMADA DR, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1929 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 6,836

ADOBE ROAD

Good

Over: SAN LUISITO CREEK

0.1 MI W. OF SAN LUISITO, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1948 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 101

STATE ROUTE 33

Good

Over: MCKITTRICK WASH

06-KER-033-35.89, Kern, CA

Built 1941 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,400

OAK STREET 19TH ST

Good

Over: STINE CANAL

19TH STREET, Kern, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 24,430

VALLEY WEST ROAD

Good

Over: BUENA VISTA CREEK

.75 MILE WEST OF SH 119, Kern, CA

Built 1947 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,400

P STREET

Good

Over: KERN ISLAND CANAL

0.1 MI N BRUNDAGE LANE, Kern, CA

Built 1948 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 5,594

ELMO HIGHWAY

Good

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

0.5 MI WEST OF ZACHARY AV, Kern, CA

Built 1949 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 540

21ST STREET

Good

Over: STINE CANAL

0.1 MI E OF OAK STREET, Kern, CA

Built 1937 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 4,139

24TH ST (OLD 178)

Good

Over: CARRIER CANAL

0.5 MI EAST SR 99, Kern, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 52,000

STATE ROUTE 1 NB

Good

Over: SANTA YNEZ RIVER

05-SB-001-22.52, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1944 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 9,900

STATE ROUTE 150

Good

Over: LION CANYON CREEK

07-VEN-150-21.70, Ventura, CA

Built 1921 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,500

LOS ANGELES AVE

Good

Over: TAPO CANYON CREEK

0.2 MI E SYCAMORE DR, Ventura, CA

Built 1911 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 24,000

REINO ROAD

Good

Over: BORCHARD DRAIN

0.5 MI N BORCHARD RD, Ventura, CA

Built 1930 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 12,225

I10 & RAMPS

Good

Over: SHERIFFS RANGE WASH

07-LA-010-21.41-MONP, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1974 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 203,000

STATE ROUTE 134

Good

Over: FORMAN AVE

07-LA-134-1.36-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1962 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 216,000

BUSWAY WB I-10

Good

Over: CITY TERRACE DRAIN

07-LA-010S-17.65-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1942 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 30,500

LOS COYOTES DIAG

Good

Over: SDBI 133

20FT W/O CLARK AVE, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1949 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 28,620

ATLANTIC AVE

Good

Over: STORM DRN #130

0.3MI N/O DEL AMO BLVD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1945 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 23,108

SAN FERNANDO RD

Good

Over: BEACON WASH

0.1 MI NW BRANFORD ST, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1927 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 20,000

HAWTHORNE BLVD

Good

Over: 116TH ST STORM DRN

AT 116TH ST, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1949 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 43,918

Showing 12,901-12,950 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.