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

21N10 IN L.B. CG

Good

Over: GRAY EAGLE CK

WITHIN CAMPGROUND, Plumas, CA

Built 1995 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 50

DOUGLAS PARK ROAD

Good

Over: SHEEP PEN CREEK

0.74 MI S/O SOUTH FORK RD, Del Norte, CA

Built 1975 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 140

STATE ROUTE 96

Good

Over: SEIAD CREEK

02-SIS-096-60.17, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1953 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 615

SALMON CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: US HIGHWAY 101

01-HUM-101-25.01, Humboldt, CA

Built 1962 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 190

BLAND ROAD

Good

Over: SOUTH FORK WILSON CREEK

2.34 MI S PLATINA RD, Shasta, CA

Built 1965 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 10

STATE ROUTE 20

Good

Over: MIDDLE CREEK

01-LAK-020-8.56, Lake, CA

Built 1959 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 8,000

INTERSTATE 80

Good

Over: LINDA CREEK

03-PLA-080-0.82-RSV, Placer, CA

Built 1955 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 165,000

VALLEY FORD RD

Good

Over: BLOOMFIELD CREEK

0.2 MI W BLOOMFIELD RD, Sonoma, CA

Built 1970 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 2,900

SILVERADO TRAIL

Good

Over: NAPA RIVER OVERFLOW

0.1 MILES N OF HARDMAN RD, Napa, CA

Built 1930 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 5,450

WEST PUEBLO AVE

Good

Over: REDWOOD CREEK

AT RANCHO DRIVE, Napa, CA

Built 1970 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 1,915

BUCKEYE ROAD

Good

Over: CHICKAHOMINY SLOUGH

0.51 MI N OF C.R. #31, Yolo, CA

Built 1957 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 22

ALAMO DR

Good

Over: ALAMO CREEK

0.4 MI N/W OF I-80, Solano, CA

Built 1955 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 9,073

INDIAN CREEK DRIVE

Good

Over: LINDA CREEK

W/O COUNTY TRAIL DRIVE, Sacramento, CA

Built 1970 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 1,200

GRANT AVE

Good

Over: NOVATO CREEK

AT VIRGINIA AVENUE, Marin, CA

Built 1936 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 6,711

DR MLK JR BLVD

Good

Over: MORMON SLOUGH

0.3 MI EAST OF MARIPOSA, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1949 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 12,500

STATE ROUTE 1

Good

Over: APTOS CRK & SPRECKELS DR

05-SCR-001-10.01, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1948 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 78,000

SCOTT BLVD

Good

Over: UP RR & CALTRAIN

OVER UP TRACKS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1964 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 30,000

HAMILTON AVE

Good

Over: LOS GATOS CREEK

NEAR BASCOM AVE, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1960 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 56,709

W FLORAL AVE

Good

Over: JAMES BYPASS CANAL

AT GRAHAM AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1940 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 125

AVE 212

Good

Over: ELK BAYOU

0.18 MI E OF RD 132, Tulare, CA

Built 1956 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 50

AVE 224

Good

Over: LEWIS CREEK

0.3 MI E OF RD 236, Tulare, CA

Built 1944 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 75

GREEN LAKE RD

Good

Over: GREEN CREEK

5.7 MI W RTE 395 PM 71.9, Mono, CA

Built 1950 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 30

SANTA ROSA CR RD

Good

Over: SANTA ROSA CREEK

3.0 MI W CYPRESS MTN DR, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1947 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 128

STATE ROUTE 204

Good

Over: KERN RIVER

06-KER-204-5.61, Kern, CA

Built 1933 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 38,000

20 MULE TEAM ROAD

Good

Over: STATE ROUTE 58

09-KER-058-R136.40, Kern, CA

Built 1971 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 400

STATE ROUTE 2

Good

Over: SLIDE CANYON

07-LA-002-28.58-PAS, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1931 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 3,700

STATE ROUTE 39

Good

Over: SAN GABRIEL RIVER

07-LA-039-17.82, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1933 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 2,350

INTERSTATE 5 SB

Good

Over: TEMPLIN HWY

07-LA-005-R65.97, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1967 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 36,843

INTERSTATE 5 NB

Good

Over: TEMPLIN HWY

07-LA-005-R65.97, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1967 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 36,843

SAN GORGONIO AVE

Good

Over: INTERSTATE 10

08-RIV-010-13.36-BAN, Riverside, CA

Built 1969 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 5,360

INDIO BLVD EB

Good

Over: WHITEWATER RIVER

0.8 MI NW/O MONROE STREET, Riverside, CA

Built 1925 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 9,750

QUINCE ST

Good

Over: REIDY CREEK

420FT S/O MISSION AVE, San Diego, CA

Built 1966 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 9,100

ROAD 26N04

Good

Over: LAST CHANCE CREEK

LAST CHANCE CREEK, Plumas, CA

Built 1973 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 50

INTERSTATE 5

Good

Over: SACRAMENTO UP RR AMTRAK

02-SIS-005-2.65-DMR, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1955 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 18,000

SCARFACE RD

Good

Over: MOFFETT CREEK

0.1 MI W MOFFETT CR RD, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1967 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 4

COUNTY ROAD 70

Good

Over: PIT RIVER

.5 MI N CENTERVILLE RD, Modoc, CA

Built 1996 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 185

US HIGHWAY 101

Good

Over: S101-MAIN ON&OFF NCRRA

01-HUM-101-61.53-FTA, Humboldt, CA

Built 1962 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 12,800

MOUNTAIN MEDOW RD

Good

Over: NORTH FORK BATTLE CREEK

0.1 MI E THATCHER MILL RD, Shasta, CA

Built 1972 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 165

CHARD AVE

Good

Over: CORNING CANAL

0.2 MI E RAWSON RD, Tehama, CA

Built 1964 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 301

STATE ROUTE 128

Good

Over: SHEARING CREEK

01-MEN-128-34.49, Mendocino, CA

Built 1939 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 2,050

COUNTY RD 33

Good

Over: WILSON CREEK

0.3 MI WEST OF RD D, Glenn, CA

Built 1970 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 160

POUNDSTONE ROAD

Good

Over: RD 108 MAIN CANAL

1.1 MI S OF TULE RD, Colusa, CA

Built 1930 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 62

STATE ROUTE 20

Good

Over: BENNETT STREET

03-NEV-020-R13.11-GVY, Nevada, CA

Built 1969 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 34,500

STATE ROUTE 12

Good

Over: STUART CREEK

04-SON-012-30.80, Sonoma, CA

Built 1924 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 14,200

MONTGOMERY DR

Good

Over: SANTA ROSA CREEK RSEVR

0.1 M N MONTGOMERY DR, Sonoma, CA

Built 1950 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 4,000

FULTON STREET

Good

Over: PINER CREEK

0.3 MI S GUERNEVILLE RD, Sonoma, CA

Built 1970 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 22,350

COMMERCE BLVD

Good

Over: COPELAND CREEK

0.4 MI S RNPK EXPRESSWAY, Sonoma, CA

Built 1966 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 1,000

S ELY RD

Good

Over: ADOBE CREEK

0.1 MI SE CASA GRANDE AVE, Sonoma, CA

Built 1984 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 6,145

OAK KNOLL AVE

Good

Over: NAPA RIVER

0.3 MI SW SLVRDO TRAIL, Napa, CA

Built 1922 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 2,600

OLD DAVIS RD

Good

Over: PUTAH CREEK

100 FT S HUTCHISON DR, Yolo, CA

Built 1965 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 5,330

Showing 13,451-13,500 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.