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

ROAD 45

Fair

Over: GLENN-COLUSA CANAL

0.2 MI W ROAD P, Glenn, CA

Built 1948 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 497

CHALET DR

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

W END ALPINE MEADOWS RD, Placer, CA

Built 1965 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 300

WESTSIDE ROAD

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

0.5 MI WEST OF US 101, Sonoma, CA

Built 1934 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 6,100

W THIRD ST

Fair

Over: SANTA ROSA CREEK

BTWN RBTS & WLSN, Sonoma, CA

Built 1935 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 14,600

LESLIE RD

Fair

Over: PORTER CREEK

.7M NW MARK WEST SPRGS RD, Sonoma, CA

Built 1972 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 63

FRANZ VALLEY ROAD

Fair

Over: FRANZ CREEK

2 MILES SW OF SR 128, Sonoma, CA

Built 1977 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 500

STATE ROUTE 121

Fair

Over: TULUCAY CREEK

04-NAP-121-6.42-NAP, Napa, CA

Built 1918 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 22,850

STATE ROUTE 16

Fair

Over: CACHE CREEK

03-YOL-016-3.87, Yolo, CA

Built 1938 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 750

INTERSTATE 505 SB

Fair

Over: HORSE CREEK

04-SOL-505-R0.21-VAC, Solano, CA

Built 1946 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 16,750

NEW HOPE RD

Fair

Over: GRIZZLEY SLOUGH

0.5 MI N SA JOQUN CO LINE, Sacramento, CA

Built 1931 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 1,785

SALMON FALLS RD

Fair

Over: SOUTH FK AMERICAN RIVER

4.5 MI S PILOT HILL, El Dorado, CA

Built 1953 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 1,900

CARQUINEZ SCENIC D

Fair

Over: ECKLEY SLIDE

2.1 MI E I-80 IN CROCKETT, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1919 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 470

NORSE DR

Fair

Over: CONTRA COSTA CANAL

AT PASO NOGAL, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1972 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 800

STATE ROUTE 89

Fair

Over: MARKLEEVILLE CREEK

10-ALP-089-14.69, Alpine, CA

Built 1929 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 840

U.S. HIGHWAY 101

Fair

Over: 3RD STREET

04-SF-101-0.77-SF, San Francisco, CA

Built 1955 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 32,500

BUTANO CUT OFF

Fair

Over: PESCADERO CREEK

SOUTH PESCADERO RD, San Mateo, CA

Built 1964 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 357

QUAIL HOLLOW ROAD

Fair

Over: ZAYANTE CREEK

0.01 MI W OF E ZAYANTE RD, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1949 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 3,000

DRAPER ROAD

Fair

Over: NEWMAN WASTEWAY

0.7 MI S/O SHIELLS RD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1950 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 276

VICTORY AVENUE

Fair

Over: S SAN JOAQUIN MAIN CANAL

0.4 MI N STATE RTE 120, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1931 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 729

SANTA RITA GRADE

Fair

Over: SAN JUAN CANAL

0.25 MI E OF ELGIN AVE, Merced, CA

Built 1950 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 327

DOGTOWN ROAD

Fair

Over: MAXWELL CREEK

0.2 MI E/O GREELEY HILL R, Mariposa, CA

Built 1944 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 120

ROAD 225

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK WILLOW CREEK

0.1 MI W OF RD 274, Madera, CA

Built 1951 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 3,800

ROAD 35

Fair

Over: LITTLE DRY CREEK

0.2 MI N AVE 14, Madera, CA

Built 1973 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 500

N FRESNO ST

Fair

Over: HERNDON CANAL

S SR 101, Fresno, CA

Built 1959 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 13,444

NASON ROAD

Fair

Over: CACHAGUA CREEK

0.1 MI S CACHAGUA ROAD, Monterey, CA

Built 1945 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 200

PARK ROAD

Fair

Over: MCWAY CANYON

JULIA PFEIFFER BURNS S P, Monterey, CA

Built 1968 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 60

JACKSON AVE

Fair

Over: KINGS RIV (WEST CHANNEL)

1.5 MI W 21ST AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1922 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 750

EXCELSIOR AVE

Fair

Over: KINGS RIVER

0.3 MI W OF 16TH AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1948 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 3,430

AVENUE 8

Fair

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

AT ROAD 176, Tulare, CA

Built 1950 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 500

AVENUE 16

Fair

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

0.5 MI WEST OF ROAD 184, Tulare, CA

Built 1950 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 25

STATE ROUTE 1

Fair

Over: SAN CARPOFORO CREEK

05-SLO-001-71.34, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1956 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 3,000

COUNTY LINE RD

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 5

06-KER-005-87.02, Kern, CA

Built 1970 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 29

S MOUNTAIN RD

Fair

Over: SANTA CLARA RIVER

0.2 MI S/O SR 126, Ventura, CA

Built 1953 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 2,900

COMMONWEALTH AVE

Fair

Over: ROUTE 210

07-LA-210-R20.16-LCF, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1972 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 2,240

CMP BNTA-PR FKS RD

Fair

Over: CATTLE CYN CRK

5.7MI E/O SAN GAB CYN RD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1932 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 200

NAT TRAILS HWY

Fair

Over: WEST LUDLOW WASH

0.3 MI W OF CRUCERO RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 1

NATL TRAILS HWY

Fair

Over: VERDE WASH

0.8 MI E OF CRUCERO RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 108

BARTON RD

Fair

Over: UP RR

0.25 MI WEST OF I-215, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1929 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 10,420

WINDING ROAD

Fair

Over: MIDDLE FORK COSUMNES

NO DATA ENTERED, El Dorado, CA

Built 1969 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 25

CASTLEWOOD DRIVE

Fair

Over: ARROYO DE LA LAGUNA

0.1 MI E/O FOOTHILL RD, Alameda, CA

Built 1927 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 5,200

HAPPY ISLES LOOP

Fair

Over: MERCED RIVER

Approximately 500 downst, Mariposa, CA

Built 1929 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 50

EL PORTAL ROAD

Fair

Over: EAST FORK CASCADE CREEK

5.1 miles east from El Po, Mariposa, CA

Built 1985 Load: 19.0 t ADT: 2,080

ELINOR ROAD

Fair

Over: GREENLOW CREEK

0.3 MILE NE OF ROUTE 254, Humboldt, CA

Built 1988 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 20

PECAN LANE

Fair

Over: ADAMS CREEK

AT ADAMS RD, Tehama, CA

Built 1951 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 37

NELSON ST

Fair

Over: INDIAN CREEK

1.0 MI N ARLINGTON RD, Plumas, CA

Built 1941 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 280

RAILROAD STREET

Fair

Over: ESTRAY CREEK

0.2 MI SW SH 70, Plumas, CA

Built 1984 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 50

RIDGEWAY HWY CR249

Fair

Over: WHITNEY CREEK

4.4 MI N JCT EEL RIVER RD, Mendocino, CA

Built 1960 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 68

OREGON GULCH RD

Fair

Over: OREGON GULCH CREEK

0.6 MI S OF CHEROKEE RD, Butte, CA

Built 1983 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 91

ROSE AVE

Fair

Over: BIG CHICO CREEK

AT BIDWELL AVENUE, Butte, CA

Built 1925 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 1,013

OLD AUB FSTHILL RD

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK AMERICAN RIV

0.3 MI NE OF SR 49, Placer, CA

Built 1955 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 537

Showing 1,551-1,600 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.