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

CARBONDALE ROAD

Fair

Over: WILLOW CREEK

0.9 MI S OLD LAMBERT RD, Amador, CA

Built 1970 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 250

SIR-FRANCIS DRAKE

Fair

Over: DEVILS GULCH

4.4 MI E OF SR 1, Marin, CA

Built 1920 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 3,000

STATE ROUTE 4 EB

Fair

Over: RODEO CREEK

04-CC-004-R1.96R, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1920 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 20,250

HARBOR ST

Fair

Over: CONTRA COSTA CANAL

0.01 MI S STONEMAN AVE, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1966 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 13,000

PARKING LOT ACCESS

Fair

Over: CAMINO PABLO ROAD

BTWN SR 24E & SR 24W, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1969 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 3,000

ESCALON-BELLOTA RD

Fair

Over: TEMPLE CREEK

NORTH OF SKIFF RD, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1925 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 2,194

CORRAL HOLLOW ROAD

Fair

Over: DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL

1.5 MI N OF I-580, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1947 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 1,006

STATE ROUTE 4

Fair

Over: W BRANCH CHEROKEE CREEK

10-CAL-004-16.15, Calaveras, CA

Built 1930 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 5,900

SOUTHGATE DR

Fair

Over: SONORA CREEK

SOUTH OF RTE 49, Tuolumne, CA

Built 1940 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 3,000

U.S. HIGHWAY 101

Fair

Over: COYOTE CREEK

04-SCL-101-36.69-SJS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1940 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 150,000

CENTRAL EXPWY EB

Fair

Over: SAN TOMAS AQUINO CREEK

0.25 MI N SA TOMAS EXPWY, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1963 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 36,160

BOWDEN CT

Fair

Over: LLAGAS CREEK

0.1 MI N WATSONVILLE RD, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1919 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 240

VALLEY HOME ROAD

Fair

Over: LONE TREE CREEK

0.68 MI S/E LONE TREE RD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1934 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 3,796

WILLMS ROAD

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK TRIBUTARY

0.1 MI W JCT ROCK RIV RD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1925 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 52

MINNEAR ROAD

Fair

Over: M.I.D. MAIN CANAL

0.1 MI E ROSELLE AVE, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1948 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 1,000

TIM BELL ROAD

Fair

Over: M.I.D. MAIN CANAL

JUST SOUTH VINEYARD RD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1919 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 1,100

STATE ROUTE 33

Fair

Over: DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL

10-MER-033-R15.11, Merced, CA

Built 1950 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 8,200

ROAD 21

Fair

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

0.25 MI S AVE 9, Madera, CA

Built 1948 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 189

CORRAL DE TIERRA R

Fair

Over: CALERA CREEK

1.6 MI SOUTH OF SR 68, Monterey, CA

Built 1947 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 5,700

SANTA FE AVE

Fair

Over: SWEET CANAL

1.5 MI S SHERMAN AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1942 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 1,500

MANOR STREET SB

Fair

Over: KERN RIVER

0.2 MI S ROBERTS LANE, Kern, CA

Built 1954 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 10,750

MANOR STREET NB

Fair

Over: KERN RIVER

0.2 MI S ROBERTS LANE, Kern, CA

Built 1957 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 10,750

BROWN-INYOKERN RD

Fair

Over: AIRPORT WASH

1.2 MI N OF RTE 178, Kern, CA

Built 1945 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 2,050

US HIGHWAY 101

Fair

Over: ROMERO CREEK

05-SB-101-9.34, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1915 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 76,000

FOOTHILL BLVD

Fair

Over: SAN DIMAS WASH

0.5MI W/O SAN DIMAS C RD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1963 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 24,624

SIERRA HWY SBND

Fair

Over: SANTA CLARA RIV

0.3MI S/O SOLEDAD CYN RD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1938 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 17,640

GREEN VALLEY LK RD

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK DEEP CREEK

10 WEST OF ROUTE 18, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1940 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 849

NATL TRAILS HWY

Fair

Over: ROCK WASH

0.5 MI E OF CRUCERO RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 108

RANCHERO ST

Fair

Over: CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT

0.95 MI E MAPLE AVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1971 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 7,759

N215-W60 E60-S215

Fair

Over: DOWN ST AMTRAK METROLINK

08-RIV-215-R43.08R-RIV, Riverside, CA

Built 1961 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 202,000

STATE ROUTE 151

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 5

02-SHA-151-R6.90, Shasta, CA

Built 1968 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 11,150

MINERAL RD

Fair

Over: BAILEY CREEK

0.2 MI S OF SR 44, Shasta, CA

Built 1947 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 123

HOT SPRINGS RD

Fair

Over: JANEEN CREEK

0.4 MI W OF BIG BEND RD, Shasta, CA

Built 1940 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 50

STATE ROUTE 32

Fair

Over: DEER CREEK

02-TEH-032-12.91, Tehama, CA

Built 1939 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 1,100

OLD TOLL RD/CR 108

Fair

Over: MC DOWELL CREEK

0.05 MI S SR 175, Mendocino, CA

Built 1969 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 60

OLD TOLL RD/CR 108

Fair

Over: COLEMAN CREEK

2.7 MI S S.R. 175, Mendocino, CA

Built 1940 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 72

PRIMROSE DR

Fair

Over: WILLITS CREEK

0.075 MI S LUPINE RD, Mendocino, CA

Built 1967 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 545

OLD 99W

Fair

Over: HUNTERS CREEK

1.2 MI N DELEVAN RD, Colusa, CA

Built 1934 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 669

MOONEY FLAT ROAD

Fair

Over: SLACKS RAVINE

0.7 MI NORTH OF ROUTE 20, Nevada, CA

Built 1959 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 606

SWANSON ROAD

Fair

Over: YANKEE SLOUGH

1.9 MI NE/O SR 70, Sutter, CA

Built 1934 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 963

SWANSON ROAD

Fair

Over: YANKEE SLOUGH OVERFLOW

1.95 MI NE/O SH 70, Sutter, CA

Built 1934 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 963

SOUTH BUTTE ROAD

Fair

Over: SUTTER BYPASS W CHANNEL

AT S TARKE RD, Sutter, CA

Built 1999 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 1

BREWER RD

Fair

Over: AUBURN RAVINE

7.6 MI N BASE LINE RD, Placer, CA

Built 1941 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 110

SQUAW PEAK ROAD

Fair

Over: SQUAW CREEK

0.1 1 W SQUAW VALLEY, Placer, CA

Built 1993 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 2,497

GRANT ST

Fair

Over: FOSS CREEK

IN HEALDSBURG, Sonoma, CA

Built 1920 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 1,830

NUT TREE ROAD

Fair

Over: I 80 CONNECTORS RAMP

04-SOL-080-R28.02-VAC, Solano, CA

Built 1963 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 16,113

ISLETON RD(WG)

Fair

Over: GEORGIANA SLOUGH

CONNCTS ISLTN RD + RIV RD, Sacramento, CA

Built 1962 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 2,458

SUNRISE BLVD

Fair

Over: AMERICAN RIVER

1.7 MI N OF US 50, Sacramento, CA

Built 1955 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 78,370

CONCORD AVE

Fair

Over: WALNUT CREEK

0.83 MI E SH 680, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1964 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 18,144

ITALIAN BAR ROAD

Fair

Over: S FORK STANISLAUS RIVER

6.75 MI NE BIG HILL RD CO, Tuolumne, CA

Built 1921 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 55

Showing 1,651-1,700 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.