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

FASHION ISLAND BL

Good

Over: US HIGHWAY 101

04-SM-101-11.90-SM, San Mateo, CA

Built 1985 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,070

U.S. HIGHWAY 101

Good

Over: PULGAS CREEK

04-SM-101-7.66-SCAR, San Mateo, CA

Built 2001 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 195,000

SR 84 (MARSH RD)

Good

Over: US HIGHWAY 101

04-SM-084-R25.81-MLP, San Mateo, CA

Built 1998 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 27,500

U.S. HIGHWAY 101

Good

Over: SR 84 (WOODSIDE ROAD)

04-SM-101-5.39-RDWC, San Mateo, CA

Built 1958 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 199,000

MAPLE STREET

Good

Over: US HIGHWAY 101

04-SM-101-5.88-RDWC, San Mateo, CA

Built 1958 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 5,960

S101-3RD AVE OFFRP

Good

Over: SAN MATEO CREEK

04-SM-101-13.45-SM, San Mateo, CA

Built 1996 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 14,400

STATE ROUTE 1 SB

Good

Over: PILARCITOS CREEK

04-SM-001-28.92-HMBY, San Mateo, CA

Built 1954 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 14,750

STATE ROUTE 1 NB

Good

Over: PILARCITOS CREEK

04-SM-001-28.92-HMBY, San Mateo, CA

Built 1954 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 14,750

STATE ROUTE 1

Good

Over: LAKESHIRE DRIVE

04-SM-001-R46.86-DLC, San Mateo, CA

Built 1972 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 65,000

RALSTON POLHEMUS R

Good

Over: STATE ROUTE 92

04-SM-092-R7.93, San Mateo, CA

Built 1967 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 36,300

SB STATE RTE 280

Good

Over: LARKSPUR DRIVE

04-SM-280-R18.52-MLBR, San Mateo, CA

Built 1969 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 51,500

S280-SAN BRUNO OFF

Good

Over: INTERSTATE 380 (FUTURE)

04-SM-280-R20.98-SBR, San Mateo, CA

Built 1973 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 5,785

INTERSTATE 280 SB

Good

Over: STATE ROUTE 92

04-SM-280-10.81, San Mateo, CA

Built 1973 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 53,500

U.S. HIGHWAY 101

Good

Over: NORTH CHANNEL

04-SM-101-R20.63, San Mateo, CA

Built 1976 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 188,000

MARINERS ISLAND BL

Good

Over: STATE ROUTE 92

04-SM-092-R12.78-SM, San Mateo, CA

Built 1977 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,330

STATE ROUTE 84

Good

Over: PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

04-SM-084-R27.62-MLP, San Mateo, CA

Built 1983 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 27,500

U.S. HIGHWAY 101

Good

Over: OYSTER POINT DRAIN

04-SM-101-22.90-SSF, San Mateo, CA

Built 1995 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 196,000

OYSTER POINT BLVD

Good

Over: US HIGHWAY 101

04-SM-101-22.82-SSF, San Mateo, CA

Built 1994 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 29,900

S101-OYSTER POINT

Good

Over: US HIGHWAY 101

04-SM-101-22.78, San Mateo, CA

Built 2004 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,500

INTERSTATE 280

Good

Over: HILLSIDE

04-SM-280-R21.55, San Mateo, CA

Built 1994 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 101,000

S101-SFO AIRPT OFF

Good

Over: US 101 2 AIRPRT-S101 ON

04-SM-101-19.12, San Mateo, CA

Built 2000 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 8,000

SFO AIRPRT-S101 ON

Good

Over: U.S. HIGHWAY 101

04-SM-101-19.29, San Mateo, CA

Built 2000 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 8,000

N101-SFO ARPRT OFF

Good

Over: MILLBRAE AV-N101 ON RAMP

04-SM-101-18.54, San Mateo, CA

Built 2000 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 8,000

STATE ROUTE 1

Good

Over: DEVIL SLIDE

04-SM-001-R39.93-PFA, San Mateo, CA

Built 2009 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 14,500

STATE ROUTE 1

Good

Over: DEVIL SLIDE

04-SM-001-R39.93-PFA, San Mateo, CA

Built 2009 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 14,500

ISLAND PARKWAY

Good

Over: MARINE PKWY TO NB 101

04-SM-101-9.60-RDWC, San Mateo, CA

Built 2004 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,500

US 101 W&E BAYSHR

Good

Over: SAN FRANCISQUITO CREEK

04-SM-101-0.01-PA, San Mateo, CA

Built 2018 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 225,800

STATE ROUTE 1

Good

Over: SAN PEDRO CREEK

04-SM-001-40.83, San Mateo, CA

Built 2015 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 14,500

BROADWAY ON-RAMP

Good

Over: U.S. HIGHWAY 101

04-SM-101-16.58-BURL, San Mateo, CA

Built 2017 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 3,500

STATE ROUTE 114

Good

Over: U.S. HWY 101 RAMPS

04-SM-114-5.00-EAPA, San Mateo, CA

Built 2019 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 51,000

VERDI ROAD

Good

Over: PURISMA CREEK

0.1 MI S PURISMA CRK RD, San Mateo, CA

Built 1987 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 63

LOBITOS CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: LOBITOS CREEK

1.1 MI N/W VERDE RD, San Mateo, CA

Built 1991 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 73

MARINERS ISL BLVD

Good

Over: BRANCH MARINA LAGOON

0.1 MI W/O TILLER DR, San Mateo, CA

Built 1999 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,970

PENNSYLVANIA UP RR

Good

Over: REDWOOD CREEK

WEST OF MAPLE ST, San Mateo, CA

Built 1989 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 100

ROAD-1 SOUTH

Good

Over: PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

TERMINAL 1 - AREA B, San Mateo, CA

Built 1964 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 12,930

ROAD-1 SOUTH

Good

Over: PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

TERMINAL 3 - AREA E, San Mateo, CA

Built 1973 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 12,930

THIRD AVENUE

Good

Over: SAN MATEO CREEK

0.3 MI N NORFOLK ST, San Mateo, CA

Built 1986 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 12,040

PORTOLA RD

Good

Over: CORTE MADERA CREEK

0.1 MI E WILLOWBROOK DR, San Mateo, CA

Built 1989 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,000

MIDDLEFIELD RD

Good

Over: REDWOOD CREEK

WEST OF MAPLE ST, San Mateo, CA

Built 1989 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 14,000

LOS TRANCOS RD

Good

Over: LOS TRANCOS CREEK

1.5 MI S ALPINE RD, San Mateo, CA

Built 1989 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 2,700

SERVICE ROAD

Good

Over: GUADALUPE CHANNEL

BAYSHORE BLVD @ OLD CNTY, San Mateo, CA

Built 2007 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,646

SOUTH AIRPORT BLVD

Good

Over: SAN BRUNO CANAL

NORTH OF NORTH ACCESS RD, San Mateo, CA

Built 2018 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 19,327

ROAD- 1 SOUTH

Good

Over: PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

TERMINAL 3 AREA G, San Mateo, CA

Built 2001 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 12,930

STATE ROUTE 1 NB

Good

Over: PARK AVENUE

05-SCR-001-12.09-CPTL, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1963 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 39,000

STATE ROUTE 1

Good

Over: BAY AVENUE

05-SCR-001-13.20-CPTL, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1995 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 97,000

STATE ROUTE 1

Good

Over: MARKET STREET

05-SCR-001-16.37-SCR, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1958 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 88,000

STATE ROUTE 1

Good

Over: BRANCIFORTE CREEK

05-SCR-001-16.43-SCR, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1958 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 88,000

N1-EMELINE AVE OFF

Good

Over: BRANCIFORTE CREEK

05-SCR-001-16.43-SCR, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 2008 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 30,000

N1-EMELINE AVE OFF

Good

Over: CARBONERA CREEK

05-SCR-001-16.49, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 2008 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 30,000

STATE ROUTE 1

Good

Over: MEDER CREEK

05-SCR-001-21.51, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1958 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 11,000

Showing 17,601-17,650 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.