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

NAT TRAILS HWY

Fair

Over: BUD DITCH

3 MI E OF CRUCERO RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 230

BREA CANYON BLVD.

Fair

Over: BREA CANYON CHANNEL

0.6 MI N/O CENTRAL AVENUE, Orange, CA

Built 1930 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 20,709

ROUTE 74

Fair

Over: N FK SAN JACINTO RIVER

08-RIV-074-50.29, Riverside, CA

Built 1929 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 3,774

MSSN BL/BUENA VST

Fair

Over: SANTA ANA RIVER

1.47 MI. W/O RTE 91 FWY., Riverside, CA

Built 1958 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 23,060

STATE ROUTE 79

Fair

Over: SOME CREEK

11-SD-079-41.96, San Diego, CA

Built 1927 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 1,700

MOUNT HELIX DR

Fair

Over: MOUNT HELIX DR

0.36MI S/O FUERTE DRIVE, San Diego, CA

Built 1934 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 859

KEFFER RD

Fair

Over: ALAMO RIVER

0.5 MI E/O SR-7, Imperial, CA

Built 1965 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 500

NELSON PIT RD

Fair

Over: EAST HIGHLINE CANAL

1.2 MI E/O MILLER RD, Imperial, CA

Built 1950 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 100

MELOLAND ROAD

Fair

Over: CENTRAL DRAIN

1.9 MI N/O EVAN HEWES HWY, Imperial, CA

Built 1940 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 626

SANTA FE AVENUE

Fair

Over: T.I.D. UPPER LATERAL #3

0.7 MI NW OF ZEERING RD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1924 Load: 20.8 t ADT: 4,713

MATHILDA AVE

Fair

Over: CALTRAIN UP RR EVELYN AV

AT EVELYN AVE, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1965 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 39,627

BIG OAK FLAT ROAD

Fair

Over: TAMARACK CREEK

7.0 miles east from El Po, Mariposa, CA

Built 1939 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 2,530

COPCO RD

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

3.4 MI E OF AGER RD, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1960 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 226

COUNTRY CLUB RD

Fair

Over: TRINITY RIVER

IN WILLOW CREEK, Humboldt, CA

Built 1957 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 2,947

MATTOLE ROAD

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK MATTOLE RIVER

1.3 NW OF MATTOLE RIVER, Humboldt, CA

Built 1961 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 219

GUY COVINGTON DR

Fair

Over: E FORK OF STUARTS FORK

0.7 MI SE OF STATE RTE 3, Trinity, CA

Built 1970 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 170

COFFEE CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: UNION CREEK

12.1 MI W/O S.R. 3, Trinity, CA

Built 1979 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 76

ROCK CREEK RD

Fair

Over: BAILEY CREEK

0.7 MI S OF SR 44, Shasta, CA

Built 1930 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 42

HOOKER CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 5

02-TEH-005-36.37, Tehama, CA

Built 1963 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 880

STATE ROUTE 1

Fair

Over: ALDER CREEK

01-MEN-001-22.73, Mendocino, CA

Built 1947 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 1,800

SHERWOOD RD

Fair

Over: SAM WATT CREEK

2.7 MI S US 101, Mendocino, CA

Built 1960 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 103

COHASSET RD

Fair

Over: SYCAMORE CREEK

0.2 MI N LASSEN AVE, Butte, CA

Built 1956 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 10,200

STATE ROUTE 99 SB

Fair

Over: FEATHER RIVER

03-SUT-099-12.03, Sutter, CA

Built 1958 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 16,100

US HIGHWAY 101 NB

Fair

Over: NWP RR/NCRRA

04-SON-101-33.22, Sonoma, CA

Built 1962 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 22,750

SR 12 WB

Fair

Over: S101-E12 CONNECTOR RAMP

04-SON-012-R15.90-SRO, Sonoma, CA

Built 1964 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 31,500

BOHEMIAN HWY

Fair

Over: RUSSIAN RIVER

AT MONTE RIO, Sonoma, CA

Built 1934 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 3,100

OLD REDWOOD HWY

Fair

Over: PRUITT CREEK

1.75 MI S PLEASANT RD, Sonoma, CA

Built 1913 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 9,000

COUNTY ROAD 94B

Fair

Over: CACHE CREEK (STEVENS BR)

0.33 MI S OF CO RD 20, Yolo, CA

Built 1947 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 377

NORTH TEXAS STREET

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 80 & RAMP

04-SOL-080-20.93-FRFD, Solano, CA

Built 1965 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 23,486

INTERSTATE 5 SB

Fair

Over: W80-S5 CONNECTOR RAMP

03-SAC-005-26.80-SAC, Sacramento, CA

Built 1968 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 69,000

ORANGE RD

Fair

Over: BAT CREEK

0.2 MI E/O DILLARD, Sacramento, CA

Built 1935 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 300

MOUNT LASSEN DR SB

Fair

Over: MILLER CREEK

0.06 MI N LUCAS VALLEY RD, Marin, CA

Built 1925 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 980

VAN ALLEN ROAD

Fair

Over: TEMPLE CREEK N BRANCH

0.3 MI S OF GAWNE RD, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1927 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 641

DRAPER MINE RD

Fair

Over: CURTIS CREEK

1 MI S FROM SH 108, Tuolumne, CA

Built 1937 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 783

CLARK FORK ROAD

Fair

Over: CLARKS FK STANISLAUS RIV

0.9 MI NORTH EAST SR 108, Tuolumne, CA

Built 1950 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 99

RAMP/CONNECTOR 580

Fair

Over: FTHLL BLVD CONN

04-ALA-580-R35.00-SLN, Alameda, CA

Built 1964 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 7,075

SAN LEANDRO BLVD

Fair

Over: SAN LEANDRO CREEK

0.2 MI NORTH OF DAVIS ST, Alameda, CA

Built 1931 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 16,100

STATE ROUTE 1 NB

Fair

Over: SAN LORENZO RIVER

05-SCR-001-17.41-SCR, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1956 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 30,000

OLD LA GRANGE ROAD

Fair

Over: GASBURG CREEK

0.3 MI E NEW LAGRANGE RD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1916 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 1,724

ROGERS ROAD

Fair

Over: DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL

0.5 MILE N OF SPERRY AVE, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1949 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 6,580

ALMOND ROAD

Fair

Over: CCID MAIN CANAL

1.03 MI E OF SR 165, Merced, CA

Built 1966 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 105

GAMBLE ROAD

Fair

Over: ESCALADIAN CANAL

AT YOUD RD, Merced, CA

Built 1930 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 95

RANCHERS ROAD

Fair

Over: LE GRAND CANAL

NORTH OF ANSEL ADAMS ROAD, Merced, CA

Built 1967 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 10

ROAD 26

Fair

Over: MADERA CANAL

0.25 MI S OF AVE 26, Madera, CA

Built 1948 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 285

S EL DORADO AVE

Fair

Over: ARROYO PASAJERO

2.0 MI NORTH OF JAYNE AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1970 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 800

BORONDA RD

Fair

Over: CARMEL RIVER

0.5 MI S CARMEL VALLEY RD, Monterey, CA

Built 1946 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 1,100

STATE ROUTE 41 NB

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK KINGS RIVER

06-KIN-041-R47.16, Kings, CA

Built 1932 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 8,800

STATE ROUTE 99 NB

Fair

Over: CROSS CREEK

06-TUL-099-44.89, Tulare, CA

Built 1916 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 24,500

CHINOWTH

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

0.08 MI N OF SR 198, Tulare, CA

Built 1959 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 1,000

STATE ROUTE 119

Fair

Over: WEED CREEK

06-KER-119-4.41, Kern, CA

Built 1936 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 7,400

Showing 1,901-1,950 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.