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

INTERSTATE 5

Good

Over: DUNSMUIR AVE

02-SIS-005-3.84-DMR, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1976 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 19,200

REDWOOD WAY

Good

Over: STRONGS CREEK

1/2 MI E FORTUNA BL, Humboldt, CA

Built 1988 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 4,353

SAN BENITO AVE

Good

Over: ELDER CREEK

AT WORTHINGTON AVE, Tehama, CA

Built 1950 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 600

STATE ROUTE 149 NB

Good

Over: DRY CREEK

03-BUT-149-R3.50, Butte, CA

Built 1975 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 6,875

STATE ROUTE 70

Good

Over: YUBA RIVER UP RR SPUR

03-YUB-070-13.60, Yuba, CA

Built 1960 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 37,500

INTERSTATE 5 NB

Good

Over: FREEPORT BL ABANDONED RR

03-SAC-005-15.59-SAC, Sacramento, CA

Built 1975 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 46,500

16TH ST

Good

Over: RIO LINDA CREEK

0.1 MI N OF E ST, Sacramento, CA

Built 1986 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 10,000

HAVENSIDE DR

Good

Over: MAIN CANAL

0.4 MI SOUTH FLORIN RD, Sacramento, CA

Built 1980 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 4,231

DURHAM FERRY ROAD

Good

Over: BANTA-CARBONA IRR CANAL

0.3 MI E BIRD RD, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1947 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 495

LINCOLN AVE

Good

Over: STATE ROUTE 13

04-ALA-013-6.47-OAK, Alameda, CA

Built 1956 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 15,000

ALVARADO-NILES RD

Good

Over: DRY CREEK

0.3 MI E/O CENTRAL AVE, Alameda, CA

Built 1957 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 36,400

MONTAGUE EXPWY

Good

Over: INTERSTATE 880

04-SCL-880-6.69-SJS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1974 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 85,400

STATE ROUTE 41

Good

Over: ATASCADERO CREEK

05-SLO-041-13.29-ATAS, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1990 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 9,700

7TH STANDARD RD

Good

Over: INTERSTATE 5

06-KER-005-56.64, Kern, CA

Built 1969 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 2,300

STATE ROUTE 154

Good

Over: SANTA INEZ RIVER

05-SB-154-R10.12, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1971 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 14,500

TURNPIKE ROAD

Good

Over: US HIGHWAY 101

05-SB-101-20.06, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1975 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 20,330

REFUGIO ROAD

Good

Over: SANTA YNEZ RIVER

1.52 MI S SR 246, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1985 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 1,303

INTERSTATE 10

Good

Over: CHARTER OAK WASH

07-LA-010-37.61-WCOV, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1934 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 223,000

INTERSTATE 10

Good

Over: WALNUT CREEK CHANNEL

07-LA-010-38.32-WCOV, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1932 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 223,000

W2-S5 CONNECTOR RA

Good

Over: RIPPLE STREET

07-LA-002-15.32-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1961 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 34,700

HILL STREET

Good

Over: ROUTE 101

07-LA-101-1.13-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1951 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 25,000

S47-GAFFEY OFF RMP

Good

Over: STATE ROUTE 110

07-LA-047-L0.22-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1970 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 9,800

E FRK RD

Good

Over: GRAVEYARD CYN CRK

2.7MI E/O SAN GABRL CN RD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1942 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 2,000

TEMPLE AVE

Good

Over: SAN JOSE CRK

0.3MI W/O VALLEY BLVD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1961 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 29,900

LONGDEN AVE

Good

Over: EATON WASH

0.5MI E/O SN GABRIEL BLVD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1957 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 4,386

FULTON AVE

Good

Over: LOS ANGELES RIVER

VLYHT DR N & VLYHT DR S, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1951 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 12,400

VIA PRINCESSA ROAD

Good

Over: RAILROAD AV SANTA CLARA

0.6 MI E/O ORCH VILL RD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 2001 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 37,000

INTERSTATE 15 SB

Good

Over: MIDWAY DITCH

08-SBD-015-R107.12, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1964 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 22,000

INTERSTATE 15 NB

Good

Over: MIDWAY DITCH

08-SBD-015-R107.12, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1964 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 22,000

INTERSTATE 15 SB

Good

Over: HORSETHIEF CANYON WASH

08-RIV-015-29.13, Riverside, CA

Built 1980 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 61,000

HYAMPOM ROAD

Good

Over: HAYFORK CREEK

8.8 MI WEST OF SR 3, Trinity, CA

Built 1948 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 330

CASSEL ROAD

Good

Over: HAT CREEK

3.4 MI NE OF SR 89, Shasta, CA

Built 1930 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 230

COUNTY RD D

Good

Over: WILSON CREEK

0.5 MI SOUTH OF RD #33, Glenn, CA

Built 1982 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 315

STATE ROUTE 70

Good

Over: UP RR & BNSF RY

03-BUT-070-26.99, Butte, CA

Built 1958 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 2,550

HAMILTON CANA HWY

Good

Over: ROCK CREEK OVERFLOW CHNL

3.04 MI N OF SH 32, Butte, CA

Built 1966 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 694

DEVLIN ROAD

Good

Over: SOSCOL CREEK

0.2 MI E SOSCOL FERRY RD, Napa, CA

Built 1981 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 499

MEADOWBROOK DRIVE

Good

Over: BROWNS VALLEY CREEK

JUST S OF TALL GRASS DR, Napa, CA

Built 2007 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 1

N680-E80 CONNECTOR

Good

Over: GREEN VALLEY CREEK

04-SOL-680-13.12-FRFD, Solano, CA

Built 1961 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 32,500

STATE ROUTE 88

Good

Over: WEST FORK CARSON RIVER

10-ALP-088-17.76, Alpine, CA

Built 1963 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 3,200

INTERSTATE 580

Good

Over: MACARTHUR BLVD

04-ALA-580-R39.77-OAK, Alameda, CA

Built 1965 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 134,000

STATE ROUTE 24 WB

Good

Over: CLAREMONT AVE

04-ALA-024-R3.32-OAK, Alameda, CA

Built 1970 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 143,000

ALMADEN EXPWY

Good

Over: GUADALUPE RIVER

0.01 MI N LINCOLN AVE, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1973 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 40,840

STATE ROUTE 43

Good

Over: TULE RIVER

06-TUL-043-R19.91, Tulare, CA

Built 1976 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 3,900

STATE ROUTE 190

Good

Over: TULE RIVER

06-TUL-190-26.65, Tulare, CA

Built 1958 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 6,000

ROAD 208

Good

Over: TULE RIVER

0.3 MI S HENDERSON AVE, Tulare, CA

Built 1951 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 700

PINE CREEK RD

Good

Over: PINE CREEK

4 MI W OF RTE 395 JCT, Inyo, CA

Built 1983 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 205

US HIGHWAY 101 SB

Good

Over: UP RR AMTRAK FRADY LN

05-SLO-101-16.17-PBCH, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1956 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 28,000

GARDNER FIELD ROAD

Good

Over: SANDY CREEK

0.9 MI E DUVALL ST, Kern, CA

Built 1973 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 1,072

STATE ROUTE 27

Good

Over: SANTA SUSANA CREEK

07-LA-027-17.01-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1964 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 35,250

S405-E&W10 CONNCTR

Good

Over: PICO EXPOSITION SAWTELLE

07-LA-405-29.85-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1964 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 57,003

Showing 23,201-23,250 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.