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

CLARK STREET

Poor

Over: M.I.D. CANAL

0.1 MI WEST OF ROAD 26.0, Madera, CA

Built 1955 Load: 3.2 t ADT: 200

AVENUE 10

Poor

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

JUST E/O ROAD 23, Madera, CA

Built 1950 Load: 3.6 t ADT: 50

S BISHOP AVE

Poor

Over: CRESCENT DITCH

0.64 MI S/O MT WHITNEY AV, Fresno, CA

Built 1950 Load: 3.9 t ADT: 125

BRACE ROAD

Poor

Over: SECRET RAVINE

JUST EAST OF I-80, Placer, CA

Built 1939 Load: 4.2 t ADT: 2,595

ALDERCROFT HTS RD

Poor

Over: LOS GATOS CREEK

2.38 MI S LOS GATOS SC RD, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1956 Load: 4.2 t ADT: 30

PICACHO RD

Poor

Over: YUMA MAIN CANAL

0.16 M E/O WINTERHAVEN RD, Imperial, CA

Built 1925 Load: 4.2 t ADT: 6,500

BYRON HWY

Poor

Over: CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT

5.6 MI SOUTH OF SR 4, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1964 Load: 4.5 t ADT: 8,387

HAMILTON ROAD

Poor

Over: WEST BRANCH MILL CREEK

2.1 MILES EAST OF US 101, Del Norte, CA

Built 1950 Load: 4.9 t ADT: 25

WEST BRANCH ROAD

Poor

Over: WEST BRANCH MILL CREEK

5.4 MI S OF HAMILTON ROAD, Del Norte, CA

Built 1950 Load: 4.9 t ADT: 10

CHILDS HILL ROAD

Poor

Over: EAST FORK MILL CREEK

5.3 MILES EAST OF US 101, Del Norte, CA

Built 1950 Load: 4.9 t ADT: 10

TISDALE RD

Poor

Over: WESTSIDE CANAL

100 E CRANMORE RD, Sutter, CA

Built 1925 Load: 5.2 t ADT: 12

MOSQUITO RD

Poor

Over: SOUTH FK AMERICAN RIVER

5.7 MI NORTH OF US 50, El Dorado, CA

Built 1939 Load: 5.2 t ADT: 1,055

ELLIS RD

Poor

Over: SIMMERLY SLOUGH

1.0 MI E OF SR 70, Yuba, CA

Built 1928 Load: 5.5 t ADT: 40

HOBDAY ROAD

Poor

Over: WEST BRANCH BADGER CREEK

330 FT E/O ALTA MESA RD, Sacramento, CA

Built 1960 Load: 5.5 t ADT: 1,010

BREEDLOVE ROAD

Poor

Over: CANYON CREEK

1.0 MI N/O WENTWORTH S RD, El Dorado, CA

Built 1940 Load: 5.5 t ADT: 250

CROSS STREET

Poor

Over: DEL ROSA CHANNEL

0.1 MI E CONEJO ST, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1940 Load: 5.8 t ADT: 100

ROAD 67

Poor

Over: BRANCH HOWARD SLOUGH

1.9 MI E OF RD Z, Glenn, CA

Built 1920 Load: 6.2 t ADT: 93

CIRCLE TRAIL

Poor

Over: TOPANGA CYN CRK

25FT W/O TOPANGA CYN BLVD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1936 Load: 6.2 t ADT: 204

HILL ROAD

Poor

Over: MILL CREEK

2.0 MI E FAIRBANKS RD, Mendocino, CA

Built 1925 Load: 6.5 t ADT: 78

KILBURN ROAD

Poor

Over: ORESTIMBA CREEK

.45 MI S CROWS LANDING RD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1910 Load: 6.5 t ADT: 122

S COW MTN -8 MILE

Poor

Over: Panther Creek

11.4 miles SE of Ukiah, Lake, CA

Built 2000 Load: 6.5 t ADT: 25

BUNKER ROAD

Poor

Over: OUTSIDE CANAL

0.3 MI W OF SR 33, Merced, CA

Built 1930 Load: 6.8 t ADT: 93

STATE ROUTE 111

Poor

Over: FIR DITCH

08-RIV-111-9.54, Riverside, CA

Built 1951 Load: 7.1 t ADT: 5,500

HORSE CREEK RD

Poor

Over: KLAMATH RIVER

0.04 MI NORTH OF SR 96, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1930 Load: 7.5 t ADT: 21

CR 305 (MAPES RD)

Poor

Over: WHITEHEAD SLOUGH

0.6 MI S/O RD 306, Lassen, CA

Built 1978 Load: 7.5 t ADT: 162

TYLER FOOTE XING

Poor

Over: MIDDLE YUBA RIVER

NEV/SIE CO LINE, Nevada, CA

Built 1958 Load: 7.5 t ADT: 58

CUNNINGHAM LANE

Poor

Over: WEST WALKER RIVER

0.3 MI E RT 395 PM 112.5, Mono, CA

Built 1951 Load: 7.5 t ADT: 82

18023: MELSONS COR

Poor

Over: Perry Creek

10 mi SE of Placerville, El Dorado, CA

Built 1955 Load: 7.5 t ADT: 5

BELLE MILL RD

Poor

Over: PAYNES CREEK SLOUGH

ROYAL DRIVE, Tehama, CA

Built 1915 Load: 7.8 t ADT: 1,373

MESA RD

Poor

Over: DURHAM MUTUAL DITCH

0.7 MI W OROVILLECHICO HY, Butte, CA

Built 1949 Load: 7.8 t ADT: 130

US HIGHWAY 101 SB

Poor

Over: NOJOQUI CREEK

05-SB-101-55.00, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1956 Load: 7.8 t ADT: 11,000

LINDLEY ROAD

Poor

Over: MATTOLE RIVER

0.5 MI NE MATTOLE RD, Humboldt, CA

Built 1925 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 50

STATE ROUTE 162

Poor

Over: SACRAMENTO RIVER

03-GLE-162-76.70, Glenn, CA

Built 1948 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 2,400

ROAD 200A

Poor

Over: STONY CREEK

7 MI SW OF ROAD 206, Glenn, CA

Built 1960 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 63

BURCHELL AVENUE

Poor

Over: DUCK SLOUGH

0.6 MI N/O MARIPOSA WAY, Merced, CA

Built 1938 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 360

N FANCHER AVE

Poor

Over: MILL DITCH

0.3 MI SOUTH OF MCKINLEY, Fresno, CA

Built 1939 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 200

SAN FELIPE ROAD

Poor

Over: TEQUISQUITA SLOUGH

0.85 MI SOUTH OF SHORE RD, San Benito, CA

Built 1952 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 2,760

OLD TOPANGA CYN RD

Poor

Over: RED ROCK CRK

1.9MI N/O TOPANGA CYN BL, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1936 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 2,712

NAT TRAILS HWY

Poor

Over: CALIFA DITCH

21.2 MI E KELBAKER RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 502

DILLON ROAD

Poor

Over: WHITEWATER RIVER

0.12 MI. SE/O SR 86S, Riverside, CA

Built 1950 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 8,700

GILROY HOT SPGS RD

Poor

Over: COYOTE CREEK

2.6 MI N CANADA RD, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1921 Load: 8.4 t ADT: 10

COUNTY ROAD 303

Poor

Over: S FK WILLOW CREEK

4.3 MI S OF S.H. 162, Glenn, CA

Built 1920 Load: 8.7 t ADT: 56

CHALK MTN RD

Poor

Over: NORTH FORK CACHE CREEK

IN SPRING VALLEY LAKE DEV, Lake, CA

Built 1967 Load: 8.7 t ADT: 15

BELLE MILL RD

Poor

Over: SAMSON SLOUGH

WHITE ROAD, Tehama, CA

Built 1915 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 1,837

SYCAMORE SLOUGH RD

Poor

Over: SYCAMORE SLOUGH

0.6 MI N OF SACHREITER RD, Colusa, CA

Built 1915 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 70

WURR RD

Poor

Over: PESCADERO CREEK

0.1 MI E PESCADERO RD, San Mateo, CA

Built 1962 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 91

GREEN VALLEY RD

Poor

Over: CASSERLY CREEK TRIB NO 1

4.1 MI N FREEDOM BLVD, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1915 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 500

CHOWCHILLA ROAD

Poor

Over: BIG CREEK

Approx. 2.5 miles SW of W, Mariposa, CA

Built 1940 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 20

NAT TRAILS HWY

Poor

Over: SOMBRA DITCH

4.1 MI E OF AMBOY RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 9.4 t ADT: 806

VESTAL ROAD

Poor

Over: SOUTH FORK COTTONWOOD CR

1.8 MI N/W PETTY JOHN RD, Tehama, CA

Built 1949 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 50

Showing 24,401-24,450 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.