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

CALAVERITAS RD

Poor

Over: CALAVERITAS CREEK

4.6 MI SE/O MT RANCH RD, Calaveras, CA

Built 1928 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 203

GREEN VALLEY RD

Poor

Over: CASSERLY CREEK TRIB NO 2

@ TRAVELERS LANE, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1920 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 500

LOCKWOOD SAN LUCAS

Poor

Over: SALINAS RIVER

0.1 MI W OF US 101, Monterey, CA

Built 1915 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 530

NAT TRAILS HWY

Poor

Over: ADENA DITCH

21.9 MI E KELBAKER RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 502

NAT TRAILS HWY

Poor

Over: BANDERA WASH

26.1 MI E KELBAKER RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 502

GAVIN MANDRY DRIVE

Poor

Over: HUTCHINSON CREEK

1 MILE EAST OF INTERSECTI, Yuba, CA

Built 1952 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 3,400

DOOLITTLE DRIVE

Poor

Over: HUTCHINSON CREEK

3.5 MILES SOUTH OF DOOLIT, Yuba, CA

Built 1952 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 3,900

WARREN SHINGLE ROA

Poor

Over: HUTCHINSON CREEK

0.85 MILES EAST OF INTERS, Yuba, CA

Built 1952 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 2,000

GRIZZLY FLAT ROAD

Poor

Over: STEELY FK COSUMNES RIVER

7.0 MI E OF MT AUKUM RD, El Dorado, CA

Built 1936 Load: 10.4 t ADT: 2,080

LINDEMANN RD

Poor

Over: DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL

100 FT S HERDLYN RD, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1950 Load: 10.4 t ADT: 150

NAT TRAILS HWY

Poor

Over: CLIPPER DITCH

23.6 MI E KELBAKER RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 10.4 t ADT: 502

ROCK CREEK ROAD

Poor

Over: EAST FORK MILL CREEK

4.1 MILES EAST OF US 101, Del Norte, CA

Built 1950 Load: 11.0 t ADT: 10

NAT TRAILS HWY

Poor

Over: ELLITA DITCH

15.3 MI E KELBAKER RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 11.0 t ADT: 502

NAT TRAILS HWY

Poor

Over: TENINO DITCH

16.0 MI E KELBAKER RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 11.0 t ADT: 502

NAT TRAILS HWY

Poor

Over: BUD DITCH

18.8 MI E KELBAKER RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 11.0 t ADT: 502

SYCAMORE DR

Poor

Over: TWIN OAKS VALLEY CREEK

0.17 MI S/O DEER SPRINGS, San Diego, CA

Built 1960 Load: 11.0 t ADT: 1,387

CAMP EDEN ROAD

Poor

Over: DUCK LAKE CREEK

CALLAHAN, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1949 Load: 11.0 t ADT: 50

DENNIS DR

Poor

Over: SALT CREEK

0.1 MI W LODOGA-STONYFORD, Colusa, CA

Built 1935 Load: 11.3 t ADT: 23

AIRPORT BLVD

Poor

Over: BURLINGAME LAGOON

1.3 MI E OF BAYSHORE HWY, San Mateo, CA

Built 1970 Load: 11.3 t ADT: 7,000

KEYES ROAD

Poor

Over: T.I.D. MAIN CANAL

0.8 MI W/O HICKMAN RD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1921 Load: 11.3 t ADT: 2,313

STATE ROUTE 1 NB

Poor

Over: STATE ROUTE 17

05-SCR-001-17.02-SCR, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1958 Load: 11.7 t ADT: 30,000

BUCKMAN RD

Poor

Over: DUCK CREEK

0.2 MI N OF SR 4, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1931 Load: 12.0 t ADT: 179

ANDERSON ROAD

Poor

Over: CCID MAIN CANAL

0.3 MI W STATE RTE 33, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1926 Load: 12.0 t ADT: 333

WEAVER RD

Poor

Over: CENTRAL MAIN CANAL

20 FT E/O AUSTIN RD, Imperial, CA

Built 1950 Load: 12.0 t ADT: 100

SCOTT MTN RD

Poor

Over: EAST FORK SCOTT RIVER

AT GAZELLE CALLAHAN RD, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1914 Load: 12.3 t ADT: 23

MATTOLE RD

Poor

Over: MATTOLE RIVER

E OF JCT WILDER RIDGE RD, Humboldt, CA

Built 1920 Load: 12.3 t ADT: 514

COUNTY ROAD 303

Poor

Over: S FK WILLOW CREEK

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

Built 1929 Load: 12.3 t ADT: 56

E RIO BONITO ROAD

Poor

Over: SUTTER-BUTTE CANAL

0.8 MI EAST OF SR 99, Butte, CA

Built 1974 Load: 12.3 t ADT: 270

SUVA ST

Poor

Over: RIO HONDO

0.8MI N/O FLORENCE AVE, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1954 Load: 12.3 t ADT: 11,589

BASELINE RD

Poor

Over: EAST TWIN CREEK CHANNEL

0.75 MI E WATERMAN AVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1961 Load: 12.3 t ADT: 28,140

NAT TRAILS HWY

Poor

Over: ATAJO DITCH

14.3 MI E KELBAKER RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 12.3 t ADT: 502

NAT TRAILS HWY

Poor

Over: AXTON DITCH

26.0 MI E KELBAKER RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 12.3 t ADT: 502

NAT TRAILS HWY

Poor

Over: ECKSY DITCH

1.30 MI E OF ESSEX RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 12.3 t ADT: 502

HARTMAN CUTOFF

Poor

Over: WILLOW CREEK

0.2 MI N/O CR 415, Madera, CA

Built 1973 Load: 12.6 t ADT: 22

WILMINGTON AVE

Poor

Over: COMPTON CRK

0.5MI S/O ROSECRANS AVE, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1938 Load: 12.6 t ADT: 29,520

NAT TRAILS HWY

Poor

Over: ALBRO DITCH

13.8 MI E KELBAKER RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 12.6 t ADT: 502

CHUCKWALLA VLY RD

Poor

Over: TARANTULA DITCH

1.5 MI E/O CORN SPRNGS RD, Riverside, CA

Built 1931 Load: 12.6 t ADT: 40

BLOOMFIELD RD

Poor

Over: BLOOMFIELD CREEK

0.18 MI N VALLEY FORD RD, Sonoma, CA

Built 1917 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 524

LOMPICO ROAD

Poor

Over: LOMPICO CREEK

0.9 MI W ZAYANTE RD, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1949 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 2,000

CRABTREE ROAD

Poor

Over: DRY CREEK

1.8 MI S WARNERVILLE RD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1920 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 123

HUSMAN ROAD

Poor

Over: OUTSIDE CANAL

0.6 MI E WHITWORTH RD, Merced, CA

Built 1945 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 265

C.R. 810

Poor

Over: E FK CHOWCHILLA RIVER

0.1 MI SE OF CR 800, Madera, CA

Built 1965 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 25

34013: HUNTING CRE

Poor

Over: HUNTING CREEK

20.4 mi W of Lower Lake, Lake, CA

Built 2003 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 25

ISLAND ROAD

Poor

Over: LITTLE TULE RIVER

2.3 MI N OF ARTHUR RD, Shasta, CA

Built 1950 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 100

MEADOW WAY

Poor

Over: SAN ANSELMO CREEK

0.1 MI SE OF CASCADE DR, Marin, CA

Built 1950 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 55

COOPERSTOWN ROAD

Poor

Over: RYDBERG CREEK

3.9 MI NW LA GRANGE RD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1922 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 37

RD 305

Poor

Over: SUSAN RIVER OVERFLOW #14

0.1 MI S/O US 395, Lassen, CA

Built 1977 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 100

OPENSHAW RD

Poor

Over: DRY CREEK

0.15 MI N SHIPPEE RD, Butte, CA

Built 1930 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 20

CRANMORE RD

Poor

Over: WESTSIDE CANAL

0.3 MI N FASIG RD, Sutter, CA

Built 1925 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 61

BEACH RD (MAIN ST)

Poor

Over: SAN FRANCISCO BAY

INTERSECTION BEACH & MAIN, Marin, CA

Built 1918 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 2,000

Showing 24,451-24,500 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.