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

TULLY ROAD

Poor

Over: M.I.D. MAIN CANAL

0.1 N/O THIEMAN AV, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1924 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 3,434

CARMEL VALLEY RD

Poor

Over: TASH CREEK

4.5 MI N/W ARROYO SECO RD, Monterey, CA

Built 1959 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 290

AVENUE 394

Poor

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

0.2 MI WEST OF ROAD 176, Tulare, CA

Built 1949 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 25

NAT TRAILS HWY

Poor

Over: AVILLA DITCH

0.50 MI E OF ESSEX RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 502

NEW JERSEY ST

Poor

Over: MOREY ARROYO

0.45 MI N BARTON RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1933 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 3,475

CHILDS HILL ROAD

Poor

Over: ROCK CREEK

8.8 MI SE OF HAMILTON RD, Del Norte, CA

Built 1950 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 10

YORK ROAD

Poor

Over: WILLOW CREEK

0.2 MI E OF AIRPORT RD, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1930 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 39

RELIEF HILL RD

Poor

Over: HUMBUG CREEK

NEAR GRANITEVILLE RD, Nevada, CA

Built 1952 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 27

RD 600

Poor

Over: CROOKS CREEK

0.05 MI E RD 619, Madera, CA

Built 1965 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 560

STALNACKER ROAD

Poor

Over: RESERVATION MAIN DRAIN

0.33 MI E/O AVE. G, Imperial, CA

Built 1950 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 200

ROAD 24N28

Poor

Over: SLATE CREEK

SLATE CREEK, Plumas, CA

Built 1956 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 50

MATTOLE RD

Poor

Over: DOMINGO CREEK

21.2 MI N/O HONEYDEW, Humboldt, CA

Built 1926 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 183

HOLMES FLAT ROAD

Poor

Over: LARABEE LOW LEVEL-EEL RI

NEAR HOLMES, Humboldt, CA

Built 1960 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 100

RECTOR RD

Poor

Over: ROCK CREEK

1 MI N OF ROCK CREEK RD, Nevada, CA

Built 1915 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 62

WEST BUTTE RD

Poor

Over: CHEROKEE DRAIN

AT NORTH BUTTE RD, Sutter, CA

Built 1920 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 97

OLD DUNCANS GRD RD

Poor

Over: AUSTIN CREEK

BTN CZDERO HY&AUSTN CR RD, Sonoma, CA

Built 1924 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 30

SHANK ROAD

Poor

Over: EAST HIGHLINE CANAL

3 MI E/O BUTTERS RD, Imperial, CA

Built 1938 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 50

WILLARD RD

Poor

Over: BRANCH OF REEDS CREEK

LIVE OAK ROAD, Tehama, CA

Built 1960 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 140

PLEASANT WAY

Poor

Over: SAN LORENZO RIVER

0.1 MI W OF SR 9, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1949 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 400

SHIELDS ROAD

Poor

Over: DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL

1.5 MI WEST OF EASTIN RD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1949 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 50

STATE ROUTE 140

Poor

Over: SOUTH FORK MERCED RIVER

10-MPA-140-43.22, Mariposa, CA

Built 1926 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 1,400

16TH AVE

Poor

Over: TULARE LAKE CANAL

0.3 MI N NEVADA AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1950 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 200

CHUCKWALLA VLY RD

Poor

Over: AZTEC DITCH

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

Built 1931 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 40

LAKE VIEW ROAD

Poor

Over: KLAMATH RIVER

SOUTH OF COPCO ROAD, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1960 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 226

REEVES CANYON ROAD

Poor

Over: MILL CREEK

3.1 MI W SR 101, Mendocino, CA

Built 1981 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 105

MOUNTAIN VIEW RD

Poor

Over: RANCHERIA CREEK

4.0 MI E/O RTE 128, Mendocino, CA

Built 1935 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 195

MAXWELL-SITES RD

Poor

Over: STONE CORRAL CREEK

8.8 MI W/O I-5, Colusa, CA

Built 1929 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 459

HANKINS ROAD

Poor

Over: SPRING CREEK

0.8 MI NW FROM WALNUT DR, Colusa, CA

Built 1960 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 118

HIRSCHDALE RD

Poor

Over: TRUCKEE RIVER

AT HINTON, Nevada, CA

Built 1926 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 70

BIRD ROAD

Poor

Over: DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL

0.2 MI N OF S.H. 132, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1950 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 471

WRIGHTS STATION RD

Poor

Over: LOS GATOS CREEK

1.5 MI N/O MORRILL RD, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1917 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 110

DIEHL ROAD

Poor

Over: DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL

0.5 MI WEST OF BELL ROAD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1948 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 99

W LAGUNA AVE

Poor

Over: CRESCENT DITCH

0.9 MI EAST OF BISHOP AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1950 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 75

E LINCOLN AVE

Poor

Over: TRAVERS CREEK

0.5 MI EAST OF ALTA AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1940 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 450

PRIEST VALLEY RD

Poor

Over: LEWIS CREEK

0.15 MI E OF SH 198, Monterey, CA

Built 1948 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 200

COLORADO AVE

Poor

Over: APPIAN WAY / PROMENADE

0.6MI W/O LINCOLN BLVD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1939 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 727

MEMORY LANE

Poor

Over: SANTA ANA RIVER CHANNEL

0.1 MI. E/O CITY DRIVE, Orange, CA

Built 1936 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 18,900

DEL OBISPO STREET

Poor

Over: TRABUCO CREEK CHANNEL

0.2 MI W/O CAMINO CPSTRN, Orange, CA

Built 1946 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 34,000

STATE ROUTE 62 WB

Poor

Over: MISSION CHANNEL OVERFLOW

08-RIV-062-R5.62, Riverside, CA

Built 1966 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 9,000

CHUCKWALLA VLY RD

Poor

Over: ACARI DITCH

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

Built 1931 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 40

HOSPITAL ROAD

Poor

Over: YREKA CREEK

BEHIND COUNTY HOSPITAL, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1987 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 200

KELLY RD

Poor

Over: MCCARTY CREEK

1.5 MI N/O TOOMES CP RD, Tehama, CA

Built 1958 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 30

BELL ROAD

Poor

Over: PIGEON CREEK

0.4 MI E/O SH 49, Amador, CA

Built 1925 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 26

SAUNDERS AVE

Poor

Over: SAN ANSELMO CREEK

IN SAN ANSELMO, Marin, CA

Built 1935 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 3,000

CENTER BLVD

Poor

Over: SAN ANSELMO CREEK

16M NW OF SAN ANSELMO AVE, Marin, CA

Built 1935 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 12,000

FERRY STREET

Poor

Over: ARROYO DEL HAMBRE

AT GREEN ST, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1940 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 3,000

HOWARD ROAD

Poor

Over: DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL

1.5 MILES EAST OF I-5, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1947 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 2,810

TRIANGLE ROAD

Poor

Over: SNOW CREEK

0.1 MI W DARRAH RD, Mariposa, CA

Built 1935 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 360

STATE ROUTE 33

Poor

Over: SAN ANTONIO CREEK

07-VEN-033-7.58, Ventura, CA

Built 1936 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 20,500

HARRY CASH ROAD

Poor

Over: LITTLE SHASTA RIVER

0.25 MI S OF BALL MTN RD, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1920 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 353

Showing 24,501-24,550 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.