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

MCCRACKEN ROAD

Poor

Over: DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL

0.4 MI S/O HAMILTON ROAD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1962 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 353

DAN MC NAMARA ROAD

Poor

Over: OWENS CREEK

0.2 MI S GREEN HOUSE RD, Merced, CA

Built 1930 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 297

INTERSTATE 5 SB

Poor

Over: TUMEY GULCH

06-FRE-005-44.93, Fresno, CA

Built 1967 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 16,500

INTERSTATE 5 NB

Poor

Over: TUMEY GULCH

06-FRE-005-44.93, Fresno, CA

Built 1967 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 16,500

KIMBERLINA RD

Poor

Over: UP RR

WEST OF SH 99, Kern, CA

Built 1968 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 3,200

ELK HILLS ROAD

Poor

Over: CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT

1.5 MI SOUTH OF BRITE RD, Kern, CA

Built 1968 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 1,253

STATE STREET

Poor

Over: MISSION CREEK

0.01 MI INTX RTE 225, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1991 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 7,130

STATE ROUTE 126

Poor

Over: ELLSWORTH BARRANCA

07-VEN-126-R6.43, Ventura, CA

Built 1965 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 25,000

STATE ROUTE 33

Poor

Over: CASITAS VISTA ROAD

07-VEN-033-R5.63, Ventura, CA

Built 1970 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 12,000

ROUTE 55

Poor

Over: N405-S55 CONNECTOR

12-ORA-055-R6.06-CMS, Orange, CA

Built 1966 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 167,000

ZENIA BLUFF RD

Poor

Over: SOUTH DOBBYN CREEK

2 MI E/O ALDERPOINT RD, Humboldt, CA

Built 1949 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 85

COCKROBIN ISLD RD

Poor

Over: EEL RIVER

0.5 MI S OF CANNIBAL RD, Humboldt, CA

Built 1961 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 25

ARAMAYO WAY

Poor

Over: SACRAMENTO RIVER

1.0 MI WEST OF SH 99, Tehama, CA

Built 1977 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 3,300

STATE ROUTE 20

Poor

Over: EAST ROAD

01-MEN-020-33.77, Mendocino, CA

Built 1958 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 11,500

CANA HWY

Poor

Over: PINE CREEK

4 MI W/O SR 99, Butte, CA

Built 1921 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 276

SACRAMENTO ST

Poor

Over: STATE ROUTE 20

03-NEV-020-R16.74-NEVC, Nevada, CA

Built 1967 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 8,500

BROAD ST

Poor

Over: DEER CREEK

BTWN SR20 & SACRAMENTO ST, Nevada, CA

Built 1967 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 8,630

INTERSTATE 80 EB

Poor

Over: TROY ROAD

03-PLA-080-68.55, Placer, CA

Built 1959 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 13,500

US HIGHWAY 101 SB

Poor

Over: CHIQUITA ROAD

04-SON-101-36.95, Sonoma, CA

Built 1960 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 22,500

LONGVIEW DR-W80 ON

Poor

Over: W80-LIGHT RAIL PARKING

03-SAC-080-M9.15-SAC, Sacramento, CA

Built 1970 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 7,500

LINCOLN AVE

Poor

Over: SAN RAFAEL CREEK

700 FT S OF IRWIN AVE, Marin, CA

Built 1959 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 11,601

MACHADO & CALABAZA

Poor

Over: CALABAZAS CREEK

INTERSECTION, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1961 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 500

BUCKEYE ROAD

Poor

Over: MARIPOSA CREEK

2.3 MI S/O OLD HWY, Mariposa, CA

Built 1947 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 200

ROAD 168

Poor

Over: ST JOHNS RIVER

0.7 MI N OF AVE 308, Tulare, CA

Built 1947 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 1,000

US HIGHWAY 101 SB

Poor

Over: ATASCADERO CREEK

05-SLO-101-45.72-ATAS, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1956 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 30,000

U.S. HIGHWAY 101

Poor

Over: CONEJO SCHOOL RD

07-VEN-101-2.25-THOK, Ventura, CA

Built 1966 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 193,000

STATE ROUTE 210

Poor

Over: MET WATER DIST PIPELINE

07-LA-210-R46.33-SDMS, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1970 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 193,000

HACIENDA BLVD

Poor

Over: HACIENDA BLVD OH SPTCO

0.5MI N/O SR-60 FWY, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1964 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 42,238

INTERSTATE 40

Poor

Over: BLOOM WASH

08-SBD-040-R11.45, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1968 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 19,500

INTERSTATE 8 EB

Poor

Over: ALL AMER CANAL GORDNS WL

11-IMP-008-R73.91, Imperial, CA

Built 1969 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 7,900

WARE RD

Poor

Over: CENTRAL MAIN CANAL

40 FT N/O WILLOUGHBY RD, Imperial, CA

Built 1940 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 1,100

INTERSTATE 80

Poor

Over: SUISUN CREEK

04-SOL-080-14.55, Solano, CA

Built 1932 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 202,000

STOCKTON BL-S99 ON

Poor

Over: STATE ROUTE 99

03-SAC-099-17.24-SAC, Sacramento, CA

Built 1959 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 8,500

AIRPORT WAY

Poor

Over: DUCK CREEK

1 MI N INDUSTRIAL DR, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1968 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 5,300

WEST LANE

Poor

Over: CALAVERAS RIVER

0.5 MI N FULTON ST, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1966 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 41,000

WEST LANE

Poor

Over: CALAVERAS RIVER

0.5 MI N FULTON ST, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1966 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 41,000

THORNTON ROAD

Poor

Over: BEAR CREEK

1.4 MI N DAVIS RD INTRX, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1960 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 23,500

PLSNTN-SNL RD-S680

Poor

Over: PLEASANTON-SUNOL ROAD

04-ALA-680-R15.26-PLE, Alameda, CA

Built 1967 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 3,550

US HIGHWAY 101 SB

Poor

Over: CALTRAIN UP RR GRAND ONR

04-SM-101-21.92-SSF, San Mateo, CA

Built 1948 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 98,000

US HIGHWAY 101 NB

Poor

Over: CALTRAIN UP RR GRAND ONR

04-SM-101-21.92-SSF, San Mateo, CA

Built 1948 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 98,000

PRADO RD

Poor

Over: SAN LUIS OBISPO CREEK

0.1 MI W HIGUERA ST, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1957 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 6,796

BANDINI BLVD

Poor

Over: LOS ANGELES RIV

0.1MI E/O SOTO ST, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1969 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 21,275

COUNTY LINE RD

Poor

Over: RD 108 10P CANAL

4.6 MI EAST OF I-5, Colusa, CA

Built 1978 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 170

WASHINGTON ST

Poor

Over: PETALUMA RIVER

NEAR DOWNTOWN PETALUMA, Sonoma, CA

Built 1970 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 21,900

N680-N242 CONNECTR

Poor

Over: WALNUT CREEK

04-CC-680-R18.70-CND, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1963 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 63,800

GENEVA AVE

Poor

Over: ROUTE I 280

04-SF-280-R1.65-SF, San Francisco, CA

Built 1964 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 26,805

GLEN ARBOR RD

Poor

Over: SAN LORENZO RIVER

E/O SR 9, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1968 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 7,800

DAN MCNAMARA ROAD

Poor

Over: DUCK SLOUGH

1.5 MI N SANDY MUSH ROAD, Merced, CA

Built 1982 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 75

GURR ROAD

Poor

Over: DUCK SLOUGH

1.3 MI N SANDY MUSH ROAD, Merced, CA

Built 1975 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 500

LOST HILLS ROAD

Poor

Over: CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT

0.7 MI S OF S.H. 46, Kern, CA

Built 1966 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 3,561

Showing 25,101-25,150 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.