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

BOHAN DILLON RD

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK GUALALA RIVER

0.1 MI N FORT ROSS RD, Sonoma, CA

Built 1950 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 50

STATE ROUTE 51 NB

Fair

Over: STATE ROUTE 160 NB

03-SAC-051-3.63-SAC, Sacramento, CA

Built 1954 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 100,000

"O" ST

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 5 & RAMPS

03-SAC-005-23.26-SAC, Sacramento, CA

Built 1970 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 2,200

INTERSTATE 680

Fair

Over: SAN RAMON CREEK

04-CC-680-R7.43-DNVL, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1964 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 192,200

PINOLE VALLEY RD

Fair

Over: PINOLE CREEK

1.2 MI SE OF I-80, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1966 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 19,900

TRACY BLVD

Fair

Over: ROUTE 580

10-SJ-580-6.57, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1966 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 4,190

INTERSTATE 5 SB

Fair

Over: ROTH ROAD

10-SJ-005-R19.58, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1971 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 84,500

SHEEP RANCH RD

Fair

Over: ONEIL CREEK

AT GOLD MOUNTAIN ROAD, Calaveras, CA

Built 1930 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 332

STATE ROUTE 24 EB

Fair

Over: 40TH STREET

04-ALA-024-R2.20-OAK, Alameda, CA

Built 1970 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 75,500

REDWOOD RD

Fair

Over: SAN LEANDRO CREEK

3.2 MI N/O CASTRO VLY BLV, Alameda, CA

Built 1931 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 1,130

STATE ROUTE 82

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 880

04-SCL-082-9.90-SJS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1960 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 14,700

STATE ROUTE 85

Fair

Over: STEVENS CREEK

04-SCL-085-R20.02, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1965 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 115,000

BLOOMFIELD AVE.

Fair

Over: CARNADERO CREEK

BOLSA RD, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1930 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 1,970

HAMILTON ROAD

Fair

Over: INGRAM CREEK

0.8 MI E/O MCCRACKEN RD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1918 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 459

PIONEER AVENUE

Fair

Over: S SAN JOAQUIN MAIN CANAL

0.1 MI N PLEASANT VALY RD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1928 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 445

STATE ROUTE 59 NB

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

10-MER-059-15.23-MER, Merced, CA

Built 1940 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 14,000

STATE ROUTE 152 WB

Fair

Over: DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL

10-MER-152-15.09, Merced, CA

Built 1955 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 12,425

STATE ROUTE 152 EB

Fair

Over: DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL

10-MER-152-15.09, Merced, CA

Built 1950 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 12,425

STATE ROUTE 99 NB

Fair

Over: STATE ROUTE 140

10-MER-099-15.78-MER, Merced, CA

Built 1962 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 25,500

STATE ROUTE 140

Fair

Over: DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL

10-MER-140-0.58, Merced, CA

Built 1951 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 1,175

BAXTER ROAD

Fair

Over: DUTCHMAN CREEK

1.2 MI N BUCHANAN HLW RD, Merced, CA

Built 1965 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 50

WOLFSEN ROAD

Fair

Over: SALT SLOUGH

0.8 MI N/E OF SR 165, Merced, CA

Built 1949 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 105

S MADERA AVENUE

Fair

Over: STINSON CANAL

0.5 MI S OF ELKHORN AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1945 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 100

STATE ROUTE 1

Fair

Over: WILD CATTLE CREEK

05-MON-001-17.32, Monterey, CA

Built 1975 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 2,000

ELM AVE

Fair

Over: SALINAS RIVER

0.1 MI W METZ RD, Monterey, CA

Built 1968 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 1,900

COUNTY RD D112

Fair

Over: NORTH BRANCH TULE RIVER

2.2 MI N AVE 160, Tulare, CA

Built 1917 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 1,100

AVE 416 (CR J40)

Fair

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

2 MI EAST OF ROAD 144, Tulare, CA

Built 1948 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 700

CYPRESS MT DR

Fair

Over: BRANCH OF LAS TABLAS CRK

0.2 MI NW OF KLAU, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1950 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 25

VILLA CREEK RD

Fair

Over: VILLA CREEK

1.8 MI N SR 1, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1957 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 100

HUTTON ROAD

Fair

Over: NIPOMO CREEK

0.55 MI N CUYAMA LANE, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1957 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 6,688

POND ROAD

Fair

Over: STATE ROUTE 99

06-KER-099-52.45, Kern, CA

Built 1960 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 660

OAK STREET

Fair

Over: BNSF RY & AMTRAK

0.1 MI N/O CALIFORNIA AVE, Kern, CA

Built 1939 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 24,433

BAKERSFLD-GLEN RD

Fair

Over: POSO CREEK

S OF ROUND MTN RD, Kern, CA

Built 1937 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 1,250

TUPMAN ROAD

Fair

Over: WESTSIDE CANAL

1.4 MI S OF STATION ROAD, Kern, CA

Built 1972 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 460

PEDREGOSA STREET

Fair

Over: MISSION CREEK

SOUTH OF CASTILLO ST, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1926 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 700

SR 1 SB

Fair

Over: CALLEGUAS CREEK

07-VEN-001-9.87, Ventura, CA

Built 1934 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 4,300

S33-S101 CONNECTOR

Fair

Over: GARDEN ST & PARKING LOT

07-VEN-033-0.02-VEN, Ventura, CA

Built 1963 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 18,500

CASITAS VISTA RD

Fair

Over: VENTURA RIVER

0.1 MI WEST OF SR 33, Ventura, CA

Built 1939 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 2,600

ARUNDELL CIRCLE

Fair

Over: ARUNDELL BARRANCA

0.1 MI E ARRUNDELL AVE, Ventura, CA

Built 1979 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 2,000

LORENA ST OC

Fair

Over: ROUTE 60

07-LA-060-R1.48-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1965 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 12,600

INTERSTATE 10 WB

Fair

Over: DEL MAR AVE

07-LA-010-25.33-SGB, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1953 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 108,500

EUCLID AVE ON-RAMP

Fair

Over: NB I 5 & CONM TO WB 60

07-LA-005-16.13-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1960 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 1,800

INTERSTATE 110

Fair

Over: WILMINGTON CHANNEL

07-LA-110-4.77-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1962 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 199,500

RAILROAD AVE.

Fair

Over: PLACERTA CREEK

.8 MILES N/O LYONS AVE., Los Angeles, CA

Built 1993 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 33,946

FIRST STREET

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 15

08-SBD-015-R85.65, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1963 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 137

PEPPER AVE

Fair

Over: UP RR & AMTRAK

0.1 MI S RTE I-10, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1961 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 1,527

N 1ST AVENUE

Fair

Over: BNSF RY UP RR AMTRAK

0.2 MI N MAIN ST., San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 14,000

ROUTE 74

Fair

Over: SERVO CREEK

08-RIV-074-63.55, Riverside, CA

Built 1958 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 3,570

N163-QUINCE ST OFF

Fair

Over: STATE ROUTE 163

11-SD-163-1.62-SD, San Diego, CA

Built 1946 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 3,040

LUGO ROAD

Fair

Over: PALO VERDE LAGOON

0.32 MI E/O SR 78, Imperial, CA

Built 1950 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 300

Showing 2,501-2,550 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.