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

SAN CARLOS ST

Poor

Over: CALTRAIN UPRR BNSF AMTRA

JUST W OF BIRD AVE, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1932 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 25,000

STATE ROUTE 152 WB

Poor

Over: FRESNO RIVER

10-MER-152-R37.71, Merced, CA

Built 1969 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 8,425

STATE ROUTE 49

Poor

Over: COSUMNES RIVER

10-AMA-049-22.09, Amador, CA

Built 1952 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 2,175

WILLIAMS AVENUE

Poor

Over: CALTRAIN & UP RR

0.2 MI WEST OF 3RD STREET, San Francisco, CA

Built 1936 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 10,200

NORTH ACCESS RD

Poor

Over: SAN BRUNO CHANNEL (E)

0.3 MI E AIRPORT BLVD, San Mateo, CA

Built 1986 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 1,000

PARK MOABI ROAD

Poor

Over: INTERSTATE 40

08-SBD-040-R153.32, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1966 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 1,000

RAILROAD AVENUE

Poor

Over: WEST CHANNEL STUBBE WASH

0.3 MI. W/O VERBENIA AVE., Riverside, CA

Built 1983 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 240

FORRESTER RD (S30)

Poor

Over: WESTSIDE MAIN CANAL

0.6 MI N/O KEYSTONE RD, Imperial, CA

Built 1950 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 11,714

INTERSTATE 80

Poor

Over: STATE ROUTE 4 & RAMPS

04-CC-080-10.02-HER, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1958 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 179,000

WASHINGTON BLVD

Poor

Over: INTERSTATE 680

04-ALA-680-M5.37-FMT, Alameda, CA

Built 1971 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 17,017

OAKPORT STREET

Poor

Over: EAST CREEK SLOUGH

0.6 MI SE OF HIGH ST, Alameda, CA

Built 1948 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 3,347

ARROYO ROAD

Poor

Over: DRY CREEK

1 MILE SW OF WETMORE, Alameda, CA

Built 1930 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 2,800

R 180

Poor

Over: ST JOHNS RIVER

0.2 MI N OF A 312, Tulare, CA

Built 1953 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 420

CLAIREMONT DR

Poor

Over: I 5 BNSF AMTRAK MORENA

11-SD-005-R22.26-SD, San Diego, CA

Built 1969 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 30,500

STATE ROUTE 36

Poor

Over: SHEEP GULCH

02-TEH-036-54.84, Tehama, CA

Built 1961 Load: 44.7 t ADT: 1,375

CHASE AVE

Poor

Over: HALL CREEK

0.1 MI E BURNHAM AVE, Tehama, CA

Built 1953 Load: 44.7 t ADT: 100

INTERSTATE 280 SB

Poor

Over: SAN FRANCISQUITO CREEK

04-SM-280-R0.30, San Mateo, CA

Built 1969 Load: 44.7 t ADT: 46,500

NELSON AVE

Poor

Over: PUENTE CRK

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

Built 1955 Load: 44.7 t ADT: 9,308

STATE ROUTE 86 NB

Poor

Over: COPHY DITCH

08-RIV-086-1.39, Riverside, CA

Built 1979 Load: 44.7 t ADT: 15,300

BAYSHORE BLVD

Poor

Over: ROUTE 101

04-SF-101-0.56-SF, San Francisco, CA

Built 1970 Load: 45.3 t ADT: 33,111

ORR SPRINGS RD

Poor

Over: SOUTH FORK BIG RIVER

19.8 MI W OF US 101, Mendocino, CA

Built 1955 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 134

COUNTY ROAD 91

Poor

Over: INTERSTATE 5

03-YOL-005-R21.38, Yolo, CA

Built 1968 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 2,500

N680-PACHECO OFFRP

Poor

Over: INTERSTATE ROUTE 680

04-CC-680-22.43, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1962 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 7,000

SWEETBRIER AVE

Poor

Over: INTERSTATE 5

02-SHA-005-61.75, Shasta, CA

Built 1962 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 400

SOUTH AVE

Poor

Over: JEWETT CREEK

3.6 MI E/O ROAD 99W, Tehama, CA

Built 1968 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 5,576

WICKMAN RD

Poor

Over: WATT LATERAL (IRRIG LAT)

1.25 MI S RICHVALE HWY, Butte, CA

Built 1940 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 10

INTERSTATE 80

Poor

Over: CARPENTER ROAD

03-PLA-080-34.99, Placer, CA

Built 1958 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 29,000

COUNTY ROAD 17

Poor

Over: INTERSTATE 5

03-YOL-005-R12.34, Yolo, CA

Built 1970 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 5,000

INTERSTATE 80

Poor

Over: EL PORTAL DRIVE

04-CC-080-5.25, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1956 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 179,000

101 AND 280

Poor

Over: 280/101 INTERCHANGE

04-SF-101-1.63-SF, San Francisco, CA

Built 1960 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 153,800

S280-S101 CONNECTR

Poor

Over: N101-N280 CONNECTOR RAMP

04-SF-280-R4.07L-SF, San Francisco, CA

Built 1966 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 40,000

I 280 - 101S (WU)

Poor

Over: 280/101 INTERCHANGE

04-SF-101-1.48-SF, San Francisco, CA

Built 1960 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 80,000

I 280 S AU LINE

Poor

Over: 280/101 INTERCHANGE

04-SF-280-R4.18L-SF, San Francisco, CA

Built 1960 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 80,000

I 280 N AL LINE

Poor

Over: 280/101 INTERCHANGE

04-SF-280-R4.16R-SF, San Francisco, CA

Built 1960 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 170,000

US HIGHWAY 101 NB

Poor

Over: VCY RY

07-VEN-101-R24.34-VEN, Ventura, CA

Built 1968 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 68,500

VALLEY BLVD

Poor

Over: EATON WASH

1.0MI E/O ROSEMEAD BLVD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1956 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 26,536

US HIGHWAY 101 NB

Poor

Over: UP RR AMTRAK FRONT ST

05-MON-101-62.70, Monterey, CA

Built 1960 Load: 46.0 t ADT: 18,200

CAMINO DEL MAR

Poor

Over: SAN ELIJO LAGOON

1.8MI N/O LOMAS SANTA FE, San Diego, CA

Built 1934 Load: 46.0 t ADT: 20,297

US HIGHWAY 101 NB

Poor

Over: UP RR & AMTRAK

05-SB-101-R0.25, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1971 Load: 46.3 t ADT: 32,500

CARLTON HILL BLVD

Poor

Over: SAN DIEGO RIVER

0.2MI N/O MISSION GORGE, San Diego, CA

Built 1978 Load: 46.3 t ADT: 23,227

MAIN STREET

Poor

Over: CONTRA COSTA CANAL

.01 MI SE/O OAKLEY RD, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1977 Load: 46.7 t ADT: 28,500

INTERSTATE 5 SB

Poor

Over: CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT

10-SJ-005-2.07, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1966 Load: 46.7 t ADT: 11,400

ACCESS RD CITY YDS

Poor

Over: ALHAMBRA WASH

0.1MI W/O NEW AVE, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1969 Load: 46.7 t ADT: 505

U.S. HIGHWAY 101

Poor

Over: LOS ANGELES RIVER

07-LA-101-10.83-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1957 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 175,000

LAMBERT ROAD

Poor

Over: BREA CANYON CHANNEL

0.1 MI. W/O BREA BLVD., Orange, CA

Built 1980 Load: 47.0 t ADT: 36,000

STATE ROUTE 242

Poor

Over: CONCORD AVENUE

04-CC-242-R1.47-CND, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1963 Load: 47.1 t ADT: 100,000

N15-W&E78 CONNECTR

Poor

Over: MISSION AVENUE

11-SD-015-R31.32-ESD, San Diego, CA

Built 1977 Load: 47.3 t ADT: 50,000

ISLAY ST

Poor

Over: MISSION CREEK

AT CASTILLO ST, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1982 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 700

INTERSTATE 80

Poor

Over: WILLOW AVENUE

04-CC-080-10.69-HER, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1958 Load: 48.0 t ADT: 115,000

E MEADOW DR

Poor

Over: ADOBE CREEK

NEAR FABIAN DR, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1958 Load: 48.0 t ADT: 5,000

Showing 25,701-25,750 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.