State profile · Below median Poor share

California bridge safety

Condition ratings, load ratings, and Poor-condition data for every public highway bridge in California, based on the FHWA National Bridge Inventory.

27,040
Public bridges
32.5%
Good condition
4.6%
Poor condition

Data updated May 2026

Total Bridges

27,040

Public highway bridges in California

Good Condition

32.5%

8,777 bridges rated 7-9

-17.5pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

4.6%

1,244 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

-2.4pp vs national avg 7.0%

California vs national bridge condition

California - Good condition share 32.5%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

California - Poor-condition share 15.3%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.0%.

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.

OH

Ohio

4.54% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$26,753

NJ

New Jersey

4.59% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$6,796
Selected

CA

California

4.60% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$27,040

AR

Arkansas

4.71% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$5,544

WA

Washington

4.81% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$8,808

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.

All Bridges in California

UNION ROAD

Poor

Over: SAN BENITO RIVER

EAST CIENEGA RD, San Benito, CA

Built 1959 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 11,000

SCARONI RD

Poor

Over: MAJORS CREEK

0.2 MI W OF SR 1, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1970 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 10

INTERSTATE 5 SB

Poor

Over: KERN RIVER

06-KER-005-42.00, Kern, CA

Built 1969 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 15,000

INTERSTATE 5 NB

Poor

Over: KERN RIVER

06-KER-005-42.00, Kern, CA

Built 1969 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 15,000

BREA CYN RD

Poor

Over: SAN JOSE CRK

150FT S/O VAL BLVD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1968 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 23,929

CENTER PARKWAY

Poor

Over: UNION HOUSE CREEK

JUST N OF COSUMNES BLVD, Sacramento, CA

Built 1975 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 13,295

N OLD STAGE RD

Poor

Over: SHASTA RIVER

0.8 MI N COLLEGE AVE, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1968 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 379

GERICKE RD

Poor

Over: AMERICANO CREEK

0.2 MI S VALLEY FORD RD, Sonoma, CA

Built 1972 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 100

MILL CREEK RD

Poor

Over: MILL CREEK

5.4 MI W OF WESTSIDE RD, Sonoma, CA

Built 1961 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 210

ROSE LANE

Poor

Over: NORTH FORK JACKSON CREEK

50 FT WEST OF N. MAIN ST., Amador, CA

Built 1971 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 30

OLD GASQUET TOLL

Poor

Over: EIGHTEEN MILE CREEK

5 MI FROM ROUTE 199, Del Norte, CA

Built 1970 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 20

AGOURA RD

Poor

Over: LAS VIRGENES CRK

0.1MI W/O LAS VIRGENES, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1972 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 8,709

LIVE OAK AVE

Poor

Over: SAN GABRIEL RIV

0.3MI E/O I-605 FWY, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1961 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 25,359

US HIGHWAY 101 SB

Poor

Over: BRADLEY RD

05-MON-101-R7.94, Monterey, CA

Built 1965 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 8,100

INTERSTATE 880

Poor

Over: GUADALUPE RIVER

04-SCL-880-3.15-SJS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1960 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 165,000

RAILROAD AVENUE

Poor

Over: EAST BRANCH SMITHNECK CR

1/4 MI SOUTH OF ROUTE 49, Sierra, CA

Built 1987 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 1,000

WILFRED AVE

Poor

Over: BELVIEW-WILFRED CREEK

0.2 MI E PRIMROSE AVE, Sonoma, CA

Built 1963 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 1,857

MCCRACKEN ROAD

Poor

Over: INGRAM CREEK

0.1 MI N HOWARD ROAD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1967 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 296

LAGUNA ROAD

Poor

Over: MUGU LAGOON

NBVC POINT MUGU, Ventura, CA

Built 1949 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 200

EDGAR RD

Poor

Over: THISTLE CANAL

0.55 MI W/O FORRESTER RD, Imperial, CA

Built 1974 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 80

INTERSTATE 5 SB

Poor

Over: MILLUX ROAD & SUNSET RR

06-KER-005-30.75, Kern, CA

Built 1967 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 17,000

LOWER AZUSA RD

Poor

Over: ARCADIA WASH

0.4MI W/O SANTA ANITA AVE, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1959 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 30,816

GARIBALDI AVE

Poor

Over: EATON WASH

0.4MI W/O ROSEMEAD BLVD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1953 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 918

CHAPMAN AVENUE

Poor

Over: SANTA ANA RIVER CHANNEL

0.1 MI. W/O ROUTE 57 FWY, Orange, CA

Built 1976 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 32,900

WATERLOO RD

Poor

Over: STOCKTON DIVERTING CANAL

0.2 MI S/W OF S.H. 99, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1967 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 13,366

TURNPIKE RD

Poor

Over: WALKER SLOUGH

1/4 MI N DOWNING AVE, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1971 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 2,100

MANTHEY ROAD

Poor

Over: WALKER SLOUGH

1/4 MI N DOWNING AV, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1971 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 4,600

SIXTY-EIGHTH AVE

Poor

Over: SOUTH FORK ANTELOPE CRK

AT SR 99, Tehama, CA

Built 1929 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 500

MARSH CREEK RD

Poor

Over: MARSH CREEK

3 MI E DEER VALLEY ROAD, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1937 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 3,979

NOVATO BLVD

Poor

Over: NOVATO CREEK

0.5 MILE S OF SUTRO AVE., Marin, CA

Built 1969 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 10,024

STATE ROUTE 99 NB

Poor

Over: BLACK RASCAL CANAL

10-MER-099-17.30, Merced, CA

Built 1962 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 25,500

INTERSTATE 10 WB

Poor

Over: THOUSAND PALMS WASH

08-RIV-010-R53.80-IND, Riverside, CA

Built 1972 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 33,000

INTERSTATE 40 EB

Poor

Over: WEST LUDLOW WASH

08-SBD-040-R49.71, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1968 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 8,250

STATE ROUTE 217

Poor

Over: SAN JOSE CREEK

05-SB-217-1.02-SB, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1963 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 12,500

SCOTT BLVD

Poor

Over: SAN TOMAS AQUINO CREEK

W OF SAN TOMAS EXPWY, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1973 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 11,000

ARNOLD DR

Poor

Over: SONOMA CREEK

7.8 MI N OF SR 116, Sonoma, CA

Built 1924 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 13,900

8TH ST EAST

Poor

Over: SCHELL CREEK

0.25 MILE NORTH OF RT 12, Sonoma, CA

Built 1968 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 1,500

INTERSTATE 5 SB

Poor

Over: COVELL ROAD (PRIVATE)

10-STA-005-11.22, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1967 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 18,000

INTERSTATE 5 NB

Poor

Over: COVELL ROAD (PRIVATE)

10-STA-005-11.22, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1967 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 18,000

7TH AVE

Poor

Over: E BRANCH PEOPLES DITCH

0.5 MI N EXCELSIOR AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1960 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 350

WALNUT GROVE AVE

Poor

Over: ALHAMBRA WASH

0.8MI N/O SR-60 FWY, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1937 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 17,934

ARMOUR ROAD

Poor

Over: PHEASANT CANAL

0.5 MI N/O VARNEY RD, Sutter, CA

Built 1950 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 55

RD 284

Poor

Over: TULE RIVER

0.1 MI N OF SR 190, Tulare, CA

Built 1963 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 1,500

STATE ROUTE 33

Poor

Over: COLONY MAIN CANAL

06-FRE-033-75.95, Fresno, CA

Built 1947 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 3,025

STATE ROUTE 33

Poor

Over: HELM CANAL

06-FRE-033-72.81, Fresno, CA

Built 1947 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 3,500

STATE ROUTE 86 SB

Poor

Over: VERDE DITCH

11-IMP-086-57.69, Imperial, CA

Built 1989 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 7,300

LERDO HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT

6 MI WEST OF INTERSTATE 5, Kern, CA

Built 1966 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 2,492

TWISSELMAN ROAD

Poor

Over: CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT

2.7 MI EAST HOLLOWAY ROAD, Kern, CA

Built 1965 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 800

BIG CANYON ROAD

Poor

Over: BIG CANYON CREEK

8 1/4 MI N OF SR 175, Lake, CA

Built 1930 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 304

PUENTE AVE

Poor

Over: BIG DALTON WASH

0.2MI S/O RAMONA BLVD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1959 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 2,137

Showing 26,751-26,800 of 27,040 bridges

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.

Every figure on PlainBridge is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.