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

STATE ROUTE 128

Fair

Over: SCHOOL DRAW

03-YOL-128-6.53, Yolo, CA

Built 1915 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,200

COUNTY ROAD 99W

Fair

Over: DUNNIGAN CREEK

0.1 MI SE OF CR #89, Yolo, CA

Built 1936 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,256

C.R. #90

Fair

Over: DRY SLOUGH

0.77 MI N OF I 505 RAMP, Yolo, CA

Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 40

CORDELIA RD

Fair

Over: PENNSYLVANIA CREEK

0.2 MI E OF PENN AVE, Solano, CA

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,621

COLLINSVILLE RD

Fair

Over: LUCOL HOLLOW (BIRDS LDG)

BIRDS LANDING, Solano, CA

Built 1957 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 393

STEVENSON BR RD

Fair

Over: PUTAH CREEK

SOL/YOL CO LINE, Solano, CA

Built 1923 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 789

PENNSYLVANIA AVE

Fair

Over: PENN DITCH

NE PASEO PADRE PKWAY, Solano, CA

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 10,990

MARSHALL RD

Fair

Over: PUTAH SOUTH CANAL

0.3 MI E OF NUT TREE RD, Solano, CA

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 6,690

ALAMO DR

Fair

Over: PUTAH SOUTH CANAL

0.5 MI W OF NUT TREE RD, Solano, CA

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 20,190

ENGLISH HILLS RD

Fair

Over: SWEENEY CREEK

.5 MI S PEACEFUL GLEN RD, Solano, CA

Built 1993 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 500

ALDRIDGE RD

Fair

Over: PUTAH SOUTH CANAL

500 FEET W EUBANKS DR, Solano, CA

Built 1959 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 400

STATE ROUTE 99 SB

Fair

Over: WILLOW SLOUGH

03-SAC-099-6.54, Sacramento, CA

Built 1927 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 31,500

INTERSTATE 5 NB

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 80

03-SAC-005-26.69-SAC, Sacramento, CA

Built 1968 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 89,000

HAZEL AVENUE

Fair

Over: AMERICAN RIVER

0.5 MI N OF S.R. 50, Sacramento, CA

Built 1966 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 75,000

WATT AVE

Fair

Over: STRONG RANCH SLOUGH

0.45 MI N ARDEN WAY, Sacramento, CA

Built 1965 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 49,593

FLORIN RD

Fair

Over: ANDERSON DRAIN

100 W/O 21ST ST, Sacramento, CA

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 26,328

21ST ST

Fair

Over: ANDERSON DRAIN

0.1 MI S OF FLORIN RD, Sacramento, CA

Built 1955 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 4,257

TAMOSHANTER WAY

Fair

Over: ANDERSON DRAIN

0.1 MI S OF FLORIN RD, Sacramento, CA

Built 1955 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,719

BROOKTREE DRIVE

Fair

Over: BROOKTREE CREEK

0.3 MI S OF GREENBACK, Sacramento, CA

Built 1965 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,400

BELL ST

Fair

Over: CHICKEN RANCH SLOUGH

0.2 MI N COTTAGE WAY, Sacramento, CA

Built 1971 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,557

SAYONARA DRIVE

Fair

Over: ARCADE CREEK

BTWN LIALANA W MAUAND WY, Sacramento, CA

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,289

MATHENEY WAY

Fair

Over: ARCADE CREEK

0.16 MI N GREENBACK LN, Sacramento, CA

Built 1976 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 550

CLAY STATION RD

Fair

Over: BRANCH LAGUNA CREEK

4 MI S/O DILLARD RD, Sacramento, CA

Built 1955 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,200

ALTA ARDEN

Fair

Over: CHICKEN RANCH SLOUGH

0.1 MI E OF HOWE AVE, Sacramento, CA

Built 1972 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 18,444

ALTA MESA RD

Fair

Over: BADGER CREEK

0.2 MI S HOBDAY RD, Sacramento, CA

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,100

GRANT LINE RD

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE CANAL

0.2 MI E SHELDON WOODS RD, Sacramento, CA

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 12,000

WATSON WAY

Fair

Over: CRIPPLE CREEK

0.25 MI W MARIPOSA AVE, Sacramento, CA

Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,075

CHANNING DRIVE

Fair

Over: RIO LINDA CREEK

135 S. OF JUNEAU WAY, Sacramento, CA

Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,300

POLK STREET

Fair

Over: MAGPIE CREEK

270 N. OF LENORE WAY, Sacramento, CA

Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,300

HALLMARK DR

Fair

Over: CHICKEN RANCH SLOUGH

675 FT E/O ETHAN WAY, Sacramento, CA

Built 1972 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,984

HURLEY WAY

Fair

Over: STRONG RANCH SLOUGH

0.1 MI W/O FULTON AVENUE, Sacramento, CA

Built 1958 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 11,488

LAGUNA SPRINGS DR

Fair

Over: ELK GROVE CREEK

250 FT N/O SWANBROOK CT, Sacramento, CA

Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 11,665

MCROBERTS DR

Fair

Over: MORRISON CREEK

175 FT S/O WOODRING DR, Sacramento, CA

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 463

MACREADY AVE

Fair

Over: MORRISON CREEK TRIBUTARY

375FT S/O OLD PLACERVILLE, Sacramento, CA

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 6,089

WOODRING DR

Fair

Over: MORRISON CREEK

275 FT NE/O BRITTON WAY, Sacramento, CA

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,332

HEDGE AVE

Fair

Over: CONVEYOR BELT ACCESS RD

0.2 MI S/O STATE RTE 16, Sacramento, CA

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,500

STATE ROUTE 89

Fair

Over: MEEKS CREEK

03-ED-089-24.90, El Dorado, CA

Built 1929 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,200

BIG CUT RD

Fair

Over: RINGOLD CREEK

AT QUARRY RD, El Dorado, CA

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 857

PIERROZ RD

Fair

Over: HANGTOWN CREEK

0.1 MI E PLACERVILLE DR, El Dorado, CA

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 9,000

NICASSIO VLY RD

Fair

Over: NICASIO DRAIN NO 2

S PT. REYES - PETALM, Marin, CA

Built 1968 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,750

BEL MARIN KEYS BL

Fair

Over: ARROYO SAN JOSE

JUST N COMMERCIAL DR, Marin, CA

Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 20,883

BEL MARIN KEYS BL

Fair

Over: NOVATO CREEK DRAIN

1 MI NW NAVE DR, Marin, CA

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 6,838

IGNACIO BLVD

Fair

Over: ARROYO SAN JOSE

0.4 MI W US 101, Marin, CA

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 11,820

REDWOOD BLVD

Fair

Over: DUTTON SLOUGH

0.1 MI SE ROWLAND BL, Marin, CA

Built 1968 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,641

MOUNTAIN VIEW AVE

Fair

Over: SAN GEROMINO CREEK

INT SIR FRANCIS DRAKE BL, Marin, CA

Built 1962 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 100

POINT SAN RAFAEL R

Fair

Over: SAN RAFAEL BAY INLET

BY INTERSECT OF KNIGHT DR, Marin, CA

Built 1955 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,400

I80 JACUZZI PIERCE

Fair

Over: CERRITO CREEK

04-CC-080-0.01-RCH, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1936 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 179,000

INTERSTATE 680

Fair

Over: CONCORD AVE

04-CC-680-19.86-CND, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1962 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 130,000

STATE ROUTE 4 EB

Fair

Over: ALHAMBRA WAY

04-CC-004-R8.75-MTZ, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1967 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 31,000

STATE ROUTE 4

Fair

Over: BNSF RY

04-CC-004-R9.10-MTZ, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1938 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 62,000

Showing 2,751-2,800 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.