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

6TH AVE

Fair

Over: LAKESIDE DITCH

0.6 MI S OF LACY BLVD, Kings, CA

Built 1959 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 750

6TH AVE

Fair

Over: SETTLERS DITCH

0.9 MI N OF FLINT AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1954 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,628

6TH AVE

Fair

Over: PEOPLES DITCH

0.4 MI N OF DOVER AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1955 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,130

EXCELSIOR AVE

Fair

Over: KINGS RIVER TRIBUTARY

0.3 MI E OF 17TH AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1954 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,430

EXCELSIOR AVE

Fair

Over: WEST BRANCH KINGS RIVER

0.5 MI W OF 17TH AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1954 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,167

22ND AVE

Fair

Over: ISLAND CANAL

1.1 MI N OF GRANGEVILLE, Kings, CA

Built 1959 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,446

D ST

Fair

Over: LEMOORE CANAL

E LEMOORE, Kings, CA

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,344

6TH AVE

Fair

Over: HOMELAND CANAL

5.0 MI N KERN CO LINE, Kings, CA

Built 1965 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 500

KANSAS AVE

Fair

Over: CLARK DITCH

0.2 MI E OF 11TH AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1963 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,270

NEVADA AVE

Fair

Over: WST BRNCH LAKELAND CANAL

JUST RIGHT OF SR 43, Kings, CA

Built 1965 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 650

7TH AVE

Fair

Over: PEOPLES DITCH

0.8 MI N EXCELSIOR AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1963 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 350

GRANGEVILLE BLVD

Fair

Over: LAKESIDE DITCH

0.3 MI E/O 5TH AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,375

18TH AVE

Fair

Over: TULARE LAKE CANAL

JUST SO MANTECA AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 20

DENVER AVE

Fair

Over: SETTLERS DITCH

0.5 MI E/O 6TH AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1955 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,000

DOVER AVE

Fair

Over: LAST CHANCE DITCH

0.2 MI E OF 12TH AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 500

11TH AVE

Fair

Over: PEOPLES DITCH

0.35 MI S OF ELDER AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,377

MADISON AVE

Fair

Over: TULARE LAKE CANAL

0.3 MI E 20TH AVE, Kings, CA

Built 1965 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 250

STATE ROUTE 99 NB

Fair

Over: CROSS CREEK

06-TUL-099-44.62, Tulare, CA

Built 1916 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 24,500

S99-J ST&J ST-N99

Fair

Over: CAMERON CREEK

06-TUL-099-32.90, Tulare, CA

Built 1928 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 41,500

STATE ROUTE 99 SB

Fair

Over: SOUTH BRANCH TULE RIVER

06-TUL-099-21.43, Tulare, CA

Built 1931 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 21,500

STATE ROUTE 201

Fair

Over: TRAVER CANAL

06-TUL-201-4.44, Tulare, CA

Built 1929 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 5,400

STATE ROUTE 137

Fair

Over: EAST BRANCH BIG CANAL

06-TUL-137-0.53, Tulare, CA

Built 1920 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 4,200

STATE ROUTE 99

Fair

Over: PORTER SLOUGH

06-TUL-099-23.21, Tulare, CA

Built 1931 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 43,000

STATE ROUTE 99

Fair

Over: TULE RIVER OVERFLOW

06-TUL-099-22.23, Tulare, CA

Built 1931 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 43,000

K ST

Fair

Over: TULARE IRRIG DIST CANAL

AT PAIGE AVE, Tulare, CA

Built 1931 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 6,100

AVE 184

Fair

Over: ELK BAYOU

0.6 MI WEST OF ROAD 96, Tulare, CA

Built 1965 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 530

ROAD 192

Fair

Over: PORTER SLOUGH

0.5 MI S OF AVE 184, Tulare, CA

Built 1966 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,300

ROAD 96(PRATT ST)

Fair

Over: ELK BAYOU

0.1 MI N/O AVE 184, Tulare, CA

Built 1954 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 800

ROAD 140

Fair

Over: PACKWOOD CREEK

0.3 MI NORTH OF AVE 288, Tulare, CA

Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,525

AVE 256

Fair

Over: TULARE IRRIG DIST CANAL

0.3 MI WEST ROAD 132, Tulare, CA

Built 1966 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 750

RD 164 (FRMSVL BL)

Fair

Over: DEEP CREEK

0.15 MI S OF AVE 280, Tulare, CA

Built 1956 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 4,088

ROAD 68

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

0.6 MI N OF AVE 280, Tulare, CA

Built 1953 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 510

AVE 280

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

0.6 MI W OF RD 68, Tulare, CA

Built 1953 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 940

AVE 280

Fair

Over: PACKWOOD CREEK

0.7 MI E OF SR 63, Tulare, CA

Built 1953 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,500

ROAD 196

Fair

Over: KETCHUM DI

3.25 MI N OF SR 198, Tulare, CA

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,150

VILLA ST

Fair

Over: PORTER SLOUGH

CITY OF PORTERVILLE, Tulare, CA

Built 1930 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,800

ROAD 16

Fair

Over: TULE RIVER

0.5 MI N OF AVENUE 132, Tulare, CA

Built 1955 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 425

ROAD 32

Fair

Over: BRANCH OF HOMELAND CANAL

1.0 MI N OF AVE 72, Tulare, CA

Built 1954 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 50

ROAD 202

Fair

Over: PORTER SLOUGH

0.13 MI S OF AVE 176, Tulare, CA

Built 1953 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 50

ROAD D76 (CAMP DR)

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK DITCH

0.4 MI SE OF AVE 304, Tulare, CA

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 100

CRENSHAW RD

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK

0.25 MI N OF SR 198, Tulare, CA

Built 1953 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 575

AVENUE 336

Fair

Over: WUTCHUMNA DITCH

ROAD 196, Tulare, CA

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,420

AVE 260

Fair

Over: PACKWOOD CREEK

0.2 MI E OF RD 64, Tulare, CA

Built 1952 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 250

AVE 256

Fair

Over: BRANCH OF PACKWOOD CREEK

0.3 MI E OF RD 56, Tulare, CA

Built 1952 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 175

AVE 252

Fair

Over: PACKWOOD CREEK

0.2 MI W OF RD 56, Tulare, CA

Built 1952 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 100

AVE 248

Fair

Over: TULARE CANAL

0.3 MI E OF RD 124, Tulare, CA

Built 1962 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 350

ROAD 124

Fair

Over: TULARE IRRIG DIST CANAL

0.4 MI S OF AVE 271, Tulare, CA

Built 1952 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 475

AVE 264

Fair

Over: FARMERS DITCH

0.5 MI W OF RD 164, Tulare, CA

Built 1954 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 300

AVE 304

Fair

Over: TULARE IRRIG DIST CANAL

0.5 MI W OF RD 180, Tulare, CA

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,300

RD 182

Fair

Over: CONSOLIDATE PEOPLE DITCH

0.3 MI N OF SR 198, Tulare, CA

Built 1964 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 420

Showing 3,001-3,050 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.