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

INTERSTATE 40

Fair

Over: "L" STREET

08-SBD-040-R142.20-NED, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1973 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 7,350

STATE ROUTE 62

Fair

Over: RICE SPILLWAY

08-SBD-062-108.03, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1935 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,428

CAJON BLVD

Fair

Over: DEVIL CREEK

1.1 MI S. OF PALM, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1957 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 7,987

DAGGETT-YERMO RD

Fair

Over: DAGGETT WATERWAY

0.3 MI N OF I-40, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,928

ARROWHEAD LAKE RD

Fair

Over: MOJAVE RIVER

0.2 MI N RTE 173, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1968 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 818

MISSION BLVD

Fair

Over: MN CH W CUCAMONGA WA

0.8 MI W VINEYARD AVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1968 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 17,902

ARCHIBALD AVE

Fair

Over: RESERVOIR CHANNEL

0.4 MI N ROUTE I-10, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 26,159

RIVERSIDE AVE

Fair

Over: HIGH GROVE STORM CHAN

0.2 MI N RIVESIDE CO LINE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1957 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 8,000

BASELINE ST

Fair

Over: WARM CREEK

1.8 MI E WATERMAN AVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1969 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 13,100

LYTLE CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: LYTLE CREEK

2.4 MI NLY OF I-15, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,442

7TH STREET

Fair

Over: W CUCAMONGA CREEK

1.1 MI E ROUTE 83, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1973 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,305

VINEYARD AVE

Fair

Over: W CUCAMONGA CREEK

0.3 MI N ROUTE 60, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1973 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 11,000

SCHAEFER AVE

Fair

Over: CYPRESS CHANNEL

0.7 MI W OF 83 @ CYPRESS, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 12,370

DEL ROSA DR

Fair

Over: CITY CREEK FLOOD CONTROL

0.1 MI S OF 5TH ST, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1972 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 8,400

RICHARDSON ST

Fair

Over: MISSION STORM DRAIN

0.5 MI N OF I-10, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1968 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,876

DUNLAP BLVD

Fair

Over: WILSON CREEK

0.15 MI N/W AVE F, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1

CHINO AVE

Fair

Over: CYPRESS CHANNEL

0.7 MI W OF 83 @ CYPRESS, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1971 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 5,870

LITTLE MTN DR

Fair

Over: DEVIL CREEK

0.1 MI N KENDALL DR, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1967 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 4,906

OLD HIGHWAY 58

Fair

Over: NORTH BARSTOW CHANNEL

.03 MI E/O SILVER SPUR DR, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 4,000

ADAMS AVENUE

Fair

Over: TALBERT CHANNEL

0.25 MI E/O MAGNOLIA ST, Orange, CA

Built 1959 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 32,000

SILVERADO CNYN RD.

Fair

Over: SILVERADO CANYON CREEK

1.6 MI E/O SANTIAGO ROAD, Orange, CA

Built 1935 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,000

THISA WAY

Fair

Over: SILVERADO CANYON CREEK

200 S/O SILVERADO CYN RD, Orange, CA

Built 1965 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 200

PASEO DE VALENCIA

Fair

Over: ALISO CREEK

0.8 MI N OF ALICIA PKWY, Orange, CA

Built 1966 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 32,800

MOULTON PARKWAY

Fair

Over: ALICIA CREEK

200 NW ALICIA PKWAY, Orange, CA

Built 1968 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 20,900

MOULTON PARKWAY

Fair

Over: PEDESTRIAN & BIKE ACCESS

200 N OF LA PAZ RD, Orange, CA

Built 1968 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 21,000

BERKLEY AVE

Fair

Over: BREA CREEK CHANNEL

0.1 MI E/O HARBOR BLVD, Orange, CA

Built 1966 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 12,900

DOROTHY LN

Fair

Over: FULLERTON CRK CHANNEL

0.05 MI E/O ACACIA AVE, Orange, CA

Built 1955 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 7,200

JEFFERSON STREET

Fair

Over: ATWOOD CHANNEL

0.1 MI. S/O ORANGETHORPE, Orange, CA

Built 1965 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 5,900

VAN BUREN STREET

Fair

Over: CARBON CREEK CHANNEL

0.1 MI. S/O ORANGETHORPE, Orange, CA

Built 1965 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 4,300

ASSOCIATED ROAD

Fair

Over: LOFTUS DIVERSION CHANNEL

0.3 MI. N/O IMPERIAL HWY., Orange, CA

Built 1968 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 11,000

CYPRESS STREET

Fair

Over: COYOTE CREEK CHANNEL

0.1 MI. N/O LAMBERT ROAD, Orange, CA

Built 1965 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 5,500

STATE COLLEGE BLVD

Fair

Over: CARBON CREEK CHANNEL

0.15 MI S/O ORANGETHORPE, Orange, CA

Built 1969 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 35,300

ALTON AVENUE

Fair

Over: SANTA ANA DELHI CHANNEL

100 E/O FLOWER ST, Orange, CA

Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 5,000

MACARTHUR BLVD

Fair

Over: SANTA ANA DELHI CHANNEL

100 E/O FLOWER ST, Orange, CA

Built 1971 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 34,000

MAC ARTHUR BLVD

Fair

Over: GREENVILLE-BANNING CHAN

0.5 MI E/O HARBOR BLVD, Orange, CA

Built 1962 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 29,000

BANNING AVENUE

Fair

Over: TALBERT CHANNEL

0.25 MI W/O BUSHARD ST, Orange, CA

Built 1959 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,000

INDIANAPOLIS AVENU

Fair

Over: TALBERT CHANNEL

0.25 MI W/O BUSHARD ST, Orange, CA

Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 8,000

CALLE DELOS MOLINO

Fair

Over: SEGUNDA DESHECHA CANADA

0.1 MI S/O AVENIDA PICO, Orange, CA

Built 1971 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 8,000

AVENIDA VAQUERO

Fair

Over: PRIMA DESHECHA CANADA

0.1 MI E/O CMNO D L MARES, Orange, CA

Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 6,000

CALLE NUEVO

Fair

Over: PRIMA DESHECHA CANADA

.08 MI E/O CMNO D L MARES, Orange, CA

Built 1972 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,000

GREENBRIAR LANE

Fair

Over: LOFTUS DIVERSION CHANNEL

100 NW/O ASSOCIATED RD., Orange, CA

Built 1968 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 5,000

AVENIDA DEL ESTE

Fair

Over: RIO DEL ORO CHANNEL

100 E/O AVNDA RIO DL ORO, Orange, CA

Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 550

AVENIDA DEL ESTE

Fair

Over: RIO DEL ORO CHANNEL

50 E/O AVENDA RIO DL ORO, Orange, CA

Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 550

VIA LOMAS

Fair

Over: BIKEWAY UNDERCROSSING

100 WEST OF ALICIA PKWY, Orange, CA

Built 1970 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,000

PACIFIC COAST HWY

Fair

Over: PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

.12 MI NW NIGUEL RD, Orange, CA

Built 1969 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 40,000

ROUTE 74

Fair

Over: MORRILL CANYON

08-RIV-074-3.08, Riverside, CA

Built 1931 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 11,730

ROUTE 74

Fair

Over: DECKER CANYON

08-RIV-074-3.50, Riverside, CA

Built 1931 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 8,600

ROUTE 74

Fair

Over: STRAWBERRY CREEK

08-RIV-074-53.45, Riverside, CA

Built 1929 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 3,570

ROUTE 74

Fair

Over: BLUE RIDGE WASH

08-RIV-074-33.89, Riverside, CA

Built 1941 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 35,190

INTERSTATE 10

Fair

Over: BRIDGES CREEK

08-RIV-010-R5.87, Riverside, CA

Built 1930 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 89,000

Showing 3,151-3,200 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.