State profile · Below national median SD

California bridge safety

Condition ratings, load ratings, and structural-deficiency data for every public highway bridge in California — drawn straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory.

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

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 rated 0-4

Structurally Deficient

4.6%

1,244 bridges flagged for repair priority

-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 — Structurally deficient 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 on the structurally deficient leaderboard (lower share = better)

States are ranked by share of bridges flagged structurally deficient — the FHWA classification for any span where deck, superstructure, or substructure carries a condition rating of 4 or below. Lower percentages indicate stronger maintenance funding and inspection follow-through. States here sit immediately above and below California on the same metric.

39

Ohio

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

34

New Jersey

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

06

California

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

05

Arkansas

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

53

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 composite NBI rating. Each is inspected at least every 24 months.

All Bridges in California

STATE ROUTE 99 SB

Unknown

Over: O STREET

10-MER-099-15.15-MER, Merced, CA

Built 1962 ADT: 1,500

STATE ROUTE 99 NB

Unknown

Over: O STREET

10-MER-099-15.15-MER, Merced, CA

Built 1962 ADT: 1,500

STATE ROUTE 99 SB

Unknown

Over: ROUTE 59

10-MER-099-14.67-MER, Merced, CA

Built 1962 ADT: 12,950

STATE ROUTE 99 NB

Unknown

Over: ROUTE 59

10-MER-099-14.67-MER, Merced, CA

Built 1962 ADT: 12,950

STATE ROUTE 99 SB

Unknown

Over: R STREET

10-MER-099-15.42-MER, Merced, CA

Built 1962 ADT: 100

STATE ROUTE 99 NB

Unknown

Over: R STREET

10-MER-099-15.42-MER, Merced, CA

Built 1962 ADT: 1,000

STATE ROUTE 99 SB

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 140

10-MER-099-15.78-MER, Merced, CA

Built 1962 ADT: 15,000

STATE ROUTE 99 NB

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 140

10-MER-099-15.78-MER, Merced, CA

Built 1962 ADT: 15,000

STATE ROUTE 99 NB

Unknown

Over: 15TH STREET

10-MER-099-14.22-MER, Merced, CA

Built 1962 ADT: 1,000

STATE ROUTE 99 SB

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 140

10-MER-099-13.86-MER, Merced, CA

Built 1962 ADT: 15,000

STATE ROUTE 99 NB

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 140

10-MER-099-13.86-MER, Merced, CA

Built 1962 ADT: 15,000

N99-WB 16TH ST OFF

Unknown

Over: W140-N99 ON-RAMP

10-MER-099-13.90-MER, Merced, CA

Built 1962 ADT: 4,250

STATE ROUTE 99 SB

Unknown

Over: G STREET

10-MER-099-14.42-MER, Merced, CA

Built 1962 ADT: 1,000

STATE ROUTE 99 NB

Unknown

Over: G STREET

10-MER-099-14.42-MER, Merced, CA

Built 1962 ADT: 1,000

CHILDS AVE

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 99

10-MER-099-13.09-MER, Merced, CA

Built 1964 ADT: 42,000

SOUTH AVE

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 99

10-MER-099-M33.53, Merced, CA

Built 2000 ADT: 75,000

BRADBURY ROAD

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 99

10-MER-099-R35.56, Merced, CA

Built 2000 ADT: 75,000

STATE ROUTE 165

Unknown

Over: INTERSTATE 5

10-MER-165-L0.01, Merced, CA

Built 1971 ADT: 31,000

ARBURUA RD

Unknown

Over: INTERSTATE 5

10-MER-005-9.68, Merced, CA

Built 1971 ADT: 31,000

CANYON ROAD

Unknown

Over: ROUTE 5

10-MER-005-11.99, Merced, CA

Built 1971 ADT: 41,500

INTERSTATE 5 SB

Unknown

Over: SR 152

10-MER-005-17.55, Merced, CA

Built 1966 ADT: 24,850

INTERSTATE 5 NB

Unknown

Over: SR 152

10-MER-005-17.55, Merced, CA

Built 1966 ADT: 24,850

HENRY MILLER AVE

Unknown

Over: INTERSTATE 5

10-MER-005-21.38, Merced, CA

Built 1966 ADT: 31,000

STATE ROUTE 33

Unknown

Over: INTERSTATE 5 & RAMP

10-MER-033-R16.60, Merced, CA

Built 1966 ADT: 7,750

MCCABE RD

Unknown

Over: ROUTE 5

10-MER-005-22.57, Merced, CA

Built 1966 ADT: 43,000

WHITWORTH ROAD

Unknown

Over: ROUTE 5

10-MER-005-23.84, Merced, CA

Built 1966 ADT: 31,000

BUTTS RD

Unknown

Over: ROUTE 5

10-MER-005-25.97, Merced, CA

Built 1967 ADT: 43,000

COTTONWOOD RD

Unknown

Over: INTERSTATE 5

10-MER-005-28.23, Merced, CA

Built 1967 ADT: 35,000

TAGLIO RD

Unknown

Over: INTERSTATE 5

10-MER-005-30.34, Merced, CA

Built 1967 ADT: 43,000

STATE ROUTE 140

Unknown

Over: INTERSTATE 5

10-MER-140-0.01, Merced, CA

Built 1967 ADT: 35,000

STATE ROUTE 152 WB

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 33

10-MER-152-R32.35, Merced, CA

Built 1969 ADT: 5,200

STATE ROUTE 152 EB

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 33

10-MER-152-R32.35, Merced, CA

Built 1969 ADT: 5,200

GOLDEN STATE-S99

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 99

10-MER-099-R36.34, Merced, CA

Built 1973 ADT: 47,000

GRIFFITH ROAD

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 99

10-MER-099-R36.70, Merced, CA

Built 1973 ADT: 62,000

SHANKS ROAD

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 99

10-MER-099-R34.43, Merced, CA

Built 1980 ADT: 75,000

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 152

10-MER-152-20.60-LBNS, Merced, CA

Built 1974 ADT: 28,000

SULTANA DRIVE

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 99

10-MER-099-27.10, Merced, CA

Built 2007 ADT: 52,000

HAMMATT AVE

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 99

10-MER-099-R29.00-LVTN, Merced, CA

Built 1997 ADT: 52,000

CRESSEY STREET

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 99

10-MER-099-R29.56-LVTN, Merced, CA

Built 1997 ADT: 52,000

UP RR

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 99

10-MER-099-R29.85-LVTN, Merced, CA

Built 1993 ADT: 52,000

WINTON PARKWAY

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 99

10-MER-099-R30.38-LVTN, Merced, CA

Built 1997 ADT: 52,000

STATE ROUTE 152 WB

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 33

10-MER-152-11.27, Merced, CA

Built 1997 ADT: 8,200

STATE ROUTE 152 EB

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 33

10-MER-152-11.27, Merced, CA

Built 1997 ADT: 8,200

MISSION AVENUE

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 99

10-MER-099-11.59, Merced, CA

Built 2007 ADT: 39,000

STATE ROUTE 99

Unknown

Over: WEST 16TH ST, UP RR

10-MER-099-16.60-MER, Merced, CA

Built 2013 ADT: 5,000

WESTSIDE BLVD

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 99

10-MER-099-25.10, Merced, CA

Built 2008 ADT: 104,000

LE GRAND ROAD

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 99

10-MER-099-6.89, Merced, CA

Built 2015 ADT: 39,000

PLAINSBURG ROAD

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 99

10-MER-099-3.36, Merced, CA

Built 2015 ADT: 39,000

STATE ROUTE 99

Unknown

Over: UPRR & 16TH STREET

10-MER-099-14.10-MER, Merced, CA

Built 2015 ADT: 1,033

ATWATER MERCED EXP

Unknown

Over: STATE ROUTE 99

10-MER-099-20.05, Merced, CA

Built 2015 ADT: 56,000

Showing 3,301-3,350 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 Editorial.

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). A "structurally deficient" rating is a repair-priority signal, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult a qualified civil engineer before making decisions based on this data.