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

HARRIET LANE

Fair

Over: MID FK FEATHER RIV OVRFL

1.2 MI S DYSON LN, Plumas, CA

Built 1963 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 125

HARRLET LN

Fair

Over: MID FK FEATHER RIV OVRFL

1.3 MI S DYSON LN, Plumas, CA

Built 1963 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 125

STATE ROUTE 1

Fair

Over: SCHOONER GULCH

01-MEN-001-11.28, Mendocino, CA

Built 1941 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 2,900

STATE ROUTE 12 WB

Fair

Over: NWP RR

04-SON-012-R15.56-SRO, Sonoma, CA

Built 1964 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 36,500

WEST OLIVE ST

Fair

Over: SANTA ROSA CREEK

WEST OLIVE ST, Sonoma, CA

Built 1962 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 8,200

PRESSLEY RD

Fair

Over: COPELAND CREEK

0.1 MI N LICHAU RD, Sonoma, CA

Built 1968 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 1,000

STATE ROUTE 29

Fair

Over: CALIFORNIA DRIVE

04-NAP-029-19.04-YNTV, Napa, CA

Built 1959 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 24,900

CR #40-A (RUMSEY)

Fair

Over: PINE CREEK

0.14 MI N/O SH 16, Yolo, CA

Built 1960 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 35

INTERSTATE 80 WB

Fair

Over: SWEENEY CREEK

04-SOL-080-32.90, Solano, CA

Built 1946 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 81,500

FLORIN ROAD

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 5

03-SAC-005-17.18-SAC, Sacramento, CA

Built 1974 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 45,000

CURVED BRIDGE RD

Fair

Over: NORTH CHANNEL DRY CREEK

0.2 MI W DRY CR RD, Sacramento, CA

Built 1925 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 6,200

MT AUKUM RD

Fair

Over: MIDDLE FK COSUMNES RIVER

5.4 MI S PLEASANT VALY RD, El Dorado, CA

Built 1968 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 3,695

WARD ST

Fair

Over: ARROYO DEL HAMBRE

AT ESTUDILLO ST, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1958 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 3,300

BLEWETT ROAD

Fair

Over: CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT

1.3 MI W KOSTER RD, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1967 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 200

STATE ROUTE 238

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

04-ALA-238-7.19-UNC, Alameda, CA

Built 1929 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 26,250

U.S. HIGHWAY 101

Fair

Over: TOLL PLAZA UNDERCROSSING

04-SF-101-9.85, San Francisco, CA

Built 1937 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 114,400

UNIVERSITY AVE SB

Fair

Over: US HIGHWAY 101

04-SM-101-0.89-EAPA, San Mateo, CA

Built 1958 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 24,700

MAPLE ST

Fair

Over: REDWOOD CREEK

NORTH LATHROP ST, San Mateo, CA

Built 1919 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 2,350

MC LAUGHLIN DRIVE

Fair

Over: ABANDONED QUARRY ROAD

UNIVERSITY CA SANTA CRUZ, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1966 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 3,500

NB LAWRENCE EXPWY

Fair

Over: STATE ROUTE 237

04-SCL-237-R4.60-SUNV, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1966 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 32,000

MONROE ST

Fair

Over: SAN TOMAS AQUINO CREEK

NEAR SAN TOMAS EXPWY, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1966 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 15,780

STATE ROUTE 108

Fair

Over: M.I.D. CANAL

10-STA-108-29.86, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1915 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 20,200

INTERSTATE 5 SB

Fair

Over: CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT

10-STA-005-6.47, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1967 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 17,500

INTERSTATE 5 NB

Fair

Over: CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT

10-STA-005-6.47, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1967 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 17,500

INTERSTATE 5 SB

Fair

Over: SALADO CREEK

10-STA-005-12.68, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1967 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 18,000

SULLIVAN ROAD

Fair

Over: CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT

1.68 MI WEST OF EASTIN RD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1964 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 75

STATE ROUTE 99 NB

Fair

Over: R STREET

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

Built 1962 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 25,500

OAKDALE ROAD

Fair

Over: CANAL CREEK

0.9 MI E AMSTERDAM RD, Merced, CA

Built 1940 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 477

OLIVE AVE

Fair

Over: FAIRFIELD CANAL

1.0 MI W ARBOLEDA DR, Merced, CA

Built 1974 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 1,945

COTTONWOOD ROAD

Fair

Over: CCID MAIN CANAL

0.5 MI E OF SR 33, Merced, CA

Built 1926 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 340

CUNNINGHAM RD

Fair

Over: MILES CREEK

2.2 MI N CHILDS AVE, Merced, CA

Built 1983 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 34

FORESTA ROAD

Fair

Over: CRANE CREEK

3.6 MI W NEW BIG OAT FL R, Mariposa, CA

Built 1959 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 10

RD 19

Fair

Over: FRESNO RIVER

0.45 MI S AVE 16, Madera, CA

Built 1966 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 400

ROAD 25

Fair

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

0.1 MI N OF AVE 10, Madera, CA

Built 1973 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 837

ROAD 23

Fair

Over: FRESNO RIVER

AT AVE 15, Madera, CA

Built 1966 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 966

STATE ROUTE 33

Fair

Over: OUTSIDE CANAL

06-FRE-033-68.61, Fresno, CA

Built 1939 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 10,300

STATE ROUTE 168

Fair

Over: LITTLE DRY CREEK

06-FRE-168-T24.78, Fresno, CA

Built 1954 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 4,300

N. FIRST ST

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK CANAL

SOUTH OF ANDERSEN DR, Fresno, CA

Built 1954 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 19,941

N BROADWAY

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK CANAL

N OF CLARK AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1953 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 3,987

CENTRAL AVE

Fair

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

0.2 MI WEST OF COVE AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1955 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 140

N SYCAMORE AVE

Fair

Over: HERNDON CANAL

0.01 MI NORTH OF SHAW AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1938 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 200

E CLINTON AVE

Fair

Over: ENTERPRISE CANAL

0.62 MI EAST OF RIVERBEND, Fresno, CA

Built 1936 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 200

US HIGHWAY 101 SB

Fair

Over: SAN BENITO RIVER

05-SBT-101-5.21, San Benito, CA

Built 1932 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 25,500

PLANO ST

Fair

Over: PORTER SLOUGH

0.5 MI N SR 190, Tulare, CA

Built 1954 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 10,700

ROAD 124

Fair

Over: ALTA CANAL

0.4 MI N OF AVE 424, Tulare, CA

Built 1948 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 1,050

AVE 422

Fair

Over: SAND CREEK

0.5 MI E OF SR 63, Tulare, CA

Built 1950 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 250

DAVENPORT CREEK RD

Fair

Over: DAVENPORT CREEK

0.7 MI S BUCKLEY RD, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1959 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 1,373

NORTE RD

Fair

Over: BRA SANTA MARGARITA CRK

WEST OF OAK RD, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1956 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 50

TASSAJARA RD

Fair

Over: TASSAJARA CREEK

2.1 MI W US 101, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1960 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 228

STATE ROUTE 99 NB

Fair

Over: BEARDSLEY CANAL

06-KER-099-R28.39, Kern, CA

Built 1964 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 55,000

Showing 3,351-3,400 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.