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 238

Fair

Over: ALAMEDA CREEK

04-ALA-238-3.46-FMT, Alameda, CA

Built 1937 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 98,000

INTERSTATE 580

Fair

Over: ARROYO LAS POSITAS

04-ALA-580-13.82, Alameda, CA

Built 1972 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 208,000

W580-E&W80 CONNCTR

Fair

Over: UP RR BNSF RY AMTRAK ETC

04-ALA-580-46.50R-OAK, Alameda, CA

Built 1935 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 73,800

INTERSTATE 880

Fair

Over: UP RR SAN LEANDRO CREEK

04-ALA-880-24.18-SLN, Alameda, CA

Built 1951 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 217,000

SHEFFIELD AVE

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 580

04-ALA-580-R41.75-OAK, Alameda, CA

Built 1963 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 2,535

STATE PARK DRIVE

Fair

Over: STATE ROUTE 1

05-SCR-001-10.54, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1963 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 16,200

VALENCIA RD

Fair

Over: VALENCIA CREEK

@ BEAR VALLEY ROAD, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1935 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 3,000

SR 152 (10TH ST)

Fair

Over: U.S. HIGHWAY 101

04-SCL-152-R9.92-GIL, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1972 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 22,550

BLOSSOM HILL RD

Fair

Over: CANOAS CREEK

2.0 MI E ALMADEN EXP, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1962 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 20,400

W EVELYN ST

Fair

Over: STEVENS CREEK

NEAR SR 85, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1933 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 30,000

COMER WAY

Fair

Over: CALABAZAS CREEK

WEST OF PIERCE RD, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1971 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 460

OAKDALE-WATRFD HWY

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

1.8 MI N/W STATE RTE 132, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1918 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 7,573

MONTPELIER ROAD

Fair

Over: HIGH LINE CANAL

1.85 MI NW OF KEYES RD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1966 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 1,541

STATE ROUTE 165

Fair

Over: SAN JOAQUIN RIVER OVRFLO

10-MER-165-25.77, Merced, CA

Built 1959 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 5,100

MARSHALL RD

Fair

Over: OUTSIDE CANAL

WEST OF SR 33, Merced, CA

Built 1965 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 50

S POLK AVE

Fair

Over: MURPHY SLOUGH

1.2 MI S/O DAVIS AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1950 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 400

STATE ROUTE 1

Fair

Over: WILDCAT CREEK

05-MON-001-69.02, Monterey, CA

Built 1933 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 14,200

STATE ROUTE 1

Fair

Over: VILLA CREEK

05-MON-001-7.07, Monterey, CA

Built 1961 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 2,000

US HIGHWAY 101 SB

Fair

Over: SALINAS RIVER

05-MON-101-R41.36L, Monterey, CA

Built 1968 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 11,750

LOS COCHES ROAD

Fair

Over: SPRECKELS CANAL

0.6 MI.S ARROYO SECO ROAD, Monterey, CA

Built 1940 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 580

ROAD M192

Fair

Over: S FK OF MID FK OF TUL RI

.5 MI SE OF M193A, Tulare, CA

Built 1932 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 25

STATE ROUTE 41

Fair

Over: HUER HUERO CREEK

05-SLO-041-28.05, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1962 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 700

TRAFFIC WAY

Fair

Over: ARROYO GRANDE CREEK

ARROYO GRANDE, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1932 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 9,600

TORO CREEK RD

Fair

Over: TORO CREEK

2.7 MI W SR 41, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1950 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 262

CHESTER AVE NB

Fair

Over: KERN RIVER

0.3 MI S ROBERTS LANE, Kern, CA

Built 1978 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 9,973

JALAMA RD

Fair

Over: JALAMA CREEK

12.13 MI WEST S.H. 1, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1948 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 417

PECK ROAD

Fair

Over: ROUTE 126

07-VEN-126-R10.38-SPA, Ventura, CA

Built 1965 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 10,000

STATE ROUTE 150

Fair

Over: HAPPY VALLEY DRAIN

07-VEN-150-R13.84, Ventura, CA

Built 1972 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 5,500

INTERSTATE 110

Fair

Over: LACMTA & BNSF RY

07-LA-110-5.11-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1962 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 199,500

RAMP/CONNECTOR 14

Fair

Over: SIERRA HWY

07-LA-014-R54.50, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1965 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 4,200

INTERSTATE 10 WB

Fair

Over: BALDWIN AVE

07-LA-010-27.96-EMTE, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1958 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 100,500

S710-E10 CONNECTOR

Fair

Over: I 710 I 10 SCRRA BNSF

07-LA-710-R26.57-MONP, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1965 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 3,100

INTERSTATE 210 WB

Fair

Over: GLENOAKS BLVD

07-LA-210-R1.40-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1969 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 41,000

ROSECRANS AVE W

Fair

Over: LOS ANGELES RIV

0.1MI E/O I-710 FWY, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1951 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 13,699

ROSECRANS AVE E

Fair

Over: LOS ANGELES RIV

0.1MI E/O I-710 FWY, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1951 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 13,248

BURBANK BLVD

Fair

Over: LAKE ST / SPTCO

300FT W/O I-5 FWY, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1958 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 50,138

INTERSTATE 15

Fair

Over: MOJAVE RIVER

08-SBD-015-43.86-VCTV, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1958 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 63,000

INTERSTATE 40

Fair

Over: SAGE WASH

08-SBD-040-150.25, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1967 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 7,450

INTERSTATE 10

Fair

Over: PENNSYLVANIA AVE

08-RIV-010-8.21-BAU, Riverside, CA

Built 1961 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 123,000

INTERSTATE 5

Fair

Over: ALISO CREEK

11-SD-005-R59.62-OCN, San Diego, CA

Built 1967 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 66,000

INTERSTATE 5

Fair

Over: CARLSBAD VILLAGE DR

11-SD-005-R50.11-CBD, San Diego, CA

Built 1971 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 203,000

INTERSTATE 5

Fair

Over: LAS PULGAS RD

11-SD-005-R62.08-OCN, San Diego, CA

Built 1967 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 65,000

INTERSTATE 5

Fair

Over: LAS PULGAS RD

11-SD-005-R62.08-OCN, San Diego, CA

Built 1967 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 65,000

STATE ROUTE 52 EB

Fair

Over: PARK

11-SD-052-1.93-SD, San Diego, CA

Built 1970 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 48,500

HARBOR DR

Fair

Over: CHOLLAS CREEK

0.18MI N/O 32ND ST, San Diego, CA

Built 1942 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 16,480

STATE ROUTE 86 NB

Fair

Over: ANZA DITCH

11-IMP-086-57.81, Imperial, CA

Built 1981 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 7,300

STATE ROUTE 86 NB

Fair

Over: TALOFA DITCH

11-IMP-086-61.80, Imperial, CA

Built 1979 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 7,300

STATE ROUTE 111

Fair

Over: OTEN WASH

11-IMP-111-53.07, Imperial, CA

Built 1950 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 3,600

HILT HUNGRY ROAD

Fair

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

1.4 MI SOUTH OF HILT RD, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1933 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 23

LOOKOUT-HACKMORE R

Fair

Over: PIT RIVER

0.3 MI NW OF C.R. 87, Modoc, CA

Built 1975 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 2,068

Showing 3,851-3,900 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.