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

AVENUE 436

Fair

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

0.1 MI EAST OF ROAD 140, Tulare, CA

Built 1949 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 50

ROAD 180

Fair

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

0.2 MI NORTH OF AVE 388, Tulare, CA

Built 1949 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 42

ROAD 184

Fair

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

0.4 MI NORTH OF AVE 384, Tulare, CA

Built 1949 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 5

INTERSTATE 5 NB

Fair

Over: CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT

06-KER-005-12.47, Kern, CA

Built 1967 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 24,375

STATE ROUTE 18

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 15

08-SBD-018-R96.60-VCTV, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1975 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 40,000

CITRUS AVE

Fair

Over: UP RR & AMTRAK

200 S OF I-10, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1960 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 22,972

NAT TRAILS HWY

Fair

Over: BAGDAD DITCH

20.9 MI E CRUCERO RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 235

NAT TRAILS HWY

Fair

Over: URLAN DITCH

7.6 MI E KELBAKER RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 502

NAT TRAILS HWY

Fair

Over: AVERILL DITCH

1.0 MI E OF ESSEX RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 502

ELLER LANE

Fair

Over: SCOTT RIVER

JUST EAST OF ISLAND RD, Siskiyou, CA

Built 1910 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 172

OLD 40 MILE RD

Fair

Over: EAST BEST SLOUGH

0.4 MI E OF 40 MI RD, Yuba, CA

Built 1927 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 50

WATMAUGH ROAD

Fair

Over: SONOMA CREEK

0.3 MI WEST OF SR 12, Sonoma, CA

Built 1929 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 3,628

STATE PARK ROAD

Fair

Over: LAGUNITAS CREEK

SAMUEL P TAYLOR STATE PK, Marin, CA

Built 1947 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 50

W MT WHITNEY AVE

Fair

Over: FRESNO SLOUGH

0.8 MI E OF DICKENSON AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1955 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 2,700

AVENUE 152

Fair

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

0.25 MI WEST OF ROAD 216, Tulare, CA

Built 1949 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 4,290

ROAD 176

Fair

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

0.3 MI NORTH OF A390, Tulare, CA

Built 1949 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 42

AVENUE 192

Fair

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

0.1 MI EAST OF ROAD 232, Tulare, CA

Built 1949 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 75

AVENUE 392

Fair

Over: KINGSBURG CANAL

ROAD 16, Tulare, CA

Built 1939 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 75

CARNE RD

Fair

Over: THACHER CREEK

0.1 MI N OF S.R. 150, Ventura, CA

Built 1928 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 900

NAT TRAILS HWY

Fair

Over: ZANZA DITCH

14.8 MI E OF CRUCERO RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 235

NAT TRAILS HWY

Fair

Over: NOLA DITCH

15.5 MI E OF CRUCERO RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1930 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 235

ADOBE RD

Fair

Over: ANDERSON CREEK

3.4 MI SE BALLS FERRY RD, Shasta, CA

Built 1968 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 10

PARADISE ROAD

Fair

Over: M.I.D. LATERAL #5

0.9 MI NW SHILOH RD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1925 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 939

S HILLS VALLEY RD

Fair

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

0.2 MI SOUTH OF PARK BLVD, Fresno, CA

Built 1947 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 5,835

COAST ROAD

Fair

Over: S FORK LITTLE SUR RIVER

5.8 MI SE OF SH 1, Monterey, CA

Built 1950 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 200

PRKFLD COALINGA RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE CHOLAME CREEK

4 MI N VINEYARD CANYON RD, Monterey, CA

Built 1971 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 240

AVE 428

Fair

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

0.4 MI EAST OF ROAD 144, Tulare, CA

Built 1949 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 25

AVE 232 (TULARE)

Fair

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

0.25 MI EAST OF ROAD 228, Tulare, CA

Built 1949 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 200

18058: MERCED RIVE

Fair

Over: Merced River

8 mi N of Mariposa CA, Mariposa, CA

Built 1927 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 100

RICH BAR RD

Fair

Over: E BR N FK FEATHER RIVER

0.3 MI S OF SH 70, Plumas, CA

Built 1932 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 10

ROAD 67

Fair

Over: BUTTE CREEK

2.0 MI EAST OF CR Z, Glenn, CA

Built 1930 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 93

JIM CROW ROAD

Fair

Over: SAN JUAN CREEK

0.8 MI FROM S.H 49, Sierra, CA

Built 1960 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 50

MILTON ROAD

Fair

Over: CHANNEL A BRANCH

0.6 MI W OF FINE RD, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1927 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 301

KOSTER RD

Fair

Over: HOSPITAL CREEK

0.9 MI N GAFFERY RD, San Joaquin, CA

Built 1947 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 400

RICE ROAD

Fair

Over: M.I.D. MAIN CANAL

0.9 MI E OF CLAUS ROAD, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1955 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 421

N FULTON AVE

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK CANAL

AT DUDLEY AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1911 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 7,818

PORTER AVE

Fair

Over: WAHTOKE CREEK

1.8 MILES NORTH OF SR 180, Fresno, CA

Built 1949 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 200

MONTECITO ST

Fair

Over: MISSION CREEK

0.05 MI W CHAPALA ST, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1915 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 3,200

STATE ROUTE 138

Fair

Over: CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT

07-LA-138-14.60, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1968 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 3,050

BOX CANYON RD

Fair

Over: COACHELLA CANAL

0.5 MI NE/O GARFIELD ST, Riverside, CA

Built 1947 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 721

U.S. HIGHWAY 101

Fair

Over: SMITH RIV SOUTH BANK RD

01-DN-101-36.06, Del Norte, CA

Built 1940 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 6,500

U.S. HIGHWAY 101

Fair

Over: JONES SLOUGH

01-HUM-101-88.87, Humboldt, CA

Built 1959 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 12,900

BRICELAND-THORNE

Fair

Over: REDWOOD CREEK

3.3 MI W JCT US 101, Humboldt, CA

Built 1938 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 1,836

ALDERPOINT ROAD

Fair

Over: COOPER CREEK

30.4 MI E/N S.H. 101, Humboldt, CA

Built 1952 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 250

PLATINA RD

Fair

Over: HULING CREEK

P.M. 25.1 E FROM SR 36, Shasta, CA

Built 1924 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 610

KIRKWOOD ROAD

Fair

Over: JEWETT CREEK

0.3 MI S OF FIG LANE, Tehama, CA

Built 1925 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 1,544

IRR BRANSCOMB RD

Fair

Over: TENMILE CREEK

25.41 MI E OF SH 1, Mendocino, CA

Built 1952 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 2,216

PACIFIC HEIGHTS RD

Fair

Over: DREDGER GULCH

1.0 MI N WELSH RD, Butte, CA

Built 1922 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 230

WOHLER RD

Fair

Over: RUSSIAN RIVER

1.5 MI FROM RIVER RD, Sonoma, CA

Built 1921 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 828

TRIBUTE ROAD

Fair

Over: STATE ROUTE 160

03-SAC-160-46.25-SAC, Sacramento, CA

Built 1947 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 5,000

Showing 351-400 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.