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 113

Fair

Over: SACRAMENTO RIVER

03-YOL-113-22.02, Yolo, CA

Built 1933 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 8,300

CACHE CK CONSER RD

Fair

Over: GORDON SLOUGH

105 FT SOUTH OF C.R. 20, Yolo, CA

Built 1940 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 300

WINDBRIDGE DRIVE

Fair

Over: POCKET CANAL

NORTH OF POCKET ROAD, Sacramento, CA

Built 1986 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 4,529

PLACERVILLE DR

Fair

Over: HANGTOWN CREEK

0.3 MI W COLD SPRINGS RD, El Dorado, CA

Built 1931 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 20,000

ICE HOUSE RD

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK RUBICON RIVER

23.6 MI FROM US 50, El Dorado, CA

Built 1964 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 300

STATE ROUTE 131

Fair

Over: US HIGHWAY 101

04-MRN-131-0.01, Marin, CA

Built 1956 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 27,250

GRAND AVE

Fair

Over: SAN RAFAEL CREEK

500 FT E OF US HWY 101, Marin, CA

Built 1965 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 19,800

STATE ROUTE 4 WB

Fair

Over: ALHAMBRA WAY

04-CC-004-R8.75-MTZ, Contra Costa, CA

Built 1967 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 31,000

MARLETTE ROAD

Fair

Over: PIXLEY SLOUGH

S OF 8 MI RD E OF RR TRK, San Joaquin, CA

Built 2007 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 2,000

STATE ROUTE 4S

Fair

Over: ANGELS CREEK

10-CAL-004S-21.41-ANG, Calaveras, CA

Built 1946 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 7,900

13TH AVENUE

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 580

04-ALA-580-R42.37-OAK, Alameda, CA

Built 1963 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 4,500

S680-BERNAL AV OFF

Fair

Over: BERNAL AVE

04-ALA-680-R16.75-PLE, Alameda, CA

Built 1967 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 1,950

20TH STREET

Fair

Over: ROUTE 280

04-SF-280-R6.39-SF, San Francisco, CA

Built 1968 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 2,700

U.S. HIGHWAY 101

Fair

Over: CANDLESTICK PARK UC

04-SF-101-0.03-SF, San Francisco, CA

Built 1972 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 199,000

EAST CLIFF DRIVE

Fair

Over: CORCORAN LAGOON

0.1 MI EAST OF 21ST AVE, Santa Cruz, CA

Built 1978 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 4,125

S280-FOOTHILL OFF

Fair

Over: UP RR

04-SCL-280-11.48-LATS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1967 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 5,500

ALMADEN EXPRESSWAY

Fair

Over: GUADALUPE CREEK

NEAR COLEMAN RD, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1965 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 58,310

SAN TOMAS EXPWY

Fair

Over: WINCHESTER BLVD & UP RR

AT WINCHESTER BLVD, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1968 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 62,140

MT MADONNA RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE ARTHUR CREEK

AT REDWOOD RETREAT RD, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1925 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 80

REDWOOD RETREAT RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE ARTHUR CREEK

2.4 MI W WATSONVILLE RD, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1925 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 400

WILLMS ROAD

Fair

Over: MAIN CREEK

1.2 MI SE JCT SR 120, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1929 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 85

STATE ROUTE 99 SB

Fair

Over: ASHE DRAIN

10-MER-099-18.59, Merced, CA

Built 1947 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 28,000

STATE ROUTE 99 NB

Fair

Over: ASHE DRAIN

10-MER-099-18.59, Merced, CA

Built 1947 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 28,000

OLD YOSEMITE ROAD

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK MERCED RIVER

1.3 MI EAST JORDAN CRK RD, Mariposa, CA

Built 1950 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 190

N99-AVE 12 OFFRAMP

Fair

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

06-MAD-099-R7.28, Madera, CA

Built 1967 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 1,650

ROAD 14

Fair

Over: BERENDA SLOUGH

0.3 MI S OF AVE 21, Madera, CA

Built 1968 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 224

STATE ROUTE 99

Fair

Over: MCKINLEY AVE

06-FRE-099-23.90-FRE, Fresno, CA

Built 1955 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 112,000

OLD KINGSTON GRADE

Fair

Over: GRANT CANAL

0.25 MI S/O MT WHITNEY AV, Fresno, CA

Built 1949 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 100

W CERINI AVENUE

Fair

Over: CRESCENT DITCH

1.0 MI WEST OF MADERA AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1945 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 120

ROAD 192

Fair

Over: WHITE RIVER

.1 MI S/O AVE 32, Tulare, CA

Built 1947 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 1,025

AVE 192

Fair

Over: DEEP CREEK

AT RD 52, Tulare, CA

Built 1940 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 250

STATE ROUTE 58

Fair

Over: CALIENTE CREEK OVERFLOW

06-KER-058-67.85, Kern, CA

Built 1960 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 10,000

STATE ROUTE 58

Fair

Over: CALIENTE CREEK OVERFLOW

06-KER-058-67.85, Kern, CA

Built 1960 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 13,000

DOYLE RANCH RD

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK KERN RIVER

0.1 MI N OF RTE 178, Kern, CA

Built 1968 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 140

GOSFORD ROAD SB

Fair

Over: KERN RIVER CANAL

0.2 MI S TRUXTUN AVE, Kern, CA

Built 1984 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 17,700

STATE ROUTE 246

Fair

Over: ALAMO PINTADO CREEK

05-SB-246-30.32, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1954 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 13,500

U.S. HIGHWAY 101

Fair

Over: JONES STREET

05-SB-101-88.10-SMRA, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1962 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 58,000

JALAMA ROAD

Fair

Over: RAMAJAL CREEK

7.7 MI WEST OF SR 1, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1951 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 669

ALAMO PINTADO AV

Fair

Over: ALAMO PINTADO CREEK

0.2 MI W OF GRAND AV, Santa Barbara, CA

Built 1948 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 1,686

STATE ROUTE 1 NB

Fair

Over: HUENEME RD

07-VEN-001-12.79, Ventura, CA

Built 1957 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 5,450

HARBOR BLVD

Fair

Over: ARUNDELL BARRANCA

1.0 MI S SEAWARD AVE, Ventura, CA

Built 1965 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 8,074

FLORENCE-N5 ON RMP

Fair

Over: N5-N&S605 CONNECTOR RAMP

07-LA-005-6.65-SFSP, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1965 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 857

E60-N57 CONNECTOR

Fair

Over: PROSPECTORS ROAD

07-LA-060-R25.36-DMBR, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1970 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 71,400

E210-S57 CONNECTOR

Fair

Over: LACMTA & BNSF RY

07-LA-210-R44.04-GDR, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1970 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 95,000

BARLIN AVE

Fair

Over: ROUTE 105 LRT RAMPS

07-LA-105-R15.54-DNY, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1987 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 1,000

MLK Jr. St.

Fair

Over: PRIVATE DRN #212

0.1MI E/O MAIN ST, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1967 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 6,120

INTERSTATE 40 WB

Fair

Over: BROADWELL WASH

08-SBD-040-R54.09, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1970 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 8,150

INTERSTATE 40 EB

Fair

Over: BROADWELL WASH

08-SBD-040-R54.09, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1970 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 8,150

MOUNTAIN AVE

Fair

Over: UP RR AMTRAK METROLINK

0.1 MI S HOLT BLVD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1970 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 30,247

ALESSANDRO RD

Fair

Over: SAN TIMOTEO CREEK

0.25 MI NE SAN TIMOTEO RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1927 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 4,400

Showing 4,001-4,050 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.