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

KENNEDY MEADOWS RD

Fair

Over: DEADMANS CREEK

0.9 MI S OF SR 108, Tuolumne, CA

Built 1955 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 100

STATE ROUTE 61

Fair

Over: SAN LEANDRO BAY

04-ALA-061-18.55-ALA, Alameda, CA

Built 1953 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 43,600

INTERSTATE 880

Fair

Over: EAST CREEK SLOUGH

04-ALA-880-27.23-OAK, Alameda, CA

Built 1948 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 221,000

STANLEY BLVD

Fair

Over: STATE ROUTE 84 (ISABEL)

04-ALA-084-R26.98-LVMR, Alameda, CA

Built 2003 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 3,500

LUPIN RD

Fair

Over: SOUTH BAY AQUEDUCT

1.0 MI E GREENVILLE RD, Alameda, CA

Built 1962 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 30

BAY ST

Fair

Over: 7TH STREET

0.1 KM WEST OF I-880, Alameda, CA

Built 1997 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 23,439

WB STATE ROUTE 92

Fair

Over: CALTRAIN UP RR PACIFIC

04-SM-092-R11.38-SM, San Mateo, CA

Built 1963 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 36,000

INTERSTATE 880

Fair

Over: HEDDING STREET

04-SCL-880-0.88-SJS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1959 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 163,000

STATE ROUTE 85

Fair

Over: STEVENS CREEK

04-SCL-085-R22.95-MVW, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1965 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 115,000

STATE ROUTE 85

Fair

Over: N85-N280 CONNECTOR

04-SCL-085-R18.53-SUNV, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1967 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 115,000

WB RTE 152 OFF-RMP

Fair

Over: SANTA CLARA CONDUIT DRN

04-SCL-152-R23.50, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1991 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 1,000

STATE ROUTE 152 WB

Fair

Over: SANTA CLARA CONDUIT DRN

04-SCL-152-R23.50, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1991 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 15,375

NB STATE ROUTE 85

Fair

Over: POLLARD ROAD

04-SCL-085-R11.97-LGTS, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1994 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 57,500

SANTA CLARA ST

Fair

Over: LOS GATOS CREEK

NEAR DELMAS AVE, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1910 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 20,350

DEL PUERTO RD

Fair

Over: BEAUREGUARD CREEK

2.0 M E OF SAN ANTONIO RD, Santa Clara, CA

Built 1967 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 60

ALBERS ROAD

Fair

Over: M.I.D. MAIN CANAL

0.9 MI N STATE ROUTE 132, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1925 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 11,776

HOWARD ROAD

Fair

Over: CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT

0.7 MI E OF I-5, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1965 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 2,810

HOUSER ROAD

Fair

Over: M.I.D. LATERAL #5

0.1 MI E PANAMA DRIVE, Stanislaus, CA

Built 1972 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 2,569

STATE ROUTE 152 EB

Fair

Over: STATE ROUTE 33

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

Built 1969 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 9,300

STATE ROUTE 99 NB

Fair

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

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

Built 1967 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 32,500

S99-GOLDEN STA OFF

Fair

Over: STATE ROUTE 99

06-FRE-099-30.99-FRE, Fresno, CA

Built 1960 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 7,700

INTERSTATE 5 SB

Fair

Over: PHELPS AVE

06-FRE-005-8.81, Fresno, CA

Built 1967 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 15,000

S QUALITY AVE

Fair

Over: FOWLER SWITCH CANAL

0.02 MI S OF SWITCH AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1940 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 400

W CENTRAL AVE

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK CANAL

0.1 MI EAST OF HOWARD AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1950 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 400

E PATTERSON AVE

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK CANAL

AT DELPHIA AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1940 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 506

PRESTON ROAD

Fair

Over: TEMBLADERO SLOUGH

0.1 MI S SR 183, Monterey, CA

Built 1930 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 230

SR 201 (AVE 384)

Fair

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

06-TUL-201-21.21, Tulare, CA

Built 1948 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 2,000

DODGE AVE

Fair

Over: STATE ROUTE 99

06-TUL-099-51.81, Tulare, CA

Built 1957 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 2,500

RD 152

Fair

Over: WHITE RIVER

2.75 MI S OF AVE 56, Tulare, CA

Built 1948 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 325

STATE ROUTE 1

Fair

Over: ARROYO DE LA CRUZ

05-SLO-001-R66.87, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1968 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 3,000

VICTORIA AVE

Fair

Over: UP RR & AMTRAK

0.2 MI S OF ROUTE 101, Ventura, CA

Built 1971 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 43,600

STATE ROUTE 22 EB

Fair

Over: LOS CERRITOS CHANNEL

07-LA-022-1.09-LBCH, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1955 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 33,500

INTERSTATE 110

Fair

Over: DEL AMO BLVD

07-LA-110-8.03-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1962 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 218,000

RAMP/CONNECTOR 710

Fair

Over: LOS ANGELES RIVER

07-LA-710-9.30-LBCH, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1963 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 35,000

INTERSTATE 405

Fair

Over: REDONDO BEACH BLVD

07-LA-405-16.88-TOR, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1962 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 264,000

N405-CENTURY BL OF

Fair

Over: IMPERIAL HIGHWAY

07-LA-405-R21.22-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1963 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 10,000

INTERSTATE 405

Fair

Over: JEFFERSON BLVD

07-LA-405-25.93-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1963 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 284,000

HARVEY-E2 ON RAMP

Fair

Over: STATE ROUTE 2 & RAMP

07-LA-134-R8.97-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1971 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 22,061

ROCKVALE AVE

Fair

Over: LITTLE DALTON WASH

0.1MI S/O ALOSTA BLVD, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1961 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 1,273

APPIAN WAY

Fair

Over: ALAMITOS BAY

0.2MI N/O 2ND ST, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1960 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 8,755

AVENUE 60

Fair

Over: ARROYO SECO CHANNEL

AT SR 110, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1909 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 16,300

FIELD ROAD

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 15

08-SBD-015-R103.63, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1963 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 28

INTERSTATE 40 WB

Fair

Over: CREST WASH

08-SBD-040-R18.03, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1968 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 9,500

INTERSTATE 40

Fair

Over: AIRPORT ROAD

08-SBD-040-R12.19, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1968 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 19,500

INTERSTATE 40

Fair

Over: AIRPORT ROAD

08-SBD-040-R12.19, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1968 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 19,500

S5&S57-W22 CONN

Fair

Over: S57-BRISTOL ST OFF-RAMP

12-ORA-005-34.38-SA, Orange, CA

Built 1963 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 54,323

SR 55

Fair

Over: BAKER STREET

12-ORA-055-R5.34-CMS, Orange, CA

Built 1966 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 142,000

AVENUE 44

Fair

Over: COACHELLA CANAL WSTWAY 3

1 MI E/O GOLF CENTER DR., Riverside, CA

Built 1970 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 1,400

INTERSTATE 5

Fair

Over: LAS FLORES CREEK

11-SD-005-R61.43-OCN, San Diego, CA

Built 1967 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 66,000

KELTON ROAD

Fair

Over: STATE ROUTE 94

11-SD-094-5.79-SD, San Diego, CA

Built 1956 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 6,980

Showing 4,101-4,150 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.