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

N PIEDRA RD

Fair

Over: FRIANT-KERN CANAL

2.5 MI NE OF SR 180, Fresno, CA

Built 1953 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,700

S EL DORADO AVE

Fair

Over: COALINGA CANAL

1.8 MI NORTH OF JAYNE AVE, Fresno, CA

Built 1972 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 800

MILPITAS ROAD

Fair

Over: N FK SAN ANTONIO CREEK

15 MI NW MISSION ROAD, Monterey, CA

Built 1945 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 20

12 3/4 AVE

Fair

Over: KINGS RIVER

KINGS & FRESNO CO LINE, Kings, CA

Built 1954 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 3,183

ROAD 136

Fair

Over: SAND CREEK

0.19 MI S OF A456, Tulare, CA

Built 1950 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 125

ROAD 80

Fair

Over: TULE RIVER

0.6 MI N OF AVE 160, Tulare, CA

Built 1948 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 200

ROAD 180

Fair

Over: TULARE IRRIG DIST CANAL

0.3 MI N OF AVE 312, Tulare, CA

Built 1956 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 420

STATE ROUTE 58

Fair

Over: US HWY 101 (@PM 37.86)

05-SLO-058-0.03, San Luis Obispo, CA

Built 1956 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 7,200

STATE ROUTE 58 EB

Fair

Over: SR 184 (WEEDPATCH HWY)

06-KER-058-R59.43, Kern, CA

Built 1970 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 16,250

CAMERON RD

Fair

Over: CACHE CREEK

1.8 MI W OF SR 58, Kern, CA

Built 1972 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 250

STATE ROUTE 126

Fair

Over: PALM AVENUE

07-VEN-126-R11.37-SPA, Ventura, CA

Built 1965 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 23,500

STATE ROUTE 126

Fair

Over: PALM AVENUE

07-VEN-126-R11.37-SPA, Ventura, CA

Built 1965 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 23,500

STATE ROUTE 23

Fair

Over: OLSEN ROAD

07-VEN-023-R8.21-THOK, Ventura, CA

Built 1970 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,500

SLAUSON AVE

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 710

07-LA-710-21.03-BELL, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1957 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 32,000

U.S. HIGHWAY 101

Fair

Over: RESEDA BLVD

07-LA-101-21.25-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1959 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 296,000

INTERSTATE 405

Fair

Over: TORRANCE LATERAL CHNL

07-LA-405-11.39-CRSN, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1961 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 265,000

W91-S605 CONNECTOR

Fair

Over: ROUTE 605

07-LA-091-R16.93-CRTS, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1966 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 26,900

STATE ROUTE 60

Fair

Over: MARKLAND DRIVE

07-LA-060-R6.30-MTBL, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1967 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 232,000

SOUTH STREET

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 605

07-LA-605-R3.75-CRTS, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1966 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 16,700

INTERSTATE 210

Fair

Over: MOUNTAIN AVENUE

07-LA-210-R34.74-MNRO, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1966 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 258,000

W210-FOOTHILL OFF

Fair

Over: FOOTHILL BL-W210 ON RAMP

07-LA-210-R29.65, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1971 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 3,050

STATE ROUTE 134 WB

Fair

Over: ARBOR DELL HILLMONT UC

07-LA-134-R10.97-LA, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1971 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 223,000

STATE ROUTE 91

Fair

Over: UP RR

07-LA-091-R13.35-LBCH, Los Angeles, CA

Built 1970 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 270,000

INTERSTATE 10 EB

Fair

Over: ETIWANDA WASH

08-SBD-010-10.99-ONT, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1939 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 117,000

INTERSTATE 40

Fair

Over: BLOSSOM WASH

08-SBD-040-R12.00, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1968 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 19,500

INTERSTATE 15 SB

Fair

Over: BRUSH CREEK

08-SBD-015-R19.89, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1969 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 90,500

INTERSTATE 15 NB

Fair

Over: BRUSH CREEK

08-SBD-015-R19.89, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1969 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 90,500

INTERSTATE 40 EB

Fair

Over: SIBERIA WASH

08-SBD-040-R65.59R, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1972 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 16,500

WESTBOUND I-40

Fair

Over: KELBAKER ROAD

08-SBD-040-R78.17, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1973 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 8,500

EASTBOUND I-40

Fair

Over: KELBAKER ROAD

08-SBD-040-R78.17, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1973 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 8,500

W10-N15 CONN RAMP

Fair

Over: DAY CANYON CHANNEL

08-SBD-010-10.13-ONT, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1975 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 15,000

BAKER BL

Fair

Over: MOJAVE RIVER

0.2 MI SW DEATH VALLEY RD, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1939 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 5,541

HOSPITALITY LANE

Fair

Over: SAN TIMOTEO CREEK

500E WATERMAN AVE, San Bernardino, CA

Built 1986 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 32,160

SPRINGDALE ST

Fair

Over: STATE ROUTE 22

12-ORA-022-R1.93-WTM, Orange, CA

Built 1966 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 12,000

W/B LA PAZ ROAD

Fair

Over: SCRRA BNSF RY AMTRAK

200 NE/O MUIRLANDS BLVD, Orange, CA

Built 1965 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 16,000

E/B LA PAZ ROAD

Fair

Over: SCRRA BNSF RY AMTRAK

200 NE/O MUIRLANDS BLVD., Orange, CA

Built 1965 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 21,500

INTERSTATE 10 WB

Fair

Over: EAST CHANNEL STUBBY WASH

08-RIV-010-R24.24, Riverside, CA

Built 1966 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 45,500

VOIGT DRIVE

Fair

Over: INTERSTATE 5

11-SD-005-R29.09-SD, San Diego, CA

Built 1966 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 13,300

INTERSTATE 805

Fair

Over: DIVISION STREET

11-SD-805-11.14-NATC, San Diego, CA

Built 1975 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 243,000

TULIP ST

Fair

Over: ESCONDIDO CREEK

0.12M N/O VALLEY PKWY, San Diego, CA

Built 1967 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 14,200

REGENTS ROAD

Fair

Over: SAN CLEMENTE CANYON CRK

200 FT S/O RTE SR 52, San Diego, CA

Built 1961 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 19,500

C.G. ROAD

Fair

Over: N. FORK MATILIJA

WHEELER GORGE C.G., Ventura, CA

Built 1953 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 50

BUNKER ROAD

Fair

Over: RODEO LAGOON

From US Route 101 take Sa, Marin, CA

Built 1983 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 600

CEDAR GROVE ROAD (

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK KINGS RIVER

KINGS CANYON HWY. MP 32.3, Fresno, CA

Built 1953 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 278

SENTINEL BRIDGE RO

Fair

Over: MERCED RIVER

13.2 miles east from El P, Mariposa, CA

Built 1994 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 3,416

CURRY STABLES ROAD

Fair

Over: MERCED RIVER

14.2 miles E from El Port, Mariposa, CA

Built 1928 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

TIOGA ROAD

Fair

Over: TUOLUMNE RIVER

7.0 miles E from El Porta, Tuolumne, CA

Built 1934 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,041

TIOGA ROAD

Fair

Over: YOSEMITE CREEK

7.0 miles east of El Port, Mariposa, CA

Built 1960 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,041

FORESTA ROAD

Fair

Over: MERCED RIVER

MP 48.2 on Hwy "140" the, Mariposa, CA

Built 1960 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,080

DOOLITTLE DRIVE

Fair

Over: BRANCH OF HUTCHINSON CRE

250 FEET SOUTH OF INTERSE, Yuba, CA

Built 1942 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 4,100

Showing 4,901-4,950 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.