El Rancho Drive over Hillside
Santa Cruz County, California · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- El Rancho Drive over Hillside in Santa Cruz County, California, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the superstructure, rated 6 (satisfactory condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 2008, making it 17 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 5,000 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2016).
- Its listed owner is the county highway agency.
- It is one of 83 of the 194 inventoried bridges in Santa Cruz County rated fair (42.8%); 32 (16.5%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is open, no restriction (NBI item 41).
- Its condition class and component ratings are unchanged from the 2024 inventory.
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated October 2023, on a 24-month routine inspection cycle.
- A fair rating means the lowest-rated major component scores 5 or 6 on FHWA's 0-9 scale: some deterioration or minor section loss, but the structure is sound. It is the middle class, not a warning.
View this bridge on a map → (37.00886, -122.02131)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
| Superstructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Substructure | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Prestressed concrete multiple box beam |
| Length | about 151 ft |
| Location | Just North of La Madronna |
| NBI structure number | 36C0170 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | October 2023 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | N: not over a waterway |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the California department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Santa Cruz County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Route 1 over Emeline Street | 2008 | 130,000 | Fair |
| Water Street over Branciforte Creek | 1924 | 100,000 | Fair |
| State Route 1 over Soquel Creek Wharf Rd | 1947 | 97,000 | Good |
| State Route 1 over Bay Avenue | 1995 | 97,000 | Good |
| State Route 1 over Market Street | 1958 | 88,000 | Good |
| State Route 1 over Branciforte Creek | 1958 | 88,000 | Good |
All bridges nearby: Santa Cruz County, CA bridge conditions · every bridge in Santa Cruz County · California bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.