Historic Bridges in California

4,414 bridges built before 1951 in California still in service today.

Bridges Built Before 1951

The United States has 4,414 bridges in California built before 1951 that remain in active service. These structures are 75+ years old — many predate modern engineering codes and were not designed for today's traffic volumes and vehicle weights. The average design life of a bridge is 50 years, making these aging structures a significant infrastructure concern.

Clear
Bridge State Condition Year Built Age (Years) ADT
JONES CREEK California Fair 1921 105 12,400
RUSSIAN RIVER California Fair 1921 105 8,204
ABRAMSON CREEK California Good 1921 105 12,700
PETERSON CREEK California Good 1921 105 12,700
FOREST VIEW CREEK California Good 1921 105 12,700
PINER CREEK California Good 1921 105 10,000
PORTER CREEK California Good 1921 105 1,738
HOUSE CREEK California Fair 1921 105 300
RUSSIAN RIVER California Fair 1921 105 828
HOPPER SLOUGH California Poor 1921 105 2,075
NAPA RIVER California Fair 1921 105 1,106
SLOUGH S7 California Good 1921 105 1,500
BRANCH PUTAH CREEK California Good 1921 105 1,815
CALAVERAS RIVER California Good 1921 105 18,350
S FORK STANISLAUS RIVER California Fair 1921 105 55
BOULDER CREEK California Fair 1921 105 1,350
BOULDER CREEK California Good 1921 105 4,350
BOULDER CREEK California Good 1921 105 1,350
COYOTE CREEK California Poor 1921 105 10
SALADO CREEK California Fair 1921 105 672
T.I.D. CERES MAIN CANAL California Fair 1921 105 4,119
T.I.D. MAIN CANAL California Poor 1921 105 2,313
DRY CREEK California Fair 1921 105 35
SANTA RITA CANAL California Fair 1921 105 8,425
ARROYO CANAL California Fair 1921 105 9,300
SOUTH FORK DRY CREEK California Good 1921 105 1,912
FIREBAUGH MAIN LIFT CNL California Fair 1921 105 11,800
MILL DITCH California Fair 1921 105 35,496
FOWLER SWITCH CANAL California Fair 1921 105 1,800
WILLOW CANAL California Good 1921 105 21,000
INSIDE CREEK California Fair 1921 105 21,000
OUTSIDE CREEK California Fair 1921 105 21,000
ST JOHNS RIVER California Fair 1921 105 4,300
MORRO CREEK California Fair 1921 105 8,500
ATASCADERO CREEK California Fair 1921 105 2,700
SYCAMORE CANYON CREEK California Good 1921 105 3,100
LION CANYON CREEK California Good 1921 105 2,500
UNNAMED WASH California Good 1921 105 4,141
UNNAMED WASH California Good 1921 105 3,838
OBAN WASH California Good 1921 105 3,838
UNNAMED WASH California Poor 1921 105 3,838
N CHAN BIG TUJUNGA WASH California Fair 1921 105 8,546
RIO HONDO California Fair 1921 105 24,813
ROHNER CREEK California Fair 1922 104 11,181
SALMON CREEK California Poor 1922 104 486
PIT RIVER California Fair 1922 104 352
FRENCH GULCH California Fair 1922 104 742
SAND SLOUGH California Fair 1922 104 200
COLD CREEK California Fair 1922 104 27
LATERAL D CANAL California Good 1922 104 524

About Historic Bridge Data

Bridges built before 1951 are classified as historic in this database. Many were designed to 1940s standards with lower load limits and narrower lanes. While FHWA requires regular inspections of all bridges regardless of age, older structures often require more frequent monitoring and rehabilitation investment.