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.
| Bridge | State | Condition | Year Built | Age (Years) | ADT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOUTH FORK JACKSON CREEK | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 800 |
| JACKSON CREEK | California | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 800 |
| BIG INDIAN CREEK | California | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 26 |
| PIGEON CREEK | California | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 26 |
| MULE CREEK | California | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 260 |
| LITTLE INDIAN CREEK | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 103 |
| NORTH FORK JACKSON CREEK | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 30 |
| SUTTER CREEK | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 1,800 |
| RANCHERIA CREEK | California | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 25 |
| TOMASINI CANYON | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 2,300 |
| MILLER CREEK | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 980 |
| ABANDONED NWP RR ROW | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 1,570 |
| ARROYO DEL HAMBRE | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 5,500 |
| MOSHER SLOUGH | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 15,859 |
| BEAR CREEK OVERFLOW | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 8,850 |
| TEMPLE CREEK | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 2,194 |
| WILLOW CREEK | California | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 256 |
| TURNBACK CREEK | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 150 |
| CURTIS CREEK | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 265 |
| FIVE MILE CREEK | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 55 |
| ROSE CREEK | California | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 20 |
| EAGLE CREEK | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 20 |
| ARROYO MOCHO | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 1,930 |
| SAN LORENZO CREEK | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 2,878 |
| STONY BROOK | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 570 |
| STONY BROOK | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 570 |
| SAN FRANCISQUITO CREEK | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 24,200 |
| HIGH BRIDGE CREEK | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 1,350 |
| UPPER PENITENCIA CREEK | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 500 |
| LLAGAS CREEK | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 1,780 |
| LLAGAS CREEK | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 1,780 |
| LITTLE ARTHUR CREEK | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 80 |
| LITTLE ARTHUR CREEK | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 400 |
| LITTLE ARTHUR CREEK | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 400 |
| PENITENCIA CREEK | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 690 |
| M.I.D. MAIN CANAL | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 11,776 |
| DRY CREEK | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 232 |
| M.I.D. MAIN CANAL | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 13,888 |
| T.I.D. CERES MAIN CANAL | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 9,842 |
| T.I.D. LOWER LATERAL #4 | California | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 5,844 |
| M.I.D. MAIN CANAL | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 3,776 |
| M.I.D. LATERAL #5 | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 939 |
| PATTERSON ID MAIN CANAL | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 960 |
| M.I.D. LATERAL #6 | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 1,345 |
| M.I.D. MAIN CANAL | California | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 1,873 |
| M.I.D. LATERAL #5 | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 449 |
| DRY CREEK TRIBUTARY | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 52 |
| M.I.D. LATERAL #3 | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 1,500 |
| M.I.D. LATERAL #7 | California | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 4,684 |
| M.I.D. LATERAL #7 | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 4,347 |
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.