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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C & K CANAL | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 300 |
| C & K CANAL | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 2,300 |
| KINGSBURG BRANCH CANAL | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 300 |
| LOS GATOS CREEK | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 400 |
| DRY CREEK CANAL | California | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 1,696 |
| HERNDON CANAL | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 200 |
| HOUGHTON CANAL | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 210 |
| HOUGHTON CANAL | California | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 500 |
| ENTERPRISE CANAL | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 600 |
| GOULD CANAL | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 200 |
| GOULD CANAL | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 100 |
| COLONY MAIN CANAL | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 350 |
| FRESNO CANAL | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 250 |
| STINSON CANAL | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 50 |
| FOWLER SWITCH CANAL | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 300 |
| STINSON CANAL | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 200 |
| HOUGHTON CANAL | California | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 5,867 |
| DRY CREEK CANAL | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 1,200 |
| NO NAME DITCH | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 1,600 |
| C & K CANAL | California | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 1,434 |
| C & K CANAL | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 900 |
| GOULD CANAL | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 2,200 |
| SMITH-FERRY CANAL | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 300 |
| TULARE IRRIG DIST CANAL | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 975 |
| BEACH CREEK | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 339 |
| WILLOW CREEK | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 1,044 |
| SAN LUIS OBISPO CREEK | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 3,000 |
| SYCAMORE CREEK | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 4,700 |
| COAL CREEK | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 43,250 |
| ST RTE 110 & ARROYO SECO | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 20,000 |
| I 10 BUSWAY & METROLINK | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 5,000 |
| GARDEN | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 23,800 |
| BNSF RY LA RIVER UP RR | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 27,728 |
| PACOIMA WASH | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 15,000 |
| ARROYO BLVD / ARROYO S | California | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 7,453 |
| LOS ANGELES RIVER | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 46,978 |
| EATON WASH | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 20,465 |
| METROLINK & BUSWAY | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 19,272 |
| LITTLE TUJUNGA WASH | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 8,150 |
| BREA CREEK CHANNEL | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 57,500 |
| UNION PACIFIC RR | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 40,100 |
| SAN GORGONIO WASH | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 2 |
| WHITEWATER RIVER | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 9,750 |
| MTDB BNSF RY AMTRAK | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 20,713 |
| SAN ONOFRE CR BEACH CLUB | California | Good | 1925 | 101 | 8,800 |
| YUMA MAIN CANAL | California | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 6,500 |
| NEW RIVER | California | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 1,000 |
| MCNUTT CREEK | California | Fair | 1926 | 100 | 100 |
| DOMINGO CREEK | California | Fair | 1926 | 100 | 183 |
| CHARLIE CREEK | California | Fair | 1926 | 100 | 1,383 |
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.