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
ORRS CREEK California Fair 1926 100 18,278
BROADDUS CREEK California Good 1926 100 7,200
ROCK CREEK California Fair 1926 100 20
SOUTH BRNCH WYMAN RAVINE California Good 1926 100 1,470
RD 108 10Q CANAL California Good 1926 100 59
LAKE OF THE WOODS SLOUGH California Fair 1926 100 770
TRUCKEE RIVER California Poor 1926 100 70
UP RR BNSF RY & AMTRAK California Poor 1926 100 70
AUBURN RAVINE California Fair 1926 100 29,000
GOSSAGE CREEK California Fair 1926 100 3,100
FIFE CREEK California Fair 1926 100 1,800
NAPA RIVER California Good 1926 100 484
REDWOOD CREEK California Poor 1926 100 3,800
CORTE MADERA CREEK California Good 1926 100 32,300
SAN PABLO CREEK California Fair 1926 100 20,490
SAN JOAQUIN RIVER California Poor 1926 100 750
PIXLEY SLOUGH California Fair 1926 100 11,122
TEMPLE CREEK BRANCH California Fair 1926 100 2,194
CALAVERAS RIVER California Poor 1926 100 402
LONE TREE CREEK California Fair 1926 100 289
PIXLEY SLOUGH California Fair 1926 100 457
ROADSIDE DRAIN California Good 1926 100 520
ROADSIDE DRAIN California Good 1926 100 520
IRRIGATION DITCH California Good 1926 100 520
S BR S LITTLEJOHNS CREEK California Fair 1926 100 520
TEMPLE CREEK California Good 1926 100 520
DRAIN CANAL California Good 1926 100 520
LONE TREE CREEK California Fair 1926 100 380
SAUSAL CREEK California Fair 1926 100 7,335
BOULDER CREEK California Poor 1926 100 1,200
SAN LORENZO RIVER California Fair 1926 100 14,928
FISHER CREEK California Fair 1926 100 4,470
FISHER CREEK California Good 1926 100 4,470
LOS GATOS CREEK California Good 1926 100 7,100
CALABAZAS CREEK California Good 1926 100 959
STEVENS CREEK California Good 1926 100 810
CCID MAIN CANAL California Poor 1926 100 350
CCID MAIN CANAL California Poor 1926 100 333
CCID MAIN CANAL California Fair 1926 100 343
M.I.D. MAIN CANAL California Fair 1926 100 123
M.I.D. MAIN CANAL California Poor 1926 100 500
SOUTH BR INGALSBE SLOUGH California Fair 1926 100 1,425
CCID MAIN CANAL California Fair 1926 100 340
CCID MAIN CANAL California Fair 1926 100 102
BEAR CREEK California Fair 1926 100 2,125
BEAR CREEK California Fair 1926 100 2,125
SLATE GULCH California Poor 1926 100 1,400
SWEETWATER CREEK California Poor 1926 100 1,400
SOUTH FORK MERCED RIVER California Poor 1926 100 1,400
MERCED RIVER California Good 1926 100 1,400

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.