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
MAXWELL CREEK California Fair 1926 100 10
ARROYO GRANDE CREEK California Fair 1926 100 5,546
MISSION CREEK California Fair 1926 100 700
BEANFIELD DRAIN California Good 1926 100 144,000
TAMARISK DRAIN California Good 1926 100 144,000
MADRANIO CANYON CRK California Good 1926 100 76,000
ESCONDIDO CREEK California Good 1926 100 26,500
CORRAL CREEK California Fair 1926 100 32,700
LAS FLORES CREEK California Good 1926 100 43,250
ROUTE 1 California Fair 1926 100 13,500
UP RR AMTRAK METROLINK California Fair 1926 100 91,000
L A RIVER UP RR BNSF California Fair 1926 100 37,152
RUBIO WASH California Poor 1926 100 27,122
EATON WASH California Good 1926 100 11,568
PALLETT CRK California Good 1926 100 1,530
TOPANGA CYN CRK California Fair 1926 100 3,900
DIMMICK DR. California Fair 1926 100 50
SWARTHOUT CREEK California Good 1926 100 1,750
ALISO CREEK California Fair 1926 100 36,000
POTRERO CREEK California Fair 1926 100 19,252
RURAL CREEK California Good 1926 100 19,800
STANISLAUS RIVER California Poor 1926 100 50
HELY CREEK California Good 1927 99 1,650
WARREN CREEK California Fair 1927 99 472
DONEY CREEK California Fair 1927 99 2,178
SLATE CREEK California Fair 1927 99 52
SACRAMENTO RIV OVERFLOW California Fair 1927 99 850
ARBUCKLE GULCH California Good 1927 99 150
ELMORE CREEK California Fair 1927 99 20
REEDS CREEK California Fair 1927 99 16,400
SOUTH FORK JEWETT CREEK California Fair 1927 99 100
WILSON CREEK California Good 1927 99 2,678
HODDAP CREEK California Fair 1927 99 43
EDGAR SLOUGH OVERFLOW California Fair 1927 99 50
FUNKS CREEK California Good 1927 99 642
STONE CORRAL CREEK California Poor 1927 99 1,976
WEST BEST SLOUGH California Fair 1927 99 50
EAST BEST SLOUGH California Fair 1927 99 50
SOUTH FORK REEDS CREEK California Fair 1927 99 190
DRY CREEK California Poor 1927 99 490
BLUCHER CREEK California Good 1927 99 700
WILLOW SLOUGH California Fair 1927 99 31,500
ARCADE CREEK California Fair 1927 99 14,000
BROOKTREE CREEK California Good 1927 99 26,461
ARCADE CREEK California Fair 1927 99 21,459
BRANCH ARCADE CREEK California Good 1927 99 33,198
NORTH BRNCH GREENWOOD CR California Poor 1927 99 962
DUTCH CREEK California Fair 1927 99 151
CHILENO CREEK TRIBUTARY California Good 1927 99 213
TEMPLE CREEK S BRANCH California Fair 1927 99 641

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.