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
TEMPLE CREEK N BRANCH California Fair 1927 99 641
CHANNEL A California Fair 1927 99 301
CHANNEL A BRANCH California Fair 1927 99 301
ALAMEDA CREEK California Fair 1927 99 141,000
SAN LORENZO CREEK California Poor 1927 99 2,120
ARROYO DE LA LAGUNA California Fair 1927 99 5,200
SAN LORENZO CREEK California Fair 1927 99 11,800
SAN JOSE AVE California Fair 1927 99 3,000
SAN LORENZO RIVER California Fair 1927 99 21,100
KINGS CREEK California Poor 1927 99 5,000
UVAS CREEK California Fair 1927 99 300
FURLONG CREEK California Good 1927 99 3,800
BRANCH OF PAJARO RIVER California Fair 1927 99 3,800
PAJARO RIVER California Fair 1927 99 3,800
FISHER CREEK California Good 1927 99 2,100
M.I.D. LATERAL #5 California Fair 1927 99 1,898
S SAN JOAQUIN MAIN CANAL California Fair 1927 99 52
M.I.D. MAIN CANAL California Fair 1927 99 379
T.I.D. MAIN CANAL California Fair 1927 99 438
MID LOWR WATERFORD CANAL California Fair 1927 99 318
S FK BLACK RASCAL CREEK California Good 1927 99 15,950
SOUTH SLOUGH California Fair 1927 99 339
FOWLER SWITCH CANAL California Fair 1927 99 500
ST JOHNS RIVER California Good 1927 99 4,800
ALTA CANAL California Fair 1927 99 325
NORTH FORK TULE RIVER California Fair 1927 99 280
LOS ANGELES AQUEDUCT California Fair 1927 99 50
LOS ANGELES AQUEDUCT California Fair 1927 99 50
LOS ANGELES AQUEDUCT California Fair 1927 99 50
LOS ANGELES AQUEDUCT California Fair 1927 99 50
LOS ANGELES AQUEDUCT California Fair 1927 99 50
LOS ANGELES AQUEDUCT California Fair 1927 99 50
LOS ANGELES AQUEDUCT California Poor 1927 99 50
RINCON CREEK California Fair 1927 99 3,100
WILLOW CREEK California Good 1927 99 530
ARROYO SEQUIT California Good 1927 99 12,700
TRANCAS CREEK California Poor 1927 99 17,100
ZUMA CREEK California Good 1927 99 25,100
GARAPITO CREEK California Fair 1927 99 15,650
LOS ANGELES RIVER California Good 1927 99 41,100
BEACON WASH California Good 1927 99 20,000
EATON WASH California Good 1927 99 21,836
RUBIO WASH California Fair 1927 99 16,380
BIG ROCK CRK California Fair 1927 99 1,530
ARROYO SECO CHAN California Fair 1927 99 1,965
OLD TOPANGA CRK California Fair 1927 99 2,300
RUBIO WASH California Good 1927 99 4,794
HILLSIDE California Good 1927 99 1,256
HYPERION AVENUE California Fair 1927 99 1,397
CHATSWORTH CREEK California Fair 1927 99 14,036

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.