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
BNSF RY L A RIVER UPRR California Good 1927 99 26,666
EAST COMEY AVE DRAIN California Good 1927 99 42,250
MISSION STORM DRAIN California Fair 1927 99 23,000
SAN TIMOTEO CREEK California Fair 1927 99 4,400
AGUA CHINON WASH California Good 1927 99 201,000
SAN JUAN CREEK California Fair 1927 99 8,000
SAN JACINTO RIVER California Fair 1927 99 6,189
SOME CREEK California Good 1927 99 1,700
MTDB BNSF RY & AMTRAK California Fair 1927 99 12,100
CASSIDY STREET California Poor 1927 99 1
Merced River California Fair 1927 99 100
SHASTA RIVER California Fair 1928 98 1,200
NORTH FORK MAD RIVER California Poor 1928 98 624
MATTOLE RIVER California Fair 1928 98 200
BOULDER CREEK California Good 1928 98 10
BIEBER CREEK California Good 1928 98 1,050
UNNAMED STREAM California Fair 1928 98 84
EAST FORK RUSSIAN RIVER California Good 1928 98 1,203
BRANCH WALKER CREEK California Fair 1928 98 65
LITTLE DRY CREEK California Fair 1928 98 24
SIMMERLY SLOUGH California Poor 1928 98 40
TRUCKEE RIVER California Poor 1928 98 11,100
UP RR BNSF RY & AMTRAK California Fair 1928 98 212
SOUTH YUBA RIVER California Fair 1928 98 100
COON CREEK California Good 1928 98 560
DRY CREEK California Good 1928 98 18,000
SANTA ROSA CREEK California Fair 1928 98 31,300
CALABAZAS CREEK California Fair 1928 98 3,000
GRAPE CREEK California Good 1928 98 200
CRANE CREEK California Good 1928 98 200
PINE RIDGE CANYON California Good 1928 98 750
CANYON CREEK California Fair 1928 98 416
STEWART CREEK California Fair 1928 98 3,700
GREEN VALLEY CREEK California Poor 1928 98 189,000
JOHNTOWN CREEK California Poor 1928 98 1,391
ARROYO DE SAN JOSE California Fair 1928 98 139,000
OLEMA CREEK California Fair 1928 98 2,900
OLEMA CREEK California Good 1928 98 2,500
ARROYO NICASIO California Good 1928 98 4,000
ARROYO SAUSAL TRIBUTARY California Good 1928 98 330
SALMON CREEK California Fair 1928 98 328
MARSH CREEK California Fair 1928 98 17,900
DUCK CREEK California Fair 1928 98 1,607
LONE TREE CREEK California Fair 1928 98 1,104
KETTLEMAN SLOUGH California Good 1928 98 5,015
LONE TREE CREEK California Fair 1928 98 573
SSJID CANAL California Fair 1928 98 240
SSJID CANAL California Good 1928 98 328
LONE TREE CREEK California Fair 1928 98 304
CALAVERITAS CREEK California Poor 1928 98 203

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.