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
MOJAVE RIVER California Fair 1928 98 20
LAGUNA CANYON CHANNEL California Good 1928 98 36,000
PRIMA DESHECHA CANADA California Good 1928 98 16,000
SAN JACINTO RIV OVERFLOW California Good 1928 98 6,189
TEQUESQUITE ARROYO California Fair 1928 98 11,360
GRANDE CREEK California Good 1928 98 7,800
E ST-S5 ON RAMP California Poor 1928 98 500
28TH ST California Fair 1928 98 9,761
BEELER CREEK California Good 1928 98 550
PINE VALLEY CREEK California Good 1928 98 1,058
COTTONWOOD CR California Fair 1928 98 1,145
NORTHFORK WILLOW CREEK California Poor 1928 98 50
MEDIA CREEK California Fair 1928 98 10
MERCED RIVER California Fair 1928 98 3,425
MERCED RIVER California Fair 1928 98 100
TENAYA CREEK California Fair 1928 98 1
DRY GULCH California Fair 1929 97 1,200
DRY CREEK California Fair 1929 97 1,400
WEST END RD CREEK NCRRA California Poor 1929 97 17,500
SALMON CREEK California Good 1929 97 644
MAPLE CREEK California Good 1929 97 105
SALMON CREEK California Good 1929 97 179
MEARS CREEK California Good 1929 97 50
WILLOW CREEK California Good 1929 97 1,050
PAYNES CREEK California Fair 1929 97 1,375
MILL CREEK California Fair 1929 97 1,100
GURNSEY CREEK California Fair 1929 97 1,100
SOUTH FORK ANTELOPE CRK California Poor 1929 97 500
MCCLURE CREEK California Fair 1929 97 400
S FK WILLOW CREEK California Fair 1929 97 56
STONE CORRAL CREEK California Fair 1929 97 459
SIMMERLY SLOUGH California Fair 1929 97 900
SOUTH YUBA RIVER California Fair 1929 97 250
SOUTH YUBA RIVER California Fair 1929 97 100
UP RR & AMTRAK California Fair 1929 97 2,960
SECRET RAVINE California Fair 1929 97 6,490
SAN ANTONIO CREEK California Fair 1929 97 100
SONOMA CREEK California Fair 1929 97 3,628
MATANZAS CREEK California Good 1929 97 5,800
LICHAU CREEK California Good 1929 97 2,900
DRY SLOUGH California Fair 1929 97 216
SACRAMENTO RIVER California Poor 1929 97 3,112
ARCADE CREEK California Fair 1929 97 26,461
MEEKS CREEK California Fair 1929 97 3,200
SOUTH FORK WEBER CREEK California Fair 1929 97 2,667
WORNUM DRIVE California Good 1929 97 172,000
LAGUNITAS CREEK OVERFLOW California Fair 1929 97 3,500
LAGUNITAS CREEK California Poor 1929 97 3,500
LAGUNITAS CREEK OVERFLOW California Good 1929 97 3,500
SAN ANSELMO CREEK California Fair 1929 97 34,000

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.