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
GRASSY BANKS SLOUGH California Fair 1930 96 1,256
BRANCH PINE CREEK California Fair 1930 96 276
ASH CREEK OVERFLOW California Fair 1930 96 164
LITTLE CHICO CREEK California Fair 1930 96 513
DUDLEY CREEK California Fair 1930 96 135
LITTLE DRY CREEK California Good 1930 96 133
LITTLE DRY CREEK California Fair 1930 96 33
COTTONWOOD CREEK California Fair 1930 96 135
LITTLE DRY CREEK OVFLOW California Good 1930 96 164
EDGAR SLOUGH OVERFLOW California Fair 1930 96 50
CLOVER CREEK California Good 1930 96 400
HARBIN CREEK California Good 1930 96 152
BIG CANYON CREEK California Poor 1930 96 308
BIG CANYON CREEK California Poor 1930 96 304
BIG CANYON CREEK California Fair 1930 96 208
WHISKEY CREEK California Fair 1930 96 484
GLENN-COLUSA CANAL California Fair 1930 96 10
SALT CREEK California Good 1930 96 3,219
FRESHWATER CREEK California Good 1930 96 1,797
LURLINE CREEK California Good 1930 96 1,298
GLENN-COLUSA CANAL California Good 1930 96 180
RD 108 MAIN CANAL California Good 1930 96 62
LURLINE CREEK California Good 1930 96 23
IRRIGATION DITCH California Good 1930 96 1,085
INDIAN CREEK California Good 1930 96 69
LITTLE DRY CREEK California Good 1930 96 5,520
NORTH FORK REEDS CREEK California Fair 1930 96 800
DRY CREEK California Fair 1930 96 430
REEDS CREEK California Fair 1930 96 80
POORMAN CREEK California Fair 1930 96 27
COON CREEK California Fair 1930 96 405
PING SLOUGH California Fair 1930 96 199
SUTTER-BUTTE CANAL California Fair 1930 96 25
WADSWORTH DITCH California Good 1930 96 280
NORTH FORK AMERICAN RIV California Fair 1930 96 549
MINERS RAVINE California Fair 1930 96 17,248
WISE CANAL California Fair 1930 96 6,098
MARKHAM RAVINE California Fair 1930 96 25
SECRET RAVINE California Fair 1930 96 1,725
AUBURN RAVINE California Fair 1930 96 387
WISE CANAL California Fair 1930 96 2,413
WISE CANAL California Fair 1930 96 1,269
SOUTH FORK DRY CREEK California Fair 1930 96 1,269
WOOLEY CREEK California Fair 1930 96 320
BEAR RIVER CANAL California Fair 1930 96 350
DRY CREEK California Fair 1930 96 1,486
WOOLEY CREEK California Fair 1930 96 9,104
GREEN VALLEY CREEK California Poor 1930 96 12,400
COLGAN CREEK California Fair 1930 96 3,000
SONOMA CREEK California Poor 1930 96 13,900

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.