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.
| Bridge | State | Condition | Year Built | Age (Years) | ADT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BELLOTA DITCH | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 502 |
| EDLOFT DITCH | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 520 |
| RODILLA DITCH | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 502 |
| ALBRO DITCH | California | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 510 |
| ATAJO DITCH | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 502 |
| ELLITA DITCH | California | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 510 |
| TENINO DITCH | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 509 |
| COTA DITCH | California | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 502 |
| DANBY DITCH | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 502 |
| DALMATIA DITCH | California | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 502 |
| BROKAW DITCH | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 502 |
| BUD DITCH | California | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 502 |
| TARECO DITCH | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 502 |
| AVA DITCH | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 502 |
| NICOLA DITCH | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 502 |
| CALIFA DITCH | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 502 |
| ADENA DITCH | California | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 502 |
| ILIAD DITCH | California | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 502 |
| CLIPPER DITCH | California | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 502 |
| IZZY DITCH | California | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 502 |
| ELRITA DITCH | California | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 502 |
| AXTON DITCH | California | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 502 |
| BANDERA WASH | California | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 122 |
| AVIS DITCH | California | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 520 |
| AVILLA DITCH | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 502 |
| AVERILL DITCH | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 502 |
| ECKSY DITCH | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 502 |
| WEST LIDO CHANNEL | California | Good | 1930 | 96 | 12,500 |
| BALBOA ISLAND CHANNEL | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 12,000 |
| SANTIAGO CREEK CHANNEL | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 5,500 |
| BREA CANYON CHANNEL | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 20,709 |
| BREA CREEK CHANNEL | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 40,100 |
| BRIDGES CREEK | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 89,000 |
| TAHQUITZ CREEK CHANNEL | California | Good | 1930 | 96 | 10,969 |
| SOUTH CHOLLAS CREEK | California | Good | 1930 | 96 | 18,645 |
| DULZURA CREEK | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 7,800 |
| BOLAS CREEK | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 500 |
| ROSE CANYON CREEK | California | Good | 1930 | 96 | 42,910 |
| MARBLE FORK KAWEAH RIVER | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 662 |
| CLOVER CREEK | California | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 662 |
| SHASTA RIVER | California | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 1,200 |
| SHASTA RIVER | California | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 1,200 |
| HOWARDS GULCH | California | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 32 |
| HOWARDS GULCH | California | Good | 1931 | 95 | 32 |
| SOUTH FORK EEL RIVER | California | Good | 1931 | 95 | 460 |
| PERRY SLOUGH | California | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 254 |
| ROCK CREEK | California | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 817 |
| RAINES CREEK | California | Good | 1931 | 95 | 1,500 |
| RATTLESNAKE CREEK | California | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 6,200 |
| BEEBE CREEK | California | Fair | 1931 | 95 | 2,050 |
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.