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
ELK BAYOU California Fair 1931 95 23,500
ST JOHNS RIVER California Fair 1931 95 9,500
PORTER SLOUGH California Good 1931 95 43,000
TULE RIVER OVERFLOW California Good 1931 95 43,000
TULARE IRRIG DIST CANAL California Fair 1931 95 6,100
WHITE RIVER California Fair 1931 95 425
BUENA VISTA SLOUGH California Fair 1931 95 10,400
GAVIOTA CREEK California Fair 1931 95 16,000
CANADA LARGA California Good 1931 95 7,700
TODD BARRANCA California Good 1931 95 850
SAN GABRIEL RIVER California Good 1931 95 36,400
SLIDE CANYON California Good 1931 95 3,700
FERN CANYON California Good 1931 95 3,700
HILLSIDE California Good 1931 95 3,700
LOS ANGELES RIV California Good 1931 95 58,397
ALHAMBRA WASH California Good 1931 95 30,952
LOS ANGELES RIV California Fair 1931 95 25,265
PACOIMA CRK California Good 1931 95 2,244
SAN ANTONIO CRK California Good 1931 95 1,475
LOS ANGELES RIVER California Good 1931 95 20,077
CASTAIC CRK California Poor 1931 95 11,505
BNSF RY & AMTRAK California Fair 1931 95 502
LIMESTONE CANYON California Good 1931 95 8,000
MORRILL CANYON California Fair 1931 95 11,730
DECKER CANYON California Fair 1931 95 8,600
BUENA VISTA AVENUE California Good 1931 95 490
AZTEC DITCH California Fair 1931 95 40
TARANTULA DITCH California Poor 1931 95 40
SUTRO DITCH California Fair 1931 95 40
ACARI DITCH California Poor 1931 95 40
SDIV RR California Good 1931 95 1,055
BOUNDARY CREEK California Good 1931 95 1,055
MAPLE CANYON California Good 1931 95 5,765
ARAZ WASH California Good 1931 95 510
BEAVER CREEK California Good 1932 94 650
E BR SOUTH FORK EEL RIV California Good 1932 94 627
UP RR & BNSF RY California Good 1932 94 3,375
RUSH CREEK California Good 1932 94 1,345
E BR N FK FEATHER RIVER California Fair 1932 94 10
ASH CREEK California Fair 1932 94 650
N FK FEATHER RIVER California Good 1932 94 1,450
LITTLE CHICO CREEK California Fair 1932 94 223
LADIES CANYON CREEK California Fair 1932 94 600
OAT VALLEY CREEK California Fair 1932 94 2,550
COTTONWOOD SLOUGH California Fair 1932 94 25
SUISUN CREEK California Poor 1932 94 202,000
AMERICAN RIVER California Good 1932 94 36,719
NEW YORK CREEK California Fair 1932 94 963
NOVATO CREEK California Good 1932 94 7,037
ESTERO DE SAN ANTONIO California Good 1932 94 249

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.