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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BERENDO DITCH | California | Fair | 1932 | 94 | 372 |
| AWATOBE DITCH | California | Fair | 1932 | 94 | 615 |
| SOUTH FORK COYOTE WASH | California | Poor | 1932 | 94 | 600 |
| HAVELOCK DITCH | California | Fair | 1932 | 94 | 372 |
| ALVIRA DITCH | California | Fair | 1932 | 94 | 372 |
| ZINGO DITCH | California | Good | 1932 | 94 | 372 |
| BINGO DITCH | California | Good | 1932 | 94 | 372 |
| RIMBO DITCH | California | Fair | 1932 | 94 | 372 |
| FLEUR DITCH | California | Good | 1932 | 94 | 372 |
| GYPSUM DITCH | California | Good | 1932 | 94 | 1,872 |
| SANDY DITCH | California | Good | 1932 | 94 | 1,872 |
| WINDMILL WASH | California | Fair | 1932 | 94 | 510 |
| MARBLE FORK KAWEAH RIVER | California | Fair | 1932 | 94 | 50 |
| COTTONWOOD CREEK | California | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 23 |
| DEAN CREEK | California | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 1,978 |
| HAT CREEK | California | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 3,200 |
| PIT RIVER | California | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 3,050 |
| FALL RIVER | California | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 3,250 |
| SEVEN MILE CREEK | California | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 2,025 |
| PAYNES CREEK | California | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 350 |
| RATTLESNAKE CREEK | California | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 112 |
| BIG DANN CREEK | California | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 150 |
| CEDAR CREEK | California | Good | 1933 | 93 | 150 |
| ROCKY CREEK | California | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 512 |
| MORRISON CREEK | California | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 8,900 |
| COLUSA WEIR | California | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 1,224 |
| PETALUMA RIVER | California | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 16,330 |
| SACRAMENTO RIVER | California | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 8,300 |
| MINER SLOUGH | California | Poor | 1933 | 93 | 288 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | California | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 2,346 |
| STONE LAKE DRAIN | California | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 2,346 |
| ARROYO SAUSAL | California | Good | 1933 | 93 | 2,590 |
| SAN JOAQUIN RIVER | California | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 19,950 |
| PRIVATE ACCESS | California | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 19,950 |
| SAN LORENZO RIVER | California | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 21,100 |
| STEVENS CREEK | California | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 30,000 |
| COYOTE CREEK | California | Good | 1933 | 93 | 14,320 |
| LEWIS CREEK | California | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 3,097 |
| WILDCAT CREEK | California | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 14,200 |
| KERN RIVER | California | Good | 1933 | 93 | 38,000 |
| CANAL LATERAL 29 | California | Good | 1933 | 93 | 130,000 |
| STINE CANAL | California | Good | 1933 | 93 | 38,000 |
| CALLOWAY CANAL | California | Good | 1933 | 93 | 38,000 |
| ADOBE CANYON | California | Good | 1933 | 93 | 340 |
| TOPANGA CREEK | California | Good | 1933 | 93 | 43,250 |
| ROUTE 1 | California | Good | 1933 | 93 | 25,200 |
| SAN GABRIEL RIVER | California | Good | 1933 | 93 | 116,500 |
| SAN GABRIEL RIVER | California | Good | 1933 | 93 | 2,350 |
| VAN ORNUM CANYON | California | Good | 1933 | 93 | 1,850 |
| CARPENTER CANYON | California | Good | 1933 | 93 | 1,850 |
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.