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
PEJSA CANYON California Fair 1933 93 1,850
PACOIMA WASH California Good 1933 93 28,715
VENICE BLVD California Good 1933 93 12,718
EATON WASH California Good 1933 93 7,166
VERDUGO WASH California Good 1933 93 39,096
VERDUGO WASH California Good 1933 93 3,366
RIO HONDO California Fair 1933 93 47,632
MOJAVE RIVER California Fair 1933 93 12,000
SELVA DITCH California Fair 1933 93 235
MOREY ARROYO California Poor 1933 93 3,550
VIEJAS CREEK California Good 1933 93 6,575
MTDB BNSF RY & AMTRAK California Fair 1933 93 19,000
CUDAHY CHANNEL California Fair 1933 93 50
SAN DIEGO RIV FRIARS RD California Fair 1933 93 6,437
MERCED RIVER California Poor 1933 93 3,416
MERCED RIVER California Fair 1933 93 3,416
BRIDALVEIL CREEK California Fair 1933 93 1,517
BIDWELL CREEK California Fair 1934 92 400
SOUTH FORK EEL RIVER California Fair 1934 92 69
HAT CREEK California Good 1934 92 1,625
HAT CREEK California Good 1934 92 1,625
HAT CREEK California Good 1934 92 1,625
CLOVER CREEK California Good 1934 92 300
CHICO CREEK California Fair 1934 92 1,050
E FK OF N FK REEDS CREEK California Fair 1934 92 227
UNNAMED SLOUGH California Fair 1934 92 450
NORTH FORK FEATHER RIVER California Fair 1934 92 1,345
FELIZ CREEK California Fair 1934 92 13,800
RUSSIAN RIVER California Fair 1934 92 13,800
PINE CREEK California Good 1934 92 11,600
MAIN DRAINAGE CANAL California Fair 1934 92 715
DOWNIE RIVER California Good 1934 92 100
SAINT HELENA CREEK California Good 1934 92 10,900
HUNTERS CREEK California Fair 1934 92 669
YANKEE SLOUGH California Fair 1934 92 963
YANKEE SLOUGH OVERFLOW California Fair 1934 92 963
WARD CREEK California Fair 1934 92 8,000
RUSSIAN RIVER California Fair 1934 92 3,100
DRY CREEK California Fair 1934 92 6,100
SACRAMENTO RIVER (TOWER) California Fair 1934 92 12,000
NAPA RIVER California Fair 1934 92 5,743
AYO CORTE MADERA DEL PRE California Fair 1934 92 4,500
MARSH CREEK California Fair 1934 92 5,588
DUCK CREEK S BRANCH California Good 1934 92 5,449
NORTH LITTLE JOHNS CREEK California Fair 1934 92 3,500
WEBER CREEK California Good 1934 92 4,138
WEBER CREEK BRANCH California Good 1934 92 6,626
S BR S LITTLEJOHNS CREEK California Good 1934 92 4,995
TEMPLE CREEK California Fair 1934 92 5,528
SAN ANTONIO CREEK California Good 1934 92 7,300

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.