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
SAN DOMINGO CREEK California Good 1934 92 7,100
EAST FORK CARSON RIVER California Fair 1934 92 950
GOLDEN GATE AVE California Fair 1934 92 1,050
OAKLAND ESTUARY California Fair 1934 92 41,000
SOQUEL CREEK California Poor 1934 92 15,000
COYOTE CREEK California Good 1934 92 6,140
LONE TREE CREEK California Fair 1934 92 3,796
DOG CREEK California Fair 1934 92 200
MILL CREEK California Good 1934 92 2,000
OUTSIDE CREEK California Good 1934 92 21,000
DRY CREEK California Fair 1934 92 100
S FORK KAWEAH RIVER California Fair 1934 92 575
ALTA CANAL California Fair 1934 92 100
SOUTH BRANCH ROBINSON CR California Good 1934 92 6,950
NORTH BRANCH ROBINSON CR California Good 1934 92 6,950
N BR BUCKEYE CREEK California Good 1934 92 6,950
MIDDLE BRANCH BUCKEYE CR California Good 1934 92 6,950
KERN RIVER PARK California Fair 1934 92 450
CABRILLO BLVD California Fair 1934 92 44,500
CALLEGUAS CREEK California Fair 1934 92 4,300
UP RR & AMTRAK California Fair 1934 92 4,000
CHARTER OAK WASH California Good 1934 92 223,000
CHAPMAN CANYON California Good 1934 92 2,350
W10-S5&101 CONNECTOR California Fair 1934 92 20,000
TOPANGA CREEK California Good 1934 92 15,050
PIPE LINE UC California Good 1934 92 33,000
TEXACO INC SERVICE ROAD California Good 1934 92 33,000
BIXBY SLOUGH California Good 1934 92 50,000
GLENDALE BLVD California Fair 1934 92 38,087
SILVER LAKE BLVD California Good 1934 92 31,333
FREMONT AVE California Fair 1934 92 27,360
MONTEREY PASS RD California Good 1934 92 27,360
SILVERBOW STORM DRN California Good 1934 92 26,842
SIERRA MADRE WASH California Fair 1934 92 102
SILVER LAKE BLVD California Fair 1934 92 24,918
CARBON CANYON CHANNEL California Fair 1934 92 3,700
BREA CREEK CHANNEL California Good 1934 92 3,102
FORNAT WASH California Poor 1934 92 240
EAST CHANNEL STUBBE WASH California Fair 1934 92 240
SAN ELIJO LAGOON California Poor 1934 92 20,297
MOUNT HELIX DR California Fair 1934 92 859
Colorado River California Fair 1934 92 360
Colorado River California Fair 1934 92 360
BROWNS CREEK California Good 1934 92 50
SACRAMENTO RIVER California Good 1934 92 50
TUOLUMNE RIVER California Fair 1934 92 2,041
ROSE CREEK California Fair 1935 91 4,000
SHASTA RIVER California Fair 1935 91 45
All-American Canal California Fair 1935 91 50
Mission Wash Overchute California Good 1935 91 80

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.