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
All-American Canal California Fair 1935 91 50
Un Named Wash Overchute California Fair 1935 91 50
Bee Wash Overchute California Good 1935 91 50
120 Wash overchute California Fair 1935 91 50
REDWOOD CREEK California Fair 1935 91 1,836
MATTOLE RIVER California Fair 1935 91 205
ROHNER CREEK California Fair 1935 91 3,160
CANYON CREEK California Fair 1935 91 49
SACRAMENTO RIVER California Fair 1935 91 18,750
NORTH FORK BEAR CREEK California Fair 1935 91 87
SNOW CREEK California Good 1935 91 87
SOUTH FORK COW CREEK California Good 1935 91 87
CHURN CREEK California Fair 1935 91 2,770
ANDERSON CREEK California Good 1935 91 2,727
CLINE GULCH California Good 1935 91 60
DUCKET CREEK California Fair 1935 91 50
FRENCH GULCH California Fair 1935 91 60
LUCILLE CREEK California Fair 1935 91 10
NORTH FORK BATTLE CREEK California Good 1935 91 355
DIGGER CREEK California Fair 1935 91 492
ANTELOPE CREEK California Fair 1935 91 300
WILLOW CREEK California Fair 1935 91 300
BRICKYARD CREEK California Fair 1935 91 9,853
VIOLA SLOUGH California Fair 1935 91 80
HOUGHTON CREEK California Good 1935 91 40
RANCHERIA CREEK California Poor 1935 91 195
BURRIGHT CREEK California Fair 1935 91 1,821
MCKEE OVERFLOW California Poor 1935 91 157
WILLOW CREEK California Fair 1935 91 87
PRINCETON CODORA CANAL California Fair 1935 91 95
CLARKS VALLEY CREEK California Fair 1935 91 27
CLARKS VALLEY CREEK California Poor 1935 91 27
EDGAR SLOUGH OVERFLOW California Fair 1935 91 184
WYMAN RAVINE California Fair 1935 91 500
GRASSY BANKS DITCH California Fair 1935 91 1,820
COOPER CREEK California Fair 1935 91 212
COOPER CREEK California Fair 1935 91 123
PAMELA CREEK California Fair 1935 91 76
LITTLE STONY CREEK California Fair 1935 91 40
SALT CREEK California Poor 1935 91 23
NORTH FORK REEDS CREEK California Fair 1935 91 3,900
BEALE AFB SLOUGH California Fair 1935 91 3,900
BEAR RIVER California Fair 1935 91 1,313
EASTSIDE DRAINAGE CANAL California Fair 1935 91 718
EASTSIDE DRAINAGE CANAL California Fair 1935 91 269
PLEASANT GROVE CRK CANAL California Fair 1935 91 3,106
ROBBINS (DRAINAGE) CANAL California Fair 1935 91 23
BEAR RIVER CANAL California Fair 1935 91 8,097
WOOLEY CREEK California Fair 1935 91 2,164
NORTH RAVINE California Good 1935 91 3,041

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.