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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YANKEE SLOUGH | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 100 |
| DOTY RAVINE | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 789 |
| "S" CREEK (JEFFERSON CR) | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 50 |
| HUMBUG CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 5,800 |
| SHINGLE MILL CR (OHLSON) | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 300 |
| LYTTON SPRINGS CREEK | California | Good | 1935 | 91 | 2,800 |
| DUTCH BILL CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 2,100 |
| COLLEGE CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 26,000 |
| MATANZAS CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 12,000 |
| SANTA ROSA CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 14,600 |
| PRUITT CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 2,900 |
| SONOMA CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 250 |
| ALAMO CREEK | California | Good | 1935 | 91 | 21,910 |
| LEDGEWOOD CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 2,634 |
| OLD ALAMO CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 543 |
| BAT CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 300 |
| MOUND SPRINGS CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 4,351 |
| SAUSALITO ROAD | California | Good | 1935 | 91 | 106,000 |
| NOVATO CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 7,153 |
| SAN ANSELMO CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 3,000 |
| SAN ANSELMO CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 9,000 |
| SAN ANSELMO CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 12,000 |
| DRAIN B | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 709 |
| DRAIN A | California | Good | 1935 | 91 | 427 |
| SAN DOMINGO CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 96 |
| UP RR BNSF RY AMTRAK ETC | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 73,800 |
| W80-FREMONT ST OFF RAMP | California | Good | 1935 | 91 | 140,274 |
| SAN MATEO CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 30,250 |
| VALENCIA CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 3,000 |
| SARATOGA CREEK | California | Good | 1935 | 91 | 3,891 |
| CALABAZAS CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 1,529 |
| LAGUNA SECA CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 21,050 |
| GUADALUPE RIVER | California | Good | 1935 | 91 | 2,140 |
| M.I.D. MAIN CANAL | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 139 |
| T.I.D. MAIN CANAL | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 288 |
| T.I.D. MAIN CANAL | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 240 |
| DEL PUERTO CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 949 |
| SHIRLEY CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 37 |
| S SAN JOAQUIN ID DITCH | California | Good | 1935 | 91 | 182 |
| TURLOCK CANAL | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 65,000 |
| MAIN CANAL | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 1,451 |
| DUCK SLOUGH | California | Good | 1935 | 91 | 719 |
| HIGH LINE WASTEWAY | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 400 |
| EL CAPITAN CANAL | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 500 |
| SOUTH SLOUGH | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 128 |
| MAIN CANAL | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 56 |
| SNOW CREEK | California | Poor | 1935 | 91 | 360 |
| SUMMIT CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 960 |
| CITY CANAL | California | Good | 1935 | 91 | 13,700 |
| LITTLE PANOCHE CREEK | California | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 230 |
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.