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
GAFFEY STREET California Good 1936 90 1,960
SANTA CLARA RIV BR California Poor 1936 90 2,550
HALLS CYN CH California Good 1936 90 979
VERDUGO WASH California Good 1936 90 2,550
VERDUGO WA California Fair 1936 90 12,051
PICKENS CYN CHAN California Good 1936 90 8,273
HALLS CYN CHAN California Good 1936 90 5,459
HALLS CYN CHAN California Good 1936 90 16,230
TOPANGA CYN CRK California Poor 1936 90 204
RED ROCK CRK California Poor 1936 90 2,712
ALHAMBRA WASH California Good 1936 90 2,754
ALHAMBRA WASH California Good 1936 90 1,326
HAINES CANYON CHANNEL California Good 1936 90 3,858
HAINES CANYON CHANNEL California Fair 1936 90 1,925
HAINES CANYON CHANNEL California Good 1936 90 2,252
HAINES CANYON CHANNEL California Good 1936 90 5,202
HALLS CYN CHAN California Good 1936 90 378
PICKENS CYN CHAN California Good 1936 90 1,853
PICKENS CYN CHAN California Good 1936 90 580
PICKENS CYN CHAN California Good 1936 90 758
PICKENS CYN CHAN California Good 1936 90 556
HALLS CYN CHAN California Fair 1936 90 384
HALLS CYN CHAN California Good 1936 90 3,366
HALLS CYN CHAN California Good 1936 90 1,479
HALLS BECKLEY CYN CHAN California Good 1936 90 357
HAINES CANYON CHANNEL California Fair 1936 90 1,674
SHEEP CREEK California Fair 1936 90 7,500
GRAYSAND CREEK California Good 1936 90 7,500
BNSF RY AMTRAK METROLINK California Good 1936 90 9,847
ELDER GULCH California Fair 1936 90 7,500
REDHILL PARK RESV CHAN California Good 1936 90 20,613
NEWPORT BEACH CHANNEL California Good 1936 90 47,000
SANTA ANA RIVER CHANNEL California Poor 1936 90 18,900
BREA CREEK CHANNEL California Good 1936 90 15,000
BREA CREEK CHANNEL California Good 1936 90 32,900
SAN TIMOTEO CREEK California Fair 1936 90 50,000
UP RR & AMTRAK California Fair 1936 90 44,500
BNSF RY & SCRRA California Good 1936 90 246,000
TOWNSHIP CREEK California Fair 1936 90 89,000
UP RR & AMTRAK California Fair 1936 90 16,800
RANCHO GUAJOME California Good 1936 90 16,315
VAIL CANAL California Fair 1936 90 1,360
ALL AMERICAN CANAL California Fair 1936 90 510
ALL AMERICAN CANAL California Poor 1936 90 800
WEST BRANCH FEATHER R California Fair 1936 90 50
EYE CREEK California Good 1936 90 50
ROCK CREEK California Fair 1936 90 50
BIG CREEK California Fair 1936 90 50
MCNEAL CREEK California Fair 1937 89 120
ROCK CREEK California Good 1937 89 2,800

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.