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
CURTIS CREEK California Fair 1937 89 783
ALAMEDA CREEK California Fair 1937 89 98,000
LINCOLN BLVD California Fair 1937 89 90,932
TOLL PLAZA UNDERCROSSING California Fair 1937 89 90,932
PESCADERO CREEK California Fair 1937 89 720
PESCADERO CREEK California Fair 1937 89 620
SAN LORENZO RIVER California Fair 1937 89 12,100
RODEO GULCH California Fair 1937 89 18,900
APTOS CREEK California Fair 1937 89 6,730
GUADALUPE RIVER California Good 1937 89 134,000
M.I.D. LATERAL #4 California Fair 1937 89 16,804
MOORE CREEK California Fair 1937 89 610
2ND LIFT CANAL California Poor 1937 89 125
GRANT CANAL California Fair 1937 89 210
CALIFORNIA VINYARD DITCH California Fair 1937 89 1,000
CASTRO CANYON California Fair 1937 89 3,150
PORTER SLOUGH California Fair 1937 89 3,650
DRY CREEK California Fair 1937 89 100
ST JOHNS RIVER CANAL # 2 California Fair 1937 89 3,160
CROSS CREEK California Fair 1937 89 3,160
PORTER SLOUGH California Good 1937 89 3,600
DEER CREEK California Fair 1937 89 225
COTTONWOOD CREEK California Fair 1937 89 240
SAND CREEK California Good 1937 89 625
BISHOP CREEK California Good 1937 89 4,550
POSO CREEK California Fair 1937 89 1,250
STINE CANAL California Good 1937 89 4,139
CARPINTERIA CREEK California Fair 1937 89 17,400
TODD BARRANCA California Good 1937 89 300
TODD BARRANCA California Good 1937 89 850
BALLONA CREEK California Fair 1937 89 50,000
RIO HONDO California Fair 1937 89 44,100
SAN GABRIEL RIV California Fair 1937 89 44,300
LOS ANGELES RIV California Poor 1937 89 23,298
ALHAMBRA WASH California Poor 1937 89 17,934
COMPTON CRK California Poor 1937 89 10,710
BALLONA CR California Fair 1937 89 22,838
OLD TOPANGA CRK California Fair 1937 89 2,712
OLD TOPANGA CRK California Fair 1937 89 2,712
HAY CYN CHAN California Good 1937 89 4,080
BALLONA CREEK California Fair 1937 89 15,078
BALLONA CREEK California Good 1937 89 42,792
HAINES CANYON CHANNEL California Good 1937 89 1,703
SHIELDS CYN CHAN California Good 1937 89 703
ALHAMBRA WASH California Fair 1937 89 18,656
HAINES CANYON CHANNEL California Good 1937 89 525
HAINES CANYON CHANNEL California Good 1937 89 34,854
HAINES CANYON CHANNEL California Fair 1937 89 1,885
EATON WASH California Good 1937 89 50,760
SANTA ANA RIVER California Good 1937 89 102,000

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.