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
CABLE CREEK California Good 1937 89 21,102
SAND CREEK California Good 1937 89 25,200
HANDY CREEK California Fair 1937 89 1,000
SNOW CREEK California Fair 1937 89 9,500
EL CASCO CREEK California Fair 1937 89 98,000
CHOLLAS CREEK California Poor 1937 89 18,545
NCTD BNSF RY AMTRAK California Fair 1937 89 8,600
SOUTH FORK TUOLUMNE RIVE California Fair 1937 89 2,041
Boca Dam Spillway California Good 1938 88 185
SCOTT RIVER California Fair 1938 88 6
BUTLER CREEK California Fair 1938 88 101
All American Canal California Fair 1938 88 13,200
All-American Canal California Good 1938 88 400
ALTURAS CREEK California Fair 1938 88 800
BRIDGE CREEK California Fair 1938 88 565
REDWOOD CREEK California Fair 1938 88 1,836
REDWOOD CREEK (REDWAY) California Fair 1938 88 260
BIG CREEK California Fair 1938 88 1,750
E FK OF N FK TRINITY RIV California Fair 1938 88 15
LAKE BRITTON California Poor 1938 88 1,700
BAILEY CREEK California Good 1938 88 50
NORTH FORK BATTLE CREEK California Fair 1938 88 50
SUSAN RIVER California Fair 1938 88 100
SACRAMENTO RIVER California Fair 1938 88 21,500
COLD FORK COTTONWOOD CRK California Poor 1938 88 20
SINGER CREEK California Fair 1938 88 60
MOLLER SLOUGH California Good 1938 88 40
SOUTH FORK JEWETT CREEK California Fair 1938 88 1,510
COYOTE CREEK California Fair 1938 88 660
COYOTE CREEK California Fair 1938 88 824
CAMPBELL CREEK OVERFLOW California Good 1938 88 100
CAMPBELL CREEK California Good 1938 88 100
HALL CREEK California Fair 1938 88 194
MIDDLE FORK FEATHER RIV California Fair 1938 88 35
GARCIA RIVER California Good 1938 88 2,100
ELK CREEK California Fair 1938 88 1,100
JUG HANDLE CREEK California Fair 1938 88 10,350
EEL RIVER California Good 1938 88 860
CON CREEK California Good 1938 88 72
BUTTE CREEK California Fair 1938 88 320
MAIN DRAINAGE CANAL California Fair 1938 88 2,308
BIG CHICO CREEK California Fair 1938 88 7,600
RUDY CREEK California Fair 1938 88 860
BRNCH SUTTER-BUTTE CANAL California Fair 1938 88 100
HAMILTON SLOUGH California Fair 1938 88 80
LINWELLS DRAIN California Good 1938 88 105
DURHAM SLOUGH California Fair 1938 88 88
DOWNIE RIVER California Good 1938 88 1,200
NORTH FORK YUBA RIVER California Fair 1938 88 500
DEER CREEK California Poor 1938 88 3,300

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.