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
SUTTER BYPASS California Poor 1938 88 7,600
AUBURN RAVINE California Fair 1938 88 2,136
YANKEE SLOUGH California Fair 1938 88 1,180
SUTTER-BUTTE CANAL California Poor 1938 88 389
UP RR BNSF RY & AMTRAK California Fair 1938 88 4,950
COON CREEK California Fair 1938 88 95
BLUCHER CREEK California Good 1938 88 16,550
RUSSIAN RIVER California Fair 1938 88 3,200
DUTCH HENRY CREEK California Fair 1938 88 4,310
CACHE CREEK California Fair 1938 88 750
NORTH CHANNEL DRY CREEK California Good 1938 88 29,500
CHICKEN RANCH SLOUGH California Good 1938 88 54,658
LINCOLN AVE-N101 ON RAMP California Fair 1938 88 180,000
SAN GERONIMO CREEK California Fair 1938 88 50
BNSF RY California Fair 1938 88 62,000
BNSF RY AND AMTRAK California Poor 1938 88 10,300
CONTRA COSTA CANAL California Fair 1938 88 20,300
CONTRA COSTA CANAL California Good 1938 88 6,167
CONTRA COSTA CANAL California Good 1938 88 5,500
SAN PABLO CREEK California Fair 1938 88 11,492
SO SAN JOAQUIN IRR CANAL California Fair 1938 88 18,200
SOUTH CHANNEL DRY CREEK California Fair 1938 88 29,500
N. FORK CALAVERAS RIVER California Fair 1938 88 7,000
WARREN CREEK California Fair 1938 88 237
WEST FORK CARSON RIVER California Poor 1938 88 275
BIG CREEK California Fair 1938 88 25
UP RR BNSF RY & ACE California Good 1938 88 88,000
UP RR BNSF RY & ACE California Fair 1938 88 93,000
SIDEHILL California Fair 1938 88 3,000
SIDEHILL California Fair 1938 88 1,500
SIDEHILL California Good 1938 88 3,000
SIDEHILL California Good 1938 88 3,000
SIDEHILL California Fair 1938 88 3,000
SALSIPUEDES CREEK California Poor 1938 88 10,000
CORRALITOS CREEK California Good 1938 88 500
SAN LORENZO RIVER California Good 1938 88 30,100
GREEN VALLEY CREEK California Fair 1938 88 500
MADRONE DR California Fair 1938 88 59,900
RUNDEL CREEK California Good 1938 88 4,000
LLAGAS CREEK California Fair 1938 88 11,440
M.I.D. LATERAL #6 California Fair 1938 88 9,500
UP RR GOLDEN STATE California Fair 1938 88 10,000
M.I.D. LATERAL #4 California Fair 1938 88 2,849
SOUTH FORK DEADMAN CREEK California Good 1938 88 35
DEADMAN CREEK California Fair 1938 88 56
MILES CREEK California Good 1938 88 1,826
BEAR CREEK OVERFLOW California Good 1938 88 2,000
BEAR CREEK OVERFLOW California Good 1938 88 2,000
BEAR CREEK OVERFLOW California Fair 1938 88 2,500
ESCALADIAN CANAL California Fair 1938 88 200

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.