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
ALL AMERICAN CANAL California Good 1938 88 29,000
ALL AMERICAN CANAL California Good 1938 88 8,656
ALL AMERICAN CANAL California Good 1938 88 7,250
ALL AMERICAN CANAL California Fair 1938 88 15,343
CENTRAL (BRIAR) CANAL California Good 1938 88 5,811
EAST ASH CANAL California Good 1938 88 14,295
EAST HIGHLINE CANAL #2 California Good 1938 88 2,850
EAST HIGHLINE CANAL California Poor 1938 88 50
COSUMNES RIVER California Fair 1938 88 25
AMERICAN RIVER California Good 1938 88 50
DINKEY CREEK California Poor 1938 88 110
HAYPRESS CREEK California Fair 1938 88 50
S. FK. YUBA RIVER California Fair 1938 88 50
Galinda Creek California Good 1939 87 2
OHMAN CREEK California Good 1939 87 690
BEAR CREEK California Good 1939 87 330
UP RR & AMTRAK California Good 1939 87 13,986
UP RR & AMTRAK California Good 1939 87 4,570
DEER CREEK California Fair 1939 87 1,100
DEER CREEK California Fair 1939 87 1,100
DEER CREEK California Fair 1939 87 1,100
NORTH FORK MILL CREEK California Fair 1939 87 150
JEWETT CREEK California Fair 1939 87 200
SHORT CREEK California Fair 1939 87 289
N FORK STONEY CREEK California Fair 1939 87 60
MAPLE CREEK California Fair 1939 87 2,050
SHEARING CREEK California Good 1939 87 2,050
ORNBAUN CREEK California Fair 1939 87 2,050
ROBINSON CREEK California Good 1939 87 2,300
MOAT CREEK California Good 1939 87 2,900
JACK PETERS CREEK California Fair 1939 87 9,900
RUSSIAN GULCH California Fair 1939 87 9,900
UP RR & BNSF RY California Fair 1939 87 7,491
JORDAN CREEK California Fair 1939 87 194
LATERAL "A" DRAIN California Fair 1939 87 780
GRAIN SLOUGH California Fair 1939 87 1,139
LITTLE CHICO CREEK California Fair 1939 87 330
SECRET RAVINE California Poor 1939 87 2,595
SONOMA CR (GLEN ELLEN) California Good 1939 87 6,300
SYCAMORE SLOUGH California Fair 1939 87 860
WINTERS CANAL California Good 1939 87 374
SUTTER SLOUGH California Fair 1939 87 1,913
SOUTH CHANNEL DRY CREEK California Good 1939 87 6,113
GOAT CREEK California Fair 1939 87 3,120
ELDER CREEK California Good 1939 87 19,665
EAST BRANCH LAGUNA CREEK California Good 1939 87 14,664
CARSON CREEK California Good 1939 87 72,000
SOUTH FK AMERICAN RIVER California Poor 1939 87 1,055
CONTRA COSTA CANAL California Good 1939 87 10,900
CONTRA COSTA CANAL California Good 1939 87 9,000

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.