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
CONTRA COSTA CANAL California Fair 1939 87 850
LIME CREEK California Fair 1939 87 8,000
WEST FORK CARSON RIVER California Fair 1939 87 3,200
WEST FORK CARSON RIVER California Fair 1939 87 2,200
I 80 EB OFFRMP 4 &2 ST California Fair 1939 87 50,000
ARROYO DE LA LAGUNA California Good 1939 87 13,500
UTILITY TUNNEL & PUC California Fair 1939 87 134,264
OAKLAND ESTUARY California Poor 1939 87 19,900
SAN LEANDRO CREEK California Poor 1939 87 7,991
ARROYO MOCHO California Good 1939 87 18,200
WEST PACIFIC AVE California Fair 1939 87 64,000
KOBBE AVE HITCHCOCK ST California Fair 1939 87 64,000
SCOTT CREEK California Fair 1939 87 4,800
ZAYANTE CREEK California Good 1939 87 5,800
BRANCIFORTE CREEK California Poor 1939 87 1,800
PACHECO CREEK California Good 1939 87 30,750
SOUTH FORK PACHECO CREEK California Fair 1939 87 30,750
SARATOGA CREEK California Good 1939 87 1,650
BODFISH CREEK California Fair 1939 87 70
BODFISH CREEK California Fair 1939 87 70
T.I.D. MAIN CANAL California Fair 1939 87 4,500
CCID MAIN CANAL California Fair 1939 87 534
M.I.D. LATERAL #4 California Fair 1939 87 3,091
FRESNO RIVER California Fair 1939 87 8,425
MUSTANG CREEK California Fair 1939 87 1,308
POSO CANAL California Fair 1939 87 10,300
CCID MAIN CANAL California Fair 1939 87 10,300
OUTSIDE CANAL California Fair 1939 87 10,300
BIG SANDY CREEK California Fair 1939 87 6,600
HERNDON CANAL California Fair 1939 87 320
TRAVERS CREEK California Fair 1939 87 1,000
FRESNO CANAL California Poor 1939 87 700
MILL DITCH California Poor 1939 87 200
WRISTEN CANAL California Fair 1939 87 400
DRY CREEK CANAL California Fair 1939 87 600
WUTCHUMNA DITCH California Fair 1939 87 6,800
SAND CREEK California Good 1939 87 2,800
WHITE RIVER California Poor 1939 87 180
DEER CREEK California Fair 1939 87 510
SAND CREEK California Fair 1939 87 600
ALTA CANAL California Fair 1939 87 800
DEER CREEK California Poor 1939 87 25
SAND CREEK California Good 1939 87 375
SAND CREEK California Good 1939 87 250
SAND CREEK California Good 1939 87 50
SAND CREEK California Good 1939 87 2,275
SAND CREEK California Good 1939 87 1,450
KINGSBURG CANAL California Fair 1939 87 75
CROCKER CUT California Fair 1939 87 900
PASO ROBLES CREEK California Good 1939 87 31,000

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.